This Friday-Sunday, four U18 regional select sides are meeting in St. Petersburg, Fla., for a series of 15s matches and next-level rugby. It’s an annual pilgrimage for the Midwest Thunderbirds and a second appearance for the northeast-based Elite Girls Rugby League (EGRL) – both of which released their touring rosters in January. Depending on network strength, the EGRL will be live-streaming or posting to its YouTube channel on a delay.
Related: Midwest roster • EGRL roster
The Hawkeye Academy is making its first trip to the event and filled in for a Rocky Mountain team that is targeting 2025 for its debut. The Hawkeyes (roster below) are a mix of 16 U.S. players from California (2), Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho (3), Indiana, Missouri, New York, North Carolina (2), Ohio (2) and Utah; and five Canadians from Alberta (3) and British Columbia (2). Fourteen players are new to Hawkeye, and five were part of the U16 teams that triumphed at NAIs and Tropical 7s last year. They’re led by head coach Karameli Fa’ae’e and assistant coach Cam Wilton.
The USA South is the “local” side and features 21 players from North Carolina (12), Tennessee (5) Texas (2), Maryland and Ohio (roster below). They’ve been playing the Baby Birds for the last few years and have built a nice rivalry.
With the uptick in the number of teams, the round robin gets a head start on Friday evening. Hawkeye and USA South break in Lakewood Soccer Complex at 6:30 p.m., and then four games will occur between 8 a.m.-1 p.m. ET Saturday. EGRL and Midwest will play their third match on Sunday at 9:30 a.m.
SCHEDULE (Times ET)
Friday, Feb 16
6:30 p.m. – Hawkeye v USA South
Saturday, Feb 17
8 a.m. – Hawkeye v EGRL
9 a.m. – USA South v Midwest
11 a.m. – Midwest v Hawkeye
12 p.m. – EGRL v USA South
Sunday, Feb 18
9:30 a.m. – EGRL v Midwest
HAWKEYE
Evelyn Brown – Charlotte Tigress, NC
Gia Fanutti – Orchard Park, NY
Olivia Frisby – Meridian, ID
Hannah Glaser – Danville Oaks, CA
Alyssa Hine – Rocky Mountain, ID
Ayla Howery – Noblesville, IN
Gabby Jerome – Calgary Irish, AB, Canada
Piper Jorgensson – Castaway Wanderers, BC, Canada
Samantha Levine – Try Time, CA
Tatum Lockwood – St. Thomas Aquinas, MO
Olivia Lyman – Summit, CO
Reese Marshall – Walnut Hills, OH
Savanna Martin – Charlotte Tigress, NC
Krista Mavey – Rocky Mountain, ID
Mackenzie Morasch – Foothills Lions, AB, Canada
Myah Natorp – Walnut Hills, OH
Daton Richardson – Wellington Wizards, FL
Bella Seitanidis – Calgary Irish, AB, Canada
Abby Stanley – James Bay Athletic Assoc., BC, Canada
Selafina Uluave – Provo Steelers, UT
Sara Zavieh – Valkyries, GA
Karameli Fa’ae’e (Head Coach) – USA Eagles, New York, USA
Cam Wilton (Asst. Coach) – Strathcona Druids, AB, Canada
USA SOUTH
Tanner Avery – Raleigh Cobras, NC
Bailey Borum Gray – Hough, NC
Brooke Brantley – Raleigh Cobras, NC
Emerson Callegari – Texas Nuclear Thunder, TX
Maeve Delaney – Raleigh Cobras, NC
Josie Hendershot – Clayton, NC
Novella Henry – Clayton, NC
Mara Homoly – Hough, NC
Madison Hunt – Riverdale Warriors, TN
Piper Jackson – Medina, OH
Sarah Jones – Raptors, TN
London Key – Cardinals, NC
Serinity Mathis – Riverdale Warriors, TN
Kiernan Myles – West Carroll, MD
Izzy Sage – Riverdale Warriors, TN
Alaina Sandberg – Raleigh Cobras, NC
Kathryn Scully – Highlanders, NC
Triniti Shaffer – Riverdale Warriors, TN
Reagan van Graan – Clayton, NC
Mersadees Washington – Raleigh Redhawks, NC
Jada Zaragoza – Texas Nuclear Thunder, TX