On most mornings, long before campus begins to stir, someone on the BYU women’s rugby team is already awake, packing lunch, lacing cleats or rushing from one responsibility to another.

The players come from different majors, backgrounds, and schedules, but they share one thing: a daily balancing act that demands discipline, sacrifice, and a lot of heart.

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Photographer Pete Haraguchi

For pre-nursing major Aunika DelHoyo, a typical Monday feels like a full sprint.

“I wake up and make sure I have everything done for the day,” she said. “I pack my lunch and then go straight into four classes.”

After class, she shifts to physical training.

“We have weights from 2 to 3, and then I go to the athletic trainer for recovery or injury help,” DelHoyo said.

Then the schoolwork begins again before practice from 5 to 7 p.m. “After practice, I go home, eat, take a break, and then do more homework,” she said.

It’s a cycle she repeats multiple times a week, and that doesn’t even include the 10 to 15 hours she used to work when she had a job.

“Tuesdays and Thursdays were my work days,” DelHoyo said. “I didn’t have class until the evening, so I’d work in the mornings before everything else.”

The hardest part, she says, isn’t the packed schedule itself, but staying disciplined within it.

“You have to be committed. Time-blocking and actually sticking to it is the hardest part,” DelHoyo said. “No doom scrolling. I’ve learned that.”

To avoid burnout, DelHoyo separates her responsibilities mentally as well as physically.

“I try to be present wherever I am,” she said. “When I’m in rugby, I’m thinking about rugby. When I’m in school, I’m not thinking about rugby at all. That helps me not get overwhelmed because I’m not thinking of a thousand things at once.”

Support from professors and coaches makes the load lighter.

“My coaches are super accommodating; they always put school first,” she said. Her professors respond the same way. “When we have to travel or miss class, they’re always willing to help.”

Even so, she leans heavily on her family, especially when her responsibilities seem too great.

“When things get hard, I call my dad and tell him I don’t know if I can do everything,” she said. “He always reminds me that I can do my schoolwork, I can do rugby, I can get enough sleep, I can do my church stuff. Just having that support helps a lot.”

DelHoyo also acknowledges the challenges that come with competing in an extramural sport; one that doesn’t receive the same resources or support as some Division I teams. But instead of feeling resentful, she focuses on gratitude.

“We’re always jealous of the sports that get more support,” she admitted with a laugh. “But honestly, I just feel lucky I get to wear the Y at all. Rugby has come a long way in the last ten years. The fact that we have coaches, a trainer, and a weight room is amazing.”

She keeps her advice for other student athletes simple.

“Put your priorities in line. Know why you’re doing what you’re doing,” she said. “And if you’re a member of the Church, find ways to worship God in everything you do. Keeping that as my priority helps me stay grounded.”

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Photographer Pete Haraguchi

Psychology major Ashley Tyrell understands the grind just as well.

“Today I woke up at 4:45 and went to practice until 8,” she said. “Then I went home, changed, and went straight to work until noon. I eat lunch while I drive to class because I have to go straight from work, and then I’m in class until 5:15.”

For Tyrell, the biggest challenge isn’t the full scheldule, it’s the feeling of being stretched thin.

“Sometimes it feels like I can’t give my all to everything,” she said. “I feel like I’m not doing enough with rugby, or school, or church. I’ve had to learn to be okay with doing what I can in each category.”

Like DelHoyo, she finds support in her teammates, people who understand the exhausting balancing act because they live it too. She also leans on her faith.

“I have a testimony of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father, and prayer is big for me when I’m stressed,” she said. “When I put Christ first, everything else is easier to balance. Things fall into place more easily when I make prayer and scripture study a priority.”

Despite the long days, Tyrell keeps returning to the pitch for reasons both emotional and practical.

“Exercise is a really good outlet for me,” she said. “I love the competitive aspect; it gives me something to work toward. And it’s cool to see improvement in myself, especially since I started just last year. Staying in shape is a big motivator too.”

Her advice mirrors DelHoyo’s.

“Figure out your priorities and set goals you can actually measure and maintain,” she said. “Then stick to those goals, even when you’re tired. It’s a lot more fulfilling when you follow through.”

For the women of BYU rugby, balance is a daily discipline. Their days may start before sunrise and end well past sundown, but each player finds her own way to stay grounded through faith, friendship, family, and a deep love for the sport.

It’s not easy, but as both DelHoyo and Tyrell show, it’s possible to carry the load well.