USA Rugby Women’s U20 Head Coach Joel Bonnaud has selected 26 players for the Canada tour next month. The U20 games against host Canada and Wales will be held in concert with the Pacific Four Series in Ottawa.
“Our roster has a great blend of Pathway experience, with players coming from 17 different clubs,” Bonnaud told USA Rugby. “As a result, I’m looking forward to seeing how they will utilize our structure on and off the field to come together, leverage our camp theme to take ownership, and eventually grow as decision makers.”
Several players have already represented the USA this summer, whether with the USA U23s at the Americas Rugby Trophy (*) in Brazil and/or the USA Falcons (^) in B.C., Canada, for Next Gen 7s. Five players just graduated high school, and a handful were named to the Pacific Four training camp (#) in Canada to prepare the Women’s National Team for Australia and New Zealand. Those campers will join the U20s in Canada.
Last year, the USA U20s (and U23s) played collegiate teams in Ottawa, and have returned to the province for proper international competition.
“Competing against age-grade peers from other countries is critical to our players’ development,” Bonnaud said. “It allows them to discover new styles of play, gauge where they stand on the international scene, assess the work to be done on their Pathway so they can be successful when they reach the Senior squad.”
The USA 20s will play Wales on July 4 and Canada on July 8 in a curtain-raiser to USA vs. Australia. Tickets available here.
USA Women’s U20s Roster
Akilah Cathey – Brown Univ.
Amelia Clarke – Princeton Univ.
Ashley Cowdrey – Davenport Univ.
Cassidy Dugdale – Quinnipiac Univ.
Jordan Duncan – Dartmouth College
Alissa Eisenhart – Army West Point
Amelia Gibson – Lindenwood Univ.
Hattie Greenwood – The Rugby Advantage
Kambria Hartrick – BYU
Emma “AJ” Haughey – Fallbrook HS, Calif.
Lennox London – Harvard Univ. *^
Nikki Lynch – Brown Univ.
Sia Meni – Dartmouth College
Winnie Namosimalua – Central Washington Univ.
Cecilia Ollis – Army West Point
Tiahna Padilla – Harvard Univ. #*
Sadie Schier – Dartmouth College #*
Salome Schmitt – Queens Univ. of Charlotte
Ella Slaby – Bowdoin College
Jay Stone – Queens Univ. of Charlotte
Cindy Taulava – Sydney Univ., Australia
Kerena Tinoisamoa – Central Washington Univ.
Sereana Vulaono – Chicago Lions *
Katelyn Walker – Dartmouth College
Olivia Woods – Eagle HS, Idaho #*
Reece Woods – Eagle HS, Idaho #*
USA Women’s U20s Staff
Joel Bonnaud | Head Coach
Kittery Wagner Ruiz | Assistant Coach
Kristin Zdanczewicz | Strength & Conditioning
McKenna Medders | Athletic Trainer
KJ Abel Ruch | Team Manager
USA Women’s U20s Schedule
July 4 (6:30p ET TBC)
USA vs Wales
Twin Elm Rugby Park, Ottawa
July 8 (12:00p ET)
USA vs Canada
TD Place, Ottawa