While the 10 recruits on the women’s rugby team continue to adjust to the collegiate level, four of them are still adjusting to the altitude.

Jori Stadnyck, Allegra Hoopingarmer, Casey McLain and Amanda Nowaczyk join the Panthers from Summit High School in Summit County, CO.

“We’re all pretty tired from the altitude change. There’s too much air,” McLain said. “The humidity is also a change. It’s like fall right now where we’re from.”

All four players have played on their high school rugby team and have brought their experience with them to Eastern.

“It’s different. I think it’s the coaching style,” McLain said. “It’s really hard to compare.”

With few high schools with rugby teams, recruiting experienced freshmen is difficult, but recruiting players from the other half of the country is an even bigger challenge.

“Obviously it’s a traumatic experience and I’m proud of their courage,” head coach Frank Graziano said. “They came here to be intercollegiate athletes and they love their sport.

“It was never a combined effort. They all agreed to come here on separate times and they did what they were supposed to do. It was definitely the right choice for them.”

With last year’s young team still learning, Graziano is looking forward to utilizing the experience these four athletes already have.

“They understand the game a little bit and they came in with good bases,” Graziano said. “They’re still freshmen coming in to play at college, so they almost have to begin again, but they’re catching on quick.”

As the freshmen adjust to collegiate play, the older players have aided them in the transition as well.

“There’s some amazing players,” Hoopingarmer said. “We’re becoming better athletes.”

In order to bring the team together, these four freshmen realize they need to adjust some of the things they took with them from high school as well.

“We all went to high school knowing nothing,” Hoopingarmer said. “You can imagine the different habits we have to break now.”

While some habits are difficult to change, they still cannot forget their high school coach.

“He was such a good coach that it was a hard transition for us,” Stadnyck said.

With a scrimmage game this weekend and the season opening at Northern Illinois University Sept. 8, the start of the season is upon them. Hoopingarmer will be watching from the sidelines as she recovers from shoulder surgery, but is expected to return soon.

“I won’t be playing yet, but I think it’ll be good to see how the team comes together,” Hoopingarmer said.