PURCHASE, N.Y. – Following her team-leading rookie season,
Sydney Natale (Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich) of the Manhattanville College women's rugby team has been appointed to the All-NIRA DIII Honorable Mention team.
Natale becomes the second player ever in the program's young history to earn recognition from the conference after
Kasey Molito (Whitman, MA/Whitman-Hanson Regional) was selected to the All-NIRA DIII Honorable Mention team last season following the team's inaugural campaign.
The rookie Natale was Manhattanville's leading playmaker in her first season on campus. Natale accounted for eight of the team's 15 scored tries in the eight contests of the 2022 campaign. She would also show off her speed with eight runs over 20 yards throughout the season.
On the defensive end, Natale logged 31 tackles and seven assisted tackles while logging three steals.
In the first match of her collegiate career, Natale scored a pair of tries against Colby-Sawyer in the opening contest of the NEC Jamboree to help the Valiants secure a 15-0 win. She would also play a pivotal role in the Valiants' final win of the season against New England College, finding the try zone twice in a 19-17 victory over the Pilgrims.
The All-NIRA team is comprised of 25 total players, a First 15 representing the international standard positions, and an additional 10 players making up the Honorable Mentions. In total, student-athletes from eight institutions were recognized as All-NIRA DIII selections.
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