Info on Wayne, Nebraska and rugby in general for the Wayne State College Wildcats.

Wayne is a small farm town 13 blocks long located in the upper corner of NE Nebraska, 90 miles North of the Omaha or Lincoln area, and 40 miles West of Sioux City, Iowa.

 

Wayne State College has an enrollment of 2,500 at a 4-year institution.

Here are the top 5 majors of the 88 majors at WSC.

Business Administration

Elementary Education

Industrial Technology

Criminal Justice

Pre-Professional (medical, dental, pharmacy, physical therapy, etc.)

 

Rugby started competitive play in 2003, and plays in the Great Plains Rugby Union.
After an exhibition season in 2002, the first ever rugby tournament was brought to Wayne in March of 2002.  12 teams traveled to play in a 1-day tournament and went for the 2nd part of the night with a “Bowling Tournament”. The first year team was happy to not only get wins on the rugby pitch, but also at Melodee Lanes.  The teams traveled back and told others of the great hospitality and tournament costs in Wayne, and thus, 2003 the tournament hit 22 teams. With not enough room at the bowling alley anymore the ruggers went to the Riley’s Convention Center for a “Sock Hop” and a themed dance.

 

Word quickly spread to other states and in just 3 years the tournament went from 12 to 28 teams.  Word spread faster as teams from over 12 hours away, came to “No-Where” who thought they could “cake walk” the tournament with little known rugby colleges in the area. As those teams went home with their tail between their legs, it was now known that Wayne had a great fun filled rugby weekend with stiff competition in the upper bracket.  Thus, more teams traveled know for hard rugby. Now with 5 divisions for your competition, and a great Saturday night in a town of 13 blocks long, in 2011, the 10th year anniversary of the event, 88 teams were entered 10 weeks before kickoff.

 

Many large city D-1 and D-2 programs are a little awe struck with the facilities, and how easy it is to get around and have a great time in a town 13 blocks long.

 

Wayne has been featured in many magazines and in nation wide newspapers by the AP. Make sure to "Smile Pretty", ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX TV crews form Sioux City and Omaha are well aware of this big weekend and will be walking around for news footage along with sports writers for the Sioux City Journal, Norfolk Daily News, Omaha World Herald, Lincoln Journal Star and the local Wayne Herald. (Look for a large piece on the tournament in the local paper when you arrive on Friday)

 

With an event this big it is fair to say Wayne, NE is the “Rugby Capital Of The Prairie”
Rugby fans that want to come to this event to “hang out”, are sure welcome, we are getting more and more fans who make this expedition to watch many top end games here in Wayne, Nebraska.