A Perthshire boarding school pupil will swap Scotland for Massachusetts this summer when she becomes the institution’s first student to be recruited to the Harvard Women’s Rugby Team.
Strathallan School pupil Charlotte Gilmour will join the ranks of the oldest rugby club in North America when she starts the next chapter of her education at the Ivy League institution.
The 17-year-old, who first picked up a rugby ball when she was aged eight, said it felt surreal to be recruited for the prestigious team.
“I’m so excited to rise to the new challenge, they play a different brand of rugby in the United States so I can’t wait to head out there and get started,” she said.
Charlotte, who was selected for the U18 Futures Scottish Rugby Squad in 2019, has balanced her love of sports with her interests in engineering and sailing.
She recently helped secure two School National Championships in goal for Strathallan 1st XI hockey squad and has helped guide more girls into rugby and the Combined Cadet Force as the captain of girls rugby and head of the Navy Section respectively.
Off the pitch, Charlotte was awarded an Arkwright Engineering Scholarship in 2020 and as captain of school she has taken a key leadership role at Strathallan.
Headmaster Mark Lauder remarked: “Charlotte’s drive and commitment makes it easy to see why she has been recruited across the pond to one of the world’s top universities.
“Ever since she joined us, Charlotte has been an outstanding student, leading on initiatives and exemplifying our core values and school motto: hard work conquers all.
“Well done, Charlotte, we cannot wait to see what you do next.”
