Bay Breakers Announce Their Foundational Five Players Ahead of the League’s Inaugural Season

Hallie Martin • February 5, 2025

WRITTEN BY Allison Smith, WER

UNITED STATES— Women’s Elite Rugby (WER), the first professional women’s rugby league in the United States, reveals their foundational five (F5) players for each of the six market teams in preparation for their inaugural season starting in March of this year.

Coming off the announcement of their team names and crests last week, WER continues to build on the momentum and excitement of the league by announcing foundational five players for each team. Each coach drafted five players for their team with the goal to build dynamic and diverse groups that span positions, but also have connections to the city and communities that they will play in. "We are thrilled to announce the foundational five players for each of our six market teams. Our head coaches selected foundational players of the highest caliber and talent in terms of their on pitch play and expertise but also their off pitch leadership and community connection to lead their teams this season. Additionally, these players have an enduring commitment to the game of rugby and continue to work to grow the game here at WER and beyond", said WER President Dr. Jessica Hammond-Graf .

Bay Area head coach Hannah Stolba named Olivia “OBH” Bernadel-Huey (Oakland, CA), Elena “E” Edwards (Long Beach, CA and Akron, OH), Celine Liulamag a (Auburn, WA), Jade McGrath (Toronto, ON, Canada), and Roxelle “Rox” Thomas (Houston, TX). Stolba brings a wealth of experience to the post as she has previously coached collegiately at the University of Colorado, Stanford University, and lead the Berkeley All Blues to a Women’s Premiere League (WPL) championship in 2022 followed by taking runners-up in 2023 and 2024. As a player, Stolba played in the WPL along with representing the USA Women’s National Team from 2009 to 2017 competing in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

Bay Breakers Foundational Five Players

Olivia Bernadel-Huey “OBH” grew up playing soccer and participating in martial arts and gymnastics before finding rugby and competing for their Bishop O’Dowd high school rugby team from 2011 to 2014. After high school, they went on to attend and play at Stanford University from 2014 to 2018. After college, OBH played a single season in Australia with the University of Adelaide Romas 7s team and a stint in New Zealand with the Cantebury FPC on their 15s squad. OBH continued to pursue rugby playing for the WPL’s All Blues Rugby team up until this past year. With the All Blues, OBH won the WPL championship in 2022 and were back-to-back runners-up in 2023 and 2024. For the Bay, OBH can play the fly-half and fullback positions, and Coach Stolba is particularly looking to her competitive spirit and skill to drive the team stating, “They have played at an incredibly high standard all over the world and have grown into their own as a cornerstone of the All Blues Rugby program over the last couple of years. They are a top tier competitor who can "get their legs" on defense as well as use their swerve to break any line on attack. I look forward to seeing OBH lead the Bay Area team with their exceptional on-field communication, and, of course, hearing DadBH cheering us on from the sidelines."

Elena Edwards or E has played rugby since high school at her alma mater Highland High School from 2004 to 2007 while also being a multi-sport athlete including volleyball, cross country, and tennis. After high school Edwards attended Bowling Green State University in Ohio from 2007 to 2012. After college, Edwards became a member of the Berkeley All Blues, one of the WPL’s original and long standing teams. In her rookie year with the squad, Edwards won her first WPL championship and followed it up with runner-up accolades alongside her then and now teammate OBH in 2023 and 2024. As the veteran on the roster and front-row power presence playing either the loosehead prop, tighthead prop, or second row/lock, Coach Stolba will look to Edwards to lead a team full of young and seasoned players alike. She asserted, "E has been a stalwart in the WPL for over a decade. This last year she finished her WPL career at 83 games, which is an incredible number of high-level matches. I am excited to have her as a cornerstone of the new WER Bay Area team. Elena is the type of player that young athletes can look up to on and off the field. She is a front row wizard and a formidable ball carrier. She has quietly gone about an exceptional rugby career, and I'm excited that, by being named as a foundational player, she will be in the spotlight."

Before Celine Liulamaga found rugby they were a competitive volleyball player having competed for Auburn High School from 2010 to 2016, as well as playing with Club Wahine out of Des Moines, Washington. They began playing rugby in 2016 for Rainier Highlanders Rugby Club before attending and playing at the University of Washington from 2017 to 2022. After college, Liulamaga played for Seattle Rugby Club in 2023 but has seen regular 7s and 15s matches for Pacific Northwest Womxn’s U23 Selects, Pacific Coast Grizzlies U23 All-Stars, the Washington Athletic Club 7s, and Seattle Touch Rugby. Although a younger player, Stolba views Liulamaga ability to play the hooker, loosehead prop or tighthead prop as an asset to her squad, "After working with her through the Pac Coast U23 program, Celine Liulamaga was one of the first players I thought of for the new Bay Area team. A young player who demonstrates both composure and confidence, WER was built for Celine. She has a great skill set and represents the caliber of player that deserves an opportunity to grow and be challenged at the next level. Her ball skills are exceptional, which I imagine comes from her competitive cup stacking background. I'm sincerely looking forward to seeing her flourish and watching the impact she has on the team as a whole."

Jade McGrath was a standout athlete in high school having competed in varsity softball, basketball, volleyball and also running the 800 in track and field. After high school McGrath moved to the east coast where she attended college and played rugby at Boston College from 2014 to 2018. After college she continued her pursuit of excellence in rugby by playing for Boston Women’s Rugby Club in 2016, DC Furies in 2018, the national second team, USA Falcons in 2018. She then went on to play a combination of P7s for the Experts in 2021, Scion Rugby since 2017 where she was the club 7s MVP in 2021, Galaxy Touch DCA since 2018 where she made the All-Star Team in 2021, and the Balkan Honey Badgers Rugby 10s since 2023. She also played and won a championship with the All Blues Rugby team in 2022 and played for the team the past two seasons, earning her a spot in the 2023 WPL All Stars. Additionally, McGrath has been honored as one of the 2024 Women’s Rugby Coaches and Referees Association (WRCRA)’s 15 under 30 award recipients. "Over the past three years, Jade has made her mark as one of the best centers in the country. I don't think anyone in the rugby world would be surprised with Jade's inclusion in this foundational five. Beyond her rugby skill, she is a steadfast leader and an exceptional teammate. I'm excited to see what she can do as she takes her game to the next level in the WER. I have no doubt that her teammates will follow her lead as she elevates the game in the Bay Area", detailed Stolba.

Rox Thomas, a member of the Saint Mary’s College rugby team from 2018 to 2022 has seen quick success in the sport of rugby by making the USA U23 team in 2022, the U23 regional team from 2022 to 2024 in the Pac Coast and Rocky Mountain regions. In 2022, she joined Lifewest rugby as part of the WPL, where she served as co-captain of the team this past season. As a F5 addition to WER Bay Area Thomas can play the second row/lock, blindside flanker, openside flanker and eight-man positions. In selecting Thomas to her team, Stolba stated, "Roxelle is the quintessential hard worker, and I am thrilled to have her leading the Bay Area WER team. I have been lucky to watch Roxelle play and thrive over the last couple of years at the WPL level and worked with her during the Pac Coast U23s 2023 season. She has a great, well-rounded skill set and is an excellent rugby player. But more than anything, I have been blown away by her poise and leadership. A true teacher, she is wise beyond her years. Roxelle will truly be foundational to the Bay Area team."

About WER

After the 2022 “Ignite the Change” campaign which sought to professionalize women’s rugby in the United States from the former player run and operated amateur league (WPL), Women’s Elite Rugby was founded and formed. The league announced their official launch in 2024 with the inaugural season starting in March 2025 centering six teams in Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York, San Francisco Bay Area, and Twin Cities featuring 180 athletes.

For more information, please contact:
Women’s Elite Rugby
inquiries@womenseliterugby.us

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Women’s Elite Rugby Announces Partnership with DAZN for Global Broadcast Rights

March 28, 2025

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The league announced their official launch in 2024 with their inaugural season starting in March 2025 centering six teams in Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York, Bay Area, and Twin Cities featuring 180 athletes. The mission of the WER is to be the defining standard of rugby in the United States. WER is structured on the stable foundation of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), a national, amateur pay-to-play model, high level rugby competition established in 2009. With the creation of Women’s Elite Rugby, world-class women’s rugby will be ushered into the next stage of its evolution and will take women’s rugby in the United States to new heights. For further information visit: https://www.womenseliterugby.us/ .

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IDA Sports Become Official Footwear Partner Of Women’s Elite Rugby

March 12, 2025

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Women’s Elite Rugby Announces Partnership with Destination Sport Group

March 10, 2025

UNITED STATES (March 10, 2025) – Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) is thrilled to announce a new multi-year partnership with Destination Sport Group , as the leading sports travel management company becomes the Official Travel Partner of the premier women’s rugby league in the United States. Destination Sport Travel, the group’s specialist travel management division, will provide proactive support to WER and its six clubs, coordinating flights, accommodation and logistics for travelling teams, alongside business travel support for staff and executives. Launching its inaugural season in March 2025, Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) is set to be an exhilarating new league featuring six professional teams competing across the U.S. The first game of the WER season is Saturday, March 22 with the New York Exiles hosting the Boston Banshees at Memorial Stadium in Mt. Vernon at 4pm (EST). The regular season will run March 22 through June 14 with matches being played on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. To see the full schedule and purchase tickets, please visit the WER website: https://www.womenseliterugby.us/2025-schedule. As the partnership evolves, Destination Sport Group will also work with WER to create touring opportunities for grassroots rugby-playing organizations and fan travel experiences via its inspiresport and SportsBreaks brands. “Women's Elite Rugby is thrilled to partner with travel industry leader Destination Sport Travel for all of our travel needs for the season,” said Jessica Hammond-Graf, WER President. “This collaboration will not only provide seamless travel solutions for our teams, but it also demonstrates DST's commitment to rugby and the growth of women's sports. We are proud to call them our partners as we launch our inaugural season.” Destination Sport Group operates across North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, establishing itself as a global leader in sports travel management. The company boasts significant involvement in professional rugby globally, including existing partnerships with Major League Rugby and elite clubs, national teams and governing bodies around the world. President of Destination Sport North America, Jeremy Parkins, added: “We are proud to be a major partner of rugby’s global footprint. Our partnership with Women’s Elite Rugby continues to exemplify our priority in the growth of Women’s sports and the sport of Rugby. In North America, we’re committed to playing our part through our successful partnership with Major League Rugby and we are eager to replicate this success with Women’s Elite Rugby.” For media members interested in speaking to a WER representative about the partnership with Destination Sport Group or any other topics regarding the league, please contact Sam Pell at wer@lindarothpr.com. For the latest news and update, follow WER on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. About WER Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) is the first American professional women’s rugby league. The league announced their official launch in 2024 with their inaugural season starting in March 2025 centering six teams in Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York, Bay Area, and Twin Cities featuring 180 athletes. The mission of the WER is to be the defining standard of rugby in the United States. WER is structured on the stable foundation of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), a national, amateur pay-to-play model, high level rugby competition established in 2009. With the creation of Women’s Elite Rugby, world-class women’s rugby will be ushered into the next stage of its evolution and will take women’s rugby in the United States to new heights. For further information visit: https://www.womenseliterugby.us/. About Destination Sport Group Destination Sport Group (DSG) is a global leader in sports travel, offering a range of best-in-class services to teams, governing bodies, organisations and fans worldwide. Comprising seven specialist divisions, DSG offers a comprehensive solution including travel management for elite sports organisations, fan travel experiences, youth sports tours, branded travel and hospitality experiences, and mass participation event travel. With 400+ employees across UK and Europe, North America, Middle East, Asia and Oceania, Destination Sport Group combines local insights with global expertise.