Head Coach: Jessica Mallindine
From Jess:
"As far as rugby history goes, my history isn’t particularly long but what I don’t have in regard to years or extensive training programs I have made up for in sheer determination and love for the sport. My first exposure to rugby (and the people who love rugby) was in Australia nearly 12 years ago. I loved the culture, contact, the social team building, and camaraderie. I came home though toting my little rugby ball with me and there it sat in my garage until I happened to sit down in a graduate class in Wilmington, NC next to the person who became one of my closest friends and biggest champions for what I could potentially do on the pitch! He convinced me to get out to touch with the local men’s club in town and it’s been RUGBY LOVE ever since!
I am now based out of New Orleans and play with the Louisiana Lagniappe’s (Because we are a little something extra!), a combination team of New Orleans and Baton Rouge women. They alone are the only thing I knew I could count on when I moved to a city I have never been to without knowing a soul and, sure enough, they proved why there can possibly be no other sport that provides you with an instant family that is more inclusive, supportive, challenging, and fun loving.
Following the move to New Orleans, I have established and managed the Women’s 7’s Program in New Orleans, the Crescent City Hurricanes, and initiated the development of a FIT rules touch rugby league which has since been adopted into the PlayNOLA Organization. I am also on the board of directors for Louisiana Rugby, which promotes the development and growth of the sport through youth initiatives. In December of 2014, I was asked to become the head coach for Tulane University’s young women’s rugby program. I have watched it grow from a team of 8 to a team of over 30 and had the honor of guiding them to a National Spring Championship in April of 2016 in their inaugural competitive year.
I consider it an honor and privilege to have played with and represented so many groups of amazing men and women. Each one has given me something new to consider, a new challenge to face, or a new skill to master. With every new group I meet I am reminded about how much I truly love the mentality, toughness, and culture that goes along with being called a “Rugger”."
Jess has been our coach since 2014, and she was a key factor in our Spring 2016 DII National Championship as well as our second place title in Spring 2017. She takes time out of her busy life as a marine biologist for the Department of the Interior to coach us, and we are so thankful for her and her unending support!
Assistant Coach: Kaitlin Joerger
From Kaitlin:
I started playing rugby my junior year in college at Syracuse University. I saw a friend walking through campus with cool striped socks on and asked her where she was going, she said rugby practice...and the rest, as they say, is history. After college I moved to the Washington DC area and played competitively for Northern Virginia Women's Rugby for 10 years. I started as a second row and then transitioned to tighthead prop. I've always been in the pack, despite my dreams of playing scrumhalf. I love the sport of rugby and the opportunity it provides for continuing athletic endeavors post-college. I've made best friends through rugby and even met my wife through the sport.
After moving to New Orleans in 2012 I knew I was done playing rugby competitively. I started helping coach Tulane Women's Rugby in the fall of 2016. I've enjoyed being able to share my knowledge and love of the sport with the younger generation. I hope their time playing rugby turns out to be as rewarding as it was for me.
When I'm not playing rugby I can now be found training and drilling in my new athletic endeavor, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I've been doing Jiu Jitsu for about 18 months and recently received my blue belt. There are a lot of similarities between rugby and jiu jitsu, which is probably why I fell in love with the art so quickly. I am very happy to have found something else to keep me busy and in shape. I also enjoy sewing, woodworking, hanging with the best dog in the world, Hank, eating ice cream, and triking around New Orleans.
