USA RUGBY – For the first time since 2019, USA Rugby Pathways will bring 82 women’s U18 and U20 players to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Site in Chula Vista, Calif., for Winter Camp 2021 from December 27 to January 1.
Featuring two primary age groups in the age-grade pipeline, players will train and compete under the guidance of junior national team staff with senior national team coaches watching and reviewing performances for the new year. As both the USA Women’s 7s and Women’s XVs National Teams are entering their respective World Cup years, players at Winter Camp have an exciting opportunity to position themselves for a spot in either or both player pools.
With the recent announcement of a National U23 Women’s Competition to begin in June of 2022 and take place annually, players have even more selection opportunities ahead.
Players were selected for Winter Camp from National Development Programs, USA Rugby’s Talent ID Days, Opportunity Days, high school and club competitions. A nomination process also exists and is accessible at pathways.usa.rugby.
Martha Daines, Women’s HP Pathways Manager and U18 Head Coach, said:
“Since our last 15s focused pathway camp two years ago, our player pool has changed dramatically. Players have aged out of the pathway programs into senior club rugby, entered college or the workforce from high school or moved from middle school to high school playing environments.
“For this camp, the majority of the U18 players and about half of the U20 players are attending a national pathway camp for the very first time. We look forward to seeing how they can learn and adapt to the environment we create and the challenges we provide during camp.
“Identifying and nominating this new group of talented players has been the work of many— Eagle Eye scouts, National Development Programs, local, regional and national coaches— in a variety of venues and competitions. We’ll continue to work to expand and reinvigorate our player pool in the coming year.”
U18 WINTER CAMP
Player – Current team (State)
Natalie Allen – Vienna (Va.)
Paola Arredondo Almeida – Summit (Colo.)
Makenna Bailey – San Diego Mustangs (Calif.)
Arabella Cassidy – San Diego Mustangs (Calif.)
Charlotte Dauser – Sparta Rock (Mich.)
Caliann Dietz – West Carroll (Md.)
Sara Dougherty – Chiefs RFC (Ill.)
Madison Doyle – Doylestown, (Pa.)
Cassidy Dugdale – San Diego Mustangs (Calif.)
Faiane Eteuini – Tri-City (Calif.)
Sofio Florio – Vienna (Va.)
Leila Galarza – Morris (N.J.)
Emma (AJ) Haughey – Fallbrook (Calif.)
Annaliese Henrich – Orchard Park (N.Y.)
Annie Huettel – North Bay (Md.)
Sariah Ibarra – Belmont Shore (Calif.)
Asha Jarusinski – Woodlands (Texas)
Madison Jersey – Tri-City (Calif.)
Skylar Jordan – Boston Irish Wolfhounds (Mass.)
Tohuia Kaihau – Land Park (Calif.)
Jule-Dine Kawaauhau – Kahuku (Hawaii)
Kaylen Thomas – Raptor (Tenn.)
Kelsey Thomas – Raptor (Tenn.)
Erica Kissinger – North Texas (Texas)
Masalina Koi – SacPD PAL (Calif.)
Ro’elenoa Lagilagi – SacPD PAL (Calif.)
Elsa Lavulavu – United (Utah)
Afeiauupu Mann – SacPD PAL (Calif.)
Neasa McLaughlin – Morris (N.J.)
Julia Murray – Chiefs RFC (Ill.)
MarLee Neiufi – United (Utah)
Cecilia Ollis – Wando (S.C.)
Tiahna Padilla – Fallbrook (Calif.)
Melenaite Sake – Maui (Hawaii)
Danica Snyder – San Clemente (Calif.)
Ashley Torres-Brown – Aspetuck (Conn.)
Reese Torticill – San Clemente (Calif.)
Mariah Tuitasi – Tri-City (Calif.)
Krystal Tupou – Majestics (Utah)
Reece Woods – Eagle (Idaho)
U20 WINTER CAMP
Name – Current team [HS team if applicable]
• Kiani Akina – Harvard Univ [United, Utah]
• Abigail Bartenstein – Mount St Mary’s Univ [Corning, N.Y.]
• Simone Bautista – Los Alamitos, Calif.
• Gianna Biagioni – Springfield, Va.
• Akilah Cathey – Brown Univ [Freedom Prep, Tenn.]
• Aubrey Crist – Davenport Univ [Woodlands, Texas]
• Aly Cunningham – Sacred Heart Univ [Catholic Memorial, Wisc.]
• Tara Forde – Penn State [Bishop Shanahan, Pa.]
• Emma Gamboa – US Military Academy [Morris, N.J.]
• Natalie Garrett – Nashville [Spring Hill, Tenn.]
• Kellan Gilroy – UC Santa Barbara
• Maddie Hughes – Queens Univ Charlotte [Charlotte Tigress, N.C.]
• Louisa Justice – American International College [Brunswick, Ohio]
• Avery Kemora – Queens Univ Charlotte [Taft, Ill.]
• Dylan Kipp – Univ British Columbia [Katy, Texas]
• Kamia Kruse – Queens Univ Charlotte [Broken Arrow, Okla.]
• Alivia Leatherman – Notre Dame College [Parma, Ohio]
• Salome Lewis – At Large [Kahuku, Hawaii]
• Sophia Linder – US Military Academy [Doylestown, Pa.]
• Emma McCabe – Central Washington Univ [Arapahoe, Colo.]
• Merrin McSorley – Penn State [Doylestown, Pa.]
• Asialeata Meni – Dartmouth College [Los Alamitos, Calif.]
• Amaya Moala – Life Univ [South Bay, Calif.]
• Destiny Nash – At Large (Calif.) [Land Park, Calif.]
• Leila Opeti – Life West [Lamorinda, Calif.]
• Leah Palmesano – Mount St Mary’s Univ [Corning, N.Y.]
• Lea Preuss – Queens Univ of Charlotte [Bruisers, Wisc.]
• Annekkia Ritter-Truxal – American International College [Idaho Falls, Idaho]
• Sayler Russell – Wasatch (Utah)
• Abbey Savin – Dartmouth College [Fallbrook, Calif.]
• Sadie Schier – Dartmouth College [Kent, Wash.]
• Ella Slaby – Bowdoin College [Hopkins, Minn.]
• Juliet Stone – Queens Univ Charlotte [Raleigh, N.C.]
• Kat Storey – Quinnipiac Univ [Downingtown, Pa.]
• Liz Tafuna – Lindenwood Univ [United, Utah]
• Makena Taumoepeau – Lindenwood Univ [United, Utah]
• Tee Teaupa – Lindenwood Univ [Rainier, Wash.]
• Neti Tuavao – Life West [Lamorinda, Calif.]
• Rebecca Vakarau – Bowdoin College [Land Park, Calif.]
• Hadley Vanderbush – NOVA [Livingston, Mich.]
• PK Vincze – Harvard Univ [Summit HS, Colo.]
• Katelyn Walker – Eagle, Idaho
Italics: Still in high school
STAFF
Women’s U20 Head Coach | Joel Bonnaud
Women’s U20 Assistant Coach | Farrah Douglas
Women’s U20 Assistant Coach | Josie Ziluca
Women’s U18 Head Coach & HP Pathways Manager | Martha Daines
Women’s U18 Assistant Coach | Susan Whitwell
Women’s U18 Assistant Coach | Kelly Griffin
Video Analyst | Emily Record
Operations and Logistics | Dee Nash
Athletic Trainer | Anna Unnasch