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U20 Women Face Peers in July Series Up North

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U20 Women Face Peers in July Series Up North

the U20s played a lot of defense last year vs Queen's University and U. Ottawa. Photo USA Rugby.

The USA U20 women will be in action this summer and that's the good news; the even better news is that they will be playing much more appropriate competition than they did last year.

Playing against two top Canadian college teams in 2022 was good education, but resulted in some lopsided losses and not a lot of chances to work with the ball in game situations. This time around, the Junior Eagles are back in Canada but playing Canada and Wales.

“Our roster has a great blend of pathway experience, with players coming from 17 different clubs," said USA Women’s U20s Head Coach Joel Bonnaud. "As a result, I’m looking forward to seeing how they will utilize our structure on and off the field to come together, leverage our camp theme to take ownership, and eventually grow as decision makers. Competing against age-grade peers from other countries is critical to our players' development. It allows them to discover new styles of play, gauge where they stand on the international scene, assess the work to be done on their pathway so they can be successful when they reach the senior squad.”

The USA team is made up mostly of college players, but three high-schoolers, twins Olivia and Reese Woods out of Eagle HS in Idaho, and Falbrook (Calif.) star AJ Haughey, are also on the roster. Harvard freshman sensations Tiahna Padilla and Lennox London, products of Fallbrook and Charlotte, respectively, headline a talented group that also includes Davenport scrumhalf sensation Ashley Cowdrey (Sparta Rock).  

USA Women’s U20s Roster for 2023 Trip to Canada
PLAYER NAME CLUB/SCHOOL
Akilah Cathey Brown University
Amelia Clarke Princeton University
Ashley Cowdrey Davenport University
Cassidy Dugdale Quinnipiac University
Jordan Duncan Dartmouth College
Alissa Eisenhart Army West Point
Amelia Gibson Lindenwood University
Hattie Greenwood The Rugby Advantage
Kambria Hartrick BYU
Emma “AJ” Haughey Fallbrook HS, CA
Lennox London Harvard University
Nikki Lynch Brown University
Sia Meni Dartmouth College
Winnie Namosimalua Central Washington University
Cecilia Ollis Army West Point
Tiahna Padilla Harvard University
Sadie Schier Dartmouth College
Salome Schmitt Queen's University
Ella Slaby Bowdoin College
Jay Stone Queen's University
Cindy Taulava Sydney University, Australia
Kerena Tinoisamoa Central Washington University
Sereana Vulaono Chicago Lions
Katelyn Walker Dartmouth College
Reese Woods Eagle High, Idaho
Olivia Woods Eagle High, Idaho

The three-team series will be played July 4-13. The game July 8 will be a curtain-raiser for the Pacific 4 senior women's test matches at TD Place.

July 4, 6:30PM ET
USA vs Wales, Twin Elm Park, Ottawa

July 8, 12PM ET
USA vs Canada, TD Place, Ottawa

July 13, 6:30PM ET
Canada vs Wales, Twin Elm Park, Ottawa