Competitive athletics began in 1889 when the University of Washington played rugby
against a team of Seattle all-stars (Gates, p. 44). The football team of 1893 shows
the formidable group of players, who look ready to take on any opposition. The playing
field was sometimes so rough and muddy that visiting teams refused to play on it.
It was a rough and dangerous sport, but by 1899 a spirit of success prevailed and even
the girls shared the excitement. One girl wrote this verse in admiration:
For the Co-ed loves their daring
For she loves their dash and vim,
Their superb and manly bearing,
The football boy, she'll bank on him.
Taken from
UW: A Pictoral history
The current UWRFC was founded in 1963 and has won the Pacific
Northwest Championship in 1996, 2002, 2004, and 2005. The UWRFC has been Pacific Coast finalists in 2003, 2004, and 2005.
