Blessing Okundaye

Georgia born, Manitoba raised Blessing Okundaye played in Women’s Elite Rugby during it’s inaugural season in 2025. She represented the Chicago Tempest for her entire WER career.

Blessing Okundaye earned her WER debut when she was named in the Chicago Tempest reserves for their Round 11 clash with the Twin Cities Gemini. Okundaye previously played with the Winnipeg Storm at club level and represented Team Manitoba at U18 level. The cousin of former NFL Defensive End Israel Idonije, She attended the University of Ottawa and played with the Gee-Gees throughout her time there.

NARDB Player #1,610

Samantha Brackett

Californian Samantha Brackett played in Women’s Elite Rugby during it’s inaugural season in 2025. She represented the Twin Cities Gemini for their entire WER career.

Samantha Brackett earned her WER debut when she was named in the TC Gemini reserves for their Round 11 clash with the Chicago Tempest. Brackett has previously represented the USA U23s in both 2022 & 2023, was included in the 2024 PAC4 and, more recently, participated in a USA Eagles Talent ID camp in January 2025. She has also represented both the Serengeti Elephants and San Clemente Rhinos in the Rugby Tens Championship.

Following the WER season, Brackett headed to Ireland to play with the Blackrock Women’s team in Dublin, and was included in the USA Eagles’ UK alignment camp in early 2026.

NARDB Player #1,609

Kaitlyn Sosa

New Zealand born Kaitlyn Sosa played in Women’s Elite Rugby during it’s inaugural season in 2025. She represented the Boston Banshees for their entire WER career.

Kaitlyn Sosa earned her WER debut when she was named in the Boston Banshees reserves for their Round 11 clash with the Bay Breakers. Hailing from Hamilton, NZ, Sosa attended Penn State and represented their rugby program through her time there. In June 2025, Sosa was named as part of a New England Independents side that took part in the 2025 Women’s U23 All-Star Championship in Quincy, MA.

NARDB Player #1,608

Lina Lomu

California native Lina Lomu played in Women’s Elite Rugby during it’s inaugural 2025 season. She represented the Bay Breakers for her entire WER career.

Signed as a reserve player for the 2025 season, Lina Lomu earned her WER debut when she was named in the Bay Breakers reserves for their Round 10 clash with the New York Exiles. She previously represented the Life West Gladiatrix and the Berkeley All Blues in the WPL.

NARDB Player #1,607

Monica Marquez

California native Monica Marquez played in Women’s Elite Rugby during it’s inaugural 2025 season. She represented the Bay Breakers for her entire WER career.

Signed by the Breakers in the back half of the 2025 season, Monica Marquez earned her WER debut when she was named in the Bay Breakers reserves for their Round 10 clash with the New York Exiles. She has previously played with the Berkeley All Blues in the WPL.

NARDB Player #1,606

Eden Kilgour

Ontario native Eden Kilgour played in Women’s Elite Rugby during it’s inaugural 2025 season. She represented the Bay Breakers for her entire WER career.

Signed by the Breakers in the back half of the 2025 season, Eden Kilgour earned her WER debut when she was named in the starting lineup for their Round 10 clash with the New York Exiles. Kilgour played with the Aurora Barbarians at club level, and played with the Canada U20s in their July tour in 2023. She has represented the Canadian Women’s 7s team in the SVNS series in Singapore, and represented them again at the Hong Kong Sevens in March 2025.

Kilgour recorded a hat trick in just her 3rd game for the Bay Breakers, a big 45-21 victory over the Chicago Tempest.

achievements:
  • Hat Trick: 2025 – Rd 12

NARDB Player #1,605

Lauryn Carlton

North Carolina native Lauryn Carlton played in Women’s Elite Rugby during it’s inaugural 2025 season. She represented the Boston Banshees for her entire WER career.

Signed by the Boston Banshees part-way through the 2025 season, Lauryn Carlton earned her WER debut when she was named in the Boston Banshees reserves for their Round 10 clash with the Denver Onyx. Carlton represented the Elon University Track & Field team, setting a school weight throw record of 60.8m and was a 2024 indoor CAA Champion in the weight throw. She played rugby with the Portland Pigs D2 side, as well as the Oregon Sharks at various National 7s tournaments and the 2025 Pac Coast Grizzlies U23 side,

NARDB Player #1,604

Brooklyn Vaifanua

California native Brooklyn Vaifanua played in Women’s Elite Rugby during it’s inaugural 2025 season. She represented the Boston Banshees for her entire WER career.

Signed by the Boston Banshees part-way through the 2025 season, Brooklyn Vaifanua earned her WER debut when she was named in the Boston Banshees reserves for their Round 10 clash with the Denver Onyx. At college level, Vaifanua represented the Life University Running Eagles, graduating in 2025 shortly before earning her WER debut. In 2022, she represented the USA U23s in the Garnet & Gold Classic, and represented them again in a 2-game series against Canada in 2023.

NARDB Player #1,603

Mikaela Hall

Tanzania-born prop Mikaela Hall played in Women’s Elite Rugby during it’s inaugural 2025 season. She represented the Denver Onyx for her entire WER career.

Mikaela Hall earned her WER debut when she was named in the Denver Onyx starting lineup for their Round 10 clash with the Boston Banshees. At college level, Hall played with Queen’s University of Charlotte, graduating in 2025. She was included in a 40-player USA training camp in January 2025, and toured Brazil with the USA Falcons in early June, shortly before making her WER debut.

Following the WER season, Hall headed to France to join the FC Grenoble Amazones in the Élite 1, the top tier of women’s rugby in France. She was named to the USA Eagles’ UK Alignment Camp in early 2026.

NARDB Player #1,602

Shalaya Valenzuela

British Columbia native Shalaya Valenzuela played in Women’s Elite Rugby during it’s inaugural 2025 season. She represented the Twin Cities Gemini for her entire WER career.

Shalaya Valenzuela was signed by the TC Gemini part-way through WER’s inaugural season. She earned her WER debut when she was named in the TC Gemini reserves for their Round 9 clash with the New York Exiles. At college level she played with the UVic Vikes, and has previously played with Abbotsford RFC in her native Canada. Internationally, Valenzuela and has represented the Canadian Women’s 7s team since 2022, earning an Olympic Silver Medal in the 2024 games in Paris.

NARDB Player #1,601