LAFAYETTE, Colo. – The second of three AIG Men’s Junior All-Americans Evaluation Camps begins Friday, Dec. 9, at California State University, Maritime Academy, in Vallejo, Calif.

Head Coach JD Stephenson and staff will be working with a strong contingent of northern California talent amongst more than 30 attendees at the West Evaluation Camp Dec. 9-11 before the Central Evaluation Camp sees another 48 athletes train at Grande Sports Academy in Casa Grande, Ariz., Dec. 16-18. Fifty-nine athletes were seen at the East Camp at Life University last weekend.

Combined, half of the athletes attending one of the remaining camps was born in 1997 and will be eligible for under-20 selection throughout 2017. The other half was born in 1998 or 1999, the majority of which is still eligible for the Boys High School All-Americans. Twenty-one colleges are represented, as well, including 2016 USA Rugby Men’s Collegiate Division II National Championship runner-up Furman University and 2016 USA Rugby College 7s National Championship Semifinalist Arizona State University.

“There is no substitute for quality daily training environments to foster our future Eagles; however, we are finding through this process that players and talent do come in all forms and from all walks of life,” Stephenson said. “It has been a great experience to see those players who have come through the High School All-Americans and Regional Cup Tournaments excel, especially when we are able to use the June RCT window as a benchmark to track their progression.”

As more and more talented athletes graduate from the MJAA program to garner future honors with the AIG Men’s Collegiate All-Americans and senior Eagles, it is exceedingly important the training environment of each is replicable. While the Camps this month bear the MJAA moniker with a focus on identifying athletes for under-20 competitions in 2017, the results from the assemblies will be shared across the High Performance Pathway.

“The three Camps are completely standardized to allow for transparence across the board for the external coaches (MCAA, Eagles) to be able to analyze and compare,” Stephenson said. “We have been fortunate enough to have great input from the Eagles coaching staff in terms of content, session plans, and tactical periodization of the weekend. The terminology, look, and feel of these Camps are for our young players to emulate the Eagles and to facilitate an easier transition upward.”

Former Eagles Shawn Pittman, forwards coach of the MJAAs, and Rob Randell, Eagle No. 228, will work with the young athletes, as well. Metrics from the Camps will be shared with coaches across the country, many of whom assisted national team staff with athlete recommendations and offered their own services to the pathway.

“We were very fortunate to have engaged with local RCT and representative coaches during this process who were open and willing to adapt to difference processes, structures, and philosophies,” Stephenson said. “Having a geographic player representation at our East Camp of 23 different states, coupled with five different RCT head coaches also in attendance, has placed a greater emphasis on keeping our coaches as engaged in our program as the players.”

The under-20 program is building towards qualification for the 2017 World Rugby U20 Trophy, to be held in Uruguay at the end of August. Three Camps in the winter give the MJAA staff the opportunity to see more young athletes than in previous cycles, and a June date for the qualifying series with Canada should allow for a better percentage of athletes to be available for selection.

Developmental Camps will be held in January and February of the new year ahead of the U20 Trophy Qualifiers in British Columbia.

AIG Men’s Junior All-Americans | West Evaluation Camp

Jack Fouts – Lamorinda Rugby Football Club

Maanaima Fualaau – Life Chiropractic College West

Alexis Glover – Santa Barbara City College

Carlos Gomez – Danville Oaks High School

Matt Hauptman – University of Nevada, Reno

Malik Hess – Peninsula Green High School

Allan Hogue – Peninsula Green High School

Jack Iscaro – University of California, Berkeley

Grayson Jones – University of Colorado

Rahshan Jones – Santa Barbara City College

Jacob Jorstad – San Diego State University

Logan Lambrechtsen

Amanaki Latu – Metropolis Rugby

Tavite Lopeti – Life Chiropractic College West

Leilua Alexander Lualemaga – California State University, Maritime Academy

Tevita Mailau

William Mailau – Peninsula Green High School

Deven Marshall – Central Washington University

Kooper Mogan – Vacaville Rugby

Daniel Monroe – Peninsula Green High School

Michael Mounga – Peninsula Green High School

Brian Nault – Central Washington University

William Nelson – Santa Clara University

Jonas Petrakopoulos – Broad Ripple Rugby Football Club

Cutler Pons – California State University, Sacramento

Luke Raffaeli – Peninsula Green High School

Paul Saccomanno – San Francisco State University

Kevin Saunders – Danville Oaks High School

Elijah Tafao-Braganza – Danville Oaks High School

Faitala Talapusi – Peninsula Green High School

Veuki Taumoefolau – Las Vegas Irish

London Williams – Rugby Oregon-Battle Ground Boys

Robert Zarcone – Central Washington University

AIG Men’s Junior All-Americans | Central Evaluation Camp

Keagan Barnes – Utah Lions Rugby Academy

Christian Bernard – University of California, Los Angeles

Zachary Biggs – University of Arizona

Steven Branham – University of Arizona

Trevor Brueningsen – University of South Florida

Lonnie Buchanon – University of Illinois

Clayton Castro – Grand Canyon University

Colby Cavanaugh – Red Mountain Youth Rugby Club

Aidan Clarke – Furman University

Brandon Cole – Old Mission Beach Athletic Club

Brendon Curle – Grand Canyon University

Caelan De Villiers

Patrick Donovan – Lindenwood University-Belleville

Bo Epperson – Palmer High School Terrors

Mahonri Falo – Utah Lions

Robert Figley – Northern Virginia Rugby

Ryan Fitzpatrick – University of Arizona

Lewis Grassie – Arizona State University

Kody Green – Glendale Raptors

Braxton Gries – Red Mountain Youth Rugby

Antonios Grigoriou – University of Arizona

Andrew Guerra – Notre Dame College

Zachary Heisterkamp – University of Arizona

John Hickman – University of Oregon

Nainoa Isaacs

Jon Jacobs – University of Arizona

Eric Jones – Illinois State University

Joseph Kamara – Palmer High School Terrors

Jarom Kay – Red Mountain Knight Rugby

Malachi Knox – Ahwatukee Rugby Club

Nikolas Koumandarakis – Furman University

Robert Lui – West Valley Warriors

Nafitalai Maafu – Tempe Old Devils

Kupa Madzima – University of Minnesota

Sione Mahina – West Valley Warriors

Angel Mendez – Regis University

Seth Mischler – Tulsa Rugby Football Club

Cristian Rodriguez – Lindenwood University

Matthew Rogers – University of Arizona

Christopher Royer – University of Illinois

Gabriel Ruiz – West Valley Warriors

Stephen Schultz – Red Mountain Knights

Lincoln Sii – Grand Canyon University

Mote Siufanua – Utah Lions

Mashersad Soedarsono – University of North Texas

Bailey Stringer – Arizona State University

Bronson Teles – University of Arizona

Austin Willis – Furman University

AIG Men’s Junior All-Americans Evaluation Camps | Coaches

JD Stephenson – MJAA Head Coach

Shawn Pittman – MJAA Forwards Coach

Justin Goonan – MJAA Head of Performance

James Walton – MJAA Video Analyst

Jimmy Harrison – MJAA Manager & Video Analyst

OJ Hawea – MJAA Team Manager

Colton Cariaga – Life University Head Coach

Rob Randell – Univesity of Utah

AIG Men’s Junior All-Americans | 2016-17 Calendar

Evaluation Camps

Dec. 2-4 – Atlanta, Georgia

Dec. 9-11 – San Francisco, California

Dec. 16-18 – Phoenix, Arizona

Developmental Camps

Jan. 13-16, 2017 – Chula Vista, California

Feb. 10-12, 2017 – Austin, Texas

World Rugby U20 Trophy Qualifier

June 9-19, 2017 – Langford, British Columbia, Canada

World Rugby U20 Trophy

Aug. 25 – Sept. 11, 2017 – Montevideo, Uruguay