4 Midwest U23 All-Star Teams Compete in Iowa

The Midwest Rugby Union is hosting the first of two U23 all-star events this month. Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin 15s select sides are reporting to the Western Division playoffs on April 9-10 in Iowa Falls, Iowa. The Eastern Division playoffs occur April 23-24 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Midwest Thunderbird selectors will be scouting both locations as it builds to the USA Rugby U23 All-Star Competition on June 25-26 in Lemont, Ill. Read more.

In addition to the rugby matches – the majority of which will be officiated for former U23 all-star players – there will also be a tournament dinner Saturday that will feature a Q&A session for players.

“We realized that between the coaching staffs, we have a WPL head coach, a two-time World Cup player, the WPL commissioner, referees, college conference admins, former All-Americans, the Thunderbird coaches, WPL players, D1 players and D2 players,” Gerasimo enthused. “It feels right to give all the athletes access to all that rugby knowledge.”

Stay tuned for the All-Tournament team, which will be named Sunday. After the Eastern Playoffs, the Thunderbird coaches will issue invitations to its selection camp on May 14 in Milwaukee, Wisc. [Interested but can’t attend, fill out this interest form.] The Midwest team for the USA Rugby championship will emerge out of that assembly and move into regional play. Read more.

SCHEDULE

Saturday
10 a.m. Wisconsin vs Illinois
12 p.m. Iowa vs Minnesota

Sunday
10 a.m. 3rd place match
12 p.m. Championship

Wisconsin U23

Head Coach – Xanthi Gerasimo
Coaches: Amanda Anderson, Mike Good, Kyla Hensel
Other Staff: Traci Tauferner (Head Athletic Trainer), Jade Koenigs (Manager)

Grace Bagotka
Helena Bourque
Hailey Bray
Siusan Dawson
Claire Engmann
Claire Feneley
Abbygail Frisinger
Abbey Jacobs
Britta Jones
Lydia Lairson
Lauren Lawson
Kristin Markiewicz
Geneva Nunes
Rachel Placeway
Eyley Rand
Alexandria Risley
Areliz M Rivera Hernandez
Bianca A. Rosales
Bailey Sandahl
Jade Springer
Hayley Weeder
Alex Westphal
Bayli Wisialowski
Ayla Woyak

Minnesota U23

Head Coach: Rebecca Radtke
Coaches: Ali Gillberg, Mikayla Miller, Ashley Kastendick, Lynelle Kugler

Haley Andreasen
Ayanna Beckett
Grace Bryson
Ayani Davilar
Sam Dreher
Meghan Dziengel
Lucie Farhat
Emily Granville
Emily Groth
Jo Harris
Crystal Jehly
Emily Johnston
Kathryn Kruta
Savanna Peterson
Shelby Robinson
Josie Rogers
Meredith Rosheim
Marta Sorenson
Fiona Spiers
Gabby Stellpflug
Abby Strand
Cait Tschida
Emma Watson
Sydney Wessel

Illinois U23

Head Coach: Betty Nguyen, Lauren Trout
Coaches: Rachel Grecky
Other Staff: Constance Cervantes (Film)

Elsa Athileu
Olivia Baker
Elle Beach
Amanda Calipo
Alba Corney
Jenna Dahl-Crimmins
Cristina Erikson
Sanna Evans
Emma Falk
Abbey Farmer
Julia Fennell
Rachel Hannigan
Emily Hudak
Livia Miller
Katherine Mooney
Rachel Nedved
Ellie Presnol
Elle Schilling
Mycah Stewart
Kayla Williams

Iowa U23

Head coach: Meghan Flanigan

Aubrey Buresh – Northern Iowa
Maggie Burns – Northern Iowa
Hailey Butterwegge – Northern Iowa
Erica Coulibaly – Univ. Iowa
Jasmine Dao – Wayne State
Madie Dunn – Iowa State
Grace Ehle – Univ. Iowa
Annie Henderson – Northern Iowa
Jessi Inman – Northern Iowa
Mary Kahny – Wayne State
Saige Koble – Univ. Iowa
Taylor Loomans – Iowa State
Elizabeth Langlois – Univ. Iowa
Amaryah McGowan – Univ. Iowa
Naina Miranda – Univ. Iowa
Makayla Morales – Univ. Iowa
Emalee Price – Northern Iowa
Tatyana Reed – Northern Iowa
Payton Schutte – Northern Iowa
Courtney Smith-Hernandez – Iowa State
Ciara Stanerson-Edwards – Northern Iowa
Portia Star – Wayne State
Olivia Ziegler – Univ. Iowa