Our projects in USA are supported by our Rugby Champions. These Champions work directly with the children and young people at our projects, offering hope and guidance to the children. Our Champions are often involved in our fundraisers, helping us to raise vital funds for the children at our projects.
Alycia Washington
Current USA player
Alycia Washington is an international rugby player for the USA Women’s National XVs Team. Alycia has been playing rugby since 2008 and was selected for her first international appearance with the USA U20 squad in 2010 and first senior side appearance in 2015 for the inaugural Super Series in Canada. Alycia received her first 15s international cap against England and was selected for the Rugby World Cup in 2017. Alycia plays her club rugby with New York Rugby Club for XVs and Scion Rugby Academy for 7s. To date, Alycia has 22 international caps with her focus on the Rugby World Cup in 2021. Alycia also enjoys refereeing and coaching high school/college and is passionate about growing rugby in the US.
Kristine Sommer
Current USA Player
Kristine Sommer is an international rugby player for the USA Women’s National XVs Team. Kristine has been playing rugby for 11 years and was selected for her first international appearance with USA Rugby in 2016 for the 7s circuit in Dubai. She received her first 15s international cap against Canada in 2017 and was selected for the Rugby World Cup in 2017.
Professionally, Kristine played full time for the London Harlequins in 2018-2019 in the Tyrrells League where they placed 2nd. To date, Kristine has 13 international caps with her focus on the Rugby World Cup in 2021. Kristine also plays for and captains the Seattle Saracens, a rugby club in Seattle, WA in USA. She’s been an active member since 2014.
Tiffany Faaee
USA 11 caps
Tiffany Faaee is an American rugby union player, debuting for the United States in 2015 and captaining the US Eagles to the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup. Having also played for the Samoan and New Zealand Rugby League teams, Faaee has significant experience and knowledge of the sport, allowing her to turn to coaching. From 2014 to her retirement as a player in 2017, she played in the Women’s Premiere League with the New York Rugby Club, captaining in 2016 and 2017 when they won the WPL Championship. She is now an Assistant Coach at Rugby United New York, which is a men’s Major League Rugby team, setting herself as the first woman to coach in men’s professional rugby in the country. Furthermore, she is the Director of the New York Rugby Youth Program.
Tiffany comments:
“I am excited for the opportunity to work with Atlas to help grow the game in the US and all over the world. Rugby helped me find my voice, and I am grateful and excited to join the movement to drive inclusiveness and gender equality through sport.”
Todd Clever
Todd Clever is a former professional rugby player who has played professional Rugby in New Zealand, South Africa, Japan, England and the USA. Clever Represented Team USA ‘The Eagles’ a record 100 times (76 XV’s caps and 24 7’s tournaments).
Todd has his own Todd Clever FOUNDATION, which is where he is able to give back to the sport, athletes and communities around the world, teaching and instilling the CORE Values of Rugby.
Don James Jr
USA 9 caps
Don was a tighthead prop who represented the USA 9 times, won the Collegiate title 4 times with the University of California, played in Ireland, at Harlequins and for Oxford in the Varsity Match. He also played high level football (the American kind). He is on the US Rugby Foundation Board of Directors and in the University of California Athletic Hall of Fame. He founded and runs a successful IT company with offices around the world.
Carlin Isles
Current USA player
Carlin Isles is an American Rugby Union player and Olympian, from Ohio, who plays for the United States National rugby sevens team. Isles is known for being the fastest rugby player in the world (100m PB of 10.13), and with 202 tries, Isles has the most career tries ever recorded for the United States.
Andrew Suniula
Andrew Suniula is a former professional Rugby Union and Rugby League player, having played in New Zealand, Australia, UK, Europe and the USA. Suniula has represented the USA Eagles XV’s 40 times including at the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups as well as having two 7’s tournament caps. He officially retired from the game in 2019.
Despite this, he is heavily involved in the US game at all levels – from grassroots community outreach programmes to coaching D1 Mens in Chicago and MLR Austin Gilgronis! Andrew is also a member of the International Athlete Council to the USA Rugby Board for the past four years.