The Central South has pooled talent from the Prairie States, Mid-America and Texas for the USA Rugby U23 All-Star 15s Tournament this Friday-Sunday, June 19-21 in Clearwater, Minn. The Mustangs will play 2025 Tier 1 champion Rocky Mountain Peaks (9 a.m. CT), #4-seeded Southeast Reapers (12:30 p.m. CT) and #5-seeded Pacific Coast Grizzlies (3 p.m. CT) in 40-minute games Friday. Sunday is for placing matches. Watch live and recorded games on USA Rugby’s YouTube channel. [lead photo: Mike Conners @mikeconnersphoto23]

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“Competing at this level helps athletes develop their skills and recognize what it takes to play at the next level,” USA Rugby Head of Women’s Player Systems and Development Martha Daines told eagles.rugby. “Coaches from across the country connect with each other and with national team staff, contributing to greater alignment between regional and national programs. These aspects of the All-Star experience definitely benefit the women pathway. It’s rewarding to see new talent – both players and coaches – succeed and contribute to a stronger future for USA Rugby.”

https://navysports.evenue.net/events/GR-CAMP

Coaches Hayley Snodgrass (Prairie States), KJ Abel Ruch (Mid-America) and Cortney Paschal (Texas) oversaw their respective regions and vetted talent for the regional all-star team. There is a decent mix of collegians and senior club players in the group, with teams in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas all present. The two players (Kiana Shevling-Major, Lalysse Smiley) who play their regular-season ball at the Univ. Iowa are originally from Central South states. Players are allowed to align with the region in which their school or hometown belongs.

In terms of experience, watch for a selection of Southern Nazarene University players who helped were key to the Crimson Storm’s NCR DI 15s national championship run. Additionally, Drury University’s Lauren Thomlinson is fresh off of the NCR Griffins tour to Algarve 7s in Portugal, where the standout co-captained the team to a bronze medal performance.

CENTRAL SOUTH U23 ALL-STARS

Sabreen Aban – Univ Central Missouri, Patriots (Kansas City, MO)
Alexis Andring – Wichita Valkyries (Atchison, KS)
Kaliyah Bennett – KC Jazz (Kansas City, MO)
Ryland Beutz – Augustana Univ. (Becker, Mn)
Carolyn Chapman – Univ Missouri (Fair Oaks, CA)
Grace Cruise – Univ Nebraska Lincoln (Fremont, NB)
Christian Evans – Univ Central Missouri, Patriots (St. Louis, MO)
Annica Henry – OKC Mountain Boomers (El Paso, TX)
Lindsay Hoffman – Fayetteville Phoenix (Spring Hill, KS)
Mac Huffman – Univ. Missouri (St. Louis, MO)
Ireland Jeffrey – Southern Nazarene Univ (Plano, TX)
Emily Johnson – Univ. North Texas (Hershey, PA)
Annemarie Johnston – Texas A&M (Chattanooga, TN)
Jozie Livingston – Fayetteville Phoenix (Bentonville, AR)
Larissa Lyle – Univ South Dakota (Beresford, SD)
Savannah Nordby – South Dakota St Univ (Redwood Falls, MN)
Taylor Peterson – Univ. Oklahoma (Hoffman Estates, IL)
Kordiea Rerick – South Dakota St Univ (West Fargo, ND)
Kiana Shevling-Major – Univ Iowa (Geddes, SD)
Goldie Snow – Univ. Oklahoma, Dallas Reds (Miami, OK)
Lalysse Smiley – Univ. Iowa (Kansas City, MO)
Kamryn Sparks – Dallas HEB (Montgomery, TX)
Chloe Tarango – Southern Nazarene Univ (Purcell, OK)
Lauren Thomlinson – Drury Univ (Fair Grove, MO)
Simone Tyson – Louisiana State (Baltimore City, MD)
Melissa Voyles – Dallas Harlequins (Hershey, PA)