Women’s 2008 Elite Player Squad

BOULDER, Colo. – Following careful consideration from the National Team selectors and High Performance Managers, USA Rugby has officially announced the 2008 Men’s and Women’s Elite Player Squads (EPS).

The Elite Player Squad serves as the primary selection vehicle for USA Rugby Senior National Teams throughout the year. All athletes named to the EPS will be closely monitored by National Team coaches and selectors, as well as four High Performance (HP) managers, who will act as the main points of contact for players in their respective regions. Each player will follow an agreed HP plan designed to boost conditioning, nutrition and skills and supported by regular fitness testing and assessments.

USA Rugby High Performance programs will now focus on building stronger, more competitive squads for upcoming major international events such as the Men and Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens qualifiers in 2008, the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 2009, the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2010, and the Men’s Rugby World Cup qualification 2010 and finals in 2011.

“As the competitive season gains momentum it is important that our National coaches and High Performance staff keep a close eye on all of the Elite Players,” said USA Rugby CEO and President of Rugby Operations Nigel Melville. “These initial squads are a starting off point – players will be added on account of their performances and when necessary, players will be released from the squads if their performance is not thought to be at the level required.”

For more information on the Men’s and Women’s National teams, please visit www.usarugby.org/goto/National_Teams.

Kirsten Ahrendt (Keystone)
Kristin Baja (New York)
Stacey Bennett (NOVA)
Libby Berg (Minnesota Valkyries)
Emilie Bydwell (Brown Univ.)
Jamie Burke (Berkeley All-Blues)
Lisa Butts (Berkeley All-Blues)
Kate Daley (Penn State)
Amy Daniels (Beantown)
Mel Denham (Beantown)
Liz Dilley (Washington)
Lisa Dombroski (Philadelphia)
Farrah Douglas (Chicago North Shore)
Katy Dowty (Beantown)
Ashley English (Berkeley All-Blues)
Yancy Graf (Beantown)
Blair Groefsema (Berkeley All-Blues)
Tyshawn Henry (New York)
Heather Jennings (Seattle)
Mel Kanuk (Maryland Stingers)
Ashley Kmiecek (Emerald City Mudhens)
Ellie Karvoski (Little Rock)
Phaidra Knight (New York)
Pam Kosanke (Chicago North Shore)
Lynelle Kugler (Glendale Women’s Raptors)
Jamie Lange (Glendale Women’s Raptors)
Kristy Lear (Minnesota Valkyries)
Teena Mastrangelo (Chicago North Shore)
Kim Magrini (Keystone)
Nathalie Marchino (Berkeley All-Blues)
Desiree Markovich (Minnesota Valkyries)
Schmarrah McCarthy (Purdue Univ.)
Kati McCormick (Univ. Wisconsin-Milwaukee)
Vanesha McGee (Philadelphia)
Kelly McMahon (New York)
Melissa McKibben (Kansas City Jazz)
Daniela Mogro (New York)
San Juanita Moreno (ORSU)
Elise Myer (Maryland Stingers)
Kate Pope (Philadelphia)
Jillion Potter (Minnesota Valkyries)
Allison Price (New York)
Christy Ringgenberg (Minnesota Valkyries)
Ines Rodriguez (Keystone)
Lauren Rosso (Penn State)
Jen Sinkler (Philadelphia)
Melissa Smit (Stanford)
Jen Starkey (NOVA)
Lo Stender (Las Vegas)
Lindsey Stephenson (Orlando Women)
Donna Thomas (Kansas City Jazz)
Jessica Travers (UIC)
Jossy Tseng (Stanford)
Shaina Turley (San Diego Surfers)
Kitt Wagner (Beantown)
Mari Wallace (Berkeley All-Blues)
JoAnne Ward (Albany)
Jessica Watkins (Stanford)
Kelly White (Belmont Shore)
Whitman, Heidi (Austin Valkyries)
Rose Whitmore (Berkeley All-Blues)
Kristin Zdanczewicz (Minnesota Valkyries)

Congratulations to all the players listed and congratulations for the players that are in the Women’s National Pool as well. The Elite Player Squad (EPS) was selected from the USA Rugby Women’s National Team Player Pool. The pool is designed to supplement the EPS and a player may become an EPS member at anytime.

I think it is perfect that KTrain posted a couple of days about rugby lists. Check out her post here. “Play the game, love the game, because you never know when it will be your last game. Then you never worry about lists.”