Women’s Eagles squad named for 3-week training camp

USA Women’s Eagles coach Rob Cain has named 43 players to take part in an extended training camp that will begin on Thursday, June 17, and run through Sunday, July 11. The National Training Center at Glendale’s Infinity Park will house the camp that will feature daily sessions.

A fall international test series is yet to be confirmed but the camp is part of a long-term strategy to prepare for next year’s World Cup in New Zealand. The tournament was originally slated for September but now postponed by a year due to the pandemic.

Included are 35 of the 40 players who trained together for six weeks earlier this year. Twice-capped winger Sarah Levy returns after missing the spring session, and there are two new additions in Life University lock Emerson Allen and BYU flyhalf Matalasi Morissette.

Also re-joining the group are Exeter Chiefs quartet Joanna Kitlinski, Rachel Johnson, Kate Zackary, and Gabby Cantorna. The latter pair were recently among the nominees for Premier 15s Team of the Year though they did not ultimately earn selection.

Not considered were playing currently preparing for the Tokyo Olympics. Absentees who were part of the spring session include prop Sam Tancredi, lock Kristine Sommer, flanker Nicole Strasko, center Mata Hingano, and wing Kaitlyn Broughton.

PROP
Catie Benson (Life West), Charli Jacoby (Chicago North Shore), Nick James (HARC), Maya Learned (Colorado Gray Wolves), Hope Rogers (Life West)

HOOKER
Saher Hamdan (Life), Jett Hayward (Life West), Joanna Kitlinski (Exeter Chiefs, UK), Kathryn Treder (Beantown)

LOCK
Emerson Allen (Life), Stacey Bridges (Beantown), Erica Jarrell (Harvard), Jenny Kronish (Colorado Gray Wolves), Sam Luther (Colorado Gray Wolves), Alycia Washington (NYRC)

BACK ROW
Evi Ashenbrucker (San Diego Surfers), Elizabeth Cairns (Life West), Rachel Ehrecke (Colorado Gray Wolves), Rachel Johnson (Exeter Chiefs, UK), Kathryn Johnson (Twin City Amazons), Hallie Taufo’ou (ARPTC), Kate Zackary (Exeter Chiefs, UK)

SCRUMHALF
Cassidy Bargell (Harvard), Shelby Lin (Berkeley All Blues), Kelsie O’Brien (Colorado Grey Wolves), Olivia Ortiz (Chicago North Shore), Carly Waters (Colorado Gray Wolves)

FLYHALF
Gabby Cantorna (Exeter Chiefs, UK), Megan Foster (San Diego Surfers), McKenzie Hawkins (Colorado Gray Wolves), Katana Howard (Twin City Amazons), Matalasi Morissette (BYU)

CENTER
Eti Haungatau (Lindenwood), Emily Henrich (Dartmouth), Amy Talei-Bonte (Life West)

WING/FULLBACK
Jennine Duncan (Exeter Chiefs, UK), Tess Feury (NYRC), Leti Hingano (Life West), Kayla Lawson (San Diego Surfers), Sarah Levy (NYRC), Bulou Mataitoga (Berkeley All Blues), Jetta Owens (Virginia Tech), Neariah Persinger (Life West)