Photo: Jackie Finlan
Scion Rugby Academy is bringing two teams to the Las Vegas Invitational, and the touring party hails from every corner of the country.
“Once again, we have a unique and amazing group of elite athletes signed up for this tour,” Scion founder Joanne Liu enthused. “We will be playing with two full teams, WOO and Elite. Final selections will not be made until we train together in Vegas but we are confident that both teams will be well balanced and playing to win!”
Nine of the 24 players are representing Scion for the first time. The Seattle Saracens supplied four newcomers in Ariana Bray, Jennine Duncan, Erica Legaspi and Eagle Kristine Sommer. Life University has contributed two Scion rookies in Kaitlyn Broughton and Megan Rom, and fellow collegian Jenelle Fuller hails from Kutztown University. Danielle Kwasniowski of Las Vegas is a crossover athlete who was one of the finalists in The Next Olympic Hopeful and Homegrown Series. And 18-year-old Indy Scholtens brings international flavor from the Netherlands, and she’s spending of month of development with Scion.
The returners bring international experience as well, with Eagles like Dana Meschisi, Kiki Morgan, Kimber Rozier and Alycia Washington leading the way. There is a nice range of WPL and Division I club players, as well as notable collegians like NIRA championship MVP Ilona Maher (Quinnipiac), Mexico 7s pool player Karmin Macedo (Notre Dame College) and Life University freshman Makayla Lowe building out the ranks.
Scion is bringing a full staff, and teams will be led by head coach Toshi Palamo and assistant coaches Liu and Thretton Palamo. The Rugby Breakdown is also grateful for the support of Scion, which sponsored our travel to Las Vegas.
SCION RUGBY ACADEMY @ LVI
Ariana Bray*
Kaitlyn Broughton*
Lucy Dawson
Jennine Duncan*
Jenelle Fuller*
Emily Fulbrook
Misha Green
Danielle Kwasniowski*
Erica Legaspi*
Makayla Lowe
Karmin Macedo
Ilona Maher
Jade McGrath
Dana Meschisi
Kiki Morgan
Maggie Myles
Lauren Rhode
Megan Rom*
Kimber Rozier
Indy Scholtens*
Kristine Sommer*
Elizabeth Trujillo
Nichole Wanamaker
Alycia Washington
* New to Scion
STAFF
Head Coach – Toshi Palamo
Assistant Coaches – Joanne Liu, Thretton Palamo
Athletic Trainers – Andrew Jacobe, Stacey Burgos
Team Manager – Kaitlyn Kelly
Self Designated H2O Coordinator – Aki Raymond
Videographer/Analyst – Ken Pape
Contributing Photographer – Colleen McCloskey