USA Women Eagles vs Barbarians Women

USA WNT Training Squad Named For Barbarians

USA WNT Training Squad Named For Barbarians

The USA has a 51-player training squad to prepare for the Barbarians.

Apr 19, 2019 by Alex Goff
Carly Waters Is A Sparkplug

USA Women’s 15s National Team head coach Rob Cain has named a 51-player full training squad to assemble in Glendale, CO in advance of its historic matchup with Barbarians F.C. on April 26 at Infinity Park. 

This will be the first time a Barbarians side has ever faced a USA Rugby National Team and will be LIVE on FloRugby.

The group features a mix of capped and uncapped players chosen from performances in the Eagles’ new Regional Training Program which successfully kicked off this year. From the program, players and coaches have had more frequent interactions which has allowed for an open and consistent selection process.

“Everyone has been incredibly busy since the November Internationals. It’s been a lot of fun with a lot of hard work and effort from the players, staff and community,” said Cain. "The regional rugby training gave our players a continuous opportunity to show us what they can do, explore and interpret new ideas together. This inner competition has been great from everyone, not allowing anyone to be comfortable with their previous exploits and place a real focus on the here and now. All of this has culminated in their invites for this exciting week ahead.

“Seeing players express themselves while having the opportunity to develop and self discover new ideas in the Women's Eagles 15s environment, away from pressures of test match weeks, will continue to be hugely beneficial on our road into and beyond 2019. 2018 was a great opportunity to see where we were and 2019 will continue to show more signs of our intent as a team with our first opportunity against a very experienced and talented Barbarians squad.”

In total, 27 athletes come from the recently announced Women’s Eagles 2019 Performance Squad and 21 return from the November Internationals 2018 where the USA claimed wins over England Academy (contested as the Women’s Selects) and Ireland, after awarding 17 caps to a new generation of athletes.

Women’s Sevens players Ashlee Byrge, Neariah Persinger and 2016 Olympian Bui Baravilala are all named, along with a collection of 15s players who haven’t featured in some time. Among them are Tess Feury, Christiane Pheil and Hope Rogers -- to name a few.

The training squad also features six players who recently featured with USA Rugby’s age-grade or developmental programs including High School All-American Winter Camp attendee Destiny Arena and Collegiate All-American Summer Camp attendees Kayla Hunkin-Clark, Maya Learned, Jenni Kronish and Corinne Heavner. Falcons players Shamira Robles and Paige Stathopoulos are also included.

The Women’s Eagles will assemble tomorrow for their first high-performance camp of 2019. All players chosen will see competitive playing time with an intrasquad scrimmage taking place during camp and starters for the Barbarians game named thereafter.

Though test caps will not be awarded for the Barbarians game, athletes will play some of the top women’s rugby players from across the globe as part of the Baa-Baas all-star style team. The Barbarians will bring talent from multiple countries including two former Eagles players in 2016 Olympian Carmen Farmer and 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup player Hannah Stolba.

Kickoff between the Eagles and Barbarians is set for 5 PM MOuntain Time, with the Glendale Raptors and Rugby United New York of Major League Rugby kicking off after at 7:30 PM.

Tickets are available at glendaleraptors.com/tickets with the Eagles-Barbarians game broadcast LIVE on FloRugby.com.



Women’s National Team Full Squad 


PLAYER NAME

POSITION

CLUB

CAPS

Bailey Araujo

Lock

Twin City Amazons

0

Destiny Arena

Hooker

Lindenwood 

0

Katy Augustyn

Hooker

Berkeley All Blues

33

Bui Baravilala

Center

Berkeley All Blues

6

Catie Benson

Prop

Life West Gladiators

17

Stacey Bridges

Lock

Beantown Rugby

36

Kaitlyn Broughton

Back Three

Atlanta Harlequins

3

Ashlee Byrge

Scrumhalf 

Women's Sevens Residency 

0

Bitsy Cairns

Back Row

Life West Gladiators

8

Gabby Cantorna

Flyhalf

Glendale Merlins

3

Chidinma Chukwueke

Back Row

Atlanta Harlequins

0

Jennine Duncan

Back Three

Seattle Saracens

2

Rachel Ehrecke

Back Row

Glendale Merlins

0

Tess Feury

Wing

Unattached 

6

Megan Foster

Fullback

San Diego Surfers

5

Eti Haungatau

Center

Women's Sevens Residency Program

0

Corinne Heavner

Flyhalf / Back Three

Atlanta Harlequins

0

Evan Hoese

Wing

Berkeley All Blues

1

Katana Howard

Flyhalf

Twin City Amazons

0

Olivia Bernadel Huey

Flyhalf 

Unattached 

0

Kayla Hunkin-Clark

Prop / Hooker

Seattle Saracens 

0

Charli Jacoby

Prop

North Shore

0

Nick James

Prop

Houston Athletic

6

Rachel Johnson

Back Row

Oregon Sports Union

3

Joanna Kitlinski

Hooker

Glendale Merlins

8

Jenny Kronish

Lock

Harvard

0

Cortney Kuehl

Center

Atlanta Harlequins

0

Maya Learned

Prop

Glendale Merlins

0

Shelby Lin

Scrumhalf

Berkeley All Blues

0

Bulou Mataitoga

Fullback

Berkeley All Blues

0

Amy Naber

Center

Lifewest Gladiators

1

Azniv Nalbandian

Prop

Penn State University

3

Neariah Persinger

Center

Unattached

0

Christiane Pheil

Back Row

Atlanta Harlequins

8

Shamira Robles

Back Three

New York Rugby

0

Hope Rogers

Hooker /Prop

Women's Sevens Residency

25

Megan Rom

Prop

Life University

2

Kimber Rozier

Center

Beantown Rugby

30

Nate Serevi

Back Row/ Second row

Scion Rugby

2

Paige Stathopoulos

Center

Northeast Academy 

0

Kelsi Stockert

Back Three

Unattached

8

Nicole Strasko

Lock/ Back Row

Life West Gladiators

3

Christina Swift

Back Three

Atlanta Harlequins

0

Finau Tamaivena

No. 8

Seattle Saracens

1

Joyce Taufa

Hooker

Lindenwood University

3

Juliann Tordonato

Center

Glendale Merlins

0

Elizabeth Trujillo

Scrumhalf

San Diego Surfers

0

Alycia Washington

Second Row

New York Rugby

17

Carly Waters

Halfback

New York Rugby

2

Kate Zackary (C)

Back Row

San Diego Surfers

9

Olivia Ortiz

Scrumhalf

Davenport 

0




Women’s National Team Staff 

General Manager | Emilie Bydwell 

Head Coach | Rob Cain

Assistant Coach | Jamie Burke

Assistant Coach | Kate Daley

Assistant Coach | Shawn Pittman

Coach/Team Manager | Jenny Lui

Head Strength & Conditioning Coach | Ian Jones

Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach | Michaela Staniford

Head Performance Analyst | Dave Gardner 

Team Doctor | Terence Cronin

Head Athletic Trainer | Bri Arsenault

Assistant Athletic Trainer | Amie Kern

Assistant Athletic Trainer | Jade Callan

Support Manager | Frank Palumbo