Women’s Eagles named for Extended Training Camp

USA Rugby has named 36 players to take part in an unprecedented eight-week Women’s Eagles camp beginning this weekend. Invited players will be subjected to a daily training environment led by Head Coach Rob Cain and staff, with the camp taking place at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado.

For those unable to attend the full camp, two eight-day mini-camps will be held in October featuring an additional 23 players. The two camps kick-start preparations for next year’s World Cup in New Zealand and will look to make up for time lost during the pandemic.

Notable is the youth included in the group. Of the 59 players in total named, 28 are yet to play their first test match. Only six were part of the 2017 World Cup squad though a number of other experienced players were unavailable such as new Exeter signings Kate Zackary and Jennine Duncan.

Coach Cain included a statement in an official release.

“A huge thank you to our medical staff, the XV Foundation and USA Rugby Players Association for bringing this vision to life in terms of safety, finance and logistics. I cannot stress the importance of what we are doing. The cancellations of our domestic season have meant that our players haven’t had any competitive rugby for almost 12 months. We had to act to give ourselves a fighting chance in 2021.

“We are all excited to get to work and build on the past 5 months of hard work, where our staff and players combined work ethic took advantage of our  robust remote learning program. Alongside our experienced players, there will be some excellent inner competition thanks to the high school, college, WPL and pathway coaches who have developed our extremely talented uncapped players and youngsters.

“We see everything as a challenge and this chapter in our story continues to shows our ambition  to make an impression in 2021.”

 

DTE CAMP

FORWARDS
Lisa Jackson (Atlanta Harlequins), Charli Jacoby (Chicago North Shore), Nick James (HARC), Maya Learned (Glendale Merlins), Saher Hamden (Life), Jett Hayward (Life West), Allie Schrenker (Glendale Merlins), Kathryn Treder (Beantown), Jenny Kronish (Glendale Merlins), Sam Luther (Glendale Merlins), Julia Buescher (San Diego Surfers), Elizabeth Cairns (Life West), Rachel Ehreche (Glendale Merlins), Kathryn Johnson (Twin City Amazons), Rachel Johnson (ORSU), Joanna Kitlinski (Glendale Merlins), Hallie Taufo’ou (Richmond, UK)

BACKS
Cassidy Bargell (Harvard), Bridget Kahele (Atlanta Harlequins), Shelby Lin (Berkeley All Blues), Kelsie O’Brien (Glendale Merlins), Olivia Ortiz (Davenport), Carly Waters (Glendale Merlins), Gabby Cantorna (Exeter Chiefs, UK), Megan Foster (San Diego Surfers), McKenzie Hawkins (Glendale Merlins), Katana Howard (Twin City Amazons), Emily Henrich (USA Sevens), Jetta Owens (Virginia Tech), Amy Talei-Bonte (Life West), Kaitlyn Broughton (Glendale Merlins), Tess Feury (New York RC), Kayla Lawson (USA Sevens), Neariah Persinger (Life West), Bulou Mataitoga (Berkeley All Blues), Nichole Wanamaker (Glendale Merlins)

 

MINI CAMP

FORWARDS
Catie Benson (Life West), Hope Rogers (Life West), Megan Rom (Atlanta Harlequins), Samantha Tancredi (Lindenwood), Paige Stathopoulos (Glendale Merlins), Erica Jarrell (Harvard), Kristine Sommer (Seattle RFC), Mckenna Strong (Lindenwood), Alycia Washington (New York RC), Evelyn Ashenbrucker (San Diego Surfers), Darian Lovelace (Atlanta Harlequins), Nicole Strasko (Life West)

BACKS
Ashlee Byrge (USA Sevens), Kristin Bitter (Dartmouth), Matalasi Morrissette (BYU), Darina Roe (Penn State), PK Vincze (Harvard), Evan Hoese (Berkeley All Blues), Karissa Postula (ORSU), Julie Tordonato (Glendale Merlins), Leti Hingano (Life West), Natalie Kosko (New York RC), Sarah Levy (New York RC)

 

STAFF

Head Coach – Rob Cain
Assistant Coach – Kate Daley
Assistant Coach – Neil Harris
Assistant Coach – Rich Ashfield
Support Coach – Jenny Lui
Support Coach – Jamie Burke
Strength & Conditioning – Sylvia Braaten
Sport Scientist – Conor Sweeney
Team Doctor – Terrence Cronin
Head Athletic Trainer – Bri Arsenault
Athletic Trainer – Katherine Henry
Athletic Trainer – Jade Callen
Performance Analyst – Callum Howells
Team Manager – Louise Stewart
Logistics Coordinator – Dee Nash