CHULA VISTA, Calif. – Members of the Women’s Eagles Sevens traveled to the South Pacific as the Serevi Selects this week to prepare for Fiji’s Coral Coast Sevens tournament.
The Selects, funded by Serevi Rugby and the United States Embassy, are coached by Richie Walker and will compete against 15 other women’s teams from around the world over the course of three days of competition.
A top-two finish in Pool S with Lautoka, Nadi Blazers, and Redlands is a minimum requirement for the Serevi Selects, who arrived in Nadi Tuesday. Matches begin Thursday, Nov. 13, and culminate in the Cup Final Saturday, Nov. 15, at 5 p.m. local time.
The Eagles’ top point-scorer for the 2013-14 IRB Women’s Sevens World Series, Victoria Folayan, is one of the 12 women selected from the Olympic Training Center for the Serevi Selects. The athletes will also visit schools during their time in Fiji in conjunction with the U.S. Embassy.
The 2014-15 IRB Women’s Sevens World Series has yet to begin like the men’s, though it holds the same importance – should the Eagles finish in the top four at the end of the six-leg Series, they will qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games.
Serevi Rugby has sponsored teams for Coral Coast Sevens in previous years, including 2013, where the Selects won the Plate. Serevi Rugby also supported the Eagles’ trip to Alaska this summer and continues to run the USA Rugby Academy training camps across the country to help identify future Eagles and Olympians.
Last week, USA Rugby announced additions to its Olympic Development Academy. The Serevi Institute in Seattle and San Diego is expanding to accommodate more female athletes and to fall in line as a National Development Academy.
“We are thankful for all the support that Serevi Rugby and the U.S. Embassy have provided us,” Eagles Head Coach Ric Suggitt said. “This is a great build-up in our preparation for the start of the Women’s Sevens World Series.”
The Sevens Stadium will host the Emirates Dubai Rugby Sevens the first weekend of December for both the men’s and women’s Series. The Eagles in Fiji this week will use Coral Coast Sevens as a warm-up, while those in Residency at the Olympic Training Center will continue to train with Suggitt and his coaching staff.
Follow @coralcoast7s on Twitter for event updates and visit the event website for up-to-date fixtures, results, and standings.
Serevi Selects | Coral Coast Sevens
Megan Bonny
Lorrie Clifford
Lauren Doyle
Victoria Folayan
Melissa Fowler
Kelly Griffin
Kathryn Johnson
Alev Kelter
Hannah Lopez
Dana Meschisi
Jane Paar
Amelia Villines
Serevi Selects | Coaching Staff
Richie Walker - Coach
Nicole Titmas - Trainer
