GLENDALE, CO – The USA Women’s National Team XVs has named rosters for an eight-week daily training environment (DTE) and two 8-day mini camps to be held through November in Glendale, Colo. Both assemblies will take place at Infinity Park, the official national training site for the Men’s and Women’s Eagles in XVs. [Lead photo: Lawson will debut in the USA 15s pool (Photo: Jackie Finlan / TRB)]
Players for the DTE will assemble this Saturday, Sept 19 and remain in Colorado until mid-November. Those unable to attend the DTE due to work commitments will engage in the 8-day mini camps happening at various points through October.
The DTE and each mini camp will focus on individual, unit and team skills as an extension of remote learning conducted through COVID-19 quarantine. Rosters feature a number of young and talented pool players with many representing Junior National Team programs.
Overall, fall programming will set the stage for World Cup preparation with just one year until New Zealand 2021. And as the world continues to fight COVID-19, players in attendance will follow a number of rigorous safety protocols to ensure a safe setting for all involved.
Head Coach Rob Cain said:
“A huge thank you to our medical staff, the XV Foundation and USA Rugby Players Association for bringing this vision to life in terms of safety, finance and logistics. I cannot stress the importance of what we are doing. The cancellations of our domestic season have meant that our players haven’t had any competitive rugby for almost 12 months. We had to act to give ourselves a fighting chance in 2021.
“We are all excited to get to work and build on the past 5 months of hard work, where our staff and players combined work took ethic advantage of our robust remote learning program. Alongside our experienced players, there will be some excellent inner competition thanks to the high school, college, WPL and pathway coaches who have developed our extremely talented uncapped players and youngsters.
“We see everything as a challenge and this chapter in our story continues to shows our ambition to make an impression in 2021.”
More information regarding safe return to training and competition can be found in USA Rugby’s Return to Play Guidelines at bit.ly/RETURN2PLAY. All members should continue to heed the advice of local health officials to remain vigilant in the fight against COVID-19.
DTE ROSTER (36)
PLAYER – POSITION, TEAM (CAPS)
Cassidy Bargell – Scrumhalf, Harvard Univ (0)
Julia Buescher – Back row, San Diego (0)
Kaitlyn Broughton – Wing, Glendale (5)
Elizabeth Cairns – Flanker, Life West (11)
Gabby Cantorna – Flyhalf, Glendale / Exeter (6)
Rachel Ehrecke – Back row, Glendale (0)
Tess Feury – Wing, New York (6)
Megan Foster – Flyhalf, San Diego (5)
Saher Hamdan – Hooker, Life Univ (0)
McKenzie Hawkins – Flyhalf, Glendale (3)
Jett Hayward – Hooker, Life West (0)
Emily Henrich – Center, USA 7s/Dartmouth (8)
Katana Howard – Flyhalf, Twin Cities (4)
Lisa Jackson – Prop/hooker, Atlanta (0)
Charli Jacoby – Prop, Chicago North Shore (6)
Nick James – Prop, Houston Athletic (12)
Kathryn Johnson – No. 8, Twin Cities (2)
Rachel Johnson – Flanker, ORSU (7)
Bridget Kahele – Scrumhalf, Atlanta (0)
Joanna Kitlinski – No. 8, Glendale (14)
Jenny Kronish – Lock, Glendale (0)
Kayla Lawson – Wing, USA Sevens (0)
Maya Learned – Prop, Glendale (2)
Shelby Lin – Scrumhalf, Berkeley (0)
Sam Luther – Second row, Glendale (0)
Bulou Mataitoga – Fullback, Berkeley (3)
Kelsie O’Brien – Scrumhalf, Glendale (0)
Olivia Ortiz – Scrumhalf, Davenport Univ/Chicago North Shore (5)
Jetta Owens – Center, Virginia Tech (0)
Neariah Persinger – Wing, Life West (1)
Allie Schrenker – Hooker, Glendale (0)
Amy Talei Bonte – Center, Life West (6)
Hallie Taufoou – Back row, Richmond (ENG) (0)
Kathryn Treder – Hooker, Beantown (2)
Nichole Wanamaker – Back three, Glendale (0)
Carly Waters – Scrumhalf, Glendale (4)
MINI CAMP ROSTER
BACKS
Kristin Bitter – Flyhalf / fullback, Dartmouth (0)
Ashlee Byrge – Scrumhalf, USA Sevens (5)
Leti Hingano – Back three, Life West (2)
Evan Hoese – Center, Berkeley (1)
Natalie Kosko – Back three, New York (0)
Sarah Levy – Back three, New York (2)
Matalasi Morrissette – Flyhalf, BYU (0)
Karissa Postula – Center, ORSU (0)
Darina Roe – Flyhalf, Penn State (0)
Julie Tordonato – Center, Glendale (0)
PK Vincze – Flyhalf / center, Harvard Univ (0)
FORWARDS
Catie Benson – Prop, Life West (23)
Evelyn Ashenbrucker – Back row, New York (0)
Erica Jarrell – Second row, Harvard (0)
Darian Lovelace – Back row, Atlanta (0)
Hope Rogers – Prop, Life West (29)
Megan Rom – Prop, Atlanta (2)
Kristine Sommer – Lock, Seattle (13)
Paige Stathopoulos – Hooker, Glendale (0)
Nicole Strasko – Flanker, Life West (7)
Mckenna Strong – Lock, Lindenwood (1)
Samantha Tancredi – Prop, Lindenwood (0)
Alycia Washington – Lock, New York (22)
STAFF
*On-ground for DTE and Mini Camps
Head Coach | Rob Cain*
Assistant Coach | Kate Daley
Assistant Coach | Neil Harris
Assistant Coach | Rich Ashfield
Support Coach | Jenny Lui
Support Coach | Jamie Burke*
Strength & Conditioning | Sylvia Braaten*
Sport Scientist | Conor Sweeney
Team Doctor | Terrence Cronin
Head Athletic Trainer | Bri Arsenault
Athletic Trainer | Katherine Henry
Athletic Trainer | Jade Callen*
Performance Analyst | Callum Howells
Team Manager | Louise Stewart
Logistics Coordinator – Denver | Dee Nash*