Bridges, Washington and Zackary are all back in the DTE / Photo: Colleen McCloskey
GLENDALE, CO – Head coach Rob Cain has selected 43 players for the USA Women’s XVs National Team’s summer Daily Training Environment (DTE). Taking place June 17 to July 11 at the Rugby Town National Training Center in Glendale, Colo., this will be the second extended residency for the Eagles this year.
Gabby Cantorna, Joanne Kitlinski, Rachel Johnson and Kate Zackary will all return for the DTE having spent the earlier part of the year overseas with the Exeter Chiefs.
“We are in a very exciting and very different place from when we started this journey,” Cain said. “Huge credit to the players and the rest of the staff for working tirelessly to get to where we are now. The development in terms of rugby IQ, rugby conversations, rugby detail, skill development, tactical understanding, mental skills and leadership has been exponential.
“Selections are increasingly challenging. The players’ mindset shift in terms of training to win alongside their evolving peer-to-peer transfer are bringing out the best form of inner competition we could hope for. This is critical in terms of setting the players up for success for our World Cup aspirations in 2022 and beyond.
“When we have the next opportunity to play as national team, we’ll be in a much better place technically, physically and mentally to bring our tactical wants and needs to life. The hope is that we have now left the steep learning curves behind us, so we can start to cement and refine our playing vision, philosophy and identity. There are exciting times ahead and we want to thank the wonderful support from the USA Rugby community for everything they continue to do. It really does make a huge difference.”
SUMMER DTE RESIDENTS*
Evi Ashenbrucker – Back Row, San Diego Surfers (0)
Cassidy Bargell – Scrumhalf, Harvard Univ (0)
Catherine Benson – Prop, Life West (23)
Stacey Bridges – Lock, Beantown (40)
Elizabeth Cairns – Flanker, Atlanta (11)
Gabby Cantorna – Flyhalf, Exeter Chiefs (ENG) (8)
Jennine Duncan – Wing, Exeter Chiefs (ENG) (7)
Rachel Ehrecke – Back Row, CO Gray Wolves (0)
Emerson Allen – Second Row, Life Univ (0)
Tess Feury – Wing, New York (6)
Megan Foster – Flyhalf, San Diego Surfers (5)
Saher Hamdan – Hooker, Life Univ (0)
Fane “Eti” Haungatau – Center, Lindenwood Univ (3)
McKenzie Hawkins – Flyhalf, CO Gray Wolves (3)
Jett Hayward – Hooker, Life West (0)
Emily Henrich – Center, Dartmouth (8)
Leti Hingano – Back Three, Life West (2)
Katana Howard – Flyhalf, Twin Cities Amazons (4)
Charli Jacoby – Prop, Chicago North Shore (6)
Nick James – Prop, Houston Athletic (8)
Erica Jarrell – Prop, Harvard Univ (0)
Kathryn Johnson – No. 8, Twin Cities Amazons (2)
Rachel Johnson – Flanker, Exeter Chiefs (ENG) (7)
Joanna Kitlinski – Hooker, CO Gray Wolves (14)
Jenny Kronish – Lock, CO Gray Wolves (0)
Kayla Lawson – Wing, San Diego Surfers (0)
Maya Learned – Prop, CO Gray Wolves (2)
Sarah Levy – Wing, New York (2)
Shelby Lin – Scrumhalf, Berkeley All Blues (0)
Sam Luther – Prop, CO Gray Wolves (0)
Bulou Mataitoga – Fullback, Berkeley All Blues (3)
Matalasi Morissette – Flyhalf, Brigham Young Univ (0)
Kelsie O’Brien – Scrumhalf, CO Gray Wolves (0)
Olivia Ortiz – Scrumhalf, Davenport Univ (5)
Jetta Owens – Back Three, Virginia Tech (0)
Neariah Persinger – Wing, Life West (1)
Hope Rogers-Dellermann – Prop, Life West (29)
Amy Talei Bonte – Center, Life West (6)
Hallie Taufoou – Second Row, Back Row, ARPTC (0)
Kathryn Treder – Hooker, Beantown (2)
Alycia Washington – Lock, New York (22)
Carly Waters – Scrumhalf, CO Gray Wolves (4)
Kate Zackary – Back Row, Exeter Chiefs (ENG) (15)
*Additional players may be added.
USA Women’s XVs National Team Staff
Women’s High Performance Director | Emilie Bydwell
Head Coach | Rob Cain
Assistant Coach | Rich Ashfield
Assistant Coach | Jamie Burke
Assistant Coach | Kate Daley
Assistant Coach | Jenny Lui
Assistant Coach | Neil Harris
Strength & Conditioning | Sylvia Braaten
Assistant Strength & Conditioning | Albert Sasu
Performance Analyst | Callum Howells
Assistant Analyst | Grant Thomas
Team Doctor | Terrence Cronin
Athletic Trainer | Bri Arsenault
Athletic Trainer | Crystal Pawlak
Athletic Trainer | Jade Callen
Team Manager | Louise Stewart
Logistics Coordinator – Denver | Dee Nash