Background & History

The Denver Onyx are a founding member of Women’s Elite Rugby (WER), based in the Glendale in Denver, Colorado. Following the announcement of WER in April 2024, the Denver Onyx team name and logo were announced in January 2025 alongside the other 5 founding WER teams. In addition to the name and logo, the Denver Onyx announced their ‘Foundational Five’, a group of 5 players that made up the team’s first signings. The Foundational Five for the Denver Onyx can be found below.

Evolving out of the Colorado Gray Wolves of the WPL, the Denver Onyx played their first ever professional game on 29th March, 2025 against the Bay Breakers, a 63-7 victory that would set the standard for their 2025 season. The Onyx dominated WER’s inaugural year and would have finished undefeated if not for one slip up late in the season. They finished 1st with a 9-1 record and 46 of a possible 50pts in the standings, 13pts ahead of 2nd place to secure their chance to compete for the first ever WER Legacy Cup. Facing the New York Exiles in the final, the Onyx went down 0-10 early before roaring back, recovering to a 24-13 lead at halftime and finishing with a 40pt, 53-13 victory to claim the Legacy Cup and be crowned the inaugural WER Champions!

The 2026 season got off to a rocky start of the Denver Onyx. They dropped their first game of the season to the Bay Breakers, but rallied to rattle off 9 straight victories and finish as the #1 team during the regular season, tying their 9-1 record from the 2025 season, racking up 45pts to finish 4pts ahead of the 2nd placed Bay Breakers. For the second year in a row, the Onyx would play for the Legacy Cup and for the 2nd season in a row, they would be facing the only team to defeat them that season. In front of a home crowd at Infinity Park in Glendale, CO, the Onyx raced out to a commanding 24-5 lead over the Bay Breakers, but had to dig deep to quash the Breakers’ comeback attempt as they were shut out in the second half but managed to hold on, securing a 24-17 victory and claiming a second successive Legacy Cup title!

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Foundational Five

• Erica Coulibaly
• Rachel Ehrecke
• Mckenzie Hawkins
• Maya Learned
• Tahna Wilfley

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records & Record Holders

2025 Legacy Cup Champions
2026 Legacy Cup Champions

All-Time:

Top Scorer: Alyssa Cunningham (79pts)
Top Try Scorer: KB Slaughter (14)
Most Appearances: Sheila Decker, KB Slaughter, Gianna Solomon (21)
Most Starts: Sheila Decker (20)

Single Season:

Top Scorer: Alyssa Cunningham (79pts – 2026)
Top Try Scorer: Soraia Parr (11 – 2026)

Historical Performance

2025: 9-1 (+367) – 46pts: 1st (Legacy Cup Champions)
2026: 9-1 (+249) – 45pts: 1st (Legacy Cup Champions)

Overall Regular Season Record: 18-2
Overall Legacy Cup Record: 2-0
Legacy Cup Appearances: 2 (2025, 2026)

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Head Coach & Captain

Head Coach:

• Sarah Chobot (2025-2026)

Captain:

• Rachel Johnson (2025)
• Kapoina Bailey / Carson Hann (2026)

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Logo

All of the WER logos and branding for the league’s inaugural season were co-designed by the league and British advertising agency MATTA. They were unveiled in January 2025. The Onyx logo is tied to Denver and Colorado’s mining history, taking their name from the Colorado rose onyx that is ‘featured in the foundation of the Colorado state capitol building and known for its colours that reflect a Colorado sunset’. The crest features gemstones of black onyx (also mined in Colorado) in contracting black and pink, with a subtle mountain at it’s base.

VEnue

The Denver Onyx played their home games at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado, an enclave within Denver that has been known as Rugbytown USA in the past. This 5,000 seater grass stadium was the home of the Raptors, who competed in Major league Rugby as the Glendale/Colorado Raptors from 2018-2020, and in Super Rugby Americas as the American Raptors from 2023-2024. Denver Onyx Head Coach Sarah Chobot served as Head Coach of the American Raptors from 2023-24, so is already familiar with Infinity Park.