USA RUGBY — The USA Rugby Women’s Sevens Program is commencing their build toward LA 2028, beginning with a high performance camp aimed at identifying and preparing athletes for future National Team residency in preparation for World Series Events and the Olympic Games.
Held September 2-7 at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, the camp is an opportunity for these 25 athletes to show their skills and vie for full-time residency with the USA Women’s Sevens program. Led by women’s sevens pathway head coach Irene Gardner and assistant coach Kelly Griffin, the camp will include training sessions and full contact development.
Twelve of the 25 athletes were identified and invited based on their performance at the Club 7s Nationals, and many have worked their way through the USA Rugby pathways. Capped XVs Eagles Taina Tukuafu, Cassidy Bargell, and Tessa Hann are joining the camp as well. Tukuafu and Hann head to Chula Vista following a two-week tour in Japan with the USA Women’s Eagles, where Hann made her international debut.
Comments from Women’s Sevens Pathways Head Coach Irene Gardner:
“These athletes have demonstrated a readiness to challenge themselves in a professional rugby environment. They have worked hard to get to this stage in their journey whether as a part of the USA Rugby Pathway, women’s club rugby, or collegiate rugby. Their perseverance to be the next generation of Highwomen is inspirational and their commitment has earned them invitation to camp this week.
Comments from USA Women’s Sevens Head Coach Emilie Bydwell:
“We are really excited to have 25 players onsite this week for the High Performance Camp. While we are still riding on the excitement from our medal victory in Paris a month ago, we know the importance of maximizing the time that we have to build for an Olympic games at home in LA in four years time. Although our reviews and LA plans won’t be finalized until the end of September, we are acutely aware that we will be working through a rebuilding phase as we say goodbye to several of our honored veterans who are moving on from the program.
It is an absolute priority to make sure that we are assessing the talent that is coming through the pathway as we work toward ‘getting the right people in the room’ over the course of the next 12-18 months. I want to thank the strong work done by Martha Daines, Irene Gardner, and Kelly Griffin who have been investing so much time in the development of not only this next gen group but the system that identifies and supports them. I can’t wait to get started with this week as we look to empower these players to play to their strengths, push the limits of what they think they are capable of, and see what they bring to the table!”
Women’s HP Camp Roster | September 2024
| Name | Team |
|---|---|
| Susan Adegoke | Rhinos Academy (Life West) |
| Paola Arredondo Almeida | Dartmouth |
| Cassidy Bargell | Beantown |
| Natalie Bjorklund | Chicago Lions* (Rhinos) |
| Kalie Blaising | Notre Dame College |
| Linique Bouwer | Cal Poly SLO* |
| Monique Coffey | Scion* |
| Sydney Copeland | WAC* (Western Washington ’24) |
| Ashley Cowdrey | Chicago Lions* (Davenport) |
| Karina Gauto | Leprechaun Tigers (Can) |
| Tessa Hann | Colorado Gray Wolves |
| Hann Humphreys | Scion* (Dartmouth ’24) |
| Cienna Jordan | Chicago North Shore* |
| Brooke Lampe | HEB Hurricanes* |
| Ember Larson | Univ Calgary (Univ Michigan ’24) |
| Salome Unga Lewis | Lindenwood Univ |
| Autumn LoCicero | Scion* |
| Katie Lohaus | Chicago Lions* |
| Alyssa Porter | Washington AC* |
| Nia Toliver | Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix |
| Taina Tukuafu | Berkeley All Blues (Lindenwood ’24) |
| Telesi Uhatafe | Scion* (Southern Nazarene) |
| Lola Unga | Lindenwood (San Mateo Wolverines ’24) |
| Sereana Vulaono | Univ. New Haven |
| Kayla Walker | San Diego Surfers |
*Identified through Club 7s Nationals
Women’s 7s HP Camp Staff
Emilie Bydwell | Head Coach, USA Women’s 7s
Zack Test | Assistant Coach, USA Women’s 7s
Trey Ford | Head of Physical Performance, USA Women’s 7s
Liz Strohecker | Head of Team Services, USA Women’s 7s
Lauren Barber | Performance Analyst, USA Women’s 7s
Irene Gardner| Women’s 7s Pathway Head Coach
Kelly Griffin | Women’s 7s Pathway Assistant Coach
Jackie Rodriguez | Athletic Trainer