Four Army Black Knights Named All-Americans

WEST POINT – Four members of the Army West Point women’s rugby team garnered post season recognition as National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) 15s All-Americans.
Junior Sydney Hawkins, sophomore Zye Crittington and freshmen Gio Ferguson-Lewis and Bayleigh Gable were all named All-Americans by the national governing body on the 31-man roster. Reigning NIRA champion Quinnipiac had the most players selected with six, while national runner-up Central Washington saw five of its members on the list.
The Black Knights posted a 5-5 season and advanced to the national semifinals where they fell to the Bobcats.
Crittington garnered her second All-American honors after being named a USA Rugby All-American a year ago, while Ferguson-Lewis, Gable and Hawkins were each selected for the first time in their careers.
Crittington tied for the team lead in tries with eight in nine starts, good enough for a share of the fifth-most on Army’s all-time single-season tries list surpassing her old mark of six. The Cocoa, Fla., native now ranks fourth on the career tries list with 14. She also recorded the third-most points on the team with 40, bringing her career total to 70.
Hawkins scored five tries in her rookie campaign in the first five games of the season as a wing using a combination of speed and power to blow past the defense. Her five tries ranks ninth in the Black Knights’ single-season history.
Ferguson-Lewis was one of three ruggers to start in all 10 games along with senior captain Kirsten Redmon and junior Sydney Dossett. The Rockaway Beach, N.Y., native found the try zone twice in her first season of collegiate rugby.
Gable started in seven matches, in addition to entering as a reserve once. The Grandville, Mich., native was Army’s primary kicker, converting on 18 occasions and scoring a penalty kick. The 18 conversions puts her third in both the single season and career rankings, while becoming the third Black Knight in history to score on a penalty kick. She also dotted down three times throughout the season, pacing the team with 54 points.
The Black Knights will begin their spring 7s season in Springfield, Mass., at the AIC Tournament on April 2.