Olivia Oritz, BBA ‘19, MBA ‘21 had been a national-caliber equestrian until her senior year at Grand Haven High School, and that’s when a decision by her high school ended up completely dictating her college path and now her career. When the school announced it was starting a girl’s rugby team, she decided to give it a try. She’s now an international rugby player. And Davenport University played a key role.
Joining the rugby team in high school turned out to be one of the best decisions she’d ever made.
“I really enjoyed the sport and loved the team atmosphere, which is something I didn’t have riding horses solo,” said Ortiz. “I was excited to ride the rugby wave and see where it took me.”
After one of her high school games, she was approached by an assistant coach with the Davenport University women’s rugby team. Before she knew it, she’d been asked to play for the Panthers and invited to tour the Grand Rapids campus. Many of Ortiz’s friends had already decided to attend Davenport, so she was excited at the thought of playing rugby at the collegiate level and going to school with her friends.
Ortiz began her journey at Davenport in 2016. She recalls that it took some time for her to learn how to balance college classes and rugby, but as soon as she started setting weekly goals for herself, everything fell into place.
“Everything is about balance,” said Ortiz. “I learned that if you want to be really successful at your sport and school, you have to slightly sacrifice something else. It is just really important to know what your values are and what you want to get out of the experience.”
Before long, a scout with the USA Under 20s team took an interest in Ortiz, and in 2017, she was placed on the roster. Not long after that, she was invited to her first USA age-grade tour. Her skills then caught the attention of the USA rugby team, and in 2019, she was invited to her first USA Women’s senior camp.
“This was a pivotal time for me,” said Ortiz. “In 2019, I attended the senior camp while balancing school and a long commute. It is also the year I got my first cap with USA Women’s Rugby against England.”
Every time a player participates in an international match, they receive a point, which is referred to as a cap. The more experienced a player is, the more caps they collect. Receiving a cap is a great honor, and Ortiz is proud to have received 21 so far in her career.
Ortiz is currently living a busy life in England. She has a full-time contract to play with the Sale Sharks and also plays for the USA Women’s Rugby team. Her job is not at all typical, and she loves it.
“I don’t necessarily have a normal nine-to-five job since graduating from Davenport,” said Ortiz. “Playing rugby for a living is a fun experience, and it’s an honor to pursue my dream.”
Ortiz has found that playing at the international level is a lot different than playing at the collegiate level because competitors have varying levels of experience. Some players, like Ortiz, started when they were in high school, but others have been playing since they were children. The difference in experience can make the competition pretty intense, but Ortiz believes it has made her a better player.
Even though she’s no longer playing rugby for Davenport, she’s never forgotten some of the important lessons she learned while she was there.
“My coaches at Davenport taught me to be true to who I am as a player and that everyone on the team has their own strengths,” said Ortiz. “The team benefits the most when we learn to play to each other’s strengths.”
Ortiz continues to focus on her rugby career and will work towards playing in the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup as a member of the USA rugby team. She is already feeling the pressure but is ready to work hard and is excited to see what this year will bring.
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