Exeter Athletic Dakota Women claim third promotion in a row

Athletic will progress to the Women’s Championship South 1 league for the 2025/26 season having started life in Women’s NC 3 South West (West) just three seasons ago.

Exeter Athletic Dakota Women is one of three teams that make up the playing structure under the Exeter Chiefs Women’s banner. While the professional club is the top tier, a clear pathway and game-time opportunity is provided by the programme headed up by coach Poppy Leitch at the University of Exeter.

This means a students can play outside of the BUCS fixture list alongside players who are not part of the university system.

Eleven Exeter Chiefs players wore the Athletic shirt this season, while 2024/25 saw Leitch utilise more freshers than ever before alongside noted non-university or Chiefs players, Naomi Gruitt, Jade Wallis, Laura Anderson-Thomas, Corinne Walsh, Emily Owen and Daisy Vinnicombe.

Leitch said: “It has been a mad three-year journey with Exeter Athletic. I was young and naive when I re-started the side and have learned so much. At times, it’s been really challenging. Not many outsiders will understand the beast of university rugby and running a programme that ticks all the boxes is a mammoth task.

“Every year we try to grow our programme, offering more to our players, on and off the pitch. Although this year, in particular, has felt nearly impossible, but we’ve reached the end and finished on top. We’ve achieved what we set out to do three years ago. I feel immensely proud of all our players. Each and every one of them has written a page in the Exeter Athletic history books.”

Leitch, who juggled coaching with her career on the pitch as Exeter Chiefs Women’s captain, said: “We have tried create an environment at Exeter University that instils self-belief, beyond all measures. I want all our players to feel comfortable with the uncomfortable and play with no fear. This year, especially, I feel we have made great strides to achieving that.

“The side is made up of senior players, coming to the end of their university chapter, and freshers who are just at the beginning. When I watch them play together, or watch them support each other on the sidelines, all I see is genuine love and care for each other. I have tried to facilitate the best environment I can, but the players are the ones who have created it. They embedded the foundations; they have lived our values every second of every day. They are the club.

“All I wish for, is that when they look back on their time at Exeter University and playing women’s rugby, they get this rooted sense of belonging.

“I want to say a big well done to all our players who have pulled on the Exeter Athletic shirt. It’s not easy being a university ‘kid’ playing rugby in a community league. It’s a totally different experience to a BUCS Wednesday. But thank you for being true to who you are, who we are, and the values we live by.”

Exeter Chiefs Women’s contracted players who featured for Athletic this season were Naomi Brennan, Taz Bricknell, Kanako Kobayashi, Sophie Langford, Flo Long, Danielle Preece, Kayleigh Priest, Hannah Sams, Molly Saunders, Sammy Wong, and Abby Middlebrooke, who also helped coached the side.

Athletic won 12 of their 14 games, drawing one and losing just one this season. They amassed an impressive total points-for tally of 600 and a points difference of 465. In the last three seasons, they have won 34 or their 36 games.