Returning in 2026, The USA Rugby Women’s All Star Championship this year lands in the Midwest as eight rising-star squads from across the country head for Clearwater, MN to compete June 19-21.
The annual competition is an exciting partnership between USA Rugby High Performance and regional rugby programs to further develop the nation’s top talent and provide a first-rate tournament experience for the players.
USA Rugby Head of Women’s Player Systems and Development, Martha Daines said on the return of the championship, “The All-Star Championship has grown significantly over the past five years, with increased enthusiasm and investment from regional programs, tougher competition, and more interest from players.
“Competing at this level helps athletes develop their skills and recognize what it takes to play at the next level. Coaches from across the country connect with each other and with national team staff, contributing to greater alignment between regional and national programs. These aspects of the All-Star experience definitely benefit the women pathway. It's rewarding to see new talent - both players and coaches - succeed and contribute to a stronger future for USA Rugby.
“Many thanks to the St Cloud Bottom Feeders, Twin Cities Amazons, and Metropolis Rugby Club for their work to make this tournament a success this year.”
With a wide network of USA Rugby prospects living and competing across the country, the U23 All Star Championship engages a unique structure where players are regionally recruited to partner academies and select sides operating on a high performance level. With eight programs returning for 2026, this provides an opportunity for over 200 pathway players to continue their progress under USA Rugby National Team tutelage, and for new talent to hit the national radar. Equally, USA Eagles Head Coaches Emilie Bydwell and Jack Hanratty will be in attendance to support coach and leadership development; which includes a community coaching clinic from both during the rest day on Saturday, June 20.
Match play on day one will be a festival style round robin of three games for each team across two pools, competed over 40min. Final seeding points will be determined by 4 points for a win, 2 points for a draw, 0 points for a loss and bonus points for four tries tallied and losses less than seven. Following a rest day, Championship Sunday will compete in 80min matches.
| Friday, June 19 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Team One | Team Two | Field | Pool |
| 10:00am ET | (2) Midwest Thunderbirds | (7) MidAtlantic U23s | 1 | B1 |
| 10:00am ET | (1) Rocky Mountain Peaks | (8) Central South Mustangs | 2 | A1 |
| 11:00am ET | (3) New England Independents | (6) Pac South Griffins | 1 | B1 |
| 11:00am ET | (4) South Selects | (5) Pac Coast Grizzlies | 2 | A1 |
| 12:30pm ET | (1) Rocky Mountain Peaks | (5) Pac Coast Grizzlies | 1 | A2 |
| 12:30pm ET | (2) Midwest Thunderbirds | (6) Pac South Griffins | 2 | B2 |
| 1:30pm ET | (4) South Selects | (8) Central South Mustangs | 1 | A2 |
| 1:30pm ET | (3) New England Independents | (7) MidAtlantic U23s | 2 | B2 |
| 3:00pm ET | (2) Midwest Thunderbirds | (3) New England Independents | 1 | B3 |
| 3:00pm ET | (1) Rocky Mountain Peaks | (4) South Selects | 2 | A3 |
| 4:00pm ET | (6) Pac South Griffins | (7) MidAtlantic U23s | 1 | B3 |
| 4:00pm ET | (5) Pac Coast Grizzlies | (8) Central South Mustangs | 2 | A3 |
USA Women’s Eagles Head Coach, Jack Hanratty
USA Women’s Eagles Sevens Head Coach, Emilie Bydwell
| Sunday, June 21 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Match | Teams | Field |
| 10:00am ET | 7th Place Final | #7 vs #8 Seed | 1 |
| 11:45am ET | 5th Place Final | #5 vs #6 Seed | 1 |
| 1:30pm ET | 3rd Place Final | #3 vs #4 Seed | 1 |
| 3:15pm ET | Championship Final | #1 vs #2 Seed | 1 |
Team rosters will be posted next week ahead of kickoff.
