University Of Lethbridge Pronghorns 2007, 2008, 2009 Women's Rugby Teams
The University Lethbridge Pronghorns Women’s Rugby Team won three straight CIS Championships in 2007, 2008 and 2009 under head coach Neil Langevin.
The Pronghorns entered the 2007 season as the front runners. In the conference final, Lethbridge was victorious and claimed their second consecutive conference championship in a 3-0 victory. They qualified for the CIS Championship Tournament, where they claimed their first-ever Monilix Trophy with a 15-10 win over the host Western Mustangs. First year winger Christie Pierson paced the team with two tries. Freshman Brittany Orr was the first Pronghorn to be named the CIS Championship MVP. Brittany Orr, Shannon Court and Amanda Richardson were named tournament all-stars.
Lethbridge hosted the CIS Championship in 2008. Kendra Gavelin had three successful tries in the semi-final game as they beat a tough Guelph squad 39-3 to go on to the final. The championship game against St. Francis Xavier was played in front of more than 1,000 fans. The Pronghorns fought back throughout the game and had an exciting 29-15 come-from-behind victory. Captain Ashley Patzer, who had missed the 2007 championship due to national team duties, excelled during the 2008 run and was named the CIS Championship MVP.
During the 2009 season, the team outscored their Canada West opponents 333-7. The 2009 National Championship game was once again played against St. Francis Xavier. Defence was the hallmark of the Pronghorns, as they forced the X-women into making mistakes in their own end. Lethbridge scored 15 unanswered points in the first half, and went on to a 20-3 victory. Named to the all-star team were Brittany Orr, Ashley Patzer, Kelsey Willoughby, and tournament MVP Andrea Letal.
A lasting legacy of the Pronghorns’ success was the creation of the Rugby Academy in Lethbridge by the Alberta Sport and Development Centre South West (ASDC-SW). CIS rugby is one of the key stepping stones to the National Sevens and 15’s Canadian Teams. Many of the Pronghorn players graduated to the U20 and Sr. programs, paving a way for the current level of success by Canada on the international stage.
The Pronghorns were inducted into the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame in 2011
2007-09 University of Lethbridge Women’s Pronghorns
Genevieve Ahart, Jillian Ankutowicz, Courtney Armstrong, Toby Boulet (TM), Rachael Brown, Rikki Lee Brown, Cassie Campbell (STH), Heather Corliss (STH), Janice Cougle, Shannon Court, Tiffany Dautremont, Genna Davidge, Natalie de Kok, Lindsey Duxbury, Courtney Faulkner, Kendra Gavelin, Quinn Gillett, Stacey Hake, Alex Hendricks, Robynne Hogg, Katelyn Jonsson, Roxanne Kelly, Chantal Koning, Rob Kossuth (AC), Bernadette La Rose, Neil Langevin (HC), Allie Laurent, Kim Leavitt, Andrea Letal, Kim Luhowy (AT), Ashley MacDonald, Regina MacKenzie, Norm McDougall (AC), Michelle McIndoe (STH), Kevenza Murphy, Laura Murphy-Burke, Jena Murray, Austin Ogrins, JJ Ondrus (AC), Brittany Orr, Ashley Patzer, Christie Pierson, Kenzie Ralph, Carly Raslask, Kendra Reeves, Amanda Richardson, Heather Robinson, Cindy Rogers, Emily Stearns, Kessie Stefanyk, Kim Stewart, Lynn Suttie, Nicole Van Eck, Brandi Van Eeuwen, Jennifer Wickwire, Kelsey Willoughby, Paula Woynarowsky, Ashley Zaremba, Brittany Zoeteman
After Induction
Ashley Patzer (married name – Ashley Steacy) competed at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 on the Canadian Women’s Rugby 7’s team. The team won the bronze medal.
