The Eastern women’s rugby team is just two weeks away from opening its season against Grand Valley State on Sept. 3. Head coach Frank Graziano’s team finished a rigorous pre-season camp that had his players practicing up to four times a day over the past two weeks to prepare for the 2011 season.

The Panthers are counting on a strong core of returning players from last year’s team, as well as a solid recruiting class to continue their dominance of NCAA Division-I rugby.

The Panthers are returning 11 players from last year’s 10-1 team. Among them, are seniors Tina Crema and Narissa Ramirez. Graziano is looking for Crema and Ramirez to provide his Panther team with leadership and consistent play throughout the season.

For the first time in Graziano’s 13-year tenure, he will dress just one captain for the 2011 season.

“Our team leader and team captain for this season will be Narissa Ramirez. She really is the heart and soul of this program,” Graziano said.

Graziano’s team is also highlighted by six juniors: Ashley Aardsma, Lauren Doyle, Alisha Donner, Kayla Heal, Stefanie Mahan and Alissa Patient. These players will also be looked upon to lead the Panthers through the 2011 season.

“Kayla Heal had a great preseason for us, and Lauren Doyle is putting up great numbers, and she also had a fantastic preseason,” Graziano said.

The Panthers will also welcome five newcomers to this year’s team.

“When we recruit our incoming freshmen, we obviously have expectations for them. Athletically, talent-wise and character-wise they are all excellent,” Graziano said.

“Now that we have finished pre-season camp, I can say that they fit in really well and picked up the sport very quickly,” he said. “Out of the 13 years I have been here, it was one of our best preseason camps yet.”

The Panthers schedule is highlighted by six home games, including two against NCAA Division I newcomer, Quinnipiac. “We’ve got 10 games on the schedule, and obviously the three most important games for us is the Quinnipiac games,” Graziano said.

The September 18 game will mark the first-ever meeting between two NCAA women rugby squads competing at the Division I level when the Panthers welcome the Quinnipiac Bobcats to Lakeside Field.

“Those are the history making games and its great to have a NCAA Division I series set up against us,” said Graziano.

The Panthers will also meet three Big Ten opponents on their 2011 schedule.

The Panthers will welcome the Minnesota Golden Gophers to Lakeside Field on Sept. 10, and will host the Purdue Boilermakers on Sept. 24.

The Panthers will end their battle against the Big Ten on Oct. 1 when they travel to Champaign to take on the Illinois Fighting Illini.

The team’s first game is set for Sept. 3 at home against Grand Valley State.

Jordan Pottorff can be reached at 581-7944 or [email protected].