Stars veteran Ashlee Byrge (above) and Frieda Fetu’u (below) at the 2016 LVI
Stars Rugby is returning to the Las Vegas Invitational, entering two teams into the 16-team Women’s Elite division. Sixteen of the 25 players are Stars veterans, and the pool will be divided into two teams – a senior squad that is mostly Women’s Premier League/varsity/international, and a second that is mostly U-23 with a big Midwest presence.
RELATED: Rematch: Stars vs. Capital Selects • Stars Aiming for New Heights • 2016 LVI 7s Photos: Day 1
The men’s and women’s teams will assemble in San Diego on Feb. 25 for a pre-Vegas camp. Highlights will include a round robin against the USA Women’s 7s team and its representative side, the Falcons, at the Chula Vista Training Center; the STARBQ, a fundraiser and kit donation event involving the San Diego Surfers and Young Aztecs; morning workouts with speed coach Les Spellman; and video review with Eagles 7s coach Richie Walker.
Once in Las Vegas, the group will hold another STARBQ with Rugby 12/Las Vegas Rugby Academy, and similar events are scheduled for the Vancouver 7s the follow weekend.
STARS 7s PLAYER POOL
*Dana Alimena – Claremont Colleges, CA
Liz Bain – Twin Cities Amazons, MN
*Christa Banks – Scioto Valley/W1823 7s, OH
*Ashlee Byrge – Central Washington University, WA
Antea Dedic – San Antonio/Croatia 7s, TX
*Jess Dombrowski – Illinois State/Chicago Griffins 7s, IL
*Frieda Fetu’u – Berkeley All Blues, CA
*Erica Fowler – Queensland University, Australia
*DeVonna Francis – Scioto Valley/W1823 7s, OH
Emma Harbage – DMP Sharks, England
*Kelley Hirt – County Will Morrigans/Chicago Lions 7s, IL
Michelle Hong – UC Riverside, CA
*Emily Hranchook – Oakland University, MI
Rachel Johnson – ORSU, OR
Tamarin Joubert – Davenport University, MI
*Tee Kawaihoa-Marquez -Santa Barbara Rugby Academy, CA
*Erica Legaspi – Seattle Saracens, WA
*Josie Maejiirs – Sydney University, Australia
San Juanita Moreno – ORSU, OR
*Georgia Page – West Bulldogs, Australia
Anna Symonds – ORSU, OR
*Phoebe Thomas – Tribe 7s, Australia
*Rian Van Nordheim – James River, VA
*Nikki Weyers – Netherlands 7s
Zoe Wilson – OSRU, OR
*veteran of previous Stars tours
Coach: Joel Bonnaud, OH
Coach: Craig Wilson, CT
Asst Coach: Deven Owsiany, SD
ATC: Alex Flohr, Terrigal, Australia
EMT: Heather Desroches, Canada
Physio: Kemba Noel-London, Trinidad & Tobago
Director: Liz Entwhistle, IL