As the USA finishes its Women's Rugby World Cup campaign in France this Sunday, the next generation of potential Eagles will begin its high-performance journey with the Women's Junior All Americans (WJAA). The high schoolers and collegians will converge on Buffalo, N.Y., on Aug. 17 before heading to Ontario for the two-game Can-Am Series against the Canada U20s. The WJAA pool is a quickly changing one, so here are some brief bios on the 26 players selected. 

Bridget Amoako began her rugby career in high school, playing with North Suburban in Minnesota. Upon enrolling at the University of Pennsylvania in fall 2013, the wing made waves throughout the Ivy League, becoming one of UPenn’s most dangerous finishers.

We most recently saw Ashlee Byrge in Seattle during the Serevi Cup competition. Suiting up for APEX 7s (alongside two other WJAAs on tour), the Herriman High School (Utah) graduate not only helped the team to the championship but was also named MVP. Byrge is a two-time High School All American (HSAA) and will continue playing with Davenport University’s varsity program.

Gabriella Cantorna is one of three Penn State players who made the travel squad. In 2013, she traveled to England with the WJAAs for the U20 Nations Cup and spent her first season with the Nittany Lions at scrumhalf, like her older sister, Elena.

Like Cantorna, Kyla Chipman is now entering her sophomore year at Penn State. The back row spent her youth playing rugby in Hong Kong, and when it came time for college, she applied to a slew of schools around the world. But it was Penn State rugby staff that helped Chipman with her ultimate choice.

Gioanna Cruz is one of the few rugby scholarship athletes on board. The flanker/center hails from Bronx, N.Y., and enters her sophomore year at American International College.

Sheila Decker is another two-time High School All American. A junior at Saranac Lake High School, the lock plays for the Adirondack Rugby Club.

Fifteen-year-old Lilly Durbin is the second in her family to be involved with the All Americans; older sister Johni Durbin opened up the fullback’s eyes to the possibilities. Fast and unintimidated, like many of her Fallbrook High School teammates, Durbin has already celebrated two national championships with the Warriors.

Frieda Fetuu is a familiar face and veteran in terms of camps and international matches with the WJAAs. A standout with the Vipers (formerly Lowland, in Utah), Fetuu impressed Tiger Cub coach (and former USA Women 7s coach) Julie McCoy during the Cancun 7s this past summer. The Tiger Cubs won that international tournament, and Fetuu improved immensely over the weekend.

Elizabeth Groff is one of two West Chester University representatives. Groff came up through the Downingtown ranks, earning all-state honors in 2013. Now a sophomore for the varsity program, the front row/flanker helped the Rams to a DI final four appearance last May.

Melissa Hargadine is another product of the well organized Midwest age-grade system, which is arguably the most active and engaging in the country. Hargadine boots up with Minnesota State – Mankato and gained some international experience when she represented the 2013 Midwest U19s in Canada.

If it feels like you’ve been hearing McKenzie Hawkins’ name forever, it’s because you have. The Maryville (Tennessee) flyhalf starting playing rugby when she was 11. The high school senior was named SMAC Player of the Year when she was a sophomore, and since then, has bagged two All American honors for her resume.

Danville Oaks (Calif.) is outputting some exciting talent, and young Mata Hingano is chief among them. Also a two-time HSAA, the forward was named MVP of the Stars and Stripes game thanks to her incredible work rate and creation of space. Hingano made room for some 7s, too, and joined APEX last weekend to a Serevi Cup championship.

Hedvig Karlsson is hard to miss at 6’2”, but her skill, which she’s been honing since she was 12 years old, is the main reason why she’s been a HSAA the previous two years. Having just graduated Provo High School, Karlsson was a recognizable force during the Stripes’ victory at the All American assembly this summer.

As one of the older players on the WJAA squad, Brianna Kim has played against good domestic competition. The Virginia senior has made a name for herself primarily in 7s, spending her summers with NOVA and benefitting from the depth of 7s Eagles still playing and/or coaching the team. The instruction paid off and Kim earned an all-tournament nod at last year’s College 7s Championship.

Maya Learned came very close to making the 2013 Women’s Junior All American team, which traveled to Europe for the U20 Nations Cup. Instead, the Glendale Raptor was named a non-travelling reserve, but she's getting her shot in 2014.

Katie Mueller honed her rugby skills at one of the best high school programs in the country: Catholic Memorial High School in Waukesha, Wisc. USA Women head coach Pete Steinberg played a big role in getting Mueller to Penn State, and now the junior lock is staring down DI national championship number three this year.

Where Penn State leads the colleges in terms of representatives on the WJAAs, the Vipers lead the high school-age teams. Etta MyLau is one of three Vipers making the trip to New York and Ontario, and the hard-running flanker, who has a penchant for 7s, will be in good company.

Azniv Nalbandian is a bit of an unknown in rugby terms. A senior at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, one is inclined to expect big things from the softball and ice hockey player. A year older, Nicole Heavirland hails from the same prep school, and the basketball star was highly sought after by various national team coaches. The academy also counts the Downer twins of Dartmouth 7s fame as alumni.

Danielle Ordway comes from varsity program Davenport University, soon to be Ashlee Byrge’s alma mater. In her freshman year, the wing led the Panthers in tries (19) and points (121), thanks to her background in soccer. She repeated those team-leading numbers in 7s as well.

Nikki Richardson is a senior at Stanford University, and is therefore, one of the older players on the WJAAs. However, she’s relatively new to the sport and really caught the Cardinal staff’s attention during the 2012 fall 7s season. Since then, she’s stepped into the flyhalf position and was most recently named a Pacific Mountain Rugby Conference West all star.

Friends with Cassidy Meyers, Ashley Rolsma finally caved to peer pressure and attended a Kent Crusaders practice during her junior year of high school. The soccer/basketball player fell in love with the game, and the Kentwood High School graduate is now heading to AIC for rugby, just like Meyers.

As Danville’s scrumhalf, Fina Toetu'u is at the center of it all. The high school senior is a two-time HSAA and recently helped the Oaks to a 5^th place finish at DI nationals. Last weekend, Toetu’u joined two WJAA teammates in Seattle, playing for APEX in its Serevi Cup championship run.

Abby Ellen Vogel has been pushing herself since 2010. From Yarmouth, Maine, the prop has played for the Portland women and all sorts of representative age-grade teams in the Northeast. Vogel has taken her talent to the west coast and is now entering her sophomore year at DI’s Cal.

Hope Wasserman is another one of those players who found a way to play. A recent graduate of Severna Park High School, Wasserman has been playing rugby with DII women’s club Severn River (home club to current Women’s Rugby World Cup Eagle Carmen Farmer) since she was in 8^th grade. She even plays with a couple of her high school teachers.

Although a sophomore at Cal, Caitlin Whiteside is one of the younger players on the squad, in terms of experience. Hailing from Los Angeles, the wing/fullback used her soccer and track & field background to become one of Cal’s best finishers last season.

A brace of West Chester athletes are wearing the red-white-and-blue next week, and Adriana Zeiders is one of the Rams’ most promising athletes. The sophomore center learned her rugby ABCs with Hempfield (Pa.) and played in all 18 games for WCU last year.