Aquinas College

Jillian Paetz brings an exceptional combat-sports background to Aquinas Women's Rugby. A Homestead High School graduate, Paetz is pursuing majors in Business Administration and Sociology with a Criminal Justice focus along with a minor in Legal Studies. Her athletic background includes seven years of boxing, where she competed in the Junior Olympics, became a Silver Gloves national champion and earned a national ranking. Paetz also brings three years each of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo, earning blue- and green-belt status, respectively, along with two years of wrestling experience. At Aquinas, she earned Academic All-State recognition in both the spring and fall of 2025 and helped the Saints finish as national runners-up in Fall 2025. Paetz chose AQ because of the support and resources available to help her reach her goals and defines success as taking full advantage of those opportunities. Away from competition, she enjoys writing poetry after rugby tournaments as a peaceful contrast to the intensity of contact sports.