Nominations for MA Sorensen Award Named
Nominations for MA Sorensen Award Named
Sixteen women collegiate rugby players have been nominated for the 2024-25 MA Sorensen Award.
This is the 10th year of the Sorensen Award, given annually to the top women's collegiate rugby player in the USA. The Award is presented by the Washington Athletic Club of Seattle, Wash., at a gala event in June, although the awardee is named before then.
Of the nine previous award-winners, all but the one non-American have been capped at either 7s or 15s.
Past Sorensen Award Winners
2016: Hope Rogers, Penn State. Rogers recently achieved 50 caps for the USA and is widely acknowledged to be one of the best props in the world.
2017: Ilona Maher, Quinnipiac. Probably the most famous women's rugby player in the world.
2018: McKenzie Hawkins, Lindenwood. The current USA flyhalf.
2019: Emily Henrich, Dartmouth. Current USA center/wing.
2020: Alex "Spiff" Sedrick, Life University. Current USA 7s co-captain and the player who scored the dramatic try to win the USA a Bronze Medal in the Paris Olympics
2021: Richell Stephens, Lindenwood. USA Olympian and now a coach.
2022: Idia Ihensekhien, Dartmouth. Now working in her home country of Canada.
2023: Keia Mae Sagapolu, Central Washington. Current USA Eagle prop and professional in PWR.
2024: Fred Tafuna, Lindenwood. Current USA Eagle and still at Lindenwood.
The MA Sorensen Award is named after MaryAnn (MA) Sorensen, who won a Rugby World Cup in 1991 with the USA and played in two more finals. She was a groundbreaking player, coach, and doctor, and remains a prime example of how high-level rugby players achieve on and off the field. MA Sorensen has been present at every Washington Athletic Club awards dinner to present the trophy that bears her name.
The nominees listed will be open to fan and team vote to help the Selection Panel create a list of finalists. From the finalists, the award winner will be decided by the Selection Committee.
2024-25 MA Sorensen Award Nominees | |
Tiana Albert | BYU |
Akilah Cathey | Brown |
Alyssa Cunningham | Sacred Heart |
Alexis Dallas | Wheeling |
Allexia English | Life University |
Emma Gamboa | Army |
Carly Lehman | Harvard |
Nikki Lynch | Brown |
Nina Mason | Life University |
Sia Meni | Dartmouth |
Tiahna Padilla | Harvard |
Jessica Postle | CWU |
Freda Tafuna | Lindenwood |
Cindy Taulava | Dartmouth |
Telesi Uhatafe | Southern Nazarene |
Anna Van Dyk | Quinnipiac |