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The men’s and women’s Eagles teams for the Olympic Games have been named. Both teams are in with a chance of returning home with medals, such has been the performances the Eagles on the Sevens circuit.
Men’s Head Coach Mike Friday has named a diverse roster which includes players from various parts of the USA in addition to foreign based athletes and even an NFL Super Bowl winner.
The team will be captained by regular Eagles skipper, Madison Hughes. The Dartmouth College graduate is the Eagles’ all-time leading scorer in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Moreover he was the top-scorer on the 2015-16 circuit.
Eagles veterans Zack Test, Folau Niua, Danny Barrett, Garrett Bender and Maka Unufe all join their captain in the squad. Additional regulars Perry Baker and Carlin Isles have both, as expected, also ben selected. The two speedsters are expected to be among the most deadliest finishers in the competition.
Friday has also found places for Rugby World Cup stars Andrew Durutalo and Chris Wyles. Durutalo returns from Super Rugby where he held down a starting spot for the Sunwolves. Meanwhile, Wyles is back from winning the Aviva Premiership and European Champions Cup with Saracens.
Also selected is New England Patriot Nate Ebner. The NFL champion was the youngest-ever player to represent the Eagles Men’s Sevens, doing so at the age of 17. He subsequently played rugby at Ohio State University before being drafted into the NFL.
The youngest men’s Eagle selected for Rio is 22-year-old Ben Pinkelman.
USA MEN’S EAGLES
Perry Baker, Danny Barrett, Garrett Bender, Andrew Durutalo, Nate Ebner, Madison Hughes, Carlin Isles, Folau Niua, Ben Pinkelman, Zack Test, Maka Unufe, Chris Wyles
Women’s Head Coach Richie Walker has also gone for a host of veterans. Regular names included are Victoria Folayan, Kelly Griffin and Jillion Potter. The selection of Potter is truly remarkable given her well-documented health problems.
The youngest player selected is Richelle Stephens. She has been experience representing the USA Eagles at the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games.
Additional female athletes Alev Kelter and Jessica Javelet have both represented their country in other sports. Meanwhile Lauren Doyle, Joanne Fa’avesi, Griffin, Kathryn Johnson, Kelter, and Stephens all won silver at the Rugby Sevens at last year’s Pan American Games in Toronto.
USA WOMEN’s EAGLES
Bui Baravilala, Ryan Carlyle, Lauren Doyle, Joanne Fa’avesi, Carmen Farmer, Victoria Folayan, Kelly Griffin, Jessica Javelet, Kathryn Johnson, Alev Kelter, Jillion Potter, Richelle Stephens
