Kitlinski was one of several WPL Eagles in motion last weekend. /// Photo courtesy Glendale Rugby •
USA Rugby announced yesterday that the USA Women’s 15s team will be going on a two-test tour to France in late November, a couple of weeks after the Women’s Premier League (WPL) season ends. Selections will be announced at a later, but it’s likely that several of the Super Series Eagles will make the travel roster. Below is a brief summary of where the 2016 Super Series Eagles are currently training or playing.
Some details are missing, and for those players whose current whereabouts are unconfirmed, they’re designated by an asterisk. Keep in mind that USA 7s contracts are also being signed and begin Oct. 1. We know of a mix of veterans and newcomers heading to Chula Vista, but the official list will come out of USA Rugby in due course. That said, there would be no surprise if a handful of the below players became 7s residents.
2016 Super Series Eagles ///
Where Are They Now?
• Katy Augustyn – Playing with WPL’s Berkeley All Blues
• Catie Benson – Playing with Life West, which will compete in NorCal’s DII but follow a DI post-season this year
• Sylvia Braaten – Playing with and captaining WPL’s Twin Cities Amazons
• Stacey Bridges – Helped Scion to a club 7s championship and then relocated to Hanover, N.H., to serve as Dartmouth assistant coach to Katie Dowty. [9.14 Update: Bridges will continue to play with Twin Cities, joining the Amazons at New York, D.C. and one other location before nationals.]
• Elizabeth Cairns – Penn State grad will be training in San Diego this fall before moving to the Bay Area to attend/play with Life West
* Cheta Emba – Traveled to Rio as a reserve on the Olympic 7s team
• Tiffany Faaee – Playing with and captaining WPL’s New York Rugby Club
• Tess Feury – Was called up from the adjacent Women’s Collegiate All-American assembly to play for the Eagles in Salt Lake City; continues to play at DI Elite Penn State
* Megan Foster – Named DII club championship MVP for Life West, which plays in the spring
• Jordan Gray – BYU grad is part of the 15s residency taking shape in San Diego; playing with WPL’s San Diego Surfers this year
* Nicole Heavirland – Was chosen for the Super Series but then remained in Chula Vista to train for the Olympics; traveled to Rio as a reserve
• Molly Kinsella – Glendale transfer is part of the 15s residency taking shape in San Diego; playing with WPL’s San Diego Surfers this year
• Joanna Kitlinski (pictured) – Playing with WPL’s Glendale Raptors
• Jennifer Lui – Playing with WPL’s Glendale Raptors
* Saskia Morgan – Helped Scion to a club 7s national championship
• Deven Owsiany – Playing with WPL’s San Diego Surfers
* Jane Paar – Was part of the USA 7s player pool in build-up to Olympics, leaving the Super Series early (along with Emba) to continue training. Paar is a 2nd Lt. in the Marine Corps.
• Sam Pankey – Helped Scion to a club 7s championship and now in 15s residency and playing for the WPL’s San Diego Surfers
• Christiane Pheil – Playing with DI Chicago North Shore
• Jamila Reinhardt – DII Augusta alumna is heading to San Diego 15s residency for Oct. 1
• Hope Rogers – Penn State grad is in San Diego for 15s residency and playing with WPL’s San Diego Surfers
* Kimber Rozier – Helped Scion to a club 7s championship
• Asinate Serevi – Playing for Central Washington University in NIRA’s Tier 1
• Jennifer Sever – Life West alumna last seen in New Zealand, having represented Counties Manukau in the country’s provincial championship league, the Farah Palmer Cup
• Nicole Strasko – The Life University product is playing a couple of games with WPL’s Atlanta Harlequins before heading to the OTC for 7s residency
• Naya Tapper – The UNC grad has been contracted for 7s residency at the OTC beginning Oct. 1.
• Alycia Washington – Playing with WPL’s New York
• Jessica Wooden – The ARPTC and Atlanta product is playing for the English Premiership’s Aylesford Harlequins (a new combination team) and kicked seven points (2 conversions and a penalty) in the team’s 27-6 season-opener against Worcester.
The next big update will likely occur toward the end of the month, when USA Rugby announces who’s been contracted for the 7s residency that begins Oct. 1.