Heart of the Axe: Megan Bence

I’m a proud Nova Scotian, though I was actually born in Bristol, England.

I moved to Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, 13 years ago, and that's where home is when I’m not at school.

I love the sense of community in a small town, so when I started my search for a university, I was looking for a place that would feel like home.

I found that in Wolfville and at Acadia University.

Coming from a small town, I’m a close-knit person.

I’m both a back row and second row player on the women’s varsity rugby team, and I see the team as an extension of my family.

My decision to come to Acadia was largely based on the community feel of the school and the athletic program.

I’ve been welcomed with open arms into the Acadia community, and I’ve been loving the rugby season with my new family this year.

It’s important to me that I’m a part of something bigger than myself, and at Acadia, I feel like I’ve found that.

The transition to university rugby

I’ve spent the last two summers playing with some of the varsity players on the women’s rugby team through the club season with the Valley Rugby Union, which has been an amazing experience for me.

I went to the Canadian Rugby Championship with the U19 Atlantic Selects and trained with the Rugby Canada U18 program this past summer. So, I’ve been preparing for this next step in my rugby career and my transition to the university level for a while now.

I’ve been training with these girls for a year or two, and I’m so excited to be joining the team and starting this new journey with them.

The intensity and level of play at the university level are definitely a step up, but I’m used to this level of competition, having played with many AUS players in the past two years.

It’s been a challenge, but not overwhelming. I’m constantly pushing myself to improve, and playing at this level gives me the perfect opportunity to do just that.

A supportive community

The sense of community and support at Acadia is one of the main reasons I chose to come here.

I’m enroled in the kinesiology program, and I’m excited to take what I learn in the classroom and apply it to my training and performance on the field.

I’m also looking forward to building meaningful relationships with my classmates and professors.

I know that balancing academics and athletics at this level will be a big challenge, but I’m ready for it.

I’m hoping that the connections between kinesiology and varsity sports will support my learning in the classroom and on the field.

I’m so excited about the opportunity to push myself both academically and athletically, and to have the support of my teammates and coaches as I take on this next chapter in my life.

It will take hard work and dedication, but I’m ready to put in the effort to succeed on and off the rugby field.

Heart of the Axe is a weekly feature from the perspective of Axemen and Axewomen student-athletes. It dives deeper into why they decided to attend Acadia, what drives them athletically, how they got started in their sport, the impact Acadia has had on them during their time in Wolfville and much more.