All-star rugby is still very much alive in the Midwest, and the Wisconsin U24 program is a prime example. After tryout camps in December, January and February, the select side coaching staff named 27 players and two injury reserves to its 2020 travel squad.
Collegians comprise the majority of the selections, with 10 teams from Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula represented. Two senior clubs – Wisconsin and Milwaukee Scylla – have also sent teammates to the select side. Maggie Hackett (UW Madison), Olivia Juel (Milwaukee Scylla), Margaret Knight (At Large) and Lillian Strehlow (UW Eau Claire) have been named captains.
The Wisconsin U24s will play a warm-up fixture in early April and then travel to the Midwest U24 LAU Tournament, the western portion of which assembles on April 18-19 in Iowa Falls, Iowa. The eastern half of the territory will compete on April 25-26 in Erie, Pa., and the Midwest U24 staff, which includes Wisconsin U24 head coach Xanthi Gerasimo, will scout both tournaments for talent. Players will then be invited to the Midwest U24 invitational tryout on May 31 in Milwaukee, and final selections will be added to touring squads.
WISCONSIN U24 SELECTS
Abby Argall – UW Platteville
Noelani Belton – At large
Elise Blum – UW Stevens Point
Jordan Borchardt – UW Oshkosh
Olivia Culver – UW Stevens Point
Clare Feneley – Northern Michigan Univ
Heather Grabow – UW Platteville
Maggie Hackett – UW Madison (c)
Aoife Hanley – Marquette Univ
Kaitlyn Hickey – UW Whitewater
Olivia Juel – Milwaukee Scylla (c)
Margaret Knight – At Large (c)
Kaitlyn Konrardy – UW Eau Claire
Ania Kotecki – UW Madison
Megan Leverance – UW Stout
Mikayla Martin – UW Oshkosh
Vanessa Nasi – Northern Michigan Univ
Joy Oberg – At Large
Isabelle Parello – UW Madison
Rachel Placeway – Northern Michigan Univ
Kat Propsom – Marquette Univ
Bailey Sandahl – UW Stevens Point
Christina Smith – Marquette Univ
Lily Sparks – Michigan Tech
Jenna Szalewski – Wisconsin Women
Susie Toivonen – UW Stevens Point
Amanda Williams – UW Platteville
Injured Reserves
Paiton Plutchak – Northern Michigan Univ
Lillian Strehlow – UW Eau Claire (c)
COACHES
Xanthi Gerasimo
Mike Good
Anna Bavery
Amanda Anderson
Maggie Hutchison
Laura Adams
Medical – Traci Tauferner