The Midwest U23s are scouting once again, this time looking toward the women’s 15s tour to Wales this August. The first step in naming the travel squad occurs this weekend at the Midwest LAU tournament, hosted by Palmer College. Thunderbird head coach Steve Murra and assistant coach Roger Riley will evaluate players at the all-star event and invite standouts to the Midwest U23 Elite Camp in mid-May. That assembly's in Hartland, Wis., and will name the squad heading to Europe this summer.
The Wales itinerary is very similar to the one in 2013, except this year, a Rugby World Cup year, the Thunderbirds will attend the Wales vs. Ireland warm-up match. The coaching staff will assess players from five different states/regions this weekend. Wisconsin is well represented, supplying two sides, while Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio and Prairie States will also play three matches this weekend.
Rosters for Wisconsin’s two sides and Minnesota are below. For those in the Davenport, Iowa, region, here is the women’s schedule:
| Midwest U23 LAU Tournament | ||
| Saturday, April 11 | ||
| Time | Field | Match |
| 9 a.m. | 1 | Minnesota v Wisconsin #2 |
| 10 a.m. | 1 | Iowa v Wisconsin |
| 12 p.m. | 2 | Ohio v Wisconsin #2 |
| 1 p.m. | 2 | Iowa v Prairie States |
| 4 p.m. | 1 | Ohio v Minnesota |
| 5 p.m. | 1 | Wisconsin v Prairie State |
| Sunday, April 12 | ||
| Time | Field | Match |
| 10 a.m. | 1 | Pool A #2 v Pool B #2 |
| 10 a.m. | 2 | Pool A #3 v Pool A #3 |
| 12 p.m. | 1 | Pool A #1 v Pool A #1 |
| WISCONSIN A | WISCONSIN B | MINNESOTA |
| Brittany Aprahamian - Wisc WRFC | Elizabeth Bellis - UW Madison | Claire Norman - Macalester |
| Megan Aprahamian - UW Madison | Danielle Bittner - UWSP | Kate Campbell - Mankato |
| Maggie Armstrong - UWSP (C) | Robin Blevins - UW Eau Claire | Kankemwa Green - Mankato |
| Emma Baumhofer UWSP | Heather Brickham - UWLC | Melissa Hargadine - Mankato |
| Alyssa Blavat - Milwaukee Scylla | Danielle Dunn - UW Milwaukee | Bailey Johnson - Mankato |
| Meagan Bodin - UW Stout | Samantha Dunn - UW Milwaukee | Brittany Tricarico - Mankato |
| Tandra Breitzman - UW Stout | Stacy Gajewski - UWSP | Shelby Wiederhoeft - Mkto |
| Jade Bricco - UWSP | Lauren Hay - UW Oshkosh | Elizabeth Bain - St. Cloud St |
| Samantha Bruni - Milwaukee Scylla | Maggie Hutchison - UW Madison | Amy Cross - St. Cloud St |
| Erin Gajewski - UW Oshkosh | Sarah Jelle - UWSP | Anne Jeske - St. Cloud St |
| Jennifer Glaser - UW Madison | Olivia Juel - UW Oshkosh | Hannah Kirkman - UM Duluth |
| Cassie Hoger - UWSP | Christine Juhas - UW Oshkosh | Rachel Aufdembrink - Minn. |
| Grace Hovde - Wisconsin WRFC | Sierra Kirby - UW Madison | Dalena Khothsombath - Minn. |
| Jade Koenigs - UW Madison | Kristin Kuhens - UW Eau Claire | Hayden Stuppnig - Minnesota |
| Katherine Kroening - UW Stout | Christine Leonard - UW Stout | Amanda Custode - Winona |
| Alex Murphy - UW Milwaukee (C) | Courtney McFarland - UWEC | Hanah DeMars - Winona St |
| Ari Ouim - UW La Crosse | Jenna Mehre - UW Madison | Lachen Esters - Winona |
| Alyssa Schragen - UW Whitewater | Lisa Moehlman - UWSP | Samantha Wilcox - Winona |
| Cassie Schultz - Kettle Moraine HS | Ashley Nemoir - UWSP | Megan Wolff - Winona |
| Kate Simon - UW Oshkosh | Tiffany Patrick - UW Whitewater | Patricia Harris - MN Valkyries |
| Claire Tomashek - UW La Crosse | Sara Polacek - UWSP | Holly Freeberg - Twin Cities |
| Bre Valenza - UWSP | Taylor Rozman - UW Madison (C) | Katana Howard - Twin Cities |
| Hayley VanDuyse-Secor - UWSP | Lauren Schlei - UW Milwaukee | Ariana Koras - Twin Cities |
| Katrina Wilz - UW Oshkosh | Drea Sortillon - UWSP | Joanna McElroy - Twin Cities |
| Erika Winner - UW Milwaukee | Rachel Stubes - UW Oshkosh | Ashley Nelson - Twin Cities |
| Justine Wypych - Wisconsin WRFC | Marissa Westaby - UW Stout | Debbie Stenoien - Twin Cities |
| Jacie Vonada - Twin Cities |
