Breakout Star? Vogel's Rise Was Obvious To Coaches, Players, and Fans

10.29.2026Eagles

Bella Vogel was outstanding for the U20s.

Author: Alex Goff

Bella Vogel's rise to the USA national team has been noticed.

It was noticed early when it happened because GRR has been at (almost) every USA press conference and there have been a lot of questions about Vogel.

See the USA women and Bella Vogel play Friday, October 30 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ >>

Why? Because you don't normally a see a 19-year-old come straight onto the national team and get a starting position. And you certainly don't see that happen with a decision-making playmaker who has to tell older, more experienced, seasoned professionals what to do.

And yet, that's exactly what happened. Then Head Coach Jack Hanratty made sure Vogel didn't have time to wallow in post-match idleness. She played for the Falcons. She played for the U20s. She had to play. Being with the U20s allowed Vogel to unleash her athleticism and play more with the ball. Being with the Falcons allowed her to establish her communication skills with veterans under less pressure.

Everywhere, she did well. Why?

Look at this:

This is from 2023. What you see is unbridled joy, clear intelligence, confidence, and a desire to focus on skill. She was barely 17.

And that funnels all into the same word: Maturity.

"Having Bella with us provided so much leadership because she's just so comfortable in that situation," said USA U20 Head Coach Katie Dowty. "It was an intentional decision to bring her just to keep accelerating her growth and getting her meaningful minutes. I thought she played brilliantly."

Life University players line up for the National Anthem at the 2025 Fall Classic. Photo Calder Cahill.

Life University's Nina Mason and Bella Vogel (middle two players) stand for the Anthem at the 2025 Fall Classic. Both will suit up for the USA Falcons against Life August 3. Photo Calder Cahill.

"Bella just coming straight in and having professionalism and confidence beyond her years ... I don't know what they're feeding them at Life University, but it's obviously generating a type of willingness to play and lead even in a new environment," said USA co-captain Georgie Perris-Redding. "And we've just we've really tried to not make it about age or experience. It's more about what they can do on the pitch and what they bring. And Jack's really developing their leadership and their voice as well. And they've been willing to to learn different ways to not just let their ability with the ball speak for them, but also use their voice literally and figuratively to sort of fill out those those playmaking roles for the team, so they've they've really done well in that area."

Playing flyhalf and inside center Vogel has helped spark the USA attack. Her goalkicking has been especially strong, which has helped them win games.

And now she has been named a nominee for World Rugby's Breakout Player of the Year. She is the epitome of that.

"I think it's a it's incredible individual accolade ... and sometimes you can you can you can feel that probably were were those athletes that maybe deserved a bit more recognition. But you could feel the energy and the happiness towards one of our own. I certainly texted Rysz [Chadwick, Life Head Coach] to congratulate him on on the accolade for Bella," said USA Head Coach Jack Hanratty. "From day one [with the Eagles] Bella commanded the room."

vogel usa u18g 2384 2024 46 04 tim anger — Bella Vogel for the USA U18s. Photo Tim Anger.

Early on the team was meeting and discussing how they split the field using music genres. The middle of the field is disco, and Hanratty asked for examples of a song that would fit for a play in the middle of the field. Vogel chimed up with a song title, Hanratty didn't know it, so, in front of everyone, Vogel just stood up and belted out the some.

That's when Hanratty realized that Vogel would have no trouble fitting in.

"This is a new era of which I have no problem in putting a number 10 or what's ended up being a number 12 on her back, and I think that first moment where you've got the confidence of a 19-year-old to go for points to take the lead against the Black Ferns in my own first test match and and her own first test match," continued Hanratty. "We just gave her the keys because this player had all this talent and just needed room to drive. And I think the buy-in from her teammates and just the the incredible athlete and ceiling that she has."

knightmare girls 2023 alex goff 2b — Vogel in high school playing for Knightmare Rugby in Pennsylvania. Photo Alex Goff.

Against South Africa, Perris-Redding saw Vogel make a decision and maybe she was checking for affirmation. Perris-Redding said to her: "you are so much better than you realize. You now have to own this #10 shirt, and whether you're 19 or 29 like you have to step into that, because you're going to be here for a long time."

Hearing about the nomination, Vogel brushed it off saying it couldn't have happened without her teammate.

"They make me look good," said the former Knightmare standout out of Pennsylvania. "My job is to make other people look good, but, hey, I just give the ball to Freda, and she runs through 10 people. Like that's kind of just how our team works. And I think that knowing that the recognition is like just the beginning of other awards for the entire team, and it's not just like a one-person thing."