WPL All-Stars roster announced
The Women’s Premier League All-Stars, coached by New York Rugby Club’s James English and Oregon Sports Union’s Beckett Royce, will assemble in Southern California June 28 in preparation for the July 1 match against the USA Women’s Eagles.
Kicking off at University of San Diego’s Torero Stadium immediately following the Rugby World Cup 2019 Qualifier between the USA Men’s Eagles and Canada, the Women’s Rugby Worlc Cup 2017 preparatory match will be broadcast live on The Rugby Channel. Tickets for the event can be purchased online.
[su_attention url=”http://www.usdtoreros.com/tickets/tickets-usa-rugby.html” text=”Purchase July 1 tickets”]
WPL players, including some candidates that have been training with the Eagles, numerous All-Americans, and National Team pool players were considered for selection.
“James and I are really looking forward to coaching this talented group of athletes,” Royce said. “There’s a great mix of youth and experience represented here, and we tried hard to have players from every team in the League represented.”
Unfortunately, due to availability, not every team that competed in the 2016 season will be represented.
“To me, it’s really regrettable that we don’t have players from all WPL teams present on this squad, especially a club with such a strong and celebrated history as the [Berkeley] All-Blues,” Royce said.
“The depth of the WPL’s talent is quite remarkable, though, and we are very pleased with the strength of this inaugural All-Star team,” she continued. “It will be a wonderful experience for the athletes – exposing them to an even higher level of play and teaming up with other top players that are usually adversaries rather than allies.”
Along with the honor of being selected for this squad, each athlete also incurs a large financial burden including airfare and other travel costs. The Local Eatery & Drinking Hole, US Women’s Rugby Foundation and the Betterwithteammates Foundation have contributed as main sponsors, with the Betterwithteammates Foundation matching every $100 donated. All money donated goes directly to the athletes and coaching staff costs. To join in and support, donate here. Cutoff for donations is Friday, June 23.
Women’s Premier League All-Stars
Adrienne Acosta – Oregon Sports Union [su_stats cms=”645″ class=”icon”]
Evi Ashenbrucker – New York Rugby Club [su_stats cms=”647″ class=”icon”]
Ayden Bain – New York Rugby Club [su_stats cms=”647″ class=”icon”]
Tia Blythe – San Diego Surfers [su_stats cms=”643″ class=”icon”]
Sarah Chobot – Glendale Raptors [su_stats cms=”642″ class=”icon”]
Maggie Craig – Atlanta Harlequins [su_stats cms=”648″ class=”icon”]
San Juanita Fetuuaho – Oregon Sports Union [su_stats cms=”645″ class=”icon”]
Ali Gillberg – Twin Cities Amazons [su_stats cms=”646″ class=”icon”]
Paris Hart – Oregon Sports Union [su_stats cms=”645″ class=”icon”]
Rachel Johnson – Oregon Sports Union [su_stats cms=”645″ class=”icon”]
Phaidra Knight – New York Rugby Club [su_stats cms=”647″ class=”icon”]
Molly Luft – Oregon Sports Union [su_stats cms=”645″ class=”icon”]
Claire Lundy – Oregon Sports Union [su_stats cms=”645″ class=”icon”]
Emily Magee – New York Rugby Club [su_stats cms=”647″ class=”icon”]
Candace Mahoney-Watson – Oregon Sports Union [su_stats cms=”645″ class=”icon”]
Dana Meschisi – San Diego Surfers [su_stats cms=”643″ class=”icon”]
Maggie Olney – DC Furies [su_stats cms=”649″ class=”icon”]
Melissa Polheber – Glendale Raptors [su_stats cms=”642″ class=”icon”]
Kyla Roth – San Diego Surfers [su_stats cms=”643″ class=”icon”]
Beckett Royce* – Oregon Sports Union [su_stats cms=”645″ class=”icon”]
Brooke Saunders – New York Rugby Club [su_stats cms=”647″ class=”icon”]
Kristen Shalosky – Glendale Raptors [su_stats cms=”642″ class=”icon”]
Christen Suda – Glendale Raptors [su_stats cms=”642″ class=”icon”]
*Reserve
About the Women’s Premier League
The Women’s Premier League (WPL) features the nation’s top women’s rugby talent and is the highest level of senior club 15s competition in the U.S. The WPL consists of 10 teams from coast to coast that are split into two five-team conferences. An eight-game regular season is followed by tournament play for the USA Rugby WPL National Championship title each fall. WPL players make up a bulk of the U.S. national women’s team: the USA Women’s Eagles.
Founded in 2009, the League is completely player-run and operates in partnership with USA Rugby.
