[WER] New York Exiles’ Foundational 5

By Allison Smith, WER—Women’s Elite Rugby (WER), which will be the first professional women’s rugby league in the United States, reveals their foundational five (F5) players for each of the six market teams in preparation for their inaugural season starting in March of this year.

Coming off the announcement of their team names and crests last week, WER continues to build on the momentum and excitement of the league by announcing foundational five players for each team. Each coach drafted five players for their team with the goal to build dynamic and diverse groups that span positions, but also have connections to the city and communities that they will play in. “We are thrilled to announce the foundational five players for each of our six market teams. Our head coaches selected foundational players of the highest caliber and talent in terms of their on pitch play and expertise but also their off pitch leadership and community connection to lead their teams this season. Additionally, these players have an enduring commitment to the game of rugby and continue to work to grow the game here at WER and beyond,” said WER President Dr. Jessica Hammond-Graf.

New York head coach Diego Maquieira named Adriana Castillo, Jenn Salomon-Clayton, Matilda Kocaj, Congetta “Jetta” Owens, and Misha “Mish” Green-Yotts to his foundational five group. Maquieira intentionally picked local talent as all of the F5 players are from New York except Owens who is from Clarksville, MD but has extensive ties to the New York area. Maquieira brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the position as a former player but also as a coach that has had the opportunity to coach both men and women’s rugby at a multitude of levels (youth, collegiately at Northeastern, Columbia University, and in the former iteration of the league, Women’s Premiere League Rugby, WPL for the New York Rugby Club).

New York Exiles Foundational Five Players

ADRIANA CASTILLO, born and raised in the Bronx played volleyball and cheerleading before finding rugby. She played at Marist College from 2014 to 2018. After college Castillo began playing for the Village Lions Rugby Football Club from 2019 to 2020 before joining the WPL’s New York Rugby Club in 2021 and played until this past season in 2024. In 2023, Castillo was named to the WPL’s All-Star team. Castillo, who was recently named to the Dominican Republic’s national team for the second time can play the blindside flanker, openside flanker, and eight-man positions for NY.

Maquieira feels Castillo’s ability to make big plays will be essential for his team’s success saying, “Adriana will make New York proud with her bruising carries and knack for making big plays that lift the team around her. Adriana is a former WPL all-star and recently capped for the Dominican Republic national team.”

MISH GREEN-YOTTS former athlete experience before playing rugby is extensive as she lettered four years in high school basketball and lacrosse before playing four years of collegiate basketball at Division III Plattsburgh State. Before joining and transferring to Plattsburgh State, Green-Yotts played one year of rugby at Binghamton University where the rugby bug bit her. After college she went on to play rugby for five seasons in the WPL for NYRC from 2017 to 2022 and again in 2024. She also played for the Scion Rugby 7s from 2017 to 2018 and Northeast Academy 7s from 2018 to 2021. Green-Yotts can play the second row/lock, blindside flanker, openside flanker, and eight-man positions for the New York Exiles squad.

In selecting Green-Yotts, Maquieira positioned, “Misha brings a special athletic skill set thanks to her basketball background and was the leading try scorer on the NYRC WPL side that made it to the semifinals in 2024. Misha is a proud mother of two, a superpower all on its own.”

MATILDA KOCAJ, an immigrant to the United States from Albania and a former three sport athlete in soccer, volleyball and track, started playing rugby in college at Division III Babson College, in Wellesley, MA. Kocaj began playing rugby by happenstance as she did not make the Babson women’s soccer team and was encouraged to try rugby by a friend. During her sophomore season, Kocaj and the Babson Beavers emerged from the New England Wide 7s conference as champions that led to a national title bid for a team that began playing 7s only a year prior. In that same season Kocaj was named an All-Conference selection.

After college, Kocaj played for NYRC, Northeast Academy, the Loggerheads in the Premiere Rugby 7s League, and was able to play at the Division I elite level for Life University while pursuing her master’s degree where she won a national title in 2024. For WER NY, Kocaj can play the outside center, but Maquieira seems excited to see what she can do out on the wing stating, “Matilda is an up-and-coming wing out of Life University where she was just named a finalist for the MA Sorenson Award as one of the top college players in 2024.”

JETTA OWENS found rugby in college at Virginia Tech after playing soccer and basketball in high school and throughout her youth. Owens played rugby at Tech from 2016 to 2020 where she and the Hokies were runner’s up in the women’s Division I 7s collegiate championships. During and after college Owens represented the national team, as she was named to the USA 7s All American Team in 2018 and 2019, the USA 15s U23 All-American Team in 2019, the USA 15s World Cup Training Camp from 2020 to 2021. She also played for the NYRC from 2022 until this past season as well as a stint for the NY Locals PR7s in 2023.

At the ten, fly-half and fullback positions, Owens is known as a playmaker, and this excites Maquieira about her joining the WER roster as a F5 member. He asserted:

Jetta has been a standout player for NYRC in the WPL and has also recently featured in Premier 7s with the NY Locals. Look for her to use her ability to kick off both feet and her playmaking skills to get the team playing an exciting brand of rugby.

JENN SALOMON-CLAYTON brings a wealth of rugby playing experience to the New York Exiles beginning with playing for Quinnipiac University from 2011 to 2015. Directly after college, Salomon-Clayton went on to play for the New Haven Rugby Club for two seasons, the Old Blue 7s from 2016 to 2017, and the Phoenix 7s Northeast Academy from 2017 to 2019, the WPL’s NYRC from 2017 to 2019 and the again in 2024. In 2017 in her rookie season with NYRC she was named NYRC’s Rookie of the Year and helped her team to the championship title. Taking her game overseas, Salomon-Clayton played for the London Irish Rugby Football Club in the 2021 and 2022 seasons before joining the Headliners 7s in 2022 and the international touring 7s team the Savvy 7s in 2023. She has also been a consistent member of the Mexico 7s National Team since 2019 helping them win a silver medal at the 2023 Central American Games. Salomon-Clayton can play the fly-half, inside center, and outside center for the New York Exiles. Beyond playing rugby Salomon-Clayton was recently named Interim Head Coach for the Army Black Knights after coaching at Sacred Heart.

In describing Salomon-Clayton’s anticipated contributions to New York Exiles Maquieira said:

Jenn is the definition of calm, cool, and collected on the pitch thanks to her years of high-level experience including the Mexican National Team 15s and 7s. Also, the newly appointed Head Coach of the West Point women’s rugby team, Jenn will use her premier IQ and skills to put her teammates in position to be successful.

Next up: TC Gemini Foundational 5