The National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA), home to the majority of NCAA varsity women’s rugby programs, has released its annual list of All-Americans. Forty Division I student-athletes are recognized across First, Second and Honorable Mention teams. Division II (25) and Division III (20) highlights their respective standouts on First and Honorable Mention teams.

ALL-NIRA DIVISION I

There were 11 NCAA Division I varsity women’s rugby programs that competed in NIRA’s 2024 championship season, and they are all represented between the First, Second and Honorable Mention teams.

NIRA DI champion Harvard led with nine selections across all three teams, while runner-up Dartmouth followed with eight. The Big Green’s Annie Henrich was the only first-year named to the DI First Team, which also includes a graduate student, six seniors, four juniors and three sophomores.

Every First Team member played high school rugby, and they represent their home states of California (2 SoCal, 2 NorCal), Colorado, Idaho, New Jersey, New York (Upstate), North Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin (2). Chloe Headland played in Canada.

Nine of 15 selections are backs. Of the six forwards named to the first team, five are backrow players, and Reece Woods is the lone tight-five rep.

DI FIRST TEAM

Akilah Cathey – Brown Univ., Sr., Inside Center
Alyssa Cunningham – Sacred Heart Univ, Sr., Flyhalf
Alissa Eisenhart – Army West Point, Jr., Flyhalf
Nafanua Fitisemanu – Harvard Univ., Jr., Openside Flanker
Chloe Headland – Harvard Univ., Sr., Fullback
Annie Henrich – Dartmouth College, Fr., Fullback
Lennox London – Harvard Univ., Jr., Wing
Nikki Lynch – Brown Univ., Sr., No. 8
Sia Meni – Dartmouth College, Sr., Blindside Flanker
Yesenia Morales – Army West Point, Soph., Inside Center
Tiahna Padilla – Harvard Univ., Jr., Inside Center
Sadie Schier – Dartmouth College, Sr., Scrumhalf
Cindy Taulava – Dartmouth College, Soph., No. 8
Anna Van Dyk – Quinnipiac Univ., Grad., No. 8
Reece Woods – Sacred Heart Univ., Soph., Loosehead Prop

The All-NIRA Second Team is more forwards-heavy, with 10/15 selections going to the pack. The seniors and juniors have six members apiece on the honorary list, while freshmen hold two spots. There is one graduate student and no sophomores. Harvard (5) again leads selections, while Dartmouth (3), Quinnipiac (2), Army (2), Brown, Queens and Sacred Heart are all represented.

The majority of selections (11/15) played high school rugby and represent the home states of California (1 SoCal, 3 NorCal), Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana and South Carolina. Jara Emtage-Cave came up through the Barbados age grade system.

DI SECOND TEAM

Aziza Alford – Brown Univ., Sr., Lock
Gabrielle Appiah – Quinnipiac Univ., Jr., Loosehead Prop
Chloe de Leon – Army West Point, Fr., Wing
Jara Emtage-Cave – Harvard Univ., Sr., Lock
Mikaela Hall – Queens Univ. Charlotte, Sr., Tighthead Prop
Sofia Hilger – Harvard Univ., Sr., Blindside Flanker
Cecilia Ollis – Army West Point, Jr., No. 8
Vanessa Ortiz-Pallen – Dartmouth College, Jr., Hooker
Seta Pale – Harvard Univ., Fr., No. 8
Eva Rankin – Harvard Univ., Jr., Lock
Abbey Savin – Dartmouth College, Sr., Flyhalf
Kat Storey – Quinnipiac Univ., Grad., Scrumhalf
Ashley Torres-Brown – Sacred Heart Univ., Jr., No. 8
PK Vincze – Harvard Univ., Sr., Flyhalf
Katelyn Walker – Dartmouth College, Jr., Wing

The 10 Honorable Mentions hail from Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho (2), North Carolina, Texas, Utah (2) and Wisconsin. Princeton’s Malinka Kwemo is from Ontario, Canada. In addition to the Tigers of New Jersey, the U.S. Naval Academy and Mount St. Mary’s University are represented here.

DI HONORABLE MENTION

Rachel Camiglio – Mount St. Mary’s, Fr., Hooker
Miracle Haynes – U.S. Naval Academy, Sr., Openside Flanker
Maddie Hughes – Queens Univ. Charlotte, Sr., Inside Center
Malinka Kwemo – Princeton Univ., Soph., Flyhalf
Jada Medellin – Queens Univ. of Charlotte, Sr., Loosehead Prop
Kate Muldoon – Brown Univ., Jr., Scrumhalf
Lea Preuss – Queens Univ. Charlotte, Sr., No. 8
Sayler Russell – Long Island Univ., Jr., Lock/No. 8
Vasiti Turagavou – Dartmouth College, Fr., Outside Center
Olivia Woods – Sacred Heart Univ., Soph., Tighthead Prop

ALL-NIRA DIVISION II

There were five Division II teams that were playoff-eligible this past fall, and they’re all represented on the First Team, which runs young! Sophomores comprise the majority of the list with 10 spots, and there are also two freshmen. Reigning champion American International College (7) and runner-up Davenport University (5) dominate the lineup, while Frostburg State, West Chester Univ. and Univ. New Haven all pick up one spot. Players hail from California (2 SoCal, 2 NorCal), Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee (3), Texas, Utah and Virginia. Naomi Dodd came up through Jamaica.

DII FIRST TEAM

Natalie Allen – Frostburg St., Fr., Lock
Carrie Coyer-Westerberg – Davenport Univ., Soph., Wing 
Brooke Crago – West Chester Univ., Sr., Outside Center
Aubrey Crist – Davenport Univ., Sr., Flyhalf 
Naomi Dodd – American International, Soph., Blindside/Outside Center
Kiyanah Edwards – American International, Fr., Center
Camryn Henderson – American International, Soph., Hooker/No. 8
Ro’Elenoa Lagilagi – American International, Soph., Openside/No. 8
Leilani Lepe – Davenport Univ., Soph., Fullback
Nala Mayorga – Davenport Univ., Soph., Outside Center 
SaTya Miller – American International, Soph., Wing
Jendell Moe – American International, Soph., Loosehead Prop
Venise Sanft – American International, Jr., Flyhalf/Inside Center
Sereana Vulaono – Univ. New Haven, Soph., Fullback 
Rachel Wilkie – Davenport Univ., Soph., Lock

The Honorable Mentions include 10 student-athletes as well as programs that were not 15s post-season eligible, i.e., Emory & Henry College and the now-defunct Newberry College. Freshmen account for half of the list, and positionally, the 10 spots are split evenly between backs and forwards.

DII HONORABLE MENTION

Christelle Adikpeto – West Chester Univ., Fr., Lock
Marla Aymond – Davenport Univ., Soph., Openside Flanker
Lexi Byrne – Univ. New Haven, Grad., Outside Center/Fullback
Kara Higgins – Davenport Univ., Soph., No. 8
Kyla Rimpel – Davenport Univ., Jr., Blindside Flanker
Morgan Schechter – American International, Jr., Fullback
Scout Spadoni – Frostburg St., Fr., No. 8
Isa Van de Zand – American International, Fr., Halfback
Alana Walker – Emory & Henry, Fr., Fullback/Outside Center
Alexis Zloba – Newberry College, Fr., Center

ALL-NIRA DIVISION III

Sadly, there was no Division III conference final this year, as only Bowdoin College and Univ. New England were able to play regulation 15s. Other DIII teams were playing other formats (e.g., 7s or 10s), which may be why the First Team and Honorable Mentions do not list specific positions.

Grouped together, they represent 20 student-athletes from Bowdoin (13), New England (4), Guilford College (2) and Warren Wilson. Home states represented include California (1 SoCal, 3 NorCal), Maine (5), Maryland, Massachusetts (3), Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and Wisconsin (2).

DIII FIRST TEAM

Kyra Bishop – Bowdoin, Jr., Forward
Jasmine Cartwright – Guilford, Soph., Back/Forward
Liz Cogan – Univ. New England, Sr., Forward
Sabine Costello-Sanders – Warren Wilson, Jr., Back
Mia Daoust – Bowdoin, Soph., Back
Jaden Gary – Guilford, Jr., Back/Forward
Elizabeth Goodrich – Univ. New England, Sr., Back
Evie Hamer – Bowdoin, Jr., Back
Maddy Kosmoski – Bowdoin, Soph., Forward
Lulu Linkas – Bowdoin, Jr., Back
Chloe Sheahan – Bowdoin, Jr., Forward
Ella Slaby – Bowdoin, Sr., Back
Katie Stomma – Bowdoin, Jr., Back
Rebecca Vakarau – Bowdoin, Sr., Forward
Celeste Valerio – Univ. New England, Jr., Back

DIII HONORABLE MENTION

Justine Endo-Ferguson – Bowdoin, Jr., Back
Stella Johnson – Bowdoin, Soph., Forward
Sachi Mehra – Bowdoin, Fr., Back
Rae Pesek – Univ. New England, Sr., Forward
Malia Petelo – Bowdoin, Fr., Back