Darby McFall is a fullback for the women’s rugby club and is team captain. The senior has played for the club all four of her years at Chico State and she has been a big reason why the team is number one in the nation. Her leadership and play has contributed to much of the team’s success.

Q: How did you first get involved playing rugby?

A: I first got involved because of my sister. She played before me and invited me to play and I said why not? As soon as I stepped on the field for the first time I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my college career.

Q: What has rugby taught you that you can apply to your everyday life?

A: Definitely hard work and a lot of commitment and teamwork. Rugby is the biggest team sport I have ever played. There are 15 people on the field at one time and every one of those people has a responsibility. We work really well together as a team and that is something I will carry with me the rest of my life.

Q: What can you pinpoint that has your team’s advantage over other teams?

A: I think this year we have a huge team camaraderie. I think that our bond is a lot better this year than it has been in the past. We spend every day together, no days off. I think this has been a huge factor as to why we have been doing so well this year.

Q: How has the trip to Ireland help shaped the team’s success this season?

A: I think that it has helped us by the different coaching we have received and understood the game from a different perspective, playing in a different country, and traveling has really bonded us. So having that solid six people who went and did that and came back and brought that knowledge and power back to the team.

Q: Being the No. 1 team in the nation, what would winning a national championship mean to you as a team?

A: Winning a national championship would mean so much to us. We have worked super super hard. After winning the national championship in 2001, it’s definitely due time that we win again. We put in a lot of hard work, waking up at 6 a.m., practicing every day, it would just mean our hard work has paid off.

Q: Do you guys feel any pressure being the No. 1 team in the nation?

A: We definitely feel pressure, but it is a good pressure in the fact that it makes us work harder and a title would mean that much more to us. As a team we like to say “diamonds are made under pressure,” so hopefully that will carry us through.

Have questions for a Wildcat of the week? Contact us at [email protected] or @theorion_sports on Twitter.

Noah Enns can be reached at [email protected] or @NoahEnns21 on Twitter.