When you play for the Division 1 (D1) Women’s Rugby team, Saturday is “rugby day.”
Every week, over 30 players don cleats and mouthguards before marching out onto the playing field to represent the Banana Slugs of UC Santa Cruz. The latest match was different from most, though — it represented something more pressing than just rugby.
On Saturday, Feb. 21, the Women’s Rugby Club collaborated with the Lionel Cantú Queer Center to host a pride themed home game against UC Berkeley, emphasizing the larger impacts faced by queer athletes.
“All people belong in sports,” said Cantú advocacy intern Kate Heppell.“Whether you’re a watcher, player, coach or bystander, sports are for everyone of all backgrounds, ages and identities.” 
Players dart across the field, eager to score a try on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. Photo by Apurva Krishnamurthy.
Around 40 eager siblings, parents, friends and fans spectated the game. As players competed, the Cantú handed out snacks, drinks and pride flags at a sideline concession stand, along with rugby merchandise available to purchase through the Athletic and Recreation Center’s table. The games were complemented by a post-game celebration at the Parish Publick House near Westside Santa Cruz.
This was the UCSC Women’s Rugby Club’s third game of the season, which kicked off on Jan. 24. Team A, referred to as Side A, was composed of more advanced players and kicked off at 1 p.m. Side B kicked off at 2:30 p.m.
The final scores were 62-0 and 53-0, two wins for Cal Women’s Rugby.
Cal Women’s Rugby players celebrate after winning the 80-minute side A match on Saturday, Feb. 21. UCSC’s Side A engaged in post-game handshakes with Cal’s team. Photos by Nidhi Bhat.
An overwhelming amount of transgender women on national sports teams are shamed for their identity. Many members of the LGBTQIA+ community fear censorship of their past and erosion of their future, with continuous legislation prohibiting gender-affirming healthcare for minors, adequate sex education and trans athletes from competing on professional sports teams.
According to the official website, USA Rugby believes that “everyone should be not just allowed, but encouraged to play rugby. Our sport is rooted in a deep history of inclusion and the belief there is a position for everyone on the field and in our sport.”
Globally, about one-third of the current 10 million rugby players are women, and about 10 percent of players in the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup were publicly out as LGBTQIA+.
“It’s important to celebrate queer people in rugby because the nature of the sport is very physical and already subverting normal expectations for women,” said Makayla Buckholz, a sophomore on UCSC’s Side B.
This game was no exception, as the first half was contact heavy and showcased the level of trust and sportsmanship UCSC’s Women’s Rugby Club has established this season. Players were knocked off their feet numerous times, only to be promptly lifted by their teammates and thrown back into play.
Players grip onto each other’s uniforms, often forming a firm fist with their hands. Players commence the game play by getting into a ruck, a group of offensive and defensive players competing for possession of the ball. Feb. 21, 2026. Photos by Nidhi Bhat.
Although rugby is played in various forms across collegiate and professional levels, UCSC and their California-based opponents play “15s,” which consist of two 40-minute intervals, switching goal sides at halftime. Fifteen players are on the field per side — eight forwards, seven backs — and the object of the match is to carry the rugby ball across the try-line, or goal line, and touch it to the ground. Each try is worth five points, and players subsequently attempt to kick the rugby ball through a U-shaped goalpost for an extra two points.
A key player in the action was forward Makayla Buckholz, who didn’t find her passion for rugby until this school year. She stated that the pride game had a larger crowd than expected, which brought a surge of energy to the team.
Both Cal and UCSC players are hoisted into the air by their teammates, so they can catch the ball as it is passed from a distance. Feb. 21, 2026. Photo 1 by Apurva Kirshnamurthy. Photo 2, 3, 4 by Nidhi Bhat.
“I think the campus should remember that there are badass girls on this team and we come to play,” Buckholz said. “We have so much fun on the pitch and everyone is so supportive of each other.”
Regardless of the loss, the team remains positive. Side B awarded their back players for their grit and persistence in the face of Cal’s offense. The athletes that received these accolades were Mia Bagnara, Mathilda Culina, Jaden Edson, Alex Hayes, Hannah Collison, Jules Luckett and Nadine Oldfield.
The Women’s Rugby Club often shows up for the campus community, especially for LGBTQIA+ spaces. This is not the first instance of the Cantú collaborating with the team; Heppell described a time when players served the center by filling volunteer gaps in a limited food drive.
“They have been there for us in times where our food pantries have run short and hosted food drives for us,” she said. “While we were also supported by other sports, Women’s Rugby took the initiative to lead food drives to keep students at the Cantú nourished.”
Heppell continued by emphasizing the importance of LGBTQIA+ visibility in both sports and wider society. She stated that although there has been significant progress in visibility of identity on the field, many potential players are still turned away due to social barriers.
“No matter what messages our institutions display, they do not define who we are,” she said. “Be loud when they tell you to be quiet. Your identity cannot be defined by the noise around you. You have that power, regardless of any political institution.”
