Two-hundred and fifteen athletes in the Women’s National Team Pathway gathered at Tigertown in southern Florida Monday, Dec. 28, through Sunday, Jan. 3, 2016, for the National All-Star Competition. The atheltes were broken into four senior women’s teams, two collegiate-level teams, and two U20 teams. Throughout the week, the teams played each of their divisions.
The senior games were all very competitive, including the games earlier in the week that featured open substitutions, while on the collegiate and U20 levels, each level had one very close game and one not-so-close.
The purpose of the week was to look at players who tracked to the national team. This affected selections, as players who are well-known to the Eagle setup didn’t get as much playing time as up-and-comers. The goal of the coaches involved was to get as many players selected to national teams – and thus they tried to showcase players with potential.
USA senior WNT Head Coach Pete Steinberg said he saw good talent all through the spectrum, adding that he was especially impressed with the U20 players considering they are on a two-year cycle and most are actually U19s.
All of the top college players ended up playing with the senior teams, and acquitted themselves well.
The week had a more important, long-term purpose aside from identifying players – it was designed to get players and coaches alike used to the Eagle way of doing things.
“It was sort of an Eagles light assembly,” Steinberg told Goff Rugby Report. “We mirrored the training, preparation, and nutrition that we would have in an Eagle assembly. This was also useful for the coaches. We want to develop players and coaches.”
Ten coaches new to this type of assembly joined ten returning from the last assembly in working with players and understanding what it’s like to work with a group of disparate players at a high level.
“This is our second assembly of 200 players,” said Steinberg, “and the level of player was much higher than last time. Our goals were to put players in a position where they were forced to perform, and we did that.”
Steinberg said the U20 level of play was “very high,” and, he added that senior players who were new to the national team setup last summer returned with a new confidence.
What’s next? An assembly in June for the older players, and a Stars & Stripes assembly for college and U20 players around July 4. Steinberg said this will be the scenario for the foreseeable future.
“Instead of doing things differently every year, we want things to be predictable so the athletes can plan,” said the Eagle coach. “If they know when to make themselves available, and they can plan and budget for it, then it’s easier for everyone.”
National All-Star Competition | Athletes
FIRST NAME | LAST NAME | SCHOOL / CLUB |
---|---|---|
Adekemi | Adewunmi | Denver Black Ice |
Olufunmilayo | Akinlosotu | US Air Force Academy |
Milla | Anderson | Dartmouth |
Baylee | Annis | Burlington WRFC |
Kathryn | Augustyn | Berkeley All Blues WRFC |
Emily | Azevedo | Women’s Eagles Sevens |
Marcaya | Bailous | Notre Dame College |
Kendall | Bedford | Princeton University |
Lizzie | Bellis | University of Wisconsin |
Nicole | Benedetti | Northern Virginia WRFC |
Catherine | Benson | Life West WRFC |
Sharyn | Beodeker | Kutztown University |
Rebekah | Bernheim | Colorado Springs RFC |
Bria | Bohanon | Battleship WRFC |
Alexandra | Borowsky | Chicago North Shore WRFC |
Sylvia | Braaten | Twin Cities Amazons WRFC |
Rebecca | Brafman | New York Rugby Club |
Stacey | Bridges | Twin Cities Amazons WRFC |
Elizabeth | Bristow | Chicago North Shore WRFC |
Kaitlyn | Broughton | Life University |
Ruth | Bryson | Berkeley All Blues WRFC |
Sarah | Buonopane | Beantown WRFC |
Nicole | Burr | Augusta WRFC |
Ashlee | Byrge | Davenport University |
Elizabeth | Cairns | Penn State University |
Kayla | Canett | Fallbrook High School |
Elena | Cantorna | Seattle Saracens |
Gabriella | Cantorna | State College High School |
Margaret | Carly | Penn State University |
Ryan | Carlyle | Seattle Saracens |
Amanda | Carrington | Atlanta Harlequins WRFC |
Addison | Carvajal | Bowdoin College |
Naiomi | Cayo-Nelson | Atlanta Harlequins WRFC |
Scout | Cheeks | Penn State University |
Sarah | Chobot | Glendale Raptors WRFC |
Kayla | Clark | AIC |
Sadia | Crosby | Roger Williams University |
Gioanna | Cruz | Lindenwood University |
Kathleen | Daley | At Large |
Jacqueline | Davisson | Santa Monica WRFC |
Allyson | Day | Norwich University |
Sheila | Decker | Norwich University |
Amber | DeFabio | Kutztown University |
Amanda | Divich | Lindenwood University |
Brenna | Donahue | Davenport University |
Linda | Drake | U.S. Coast Guard Academy |
Lanoira | Duhart | Winona State University |
Yejadai | Dunn | Dartmouth |
Allison | Dykes | Little Rock WRFC |
Alexandra | Eakes | Princeton University |
Rachel | Ehrecke | Penn State University |
Cheta | Emba | Beantown WRFC |
Laura | Enk | Lindenwood University |
Kristen ‘Jade’ | Enright | Colby College |
Tiffany | Faaee | New York Rugby Club |
Carmen | Farmer | Severn River WRFC |
Deshel | Ferguson | Atlanta Harlequins WRFC |
Frieda | Fetu’u | Berkeley All Blues |
Tess | Feury | Penn State University |
Rachel | Fitch | Colorado College |
Natalie | Flaim | Kutztown University |
Jasmin | Folch | University of Connecticut |
Maxine | Fonua | Berkeley All Blues |
Joycelyn | Fordyce | US Air Force Academy |
Megan | Foster | Life West WRFC |
Alexis | Frueh | Austin Valkyries WRFC |
Bayleigh | Gable | Grandville Girls RC |
Chelsea | Garber | Raleigh WRFC |
Kira | Garnett | Penn State University |
Lara | Gartner | Atlanta Harlequins WRFC |
Amanda | Ghannam | Little Rock WRFC |
Jennifer | Glaser | University of Wisconsin |
Jordan | Gray | BYU |
Rachel | Griendling | Women’s Eagles Sevens |
Abby | Gustaitis | Women’s Eagles Sevens |
Christina | Haney | University of Virginia |
Summer | Harris-Jones | University of Virginia |
Jordan | Hartfiel | Rockford Lady Raven’s RFC |
McKenzie | Hawkins | Lindenwood University |
Shayla | Heagy | Indiana University |
Nicole | Heavirland | Women’s Eagles Sevens |
Rebekah | Hebdon (nee Boaz) | BYU |
Della | Hellander | Morris Rugby Club |
Laura | Hetherman | University of Connecticut |
Atumata | Hingano | Danville Oaks HS |
Sisileti | Hingano | BYU |
Evan | Hoese | Berkeley All Blues WRFC |
Grace | Hovde | Wisconsin WRFC |
Katana | Howard | Twin Cities Amazons WRFC |
Shannon | Hustosky | Kent State University |
Leah | Ingold | Central Washington University |
Nicole | James | Houston Athletic RC |
Bailey | Johnson | Minnesota State U-Mankato |
Cheryl | Johnson | Philadelphia WRFC |
Emily | Jones | Beantown WRFC |
Keren | Kabambi | Princeton University |
Bridget | Kahele | AIC |
Ardia | Kelker | Berkeley All Blues |
Brianna | Kim | Northern Virginia WRFC |
Joanna | Kitilinski | Glendale Raptors WRFC |
Sabrina | Kraft | San Diego Surfers WRFC |
Joie | Krahling | Philadelphia WRFC |
Haley | Langan | Harvard |
Margaret | Leonard | Glendale Raptors WRFC |
Hannah | Lewandowski | Central Washington University |
Shelby | Lin | New York Rugby Club |
Hannah | Lockwood | San Diego Surfers WRFC |
Ophelia | Loree | University of Minnesota |
Katherine | Loughran | University of Notre Dame |
Darian | Lovelace | Life University |
Jessica | Lu | Princeton University |
Jennifer | Lui | Glendale Raptors WRFC |
Kaelene | Lundstrum | Twin Cities Amazons WRFC |
Samantha | Luther | Beantown WRFC |
Aurora | Macek | Northern Illinois University |
Emily | Magee | ARPTC |
Taylor | Makowski | Northside Dragons HS |
Yana (Edna) | Manoa | Central Washington University |
Jaimie | McFarlin | Washington Furies WRFC |
Carlene | McPolin | Lindenwood University |
Allison | Miedzielec | Davenport University |
Laura | Miller | Glendale Raptors WRFC |
Averie | Mitchell-Brown | University of Minnesota |
Stephanie | Morande | University of Minnesota |
Joanna | Moreira | Central Washington University |
Hunter | Moreland | Davenport University |
Saskia | Morgan | Brown University |
Cameo | Motley | Life West WRFC |
Katie | Mueller | Penn State University |
Jochebed | Muflam | Princeton University |
Azniv | Nalbandian | Penn State University |
Michel | Navarro | Fallbrook High School |
Uzoamaka | Okoro | Brown University |
Marjorie | Olney | Washington Furies WRFC |
Danielle | Ordway | Davenport University |
Bianca | Ortiz-Pallen | Bishop O’Dowd High School |
Erin | Overcash | At Large |
Deven | Owsiany | San Diego Surfers WRFC |
Samantha | Pankey | Washington Furies WRFC |
Sara | Parsons | At Large |
Annakaren | Pedraza | Lindenwood University |
Audrey | Perez | Dartmouth |
Ashley | Perry | Women’s Eagles Sevens |
Kristina | Perry | Penn State University |
Nearah | Persinger | Lindenwood University |
Paige | Pfannenstiel | Bowdoin College |
Christiane | Pheil | Chicago North Shore WRFC |
Megan | Pinson | Sacramento Amazons WRFC |
Taylah | Pipkin | Penn State University |
Melissa | Polheber | Wisconsin WRFC |
Kayla | Postula | Central Washington University |
Emily | Prentice | Kent Crusaders |
Sophia | Pyrz | Penn State University |
Katherine | Ramage | Dartmouth |
Naima | Reddick | Seattle Saracens |
Kristen | Redmon | US Military Academy |
Megan | Reilly | Bloomsburg University |
Lauren | Rhode | New York Rugby Club |
Kayla | Richardson | BYU |
Hope | Rogers | Penn State University |
Megan | Rom | Life University |
Becca Jane | Rosko | Summit High School |
Emily | Roskopf | Life West WRFC |
Kimber | Rozier | Washington Furies WRFC |
Kandis | Ruiz | Glendale Raptors WRFC |
Rachel | Ryan | Glendale Raptors WRFC |
Caitlin | Rycek | Bloomsburg University |
Crystal | Sain | Charlotte WRFC |
Monika (Ikuvalu) | Sake | At Large |
Sawyer | Salter | Minnesota State U-Mankato |
Francesca | Sands | Norwich University |
Ravyn | Santiago | Life University |
Haley | Schafer | Central Washington University |
Asinate | Serevi | Central Washington University |
Jennifer | Sever | Life West WRFC |
Kristen | Shalosky | Glendale Raptors WRFC |
Eshe | Sherley | Yale University |
Danesha | Shipman | University of Texas |
Sierra | Snapp | U.S. Naval Academy |
Elizabeth | Snodgrass | Atlanta Harlequins WRFC |
Nicole | Snyder | Bloomsburg University |
Kristine | Sommer | Seattle Saracens |
Ashley | Sorensen | Columbus/Fort Benning WRFC |
Katy | Stewart | Washington Furies WRFC |
Kelsi | Stockert | Seattle Saracens |
Hannah | Stolba | Glendale Raptors WRFC |
Nicole | Strasko | Life University |
Ashaunte | Stroman | Florida International University |
Francesca | Suarez | Middlebury College |
Chelsey | Sveinsson | Stanford University |
Adi (Finau) | Tamaivena | Kent Crusaders |
Stephanie | Taylor | Montana State University |
Danesha | Telfair | Northern Illinois University |
Nia | Toliver | ICEF |
Claire | Tomashek | Univ of Wisconsin-La Crosse |
Supiesi | Tongi | Hawaii Harlequins |
Lauren | Trout | Chicago North Shore WRFC |
Elizabeth | Trujillo | San Diego Surfers WRFC |
Jessica | Turner | Berkeley All Blues WRFC |
Abby | Vestal | ARPTC |
Andrea | Villanova | New York Rugby Club |
Abby | Vogel | University of California, Berkeley |
Jacie | Vonada | Twin Cities Amazons WRFC |
Danielle | Walko Siua | Notre Dame College |
Alycia | Washington | Hartford Wild Roses WRFC |
Carly | Waters | Penn State University |
Frances | Wehrwein | Berkeley All Blues WRFC |
Caroline | White | Seattle Saracens |
Abigail | Williams | Milwaukee Scylla WRFC |
Courtney | Williams | Penn State University |
Dazjanique | Williams | West Shore United RC |
Kayla | Williams | Augusta WRFC |
Megan | Wolff | Winona State University |
Kassidi | Wynter | Atlanta Harlequins WRFC |
Adriana | Zeiders | West Chester University |
National All-Star Competition | Staff
Pete Steinberg
Richie Walker
Brandon Sparks
Wil Snape
Sue Whitwell
Bill LeClerc
Christian Carter
Caitlin Singletary
Amy Valenta
Sarah Leslie
Diane Watanabe
Amie Kern
Bri Arsenault
Ashley Cowan
Katherin Henry
Roshna Wunderlich
Annemarie Farrell
Lance Pruett
National All-Star Competition | Senior Team Coaches
- Head: Peter Baggetta
- Assistant: Katrina Logan
- Assistant: James Tesoriero
- Head: Martha Daines
- Assistant: Ricardo Ramirez
- Assistant: Kirstin Hartos
- Head: Richard Ashfield
- Assistant: Shawn Pittman
- Assistant: Katy Dowty
- Head; Johnathan Atkieson
- Assistant: Sean Cobb
- Assistant: Beckett Royce
National All-Star Competition | College Team Coaches
- Head: Jamie Burke
- Assistant: Trevor Alfred
- Assistant: Mel Denham
- Head: Bernie Cantorna
- Assistant: Andrea Street
- Assistant: Holly Iker
National All-Star Competition | Junior Team Coaches
- Head: Jon Mooney
- Assistant: Sharon Blaney
- Assistant: Evi Ashenbrucker
- Head: Kitt Wagner
- Assistant: Vaughn Mitchell
- Assistant: Bill LeClerc
National All-Star Competition | Coach Advisors
Fred Bardot
Brett Burdick
Rick Humm
Lisa Rosen
Discover more from YSCRugby | Women's Rugby News
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How does a team playing in the WPL not have a single player selected? I ask the seven teams in the WPL–each who had five to nine players participating in this event–to reach out to USA rugby and share some of your thoughts about the women you’ve battled against from ORSU. Thanks for your consideration, Charles Sanderson
So your complaint isn’t about the number of players from WPL teams but rather that not all players were considered?
No complaint with WPL rep totals of: Atl=6, NY=5, DC=5, TC=5, Berk=8, SD=5, Glendale=9.
I’m completely astonished that ORSU didn’t have a single player.
Ok, I wasn’t quite clear. Makes me wonder if any of the players did the application process or attended any of the recruitment festivals?
I’m still not convinced that USAR is finding the best players with just those few recruiting techniques…