One spring day in 1976, several determined women accepted a challenge from the Virginia Men's Rugby Club to prove that women could indeed play rugby competitively. Although soundly defeated in the sole match of their first season, the novice Virginia Women's Rugby Football Club remained high in spirit and ruthlessly committed to the game. Their first major achievement was the establishment of the First Annual Virginia Women's Invitational Tournament in the spring of 1977, held in conjunction with the men's Commonwealth Cup. Although the tournament drew a meager three teams, the first ever VWIT was a roaring success. The women all played and celebrated in the true rugby spirit, and the Maryland Stingers captured the first title.

The VWIT was slow to develop, but it increased to an incredible six team draw by its fourth anniversary. By 1981, eight teams were participating. At the Fifth Annual VWIT, the Virginia women emerged with the high hopes of winning their own tournament. However, the Florida State Select Side proved invincible and left Virginia with a second place trophy composed of Stroh's beer cans.

In 1987, two competitive brackets were established to separate competition into collegiate and club team divisions. In 1991, the 15th Annual VWIT became a tournament exclusively for college teams. By this year, the tournament drew ten teams, many of which traveled from other states to participate in the growing VWIT tradition.

Today the VWIT has established a reputation as one of the finest women's collegiate tournaments. We have moved the tournament to the first weekend in March in order to appeal to teams looking for an early season tuner-upper. For information on entering next year's VWIT, please email the team.