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Women's Eagles 2019 Performance Squad announced

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CHULA VISTA, CA. – 38 athletes have been named to the new Women’s Eagles (15s) 2019 Performance Squad, USA Rugby announced today.

The Performance Squad serves as the top tier of a new player pool structure, to be announced at the beginning of each year and remain equivalent in status across both the Women’s and Men’s Eagles (15s) sides. Both programs will include an Extended Squad within their player pool — which sits junior to the top tier — while the Women’s National Team will also have a third tier called the Watchlist.

Players who sit in the Extended Squad and Watchlist represent athletes who show potential to reach the main Women’s Performance tier over time. Each of the three groups within the player pool will receive attention and support from Women’s High Performance with accountability and resources most heavily attributed to the top Performance tier.

Additionally, to give athletes more opportunities to compete internationally, Women’s High Performance will integrate its sevens and fifteens programs by allowing Women’s Sevens players a chance to be selected for fifteens competitions. Athletes in the Women’s Sevens Residency Program will be considered an extension of the Women’s Eagles Performance Squad, with the goal of helping players cross into the fifteens program earlier in the 2021 World Cup cycle.

As a core piece in the new Road to 2021 Campaign for the Women’s National Team, the tiered structure provides athletes with much-needed transparency on where they stand within the larger setup of the program.

[su_attention url=”http://usarug.by/W15to2021″ text=”View the Women’s Eagles Road to 2021 Campaign”]

The Women’s Eagles 2019 Performance Squad features 21 forwards and 17 backs with 10 players still seeking their first cap.

General Manager for Women’s High Performance, Emilie Bydwell said: “Rob and staff have worked hard to create the necessary depth charts for the Women’s 15s program at the senior and age-grade levels. These have allowed us to form critical tiers within our playing group and better understand what our current playing group looks like now, versus what it could look like in two and a half years at Rugby World Cup. Announcing and supporting a Performance Squad annually will increase transparency, clarity and inter-competition allow us to best maximize our support structures and resources. Having a clear vision on how each tier of our senior player pool, age-grade groups and sevens residents interact, operate and continue to develop is critical. Developing a fully functional ecosystem that encompasses all of these layers has been a real priority for us.”

Women’s Eagles Head Coach Rob Cain said: “This announcement shows exciting times for the Women’s 15s Program with many more announcements to follow. This continues to show our determination in demonstrating how clear, transparent and supportive we are with our approach as a program. Through our tiered player pools and yearly calendar, we give everyone an equal opportunity with lots of platforms to pursue their dream of being an Eagle.

This inner competition and accountability will really allow the players to not only drive their playing ambitions but also keep everything contextual; allowing them to showcase themselves on a regular basis in the environment we create.”

For more information about the Women’s National Team’s Road to 2021 Campaign, visit usarug.by/W15to2021.

To support the Women’s Eagles in their endeavor to represent the United States at Rugby World Cup New Zealand 2021, click here.

Women’s Eagles 2019 Performance Squad

Player Name Position Club Caps
Sui Aa’u Center Central Washington University 0
Tiana Aa’u Prop Central Washington University 1
Tiara Aa’u Prop Central Washington University 0
Katy Augustyn Hooker Berkeley All Blues 33
Bui Baravilala Center Berkeley All Blues 6
Catie Benson Prop Life West Gladiatrix 17
Stacey Bridges Second Row Beantown Rugby 36
Kaitlyn Broughton Back Three Atlanta Harlequins 3
Bitsy Cairns Back Row Life West Gladiatrix 8
Gabby Cantorna Flyhalf Glendale Merlins 3
Jennine Duncan Back Three Seattle Saracens 2
Megan Foster Fullback San Diego Surfers 5
Misha Green Back Row New York Rugby 0
McKenzie Hawkins Flyhalf Lindenwood University 3
Emily Henrich Center Dartmouth College 2
Evan Hoese Wing Berkeley All Blues 1
Katana Howard Flyhalf Twin City Amazons 0
Nick James Prop Houston Athletic 6
Bailey Johnson Second Row Twin City Amazons 0
Katie Johnson Back Row Twin City Amazons 0
Rachel Johnson Back Row Oregon Sports Union 3
Joanna Kitlinski Hooker Glendale Merlins 8
Cortney Kuehl Center Atlanta Harlequins 0
Bulou Mataitoga Fullback Berkeley All Blues 0
Azniv Nalbandian Prop Penn State University 3
Mary Jane Pasioles Halfback Central Washington University 0
Christiane Pheil Back Row Atlanta Harlequins 8
Kat Ramage Half Back Dartmouth College 0
Megan Rom Prop Life University 2
Kimber Rozier Center Beantown Rugby 30
Kristine Sommer Second Row Harlequins / Seattle Saracens 7
Kelsi Stockert Back Three Unattached 8
McKenna Strong Second Row Lindenwood University 1
Finau Tamaivena No 8 Seattle Saracens 1
Joyce Taufa Hooker Lindenwood University 3
Alycia Washington Second Row New York Rugby 17
Carly Waters Halfback New York Rugby 2
Kate Zackary (C) Back Row San Diego Surfers 9

Women’s Eagles Staff

General Manager of Women’s HP | Emilie Bydwell
Head Coach | Rob Cain
Assistant Coach | Richard Ashfield
Assistant Coach | Kate Daley
Assistant Coach | Jamie Burke
Assistant Coach & Athlete Mentor | Jenny Lui
Head of Physical Performance | Ian Jones
Head Performance Analyst | David Gardner
Head Athletic Trainer | Bri Sparks
Assistant Athletic Trainer | Katherine Henry
Team Doctor | Terrence Cronin
Women’s HP Operations Manager | Liz Strohecker

Women’s Eagles Tiered Player Pool

  • Performance Squad + Women’s Sevens Residency
  • Extended Squad
  • Watch List

Women’s Eagles Age-Grade Pathway

  • High School All-Americans
  • Junior All-Americans
  • Collegiate All-Americans

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USA Rugby announces Road to 2021 Campaign for Women's National Team 15s

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  • Women’s National Team addresses three key issues in Campaign plan for Rugby World Cup 2021 New Zealand
  • Launch of set calendar infrastructure accounts for all 12 months of the year
  • Two competition windows included alongside a regionalized training program
  • More time for coaches and players to meet together and interact
  • Tiered player pool structure to be announced in the coming weeks

LAFAYETTE, CO. – USA Rugby has today announced its campaign plan to help the Women’s National Team 15s maximize potential at Rugby World Cup New Zealand 2021. Following a comprehensive review throughout 2018, Women’s High Performance staff have identified and addressed key issues to put the program and its players in the best possible position to succeed.
With the first step of hiring a full time Head Coach fulfilled when Rob Cain was appointed in May, the program acknowledged three additional important needs: a set annual structure which includes more competition windows and a clear outline of development, opportunity and assembly periods; more time for players and coaches to meet together and interact; as well as a tiered player pool structure to increase transparency and streamline resources.
To fill these needs, the Women’s National Team program will launch three initiatives in the beginning of 2019 that will span the duration of the 2021 World Cup cycle. Additional programming will be layered in eight months prior to the competition in New Zealand.
Beginning this month, an annual calendar will be put into motion which accounts for all 12 months of the year and includes periods for preseason, development, two competition windows and offseason.
Competition windows will feature an increased number of test matches with teams ranked higher than USA before they meet at the World Cup in 2021. Also included are games that sit between the domestic club level (Women’s Premier League) and the international test level termed as “Club Plus” matches, played as developmental Women’s Selects games.
January through March will serve as a preseason with April and May set as development and opportunity windows. The first of the two competition windows will run in early summer.
August will give staff and players time to review before another development and opportunity window spans September and October alongside the Women’s Premier League and collegiate fall seasons. The final competition window will kickoff in November after which December will be an offseason period to again review and reset.
 

To address the second key need, the program will re-introduce a Regional Training Program aimed specifically at increasing interactions between coaches and players outside of competition.
The Regional Training Program will be a two-fold supportive process, consisting of both Regional Training Centers and Regional Training Weekends. Centers are strategically placed at five locations across the United States in areas where a high concentration of players reside. There, coaches and athletes will meet one-on-one for a set number of hours during preseason to work on individual areas and development of core skills under pressure. All players within the tiered pool structure, including age-grade athletes, will attend sessions at Regional Training Centers.
Regional Training Weekends will be held on four different occasions in March and again in October where larger sets of players and coaches will meet together for a full weekend. During weekends, players will put individual skills developed at Training Centers into practice within bigger groups. The program will use Training Weekends to evaluate which athletes should be invited to high performance camps and full competitions thereafter.
In addressing the final need for the program, the Women’s National Team will soon reveal a tiered player pool structure that includes integration with the Women’s Sevens Residency program. The structure will include three levels with a top Performance Pool that is consistent in status with a Performance Pool to be announced for the Men’s National Team 15s. All three levels will receive support from Women’s High Performance, however support and accountability will be highest for the top Performance Pool.
General Manager for Women’s High Performance, Emilie Bydwell said: “2018 was an important year for the Women’s 15s as it allowed us to reflect and set a platform for the 2021 World Cup Campaign. Women’s 15s has unique challenges, different from the other three national teams as the program does not have an annual competition structure like the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series or the Men’s 15s Americas Rugby Championship.
“In conjunction with World Rugby’s hard work to advance Women’s 15s competitions, we believe it is a priority to establish a yearlong infrastructure and communicate it to our players and community. While increasing test matches is critical, it can only be one pillar of our strategy. We need a plan that underpins the match schedule to truly maximize the opportunity of those additional fixtures.
We believe that this strategy will allow our program to make the necessary progress in these two crucial development years of 2019 and 2020. Next we will be rolling out a similar infrastructure for our age-grade program that aligns and feeds into the senior plan.”
Though 2019 budgets and resources have been allocated to support the annual calendar and Regional Training Program, fundraising is still necessary to execute all facets of the plan. While the program has worked tirelessly to create a stable infrastructure, financial constraints remain a daily challenge. As USA Rugby commits to this Campaign plan for the next three years, financial support from the community will be critical to ensure assemblies take place as outlined.
To assist the program in its endeavor to not only prepare well for Rugby World Cup New Zealand 2021, but to achieve its goal of finishing as a Top 2 team, click here.
For upcoming news and information about the Women’s National Team 15s, click here.

Women’s Eagles Road to 2021 Annual Calendar

January – March | Preseason

  • Midwest Regional Training Weekend | March 9-10
  • West Regional Training Weekend | March 16-17
  • Pacific Regional Training Weekend | March 23-24
  • Atlantic Regional Training Weekend | March 30-31

April – May | Development Camp & Opportunity Window

  • Women’s High Performance Development Camp | April 20-28
  • Women’s High Performance Development Camp | May 15-25

 

June – July | Competition Window

 

August | Break

 

September – October | Development Camp & Opportunity Window

  • Regional Training Weekend | dates TBA

 

November | Competition Window

 

December | Program Review and Reset

*Exact assembly dates subject to change
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Women's Eagles named for final test match of Autumn Internationals against Ireland

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DUBLIN, IRE. – Women’s Eagles’ Head Coach Rob Cain has named his match-day 23 to face No. 8 Ireland this Sunday, Nov. 18 at 8 AM ET, LIVE on Irish Rugby YouTube Channel.

In their final battle of the Autumn Internationals 2018 — and after the Women’s Selects achieved a hard-fought 25-24 victory over England Academy earlier this week — the starting XV will feature seven changes from the Eagles’ last test match with the senior England Women.

“It’s been a really positive experience against New Zealand and England but I think the group really needed that win over England Academy, they fought really hard for it,” said Head Coach Rob Cain, reflecting on the touring squad’s overall experience this fall. “The amount of work that went into that has paid dividends for us to have a positive outlook for this week and we’re really excited about Ireland.”

USA’s forward pack will see Nick James and Katy Augustyn back at prop and hooker, respectively, while Kristine Sommer will earn the start at lock. 

The backs will feature Carly Waters in at scrum half with Jennine Duncan earning a starting position at wing. Duncan joins the starting XV after coming off the bench to score the Eagles’ lone try last week against the senior England Red Roses. Waters and Duncan are accompanied by Kimber Rozier and Meya Bizer who join the starting XV at center.

After a collection of new Eagles made their debuts through the duration of the Autumn Internationals, the Women’s Eagles could see one more new cap awarded to reserve Tiana A’au this Sunday.

The contest will mark the first time the United States women have faced Ireland in more than four years with the most recent being a loss at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014 in France. Having only met three times in the past two decades, the Americans own a 2-1 record against the Irish Women.

USA will kickoff their final contest of the Autumn Internationals 2018 against Ireland at 8 AM ET, LIVE on Irish Rugby YouTube Channel. 

U.S. Women’s National Team Starting Roster

Player Position Club Caps
1. Catie Benson Prop Life West Gladiatrix 16
2. Katy Augustyn Hooker Berkeley All Blues 32
3. Nick James Prop Houston Athletic 5
4. Stacey Bridges Lock Beantown Rugby 35
5. Kristine Sommer Lock Harlequins (ENG) / Seattle Saracens 6
6. Rachel Johnson Flanker Oregon Sports Union 2
7. Kate Zackary (C) Flanker San Diego Surfers 8
8. Jordan Gray-Matyas No. 8 Women’s Sevens Residency 17
9. Carly Waters Scrumhalf New York Rugby 1
10. Gabby Cantorna Flyhalf Glendale Merlins 2
11. Jennine Duncan Wing Seattle Saracens 1
12. Kimber Rozier Center Beantown Rugby 29
13. Meya Bizer Center Women’s Sevens Residency 17
14. Kelsi Stockert Wing Women’s Sevens Residency 7
15. Kaitlyn Broughton Fullback Atlanta Harlequins 2

 

U.S. Women’s National Team Reserves 

Player Position Club Caps
16. Tiana A’au Reserve Central Washington University 0
17. Azniv Nalbandian Reserve Penn State University 2
18. Joyce Taufa Reserve Lindenwood University 2
19. Alycia Washington Reserve New York Rugby 16
20. Anna Karen Pedraza Reserve Lindenwood University 3
21. Evan Hoese Reserve Berkeley All Blues 1
22. McKenzie Hawkins Reserve Lindenwood University 2
23. Megan Foster Reserve San Diego Surfers 5

 

U.S. Women’s National Team Staff

Head Coach | Rob Cain
Assistant Coach | Richard Ashfield
Assistant Coach | Kate Daley
Assistant Coach & Team Manager | Jamie Burke
Head of Physical Performance | Ian Jones
Head Performance Analyst | David Gardner
Team Doctor | Terrence Cronin
Assistant Athletic Trainer | Katherine Henry

U.S. Women’s National Team Schedule | November Internationals 2018

vs New Zealand 6-67 (L)

vs England | 5-57 (L)

vs Ireland
Sun, Nov. 18 | 8 AM ET
Energia Park, Dublin, Ireland

Women's Selects named for battle with England Academy

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LONDON, ENG. – The USA Women’s Selects (15s) have been named for a developmental game with England Academy Tuesday, Nov 13 at 2:30 PM ET at Newbury RFC in England.

The Selects will be led by Senior Women’s Eagles Head Coach Rob Cain in a game designed to boost preparation ahead of the Women’s National Team’s test match with Ireland Sunday, Nov. 18.

USA players for the developmental game have been selected from the Eagles’ traveling roster for the Autumn Internationals 2018. Veteran Women’s Eagle Katy Augustyn will serve as Captain for the group, which includes several newly capped athletes and four players who have yet to debut for the senior national team.

Among the newcomers are starters Darian Lovelace and Cortney Keuhl, as well as reserves Tiana A’au and Frankie Sands. While all four take the pitch for the first time this November, A’au recently competed against an England side with the Women’s Junior All-Americans’ at the U20 Tri-Nations Cup this summer.

Similarly, 13 players from the match-day 23 suited up last weekend in the USA’s test match against the Red Roses, giving the United States women a good depth of knowledge heading into Wednesday.

The England Academy match will undoubtedly be another challenge for the growing women’s program to overcome, with the value of playing a highly competitive side immeasurable.

Head Coach Rob Cain said: “This is a great opportunity for our players to use this game as a platform for their inclusion in our final test against Ireland this Sunday. The tour has been set at a ferocious pace and it has been great to have the players for 12 days now. Their work rate and attitude have been first class and we are all excited to see them continue to raise the bar from our last match. We know how talented England A will be and it’s a great opportunity to continue to measure our daily improvements as a squad.”

Though the match will not be broadcast live, updates will be available by following @USARugby on Twitter.

USA Women’s Selects Starting Roster

Player Name Position Club
1. Nick James Prop Houston Athletic
2. Katy Augustyn (C) Hooker Berkeley All Blues
3. Melissa Finkelstein Prop Glendale Merlins
4. McKenna Strong Lock Lindenwood University
5. Alycia Washington Lock New York Rugby
6. Joyce Taufa Flanker Lindenwood University
7. Kristine Sommer Flanker Harlequins (ENG) / Seattle Saracens
8. Darian Lovelace No. 8 Atlanta Harlequins
9. Carly Waters Scrumhalf New York Rugby
10. McKenzie Hawkins Flyhalf Lindenwood University
11. Sarah Levy Wing New York Rugby
12. Megan Foster Center San Diego Surfers
13. Cortney Kuehl Center Atlanta Harlequins
14. Evan Hoese Wing Berkeley All Blues
15. Jennine Duncan Fullback Seattle Saracens

 

USA Women’s Selects Reserves

Player Name Position Club
16. Joanna Kitlinski Reserve Glendale Merlins
17. Azniv Nalbandian Reserve Penn State University
18. Tiana A’au Reserve Central Washington University
19. Anna Karen Pedraza Reserve Lindenwood University
20. Meya Bizer Reserve Women’s Sevens Residency
21. Kimber Rozier Reserve Beantown Rugby
22. Kelsi Stockert Reserve Women’s Sevens Residency
23. Frankie Sands Reserve Northumbria / Darlington Rugby (ENG)

 

USA Women’s Selects Staff

Head Coach | Rob Cain
Assistant Coach | Richard Ashfield
Assistant Coach | Kate Daley
Assistant Coach & Team Manager | Jamie Burke
Head of Physical Performance | Ian Jones
Head Performance Analyst | David Gardner
Team Doctor | Terrence Cronin
Head Athletic Trainer | Bri Arsenault
Assistant Athletic Trainer | Katherine Henry

Women's National Team reveals lineup for test match with No. 2 England

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LONDON, ENG. – Head Coach Rob Cain has named his match-day 23 to face England’s Red Roses this Friday, Nov. 9 at 2:45 PM ET, LIVE on FloRugby.

The full roster will feature five changes made to the starting XV with four new faces in as reserves and up to three new caps to be awarded overall.

Jumping in at hooker for Katy Augustyn is Joanna Kitlinski who joins the group after being activated as an injury reserve for Eti Haungatau. Kitlinski and the forward pack are supported by prop Megan Rom who suits up for Azniv Nalbandian after earning her first cap last week.

The backs are highlighted by Anna Karen Pedraza who receives the start at scrumhalf and Sarah Levy who debuts at the wing. With Levy in at wing, Kaitlyn Broughton will shift to the fullback position for Meya Bizer.

Changes to the starting XV are rounded up with McKenzie Hawkins moving into center for Kimber Rozier, while the reserves see four adjustments to last week.

Among them are Jennine Duncan and Melissa Finkelstein who have the opportunity to make their own debuts. Capped Women’s Eagles Kristine Sommer and Megan Foster may appear as well for the first time this November.

“We are excited by the challenge that England presents us,” said Head Coach Rob Cain. “They are ranked second in the world and it’s going to be another great experience for us as a group . They will pose lots of different problems for us to solve with their accuracy and it will be up to us to control the space battle and create the pictures we want to see on the pitch.”

The Women’s National Team last faced England at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 where the United States fell to the Red Roses before sealing their place in the Semifinals.

England will play their first match of the November Internationals against the USA, marking the last time they took the pitch as their 33-11 victory over Ireland in the NatWest 6 Nations this year.

Though they suffered a tough loss to the first-ranked Black Ferns in Chicago last weekend, the Eagles saw 13 players earn their first cap on home soil. As the program continues to shape its future, emphasizing more opportunities for emerging domestic athletes in the lead-up to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021, the matchup this Friday will be another critical step in that venture.

Both teams will be anxious to take the field once more as Head Coach Rob Cain leads his first test match on the road and the Red Roses return for the first time in eight months.

U.S. Women’s National Team Starters

Player Position Club Caps
1. Megan Rom Prop Life University 1
2. Joanna Kitlinski Hooker Glendale Merlins 7
3. Catie Benson Prop Life West Gladiatrix 15
4. Stacey Bridges Lock Beantown Rugby 34
5. Alycia Washington Lock New York Rugby 15
6. Rachel Johnson Flanker Oregon Sports Rugby 1
7. Kate Zackary (C) Flanker San Diego Surfers 7
8. Jordan Gray-Matyas No. 8 Women’s Sevens Residency 16
9. Anna Karen Pedraza Scrumhalf Lindenwood University 2
10. Gabby Cantorna Flyhalf Glendale Merlins 1
11. Sarah Levy* Wing New York Rugby 0
12. McKenzie Hawkins Center Lindenwood University 1
13. Emily Henrich Center Dartmouth College 1
14. Kelsi Stockert Wing Women’s Sevens Residency 6
15. Kaitlyn Broughton Fullback Atlanta Harlequins 1

 

U.S. Women’s National Team Reserves

Player Position Club Caps
16. Joyce Taufa Reserve Lindenwood University 1
17. Azniv Nalbandian Reserve Penn State University 1
18. Nick James Reserve Houston Athletic 4
19. Melissa Finkelstein* Reserve Glendale Merlins 0
20. Kristine Sommer Reserve Harlequins (ENG) / Seattle Saracens 5
21. Nikki Kenyon Reserve Women’s Sevens Residency / Life West Gladiatrix 1
22. Megan Foster Reserve San Diego Surfers 4
23. Jennine Duncan* Reserve Seattle Saracens 0

 

U.S. Women’s National Team Staff

Head Coach | Rob Cain
Assistant Coach | Richard Ashfield
Assistant Coach | Kate Daley
Assistant Coach & Team Manager | Jamie Burke
Head of Physical Performance | Ian Jones
Head Performance Analyst | David Gardner
Team Doctor | Terrence Cronin
Head Athletic Trainer | Bri Arsenault
Assistant Athletic Trainer | Katherine Henry

U.S. Women’s National Team Schedule | November Internationals 2018

vs New Zealand 6-67 (L)

vs England
Fri, Nov. 9 | 2:45 PM ET
Allianz Park, London, England

vs Ireland
Sun, Nov. 18 | Time TBC
Energia Park, Dublin, Ireland

Women's National Team starters picked for test match against first-ranked New Zealand Black Ferns

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CHICAGO, IL. – New Head Coach Rob Cain has named his match-day 23 for the U.S. Women’s National Team’s highly anticipated return against first-ranked New Zealand as part of The Rugby Weekend this Saturday (Nov. 3) at Soldier Field, LIVE on FloRugby.

In Cain’s first test match as Head Coach of the Women’s Eagles, the USA will see up to 13 new players earn their first cap on home soil with six newcomers named to the starting XV and the rest ready to jump in as reserves.

The full match-day roster features a heavy representation of All-American athletes with eight players coming from the recent Collegiate All-American training camp and U20 Women’s Tri-Nations Cup. This, coupled with the significant opportunities for new caps, serves as a prime representation of the program’s emphasis on age-grade development to build depth in the lead-up to Women’s Rugby World Cup 2021.

Alongside the new talent, eight of the named 23 players helped the United States to a fourth-place finish at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017, while two have worked diligently as part of the Women’s Sevens residency program to return to the international stage.

“Really excited about this squad, lots of fresh energy,” said Head Coach Rob Cain. “It was a little overwhelming for some in the first couple of days but the players have embedded in really well and are enjoying the full experience. I can’t wait to watch them express themselves on the international stage for the first time.”

The youngest player who will earn her first cap this weekend is 18-year old Emily Henrich who won Player of the Match honors for her heroics against Canada at the U20 Tri-Nations Cup.

Henrich is joined by 2018 Collegiate All-American camp attendees Azniv Nalbandian, Carly Waters, Gabriella Cantorna and Kaitlyn Broughton — along with Oregon Sports Rugby’s Rachel Johnson — as new caps on the starting XV.

2018 Collegiate All-American camp attendees Joyce Taufa and Finau Tamaivena will look to earn their first caps as reserves. Tamaivena also competed at the U20 Women’s Tri-Nations Cup with fellow reserve and new cap McKenzie Hawkins.

Kelsi Stockert and Meya Bizer will both make their own highly anticipated returns to 15s after spending time ingrained in the Women’s Sevens Residency Program. Stockert last took the pitch with the Women’s Eagles in November of 2016 while Bizer — a 2018 Club Sevens National Champion — last played during Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014.

The talented collection of players will be guided by 2018 Women’s Premier League Champion and Captain Kate Zackary, along with a group of returning Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 athletes. One of which is Women’s Sevens’ Jordan Gray who recently won a silver medal at the HSBC USA Women’s Sevens 2018 in Glendale.

Zackary and Gray are both accompanied by Catherine Benson, Katy Augustyn, Stacey Bridges, Alycia Washington and Kimber Rozier as representative of the aforementioned World Cup 2017 team. Nick James is also a World Cup 2017 athlete who looks to jump in as a reserve.

The fifth-ranked U.S. Women’s National Team will face World Cup Champion and first-ranked New Zealand Black Ferns at 12 PM on Saturday (Nov. 3) at Chicago’s Soldier Field. With his squad named, Head Coach Rob Cain and the Women’s Eagles are looking forward to the battle of the weekend.

“The Black Ferns are very talented rugby players with a lot of experience at the test level,” said Head Coach Cain. “We’ve had to get through a lot of work this week and our players embrace that challenge. We’re can’t wait to see all our hard work come to light over the weekend.”

The match will kickoff a three-game tripleheader which also features the U.S. Men’s National Team against the Maori All Blacks and a game between Ireland and Italy. All three matches will be streamed LIVE on FloRugby with tickets still available at therugbyweekend.com.

Following Saturday’s contest, the Women’s Eagles will continue their November Internationals in Europe with test matches against England and Ireland. The Women’s Selects will also face England “A” as part of the full November tour.

The match against England will be featured LIVE on FloRugby with broadcast information for the other two updated closer to date.

 

U.S. Women’s National Team Starting Roster 

Name Current Club Position Caps
1. Catherine Benson Life West Gladiatrix Prop 14
2. Katy Augustyn Berkely All Blues Hooker 31
3. Azniv Nalbandian* Penn State University Prop 0
4. Stacey Bridges Beantown Rugby Lock 33
5. Alycia Washington New York Rugby Lock 14
6. Rachel Johnson* Oregon Sports Rugby Flanker 0
7. Kate Zackary San Diego Surfers Flanker 6
8. Jordan Gray Women’s Sevens Residency No. 8 15
9. Carly Waters* New York Rugby Scrum half 0
10. Gabriella Cantorna* Glendale Merlins Fly half 0
11. Kaitlyn Broughton* Atlanta Harlequins Wing 0
12. Kimber Rozier Beantown Rugby Center 28
13. Emily Henrich* Dartmouth College Center 0
14. Kelsi Stockert Women’s Sevens Residency Wing 5
15. Amelia Bizer Women’s Sevens Residency Fullback 16

U.S. Women’s National Team Reserves

Name Current Club Position Caps
16. Joyce Taufa* Lindenwood University Reserve 0
17. Nick James Houston Rugby Reserve 3
18. Megan Rom* Life University Reserve 0
19. Finau Tamaivena* Seattle Saracens Reserve 0
20. McKenna Strong* Lindenwood University Reserve 0
21. Nikki Kenyon* Women’s Sevens Residency Reserve 0
22. McKenzie Hawkins* Lindenwood University Reserve 0
23. Evan Hoese * Berkeley All Blues Reserve 0

U.S. Women’s National Team Staff

Head Coach | Rob Cain
Assistant Coach | Richard Ashfield
Assistant Coach | Kate Daley
Assistant Coach | Jamie Burke
Head of Physical Performance | Ian Jones
Head Performance Analyst | David Gardner
Assistant Performance Analyst | Craig Wilson (Chicago)
Head Athletic Trainer | Bri Sparks
Assistant Athletic Trainer | Katherine Henry
Technical Halfbacks Coach & Team Manager | Jenny Lui (Chicago)
 

U.S. Women’s National Team Schedule | November Internationals 2018

The Rugby Weekend
vs New Zealand
Sat, Nov. 3 | 12 PM CT
Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
Purchase Tickets

vs England
Fri, Nov. 9 | 2:45 PM ET
Allianz Park, London, England

vs Ireland
Sun, Nov. 18 | Time TBC
Energia Park, Dublin, Ireland

First Ever All-Female Crew to Broadcast USA Women's Eagles Test Match

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  • Katie Wurst, Phaidra Knight, and Mere Baker to make history at Nov. 3 match between USA Women’s Eagles & New Zealand Black Ferns LIVE on FloRugby.com
  • Marked as first ever all Women’s broadcast team during international test match in United States
  • Match and live stream kicks off at 12PM CST 

AUSTIN, Texas — October 24, 2018 — Today, FloSports, the innovator in live digital sports and original content, announced for the first time ever in the U.S., a USA Eagles test match will feature an all-woman announcing crew. Live and on-demand coverage of the world No. 5 USA Women’s Eagles match against world No. 1 New Zealand Black Ferns will be available on FloRugby.com Nov. 3 during The Rugby Weekend at Soldier Field in Chicago.

Play-by-play will be provided by Katie Wurst, a longtime coach, and educator who has served as broadcast talent for championships in college and club rugby. Wurst also is currently the Director of Rugby and head coach of Queens University of Charlotte’s women’s rugby team in North Carolina. Color commentary will be provided by Phaidra Knight, a member of the World Rugby Hall of Fame, who played for the USA at prop and flanker, and is a regular FloRugby contributor. On the sideline will be Mere Baker, a coach who is now working with the American Rugby Pro program in Arkansas. Baker also worked the booth at the Boys H.S. National Championships and the Emirates USA Rugby Club 7s National Championships.

FloRugby continues to have a robust schedule of women’s rugby, from the U.S. High School Championships through College Finals, Women’s Collegiate Sevens Championships, and major Club championships, including the Women’s Premier League Finals Weekend Oct 26-28. Earlier this year, FloRugby aired the Women’s Six Nations and the HSBC Women’s World Sevens competition. This fall, FloRugby will live stream England vs USA, England vs Ireland, and England vs Canada women’s test matches. In addition, FloRugby continues to emphasize women’s rugby in multi-bracket competitions, with the NAI 7s every August and the New York 7s every November showcasing Girls and Women’s Premier brackets.

The USA Women’s Eagles test match will kick off The Rugby Weekend and precede Italy vs. Ireland (men’s test match), and the USA Eagles vs. Maori All Blacks (men’s international). All matches will be broadcast on FloRugby.com.

“The United States was a groundbreaking nation when it came to the development of women’s rugby,” FloRugby Senior Editor Alex Goff said. “As a result, we have a deep pool of talent when it comes to experts in the game who are women, so this was a no-brainer for FloRugby.”

“It’s an honor to play a role in moving the presence of women as broadcast talent forward,” Wurst said. “I’m privileged to share the information and stories of the teams who create these exceptional international rugby viewing experiences.”

“I am so excited to work with Katie and Mere to round out the commentary team for this epic match,” Knight said. “Women are equally capable and captivating as men in these roles when given the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and passion for the game.”

“Setting new standards in the sport of rugby has been a welcomed theme in the US this year,” USA Rugby CEO, Ross Young added. “This talented group of broadcasters is no exception, we’re very excited for fans to tune in next month.”

Streaming more than 10,000 live competitions per year, FloSports continues to emerge as the global leader in live, in-depth, and on-demand digital coverage for passionate sports fans.

To access live and on-demand coverage of the USA Women’s Eagles test match, visit FloRugby.com to become a monthly or annual PRO subscriber. Either subscription unlocks access to premium content across the entire FloSports network. Watch the events across all screens by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Roku, or Apple TV 4.

About FloSports:
FloSports, the innovator in live digital sports and original content, partners with event rights holders, governing bodies, and other media companies to unlock a world of sports coverage that true fans have been waiting for. Through live streaming of premier events, original video programming, and weekly studio shows, FloSports is growing the sports, the events, the athletes, and the fans. Current verticals under the FloSports header include Rugby, Basketball, MMA, Football, Wrestling, Track, Gymnastics, Hockey, and more.

Women's National Team selected for November Tour 2018

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[su_news_update date=”10/25″ newsupdate=”Finau Tamaivena has replaced Misha Green due to injury. Updates reflected below.”][su_news_update date=”11/6″ newsupdate=”Joanne Kitlinski replaces Eti Haungatau due to injury.”]

  • 34 players selected to represent Women’s National Team this November
  • Heavy representation of collegiate athletes with up to 21 new caps awarded 
  • Eight players return from Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 
  • Kate Zackary to serve as Captain 

CHULA VISTA, CA. – The Women’s National Team has officially named its 34 player roster to face No. 1 New Zealand, No. 2 England and No. 8 Ireland for the upcoming November Internationals 2018.

After last taking the pitch for their fourth-place finish at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017, a new wave of players were selected from recent age-grade, senior high performance camp and Women’s Premier League performances; bringing a diverse group of athletes for the upcoming November schedule.

During the Fall tour, the Women’s Selects will also play an “A” level match to be announced later.

General Manager for Women’s High Performance Emilie Bydwell said: “We are thrilled for the long anticipated return of the Women’s 15s team to competition. Although the team has not assembled for matches in 14 months, there was significant work done in the background to ensure that we have the management staff, processes, players and competition structures in place to accelerate this program’s development over the next three years.

“Over the course of the summer we prioritized running six age-grade events and one senior team event in order to identify the next generation of players that will contribute to the program over the next three years. We understand that we will be playing the best two teams on flanking weekends with 21 new caps but firmly believe to achieve our goal of quarterfinal and semifinal victories at the 2021 World Cup, we need to expose our players to top early in the quad so we can set our program’s Key Performance Indicators and development plans accordingly.”

Of the 34 named players, nine return from the aforementioned Women’s Rugby World Cup, eleven have won a national club or college championship in the last 14 months and three are current Women’s Junior All-Americans. 21 players have the opportunity to earn their first cap over the course of the tour.

The diversity represented on the squad is a direct representation of the budding talent populating Women’s Rugby across the nation. Overall, at least 15 players have at one point represented the USA Rugby All-American programs at the High School, Junior, or Collegiate levels.

Among them, are 2018 Women’s Junior All-Americans Tiana A’au, Emily Henrich, Finau Tamaivena and McKenna Strong who all competed at the recent U20 Women’s Tri-Nations Cup. Henrich earned Man of the Match honors for her thrilling performance against Canada U20s and will be one of two 18-year olds hunting for her first cap, along with Eti Huangatau. 

Club XV National Champions (Life West Gladiatrix) Catherine Benson and Nikki Kenyon earn selections, along with 2017 Women’s Premier League National Champions Alicia Washington. The collegiate game is strongly represented, as well, with D1 Elite Champions (Lindenwood) Mckenna Strong, McKenzie Hawkins, AK Pedroza and Joyce Taufa representing one of many institutions.

Headlining the team as Captain is Kate Zackary, a Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 and Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 athlete who owns six caps and has featured regularly on the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series.

Zackary’s experience will be complemented by teammates both from the sevens and fifteens side with Kathryn Augustyn, Jordan Gray, Kelsi Stockert, Kimber Rozier and Kristine Sommer — to name a few.

Club 7s National Champions Megan Foster and Meya Bizer also return to the Women’s National Team. Foster recently appeared with the Women’s Falcons last month while Bizer comes back after last appearing at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014. 

Alongside a wealth of talent on the playing side, four Women’s Eagle Alumni come back into the fold in supporting positions. Jamie Burke — USA’s most capped Women’s Eagle — and Kate Daley, captain of the 2014 Women’s World Cup team, will both serve as Assistant Coaches. As Coaches for the Glendale Merlins and Penn State University (7s and 15s), respectively, Burke and Daley both own multiple national championships.

2017 World Cup Captain Tiffany Faaee will serve as a Player Mentor and support the team in a management capacity while Eagle Alumn Jenny Lui will take on a role as a Player Mentor and Technical Halfbacks Coach.

The coaching team also welcomes back longtime Women’s Eagles Assistant Coach Richard Ashfield and Ian Jones, who was the member of the 2014 World Cup Management Team. Jones will serve as the Head of Physical Performance.

Under the direction of new Head Coach Rob Cain, the Women’s Eagles will open their November schedule against No. 1 New Zealand as part of The Rugby Weekend’s triple-header on Nov. 3 at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Tickets are available at therugbyweekend.com with the match streamed live on FloRugby.

Following the clash, the United States will travel to Europe for a test match with England on Nov. 9 at Allianz Park before they closing out their schedule against Ireland on Nov. 18 at Energia Park. Broadcast information will be confirmed closer to date.

U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER

Player Position Club Notes Caps
Tiana A’au * Prop Central Washington University • 2018 Women’s Junior All-American
• Former Women’s High School All-American
• Hawk Eye Development Program
Kathryn Augustyn Hooker Berkeley All Blues • Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 31
Catherine Benson Prop Life West Gladiatrix • Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017
• 2018 Club 15s National Champion		 14
Amelia “Meya” Bizer Back Three Women’s Sevens Residency • Women’s Rugby World Cup 2014
• 2018 Club 7s National Champion
• Former Women’s Junior All-American		 16
Stacey Bridges Lock Beantown Rugby • Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017
• Former Women’s Junior All-American		 33
Kaitlyn Broughton * Back Three Atlanta Harlequins • 2018 Collegiate All-American
Gabby Cantorna * Fly half Glendale Merlins • 2018 Collegiate All-American
• Former Women’s Junior All-American
Jennine Duncan * Back Three Seattle Saracens • 2017 Club 7s National Champion
Melissa Helga Finkelstein * Prop Glendale Merlins –
Megan Foster Back Three San Diego Surfers • 2018 Club 7s National Champion 4
Jordan Gray Back row Women’s Sevens Residency • Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017
• 2018 Women’s Junior All-American		 15
McKenzie Hawkins * Flyhalf/Center Lindenwood University • Former Women’s Junior All-American
• Former Women’s High School All- American
• 2018 D1 Elite National Champion
Emily Henrich * Center Dartmouth College • Women’s Junior All-American
• Women’s High School All-American
• Hawk Eye Development Program
Evan Hoese * Center Berkeley All Blues –
Nick James Prop Houston Athletic • Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 3
Rachel Johnson Back Row Oregon Sports Union
Nikki Kenyon* Scrumhalf Women’s Sevens Residency / Life West Gladiatrix  • 2018 Club XV Champion with Life West Gladiatrix 
Joanne Kitlinski Hooker/Back Row Glendale Merlins
Cortney Kuehl * Center Atlanta Harlequins • 2018 Collegiate All American Camp Attendee
Sarah Levy * Back Three New York Rugby • 2018 Collegiate All American Camp Attendee
Darian Lovelace * Back row Atlanta Harlequins • 2018 Collegiate All American Camp Attendee
• Women’s Premier League All-Star
Azniv Nalbandian * Prop Penn State University • Former Women’s Junior All-American
Anna Karen Pedroza* Scrum half Lindenwood University • 2018 D1 Elite National Champion
Megan Rom * Prop Life University • 2018 Collegiate All-American Camp Attendee 
Kimber Rozier Center Beantown Rugby • Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 28
Frankie Sands * Back Three Northumbria / Darlington Rugby (ENG) • 2018 Collegiate All-American Camp Attendee 
Kristine Sommer Lock Harlequins (ENG) / Seattle Saracens • Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 5
Kelsi Stockert Back Three Women’s Sevens Residency • Women’s Eagle Sevens 5
Mckenna Strong * Lock Lindenwood University • Women’s Junior All-American
• Former Women’s High School All-American
• 2018 D1 Elite National Champion
Joyce Taufa * Hooker Lindenwood University • D1 Elite National Champion
Finau Tamaivena* Back row Seattle Saracens  • 2018 Women’s Junior All-American 
Alycia Washington Lock New York Rugby • Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017
• 2017 Women’s Premier League Champion		 14
Carly Waters * Scrumhalf New York Rugby • 2018 Collegiate All-American Camp Attendee
Kate Zackary (C) Back Row San Diego Surfers • Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017
• Women’s 7s Rugby World Cup 2018		 6

*Indicates athlete has not been capped yet.
**Players listed as back row will rotate between all three positions (flanker, No 8). Players listed as back three will rotate between both wing and fullback. Notes are not a comprehensive list of achievements for each player, but recent highlights referenced above.

NON-TRAVELING RESERVES: Bui Baravilala, Sarah Buonopane, Tess Feury, Joanna Kitlinski, Neariah Persinger, Finau Tamaivena, Elizabeth Trujillo, Brittany Simunac, Nicole Strasko

UNAVAILABLE DUE TO INJURY: Julia Buescher, Bitsy Cairns, Gio Cruz, Christiane Pheil, Hope Rogers

U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM STAFF

Head Coach | Rob Cain
Assistant Coach | Richard Ashfield
Assistant Coach | Kate Daley
Assistant Coach | Jamie Burke
Technical Halfbacks Coach & Player Mentor | Jenny Lui (Chicago)
Head of Physical Performance | Ian Jones
Head Performance Analyst | David Gardner
Assistant Performance Analyst | Craig Wilson (Chicago)
Head Athletic Trainer | Bri Sparks
Assistant Athletic Trainer | Katherine Henry
Player Mentor & Manager | Tiffany Faaee

 

U.S. WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM NOVEMBER SCHEDULE

The Rugby Weekend
vs New Zealand
Sat, Nov. 3 | 12 PM CT
Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois
Purchase Tickets

vs England
Fri, Nov. 9 | 2:45 PM ET
Allianz Park, London, England

vs Ireland
Sun, Nov. 18 | Time TBC
Energia Park, Dublin, Ireland

USA Women's Eagles Jennifer Lui and Tiffany Faaee featured in newest adidas ad and drive for change in sport

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Earlier this month, Women’s Eagle Alumni Jennifer Lui and Tiffany Faaee joined adidas as part of the sporting brand’s newest initiative, Here To Create Change. In collaboration with tennis legend, Billie Jean King, adidas looks to drive the inclusion of more female athletes in media and overall participation in sports. Both Lui and Faaee are featured in the newest commercial distributed by adidas. To view the full ad, see below and find the official press release with information around the campaign. 

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4w_1Txa41U”]

via PR Newswire | See full press release

NEW YORK, Aug. 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Today on Women’s Equality Day, adidas – a global leader in sport performance – announces its commitment to changing the future for New York City’s young female athletes. Unveiling research that shows that less than 1 in 3 girls continue to play sport after school, adidas kicks off Here to Create Change, which commits to breaking down the barriers that see nearly 1.7 million potential female athletes quit playing in NYC alone.

Currently, girls of NYC are dropping out of sport at 2.4x the rate of boys. The drop off is significant. During middle school there is only a 5% gap between the percentage of male and female athletes, which rises to 13% in high school, with the biggest decline between the ages of 17 and 18. At today’s rate, girls are 1.5x less likely to play sport than boys, and by the age of 19 only 29% of girls (versus 56% of boys) will play any sport at all.

Eva Barrett, Global Senior Director of Marketing for adidas Specialist Sports says, “At adidas, we believe through sport, we have the power to change lives. That’s why we are proud to partner with Billie Jean King on Here To Create Change, which asks the people of New York and around the world to help us find solutions to the problems faced by young girls in sport.

As a sports icon and a social justice pioneer, Billie Jean King is evidence that positive change on and off the court for women is possible, and we celebrate her achievements with our own commitment and footwear that all aspiring female athletes can step into. We want to build a future for female creators in this great city’s pitches, fields and courts of play. But we can’t do it alone. We want to hear from you, New York.”

The campaign plays to the backdrop of the US Open, a global platform for the power of positive change in female sport and the location of Billie Jean King’s fight for equality in her pivotal match 45 years ago.

Billie Jean King says, “The US Open, and the global audience the event delivers, is the perfect stage for this program and showcases adidas’ commitment to equality and positive change. I am proud to collaborate with adidas on addressing today’s barriers. Together, we can achieve more progress, equality and access for everyone in tennis and beyond. “

The National All-Star Competition

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This article is part of the USA Women’s Eagles blog. All entries are written exclusively by members of the women’s national team.

Hopefully everyone has seen the change in the WNT pathway that was announced this week. It is a significant change in how players will be identified and then developed to be international rugby players in 7s and 15s. Fundamentally the change is that the Women’s Eagles, College All-Americans and Junior All-Americans have combined into one program. This comes with some major changes to the pathway:

  • Much broader selection opportunities for players to be seen. The Women’s National Team program will be recruiting for all levels of play, basically 18+. The National Recruiting Festivals are open to all players and cross-over athletes.
  • Players will be available to play and move more freely between teams so they can compete for multiple teams in the pathway, maximizing the opportunity to develop
  • Aligned talent identification and development opportunities with the USA Rugby Academy, High School All-Americans and National Development Academies – which are being launched this year.
  • The launch of a super-club level of play with the National All-Star Competition (NASC).

There has been some confusion with the new National All-Star Competition and the old National All-Star Championship. There are obviously similarities in the name and the essential player identification goals, but the key difference is the united approach to player selection and identification from the new USA Women’s National Team Pathway. The old Championship was run by Territorial Unions and had initially 4 and then 8 teams (split into 2 tiers). There were Championships for senior women, U23 and eventually U19s. It provided a broad selection process as well as an opportunity for coaches to get a higher level of experience. As both a player and a coach at the old NASCs there were strengths and weaknesses of the structure. However, it was the prime way for players to be seen and for coaches to develop.

The new Competition is designed to provide both of those outcomes, but this time within the USA Women’s National Team pathway. There will be 3 NASCs each year (June/August/January) and at each there will be different levels of play – senior, CAA and JAA. Players will be identified at the various official selection vehicles throughout the year and invited to the camp. Players selected during this process will be broken into teams and will compete on an even playing field, through a week long competition that is run as close to an international event as possible. Coaches will be recruited to coach these teams as part of a new Elite Coach Development Program – look for a launch shortly.

So while the new NASC is not the same as the old NASC it will provide the same opportunities for coaches and players.