The Carolinas Geographic Union (GU) has named its first Women’s Collegiate All-Star 7s team, which will make its debut performance at the Las Vegas Invitational in early March. The outing will mark the GU’s first appearance at the LVI 7s.
“As a board, we are so excited that the level of competition has increased in the Carolinas to the point that we are able to field select sides,” enthused Carolinas Women’s Collegiate Executive Director Amy George, who will be leading the side alongside Queens University of Charlotte Director of Rugby Katie Wurst. “Myself and Katie will be coaching the college women, and there will also be a senior women’s team competing.”
George and Wurst hosted tryouts at Queens and The Citadel, and more than 50 players attended. That pool has now been narrowed to 15 selections, which include three traveling reserves to Las Vegas.
Including the reserves, eight teams from the DII college conference are represented: Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina, College of Charleston, Elon, Queens University of Charlotte, UNC Charlotte, UNC Greensboro and UNC Wilmington.
CAROLINAS COLLEGE ALL-STAR 7s TEAM
1. Mikhala Dougher – Appalachian State
2. Ciarra Huhman – UNC Charlotte
3. LeAnne Hudson – Coastal Carolina Univ.
4. Kaitlyn Reed – Appalachian State Univ.
5. Emily Pelletier – College of Charleston
6. Nicole Mitchell – UNC Charlotte
7. Grace Spehr – College of Charleston
8. Antares Lance – UNC Charlotte
9. Hannah Struzyk – Queens University of Charlotte
10. Leigh Ward – UNC Wilmington
11. Alexis Chandrasurin – UNC Greensboro
12. Mikayla Tatum – Queens University of Charlotte
Traveling Reserves
13. Ella Brucker – Queens University of Charlotte
14. Alex Meads – Elon University
15. Bridget Mielke – Queens University of Charlotte
The formation of the Carolinas all-star 7s team follows several efforts to mobilize and elevate women’s rugby in the South. A four-legged tryout series for the USA Rugby South Panthers just ended and sought to identify athletes in the collegiate, U23 and senior ranks, for 7s, 10s and 15s. Additionally, the NSCRO South All-Star 7s brought more recognition to the region when it won the NSCRO All-Star 7s National Championship two weekends ago.