July 17, 2017
USA Women’s Eagles Selected for Women’s Rugby World Cup
UPDATE | July 24
Tess Feury has replaced Annakaren Pedraza in the USA Women’s Eagles’ Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 squad.
Doug Coil
Women’s Eagles Head Coach Pete Steinberg selected 28 athletes for the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 in Ireland in August.
The Eagles, the seventh ranked team, will be in Pool B along with England, Italy and Spain at University College Dublin August 9-17 prior to the knockouts August 22 and 26 in Belfast.
The team includes seven players with previous World Cup experience in Kathryn Augustyn, Sylvia Braaten, Devin Owsiany, Naima Reddick, Hope Rogers, and Kimber Rozier, where they led the Eagles to a sixth place finish in the 2014 World Cup.
The are two Team USA Olympians in Alev Kelter and Jessica Javelet. They are joined by other Women’s Eagles Sevens team members Cheta Emba, Nicole Heavirland, Naya Tapper and Kristen Thomas. Fourteen of the women selected made at least one appearance on the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series during the 2016-17 season, Women’s Eagles Sevens Head Coach Richie Walker is also an Assistant Coach.
Women’s Premier League players include Kathryn Augustyn, Sylvia Braaten, Stacey Bridges, Tiffany Faaee, Deven Owsiany, Samantha Pankey, Christiane Pheil, Jamila Reinhardt, Hope Rogers, Alycia Washington and Kate Zackary.
Both Nicole James and Jessica Javelet will debut for the Women’s Eagles.
Pete Steinberg discussed the team with USA Rugby indicating that “With an experienced squad in 2014, we knew we had to get younger for this World Cup. The shortened cycle has made getting so many players the experience they need challenging. This is a group that will need to grow through the tournament to be able to play at our top potential. It is exciting, though, to see so many players going to Ireland that will be eligible in 2021.”
Steinberg’s staff includes former World Cup Eagle Liz Kirk as a forwards specialist, experienced strength and conditioning professional Ian Gibbons, Richard Ashfield as a skills coach, and a team of physicians and physiotherapists.
To learn more about supporting the Eagles’ journey to the World Cup, please click here.
USA Women’s Eagles
- Kathryn Augustyn Berkeley All Blues
- Catherine Benson Life West
- Sylvia Braaten Twin Cities Amazons
- Stacey Bridges Twin Cities Amazons
- Kayla Canett Pennsylvania State University
- Cheta Emba Women’s Eagles Sevens
- Tiffany Faaee New York Rugby Club
- Tess Feury Pennsylvania State University
- Jordan Gray Life West
- Abby Gustaitis Northern Virginia Rugby
- Nicole Heavirland Women’s Eagles Sevens
- Nicole James Houston Athletic Club
- Jessica Javelet Women’s Eagles Sevens
- Alev Kelter Women’s Eagles Sevens
- Deven Owsiany San Diego Surfers
- Samantha Pankey San Diego Surfers
- Sara Parsons Northern Virginia Rugby
- Annakaren Pedraza Lindenwood University
- Christiane Pheil Chicago North Shore
- Naima Reddick Seattle Saracens
- Jamila Reinhardt San Diego Surfers
- Hope Rogers San Diego Surfers
- Kimber Rozier Scion Sirens
- Kristine Sommer Seattle Saracens
- Naya Tapper Women’s Eagles Sevens
- Kristen Thomas Women’s Eagles Sevens
- Alycia Washington New York Rugby Club
- Jess Wooden Aylesford Rugby Club
- Kate Zackary San Diego Surfers
USA Women’s Eagles | Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017 Coaching Staff
Pete Steinberg – Head Coach
Peter Baggetta – Associate Head Coach
Richie Walker – Assistant Coach
Liz Kirk – Assistant Coach
Richard Ashfield – Assistant Coach
Ian Gibbons – Head of Physical Performance
Katie Gloyer – Physician
Michelle Look – Physician
Amy Valenta – Physiotherapist
Sarah Leslie – Physiotherapist
Bri Arsenault – Physiotherapist
Caitlin Singletary – Video Analyst
Julie Sutcliffe – Sports Psychologist
Amie Kern – Assistant Manager & Massage Therapist
Roshna Wunderlich – Manager
USA Women’s Eagles | Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017
v. Italy – Wednesday, Aug. 9 @ 11:30 a.m. ET
v. Spain – Sunday, Aug. 13 @ 9:45 a.m. ET
v. England – Thursday, Aug. 17 @ 9:30 a.m. ET
Semifinals – Tuesday, Aug. 22
Finals – Saturday, Aug. 26
