Rugby star and Amherst High School Class of 2021 alumnus Ellie Villnow, the daughter of Gary and Jill Villnow, has two big achievements to add to her list this year: A national women’s rugby championship and graduation from Lindenwood University, a school near Saint Louis, Missouri.

Villnow’s road to the championship began with her playing rugby for Stevens Point Area Senior High (SPASH) in high school as Amherst didn’t have a team and then being chosen to play for the Badger Selects, a Wisconsin high school all-star team, before signing to play for Lindenwood.

At Lindenwood, Villnow played as a forward and specialized in the front line; playing both tighthead prop and loosehead prop.

For the 2024-2025 season, the team had an 11-1 record with Villnow performing as a strong ball carrier, excellent in ruck support and strong in the scrums. She was consistent in forcing scrum penalties by the opposing team, which resulted in multiple possession turnovers in favor of Lindenwood. She also punished the opposition in breakdowns.

Head Coach Trevor Locke said, “The influence Ellie has on the game by stoning people with contact, and her physicality, was important to our success.”

Lindenwood’s playoff run saw a 29-5 win over Central Washington University in the national championship semi-final game.

That win earned a spot in the finals. The College Rugby Association of America (CRAA) D1A national championship match was played against Life University at Stanford University in California on April 19, where Lindenwood defeated Life, 19-15.

Villnow’s mother, Jill, said, “Ellie’s favorite play of her Senior season was forcing a scrum penalty against Life University, earning possession for her team, which resulted in the game-winning score.”

Less than a month after the national championship, Villnow graduated from Lindenwood on May 11 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and a minor in Criminology.

She plans to move back to Wisconsin, find a job in her field, and begin work on earning a Master’s degree.

Ellie Villnow makes a gain with a carry in a rugby match versus Life University on March 1.

The Lindenwood University team at the conclusion of the CRAA (College Rugby Association of America) D1A National Championship win over Life University April 19.