USA Women’s Eagles Traveling Squad announced for WXV 1 in British Columbia

Fri, Sep 13, 2024, 4:05 PM
TD
by Taylor Dean
John Cowpland
John Cowpland

Head Coach Sione Fukofuka announced today the 30-player squad selected to travel to WXV 1 in British Columbia. The team heads to Vancouver for their three-match series, where they will play England, France, and Ireland. 

Captained by Kate Zackary, the squad includes returning legend Hope Rogers, who rejoins the squad for the first time since their Pacific Four Series win against Australia in May. Alev Kelter comes into the 15s squad for the first time since the Rugby World Cup 2022. Following a bronze medal win at the Paris Olympics, Kelter begins working toward a berth at the Rugby World Cup 2025. 

Several athletes from the USA Women’s Sevens program also join the Eagles traveling roster. Kris Thomas joins after returning from Paris as a traveling reserve for the Olympic team. Cheta Emba, Atumata Hingano, Joanne “Nana’ Fa’avesi, and Summer Harris-Jones join Thomas from the sevens team. 

Newly capped Eagles Sophie Pyrz, Tessa Hann, and Emerson Allen head to Canada as well, each having earned their first international test cap in Japan last month for a two-match warmup series for WXV. 

The Eagles will convene this month in Bellingham, Wa at the de Wilde Rugby & Polo Fields for a preparation camp ahead of their first WXV 1 test against England on Sunday, September 29, kicking off 3:30pm ET on RugbyPass TV.

Comments from Head Coach Sione Fukofuka: 

“The squad was selected on the basis that WXV is a performance tournament for us, and we wanted to select the strongest squad we had available. The players selected from their Pacific Four Series and Japan form have demonstrated development in their physical, technical, and tactical ability, and we are excited to test them in WXV 1. Kris, Cheta, and Alev join us from the Sevens program ready to make their mark back in the fifteens game after a successful time with the sevens program. We also welcome back the experience and on field presence of Kate, Rachel, and Hope, excited with the leadership that provides the team.

Results are obviously important but we are also looking to continue to build key elements of our game and compete with the best teams in the world. We want to challenge ourselves to create a platform off our set piece and our ability to win collisions, and we want to keep expressing that Eagles DNA that the team wants to be known for.”

USA Women’s Eagles Traveling Roster | 2024 WXV
NAME CLUB EAGLES CAPS
Alev Kelter Loughborough Lightning 23
Alivia Leatherman Life West 5
Atumata Hingano USA Sevens 6
Bulou Mataitoga Loughborough Lightning 18
Cassidy Bargell Beantown RFC 2
Catie Benson Sale Sharks 45
Charli Jacoby Exeter Chiefs 29
Cheta Emba USA Sevens 9
Emerson Allen Life West / Rhinos 1
Emily Henrich Leicester Tigers 18
Erica Jarrell Sale Sharks 10
Gabby Cantorna Exeter Chiefs 30
Hallie Taufoou Loughborough Lightning 19
Hope Rogers Exeter Chiefs 47
Joanne "Nana" Fa'avesi USA Sevens 7
Kate Zackary Ealing Trailfinders 37
Kathryn Treder Loughborough Lightning 22
Keia Mae Sagapolu Leicester Tigers 11
Kris Thomas USA Sevens 11
Maya Learned Colorado Gray Wolves 13
McKenzie Hawkins Colorado Gray Wolves 17
Paige Stathopoulos Beantown RFC 10
Rachel Ehrecke Colorado Gray Wolves 15
Rachel Johnson Exeter Chiefs 29
Sophie Pyrz Life West / Rhinos 2
Summer Harris-Jones USA Sevens 4
Tahlia Brody Leicester Tigers 12
Taina Tukuafu Berkeley All Blues 10
Tess Feury Leicester Tigers 28
Tessa Hann Colorado Gray Wolves 1

USA Women’s Eagles Traveling Staff | 2024 WXV 1

Head Coach | Sione Fukofuka

Assistant Coach | Mel Bosman

Assistant Coach | Sarah Chobot

Team Doctor | Rebecca Rodriguez (Week 1)

Team Doctor | Marvin Valencia (Week 2&3)

Lead Physiotherapist | Emily Lauer

Physiotherapist | Sam Malette

Head of Athletic Performance | Charles Dudley

Performance Recovery Coach | Sylvia Braaten

Lead Analyst | Caitlin Singletary

Team Manager | Lindsay Wilson

USA Women’s Eagles WXV 1 Schedule

USA v England

Sunday, September 29, 2024 | 3:30pm ET 

Live on RugbyPass TV

USA v France

Saturday, October 5, 2024 | 3:30pm ET 

Live on RugbyPass TV

USA v Ireland 

Friday, October 11, 2024 | 3:30pm ET

Live on RugbyPass TV

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