USA Women’s Sevens co-captain is ending her rugby career on a high note, announcing her retirement weeks after winning the USA’s first bronze medal in rugby sevens at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
From Boody, Illinois, Doyle graduated from Meridian High School, where she played volleyball, basketball, soccer, and ran track. She was recruited to play varsity rugby at Eastern Illinois University, where she played for four years to become a national standout.
Soon after, Doyle was invited to residency with the USA Women’s Sevens team, where she made her SVNS series debut at Dubai 2012. In her 12-year career with USA Sevens, Doyle has become one of the more tenured players in the program’s history. She stepped into her first role as captain at 2016 Dubai Sevens, and has served as co-captain alongside Naya Tapper since then.
Serving as the leading try scorer during the Olympic qualification campaign at the 2015 NACRA Sevens Championships, Doyle also helped her squad win a silver medal at the 2015 PanAmerican Games in Toronto. In 2016, she was selected to Team USA’s 12-player roster for the 2016 Rio Olympics, and again for the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games.
In her 12-year career spanning three Olympics, two Rugby World Cup Sevens, and two PanAmerican Games, Doyle’s impact on and off the pitch will resonate for years to come.
“Since 2009, when rugby found me, I decided I was going to pour my heart and soul into this sport. I had no idea what it would give me and it did not disappoint. A girl from Boody, Illinois, that traveled the world, faced wins and losses, endured injuries, got some medals but, most importantly, it gave me a family. I love every single teammate I’ve had. They motivated me in ways I can’t explain and showed me unconditional love.
While I’m excited about the next chapter of my life, these years have been the best of my life and it’s going to be hard to top. I’m sad rugby is a game you can’t play forever, but grateful for all it has given me. Although it’s bittersweet to end this chapter, I couldn’t have asked for a better conclusion to my career. So I say goodbye to rugby and hello to trying to find my value and worth in the real world.”
"When my playing days were wrapping up, Lauren’s were just beginning. Lauren has been an immensely impactful player and leader for this team over the last 12 years. She’s been involved in so many great moments, the Olympic debut in Rio, the team’s first win in Biarritz, the team’s second win and first home win at Glendale, best-ever series placing in the 2018-19 season, countless podium finishes, and now an Olympic bronze medal.
Lauren has so sacrificed so much of her life for this team and has put her body on the line time and time again. She’s led from the front through her actions and her work ethic, even in the lsat weeks of training before the Olympics she was still pushing herself to be best possible leader for this team.
The amount of work, diligence, sacrifice and commitment to be the best you ever have been physically going into the end of your career ins commendable.
Lauren has put so much time into being the best leader possible. It has been amazing to see her grow and thrive in that captaincy role with Naya."
