Atlantis continues to grow, and later this week, the first-ever Girls U16 team will debut at the Las Vegas Invitational (Feb. 12-14). Twelve players hailing mostly from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York (with Colorado, Virginia and Wisconsin getting a representative apiece) will don the aquamarine and compete in the Girls High School 7s division.

Play Rugby coach Ryszard Chadick will be in charge, while Doylestown coach Stacy Mancuso assists and manages the squad. The players were selected mostly from coach recommendations; however, both coaches were familiar with several players from all-star squads and appearances at the New York 7s.

There are actually three Atlantis girls teams in operation this week: two in the “open” division and one in the elite. The U16s have a tough pool, which is composed of two Canadian sides – Mavericks of Alberta and Rugby Ontario – and Ft. Collins out of Colorado. Pool play will be contested on Thursday, and playoffs will follow on Friday. The Cup final will occur at 2:20 p.m. on Heritage Park field #2.

Below is an introduction to the 12 players comprising the first-ever Atlantis Girls U16 team:

Malery Wendy Billingy is one of two Brooklyn, N.Y., native suiting up for Atlantis at the LVI. The 15-year-old is a current student at High School of Fashion Industries and already has close to four years of rugby experience under her belt. Billingy is a diverse athlete: She’s developed her speed and agility through track & field, a penchant for physicality and bodily control through Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), and excellent hand-eye coordination through lacrosse.

Megan Bird comes from the rugby-rich Wisconsin high school league. The 15-year-old sophomore hails from Oak Creek and racked up some impressive accolades last season, being named to the 2014 Wisconsin All State team and 2014 Wisconsin Selects. Bird is also an accomplished track & field athlete, making the varsity squad her freshman year and competing in pole vault, 100m and 300m hurdles, and triple jump.

Jordan Cowan has rugby in her blood. The 15-year-old was born in South Africa, moved to Munich, Germany for seven years, and has been in the U.S. for the last four. The sophomore at Jefferson Township High School (N.J.) has spent the previous three years with Morris and the NJ Blaze, and plays numerous positions in both 15s and 7s. Cowan stays in the fall playing varsity field hockey.

Alex DiMarco is a three-sport athlete, captaining her travel soccer team, playing travel lacrosse, and of course, excelling at rugby. The 14-year-old is a freshman at Episcopal Academy (Pa.) and gets her rugby with Downingtown Rugby Club, which shares a healthy rivalry with Mancuso's team, Doylestown. The Rugby PA All Star is familiar with 7s and represented the select side at last year’s New York 7s.

Giovanna Ferguson is busy on and off the pitch. A junior at Brooklyn Technical High School (N.Y.), the 16-year-old has been playing some form of rugby since 6^th grade. Now, she captains the Play Rugby USA Academy – but not just the girls’ team. She looks after the boys and girls teams, and two playing captain (one boy, one girl) operate under her. A 15s flanker and 7s center, the natural leader has helped Play Rugby to a state title and two 7s summer series wins. She was also selected to the NJ/NY All Star team last summer.

Maya Grassi picked up rugby in sixth grade, thanks to her family: Her older sister played rugby and her dad coached. Now a freshman at Haverford High School (Pa.), the 15-year-old has developed into a solid scrumhalf and flyhalf, and was named a Rugby PA All Star. Grassi also plays softball.

Emily Henrich grew up watching her parents play rugby in upstate New York, and by six, she was playing flag for the Niagara Wasps in Canada. Now a freshman at Orchard Park High School (N.Y.), the 15-year-old had the unique honor of playing with her mother, Lisa Huff Henrich, on Olde Love at NY 7s (read more). Mom is an Atlantis alum, so when Emily takes the pitch in Las Vegas, the pair will be the first mother-daughter alumni to wear the aquamarine. Emily has carved out her own history, however, and is a competitive freestyle skier, and plays soccer and basketball for Orchard Park.

Allie Mennella picked up rugby when she was five years old, playing for the Montville (N.J.) Wanderers flag rugby program. The high school sophomore switched to tackle last year, and suits up for Morris in 15s and NJ Blaze during the 7s season. The dual-sport athlete (soccer) is familiar with winning, as Morris has won the previous two state championships and finished second at DII nationals, while NJ Blaze won the 2014 High School Challenge (the CRC-aligned 7s tournament).

Roxbury High School sophomore Jessica Nagie is another product of the Morris Rugby Club (N.J.). Now 15 years old, Nagie has been playing some version of the sport for 11 years, beginning with flag rugby at the tender age of six. She also plays the trombone and is involved in numerous musical pursuits.

Erin Scott-Williams is one of 14 players who will be representing Summit High School (Colo.) on various teams at the Las Vegas Invitational, but is the only one on the U-16 Atlantis side. One of the youngest of the group at 14, the freshman is the flyhalf on the Tigers’ JV side. Perennial state champion Summit is the winningest program in Colorado and has made numerous appearances at high school nationals under the tutelage of coach Karl Barth, an Atlantis and former USA U19 coach.

Alie Ramage got an unexpected start to her rugby career. Her only experience was watching her older sister, Kat (Atlantis #974 and junior Olympian), play for two years, when Tess Feury (Atlantis #971, Penn State star and junior Olympian) reached out. Morris was short a few players at a 2013 tournament in Maryland, and Feury asked Alie to drive out and boot up. A 15-year-old freshman at Roxbury High School (N.J.), Ramage also plays 7s with the NJ Blaze and continues to run track, play soccer and do gymnastics.

Elizabeth Wilson has been playing tackle rugby since 7^th grade, although her career started with touch at age eight. Now 15 years old, the West End Ruckette (Va.) was integral to the team’s state championship campaign last year and was named MVP of the 2014 Challenge Cup (Regional All Star Tournament) in Pittsburgh. Her talent didn’t go unnoticed, and she was the youngest player at the USA Stars & Stripes camp last year.

Below is a handy version of the information above, formatted for your phone. So if you find yourself on the sidelines and need to identify a player, check out the game-day program here or simply download the document below onto your phone.