USA RUGBY – The 2024 USA Women’s Eagles season is quickly approaching with an away test match expected in Europe and the Pacific Four Series kicking off on home soil in late April. [Lead photo c/o USA Rugby]

Newly appointed Head Coach Sione Fukofuka is eager to immerse himself with the player pool and prospects as he heads for Charlotte, N.C., to host an identification and assessment camp this weekend, Feb 23-25. Current US-based National Team pool players will join collegiate and club prospects for three days of rugby and strategic sessions as Fukofuka takes in his first opportunity to work with players firsthand.

“The coaching staff and I are excited to get an opportunity to work with the players this weekend in Charlotte,” Fukofuka said. “We have been actively connecting and planning for the upcoming season, but to have a chance to get in front of the players and set some key standards and expectations from us as a coaching team is invaluable. We have the opportunity to introduce our game model and underline what we value in the program and from the players, which will provide a strong foundation for our preparation for the first test of the year in March, before we turn our attention to a home test match against Canada in April.

“As a coaching team, we are looking for the players to take this opportunity to demonstrate their core skills, decision making, positional skills and their physical performance levels, to express to the coaches and staff that they have the potential to be an international player, and represent the Eagles in 2024,” he added. “I personally am excited to get back to coaching on a field with athletes keen to learn and develop their potential.”

Of the 31 invited players, 17 capped USA Eagles land in Charlotte while the additional attendees look to put their hands up for selection to the Pacific Four Series this spring, first kicking off in April on home soil. Venue and tickets are expected to be announced very soon.

[TRB added in players’ home clubs and included notes when needed. Some players might be switching clubs for the impending 2024 WPL season.]

There are nine collegians, with first-years Cindy Taulava (Dartmouth) and Sacred Heart Univ. twins Olivia and Reece Woods being the youngest in the group. The former played with the Pleasanton Cavaliers before heading to Australia for some post-high school rugby. The latter duo played their rugby with Eagle HS in Idaho, where they were also accomplished wrestlers.

USA Women’s Eagles ID & Assessment Camp Invites

Tiara A’au – New York RC
Susan Adegoke – Life Univ
Emerson Allen – Beantown
Cassidy Bargell – Harvard Univ (Class of 2023)
Amanda Berta – Premier Rugby 7s
Kristin Bitter – Life West
Samantha Brackett – Rhinos / Santa Monica
Yeja Dunn – Beantown
Rachel Ehrecke – Colorado Gray Wolves
Nikki Kenyon – Seattle
Mikaela Hall – Queens Univ of Charlotte
McKenzie Hawkins – Colorado Gray Wolves
Jett Hayward – Life West
Emily Henrich – Beantown
Maya Learned – Colorado Gray Wolves (played 22-23 with PWR champion Gloucester-Hartpury)
Jenny Kronish – Harlequins (Eng) & Beantown in 2023
Alivia Leatherman – Notre Dame College
Kelsie O’Brien – Colorado Gray Wolves
Tiahna Padilla – Harvard Univ
Megan Pinson Neyen – Beantown (for first half of 2023)
Sophie Pyrz – Rhinos / Santa Monica
Paige Stathopoulos – Beantown
Freda Tafuna – Lindenwood Univ
Cindy Taulava – Dartmouth College
Taina Tukuafu – Lindenwood Univ
Monalisa Tupou – East Palo Alto / Life West
Carly Waters – Colorado Gray Wolves
Neariah Weathers – Premier Rugby 7s
Caitlin Weigel – Colorado Gray Wolves
Olivia Woods – Sacred Heart Univ
Reece Woods – Sacred Heart Univ