The Pacific Coast Grizzlies have named their squad of 24 for the 2026 USA Rugby U23 15s All-Star Tournament, which occurs June 19-21 in Clearwater, Minn. The group came together after NorCal and the Pacific Northwest (PNW) held their own tryouts, and then played a selection match on May 31 in Sacramento, Calif. That game was part of a double-header with the Women’s Elite Rugby’s Bay Area Breakers and visiting Chicago Tempest. [lead photo: Mike Conners @mikeconnersphoto23]

https://nextphaserugby.com

There is a nice diversity of schools and senior clubs on the Pacific Coast U23 roster. That representation happens when the selection processes are well communicated, and the rugby community values the build to and experience of the U23 all-star tournament. It does help that the NorCal and Pacific Coast regions are playing spring 15s, whereas other areas of the country might be in 7s mode, so there is a more natural flow into select side 15s. With that said, the two unions did well to engage the whole of the rugby community with developmental camps, culminating with a high-profile selection match inside Heart Health Stadium and alongside the professional WER league.

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

Thirteen players hail from NorCal, and 11 are from the Pacific Northwest. The majority of players are from DI college rugby programs, but no one school has more than two reps except Boise State with three players. There are also three DII NorCal players, including CRAA DII 15s nationals MVP Ania Simmons, as well as four senior club players who are still age eligible. Isabelle Sandoval, who earned a special shoutout from San Diego Surfers head coach Te Awhina Aranui-Tate in the run-up to the USA Club Rugby Division I national 15s semifinals, graduated from Univ. Oregon in spring 2025 and thus has PNW roots.

Evan Hoese serves as head coach, while Pacific Northwest’s Gabby Simmons and Juliana Vazquez, and NorCal’s Michelle Maldonado serve as assistants.

PACIFIC COAST U23 GRIZZLIES

Holly Bazigan – Boise State
Lilian Blevins – Fresno State
D’Ondra Bomar – Life West
Zorah Coulibaly – Fresno State
Kitty Fettel – Portland RFC
Molly Fleming – Santa Clara Univ
Liz Goethals – Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Lauren Grove – San Jose Seahawks RFC
Amanda Koop – Oregon State
Chayse McCann – Univ. Oregon
Lillian McDaniel – Univ. Nevada Reno
Esther Morrison – Cal
Caley Newcomer – Oregon State
Aubrey Phillips – Boise State
Clementine Radoff – Western Washington Univ
Isabelle Sandoval – SD Surfers (Univ. Oregon ’25)
Ania Simmons – San Jose State
Grace Talty – Cal
Jay Tarka – Univ. Oregon
Tee Teaupa – Seattle RFC
Mackenzie Thornton – Boise State
Ellablu Wagner – Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Leila Wang-Gaouette – Stanford
Journey Washingtonhigh – Stanford

Staff: Head coach Evan Hoese, assistant coaches Gabby Simmons, Juliana Vazquez, Michelle Maldonado