The National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) is home to the majority of NCAA women’s varsity rugby programs in the U.S. The organization has reviewed its Division I, Division II and Division III membership and placed 90 student-athletes onto its 2023-24 All-NIRA teams.

DIVISION I

Division I is the largest competition within NIRA and has the numbers for First XV, Second XV and Honorable Mention lists. Forty student-athletes have been recognized, with 2023 champion Harvard University leading with 12 selections. Runner-up Dartmouth College (8) and semifinalists Quinnipiac University (5) and Sacred Heart University (3) also featured on all three honorary teams.

Brown University (3), Queens University of Charlotte (3), U.S. Military Academy (2), U.S. Naval Academy, Mount St. Mary’s University, Long Island University and Princeton University are all represented. Class wise, the juniors account for 17 spots, while the seniors have 13 reps. There are five first-years, including Dartmouth center Hehea Pulotu, the only rookie on the DI First XV. There are four sophomores and a graduate student as well.

FIRST XV
1. Elianne Sacher – Harvard Univ., Sr.
2. Asia Meni – Dartmouth College, Jr.
3. Hannah Pfersch – Quinnipiac Univ., Sr.
4. Anna Van Dyk – Quinnipiac Univ., Sr.
5. Caroline Kinghorn – Harvard Univ., Sr.
6. Sofia Hilger – Harvard Univ., Jr.
7. Nyah Cordero – Dartmouth College, Sr.
8. Gracie Cartwright – Quinnipiac Univ., Grad.
9. Sadie Schier – Dartmouth College, Jr.
10. Brogan Mior – Harvard Univ., Sr.
11. Kat Storey – Quinnipiac Univ., Sr.
12. Tiahna Padilla – Harvard Univ., Soph.
13. Hehea Pulotu – Dartmouth College, First Yr.
14. Lennox London – Harvard Univ., Soph.
15. Alyssa Cunningham – Sacred Heart Univ., Jr.

SECOND XV
1. Jada Medellin – Queens Univ. Charlotte, Jr.
2. Carly Lehman – Harvard Univ., Jr.
3. Neasa McLaughlin – Harvard Univ., First Yr.
4. Nikki Lynch – Brown Univ., Jr.
5. Ashley Torres-Brown – Sacred Heart Univ., Soph.
6. Hann Humphreys – Dartmouth College, Sr.
7. Miracle Haynes – U.S. Naval Academy, Jr.
8. Nicole Ihensekhien – Dartmouth College, Sr.
9. Reese Morgan – Harvard Univ., Jr.
10. Abbey Savin – Dartmouth College, Sr.
11. Cameron Fields – Harvard Univ., Soph.
12. Leilani Bender – Princeton Univ., Sr.
13. PK Vincze – Harvard Univ., Jr.
14. Jay Stone – Queens Univ. Charlotte, Jr.
15. Morgan Cunningham – Brown Univ., Sr.

 

 

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HONORABLE MENTIONS (10)
Akilah Cathey – Brown Univ., Jr.
Jara Emtage-Cave – Harvard Univ., Jr.
Kori Fields – Long Island Univ., First Yr.
Emma Gamboa – U.S. Military Academy, Jr.
Monet Hubbard – Mount St. Mary’s Univ., Sr.
Sophia Linder – U.S. Military Academy, Jr.
Lea Preuss – Queens Univ. Charlotte, Jr.
Cindy Taulava – Dartmouth College, First Yr.
Reese Torticill – Sacred Heart Univ., First Yr.
Riva van der Valk – Quinnipiac Univ., Jr.

DIVISION II

Division II has 25 student-athletes across the First XV and Honorable Mention teams. 2023 champion Davenport University leads all selections with seven, while American International College and Lander University both landed six players apiece on the All-NIRA teams. West Chester University (2), Emory & Henry College, Frostburg State, Univ. New Haven, Newberry College placed teams members on the honorary squads as well.

The sophomore class is best represented with eight players, while first-years came in second with seven players. Juniors (4), seniors (3) and graduate students (3) followed.

FIRST XV
1. Haley Thompson – American International College, Soph.
2. Faith Morley – West Chester Univ., Grad
3. Abbi Melton – Lander Univ., Sr.
4. Jessica Berggren – American International College, Sr.
5. Charlotte Dauser – Davenport Univ., First Yr.
6. Kaitlyn Ausmus – Lander Univ., First Yr.
7. Keiani Pangelinan – American International College, Sr.
8. Louisa Justice – American International College, Jr.
9. Ashley Cowdrey – Davenport Univ., Soph.
10. Aubrey Crist – Davenport Univ., Jr.
11. Carrie Coyer-Westerberg – Davenport Univ., First Yr.
12. Alexis Dallas – Lander Univ., Soph.
13. Bailey Burt – Lander Univ., Grad
14. Morgan Schecter – American International College, Soph.
15. Leilani Lepe – Davenport Univ., First Yr.

 

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HONORABLE MENTION (10)
Liberty Cawthorn – Frostburg State, Soph.
Emma Davies – West Chester Univ., First Yr.
Sydney Dela Cruz – Univ. New Haven, Jr.
Isabella Gullatta – Lander Univ., Soph.
Meredith Inge – Emory & Henry College, Jr.
Elena Jimenez – Newberry College, Soph.
Nala Mayorga – Davenport Univ., First Yr.
Addy Ochoa – Davenport Univ., Grad
Venise Sanft – American International College, Soph.
Samantha Tripi – Lander Univ., First Yr.

DIVISION III

2023 champion Bowdoin College accounts for nine of the 15 First XV spots and placed a 10th teammate — championship MVP Rebecca Vakarau – on the Honorable Mentions list. National runner-up Adrian College, in its first 15s season in NIRA, earned five selections, including the late Katelyn Edgell.

Univ. New England (4), Norwich University (2), Guilford College, New England College, VSU Castleton and Warren Wilson College placed individuals onto the two all-NIRA teams as well. The first-year and senior classes account for seven spots apiece, while the sophomores (6) and juniors (5) combine for 11 selections total.

FIRST XV
1. Katelyn Edgell – Adrian College, First Yr.
2. Mia Daoust – Bowdoin College, First Yr.
3. Abigail Ramirez – Bowdoin College, Soph.
4. Jorja Markella – Bowdoin College, Sr.
5. Sara Kraus – Univ. New England, Sr.
6. Maggie Norton – Bowdoin College, Sr.
7. Elizabeth Goodrich – Univ. New England, Jr.
8. Paige Longcore – Adrian College, First Yr.
9. Colleen Doucette – Bowdoin College, First Yr.
10. Evie Hamer – Bowdoin College, Soph.
11. Ariel Rathell – Adrian College, First Yr.
12. Jenesis Dotson – Adrian College, Soph.
13. Katie Stomma – Bowdoin College, Soph.
14. Saniya Ridley – Bowdoin College, Jr.
15. Lauryn Eisenhart – Bowdoin College, Sr.

 

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HONORABLE MENTIONS (10)
Jasmine Cartwright – Guilford College, First Yr.
Liz Cogan – Univ. New England, Jr.
Alyssa Gioia – Norwich Univ., Soph.
Ari Hamilton – New England College, Sr.
Moosie Lewis – Warren Wilson College, Jr.
Pendo Miregi – Adrian College, First Yr.
Jen Nicolas-Ramirez – Norwich Univ., Sr.
Natalie Simecek – VSU Castleton, Sr.
Rebecca Vakarau – Bowdoin College, Jr.
Celeste Valerio – Univ. New England, Soph.