The USA Women’s Sevens National Team will compete for the first time since the conclusion of the 2020 World Series this month in Madrid, Spain. Head Coach Chris Brown has today named his roster for two weekends of international play happening Feb 19-21 and 26-27. The tournament will be broadcast LIVE on FloRugby.
A total of 16 players will travel for both weekends with Kris Thomas and Abby Gustaitis named as Co-Captains. Newcomers Sui A’au, Nia Toliver and Jaz Gray (No. 16) will join an experienced bunch as the squad takes the world stage for the first time in a year.
Head Coach Chris Brown said:
“It’s exciting that we finally get the chance to get back out and compete as a unit following a pretty frustrating last year. We have been developing well and the internal competition is only getting stronger. We see a strong belief come through as the group continues to mature. It will be an awesome couple of weeks back on the road allowing us to get a solid checkpoint 6 months out from the Games.”
Hosted by Spain Rugby, the Madrid tournament will feature six men’s and women’s senior national teams as the first Olympic preparation tournament of 2021. As planning for the next HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series continues, teams have begun formal preparation for the Games which are confirmed for Tokyo this July.
In accordance with COVID-19 safety mandates, testing and quarantine measures are required for all participants prior to entry and during their stay in Madrid. Daily symptom checks, monitoring and track and trace measures are also in place to minimize the risks of exposure to the virus.
Schedules and where to watch information will be announced in the coming week. In addition to a live stream, fans should follow @USARugby on Twitter and Instagram Story for event updates, news and scores during the tournament.
USA Women’s Sevens Roster
| PLAYER NAME | POSITION | HSBC TOURNAMENTS |
| Sui A'au | Prop | uncapped |
| Lauren Doyle | Flyhalf/Wing | 30 |
| Cheta Emba | Prop/Wing | 16 |
| Abby Gustaitis | Prop/Hooker | 12 |
| Nicole Heavirland | Hooker/Scrumhalf | 24 |
| Kristi Kirshe | Center/Wing | 8 |
| Ilona Maher | Center/prop | 12 |
| Kayla Canett | Scrumhalf/Flyhalf | 10 |
| Kasey McCravey | Hooker/Flyhalf | 4 |
| Alena Olsen | Scrumhalf/Flyhalf | 3 |
| Kristen Thomas | Hooker/Center | 26 |
| Nia Toliver | Prop/Wing | uncapped |
Reserves
| PLAYER NAME | POSITION | HSBC TOURNAMENTS |
| 13. Stephanie Rovetti | Flyhalf/Wing | 6 |
| 14. Naya Tapper | Wing/Prop | 21 |
| 15. Nana Fa'avesi | Scrumhalf | 19 |
| 16. Jazmine Gray | Wing | uncapped |
USA Women’s Sevens Staff
Head Coach | Chris Brown
Strength & Conditioning | Matt Long
Athletic Trainer | Nicole Titmas
Team Manager | Liz Strohecker
Madrid Sevens Women’s Schedule (for USA)
- Feb 20
vs Poland | 5:44 AM ET
vs Kenya | 8:28 AM ET
vs Spain | 10:56 AM ET
- Feb 21
vs Russia | 4:44 AM ET
vs France | 7:50 AM ET
5th Place | 10:34 AM ET
3rd Place | 10:56 AM ET
Final | 11:40 AM ET
Watch LIVE on florugby.com
USA Women’s Sevens COVID-19 Safety Procedures
USA Women’s Sevens program reassembled in January following rigorous entry testing and quarantine process in accordance with local mandates and stringent protocols from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Programs utilize a robust contact tracing system to identify and minimize any exposure to the virus.
Protocols include:
- COVID-19 testing before and after a mandatory 3-day quarantine
- Antibody and echo cardiac testing
- Periodic testing and mandatory ‘Bubble’ re-entry in the event of travel or uncontrolled community exposure
- Daily symptom and temperature checks as mandated by the USOPC and Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center
- Additional internal daily wellness checks
- Assigned training groups implemented to reduce unnecessary close contact and limit transmission risk
- Maintain more than 6 ft distance from all staff
- Signed Training Agreement adhering to all safety rules
