Chicago Tempest 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), which will be 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 .

For Chicago, head coach Bryan Colbridge designated Anabel Diaz (Chicago, IL), Emma Farnan (Bay Shore, NY), Cienna Jordan (Carmel, IN), Betty Nguyen (Chicago, IL), and Kadie Sanford (West Branch, MI) as his foundational five core players. Colbridge brings a wealth of experience to the post as he played for 27 years in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Additionally, Colbridge coached both men and women at Taita College in New Zealand before moving to the US and coaching rugby at the club and collegiate level in Memphis, TN since 2016.

Chicago Tempest Foundational Five Players

Anabel Diaz, a Chicago native will be a dynamic and multifaceted player for Chicago Tempest as she can play the loosehead prop, tight end prop, second row/lock, openside flanker, and eight-man positions for the squad. A former track and field and CrossFit athlete, Diaz began playing rugby later in life as there were not as many options for her in the Chicago urban school system. She is a staple of midwest rugby, having played for the Chicago Sirens, Chicago Lions, Chicago North Shore, and Midwest Thunderbirds programs. Diaz also brings national and international team experience to Colbridge’s roster as she has played for Mexico Women’s National Team, Las Serpientes. “As a front rower for Mexico, Anabel brings experience from the National stage to the table. It is important for us to be assertive in the set piece and Anabel will definitely give us a strong start in that regard”, asserted Colbridge.

Emma Farnan from Bay Shore, New York is the definition of a multi-sport athlete having played soccer (Goalie), wrestling, track/cross country, baseball, softball, field hockey, tennis, golf, basketball, and swimming all before landing on rugby as her main sport and passion. Just as she is versatile in her sport experience, she brings position diversity to Chicago Tempest as she is able to play the wing, center, outside center, and fullback positions for the team. Farnan played collegiate rugby at Notre Dame from 2019 to 2022 before finding her way to the WPL in 2022 playing for Chicago North Shore until 2024. She has had stints with the Southern Headliners 7s in 2022 and 2023. Colbridge is excited to welcome Farnan to his squad due to her depth stating, “Emma brings a dynamic skill set and offers strength and depth across the whole backline. This is huge for us as we will have a lot of out-of-market players and adaptability is going to be crucial as we start to build connections and chemistry. I'm pretty sure that she could wear any jersey number and lift its legacy.”

Cienna Jordan from Carmel, Indiana is a former basketball high school All-American, volleyball, and track athlete whose experience and stint in women’s elite rugby began by happenstance while studying abroad at the University College London. Jordan more recently played for the former WPL’s Chicago Northshore from 2022 to 2024 where she was named an All-Star in 2023, as well as the Chicago Green and Gold 7s from 2022 to 2024. She was also recently named a USA Senior National 7’s Pathway member in 2024. Again, the theme for Colbridge’s selections was flexibility and adaptability as Jordan can play the wing, outside center, and fullback positions. When describing what makes Jordan a valuable asset to his roster, Colbridge touted, “[Jordan is] lightning in a bottle, Cienna brings speed and agility and is physical on both sides of the ball. The fact that she is in the USA 7s pathway is a testament to what she can offer on the field.

Betty Nguyen, a native Chicagoan, played high school football at Walter Payton College Prep school and was the only girl on the varsity team before playing rugby at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Nguyen is well acquainted with the sport of rugby as a player and a coach. She played for the WPL’s Chicago Northshore from 2014 to 2018 before joining the Chicago Lions in 2019 alongside then and now teammate Diaz. Nguyen can play the scrum-half, wing, outside center, and fullback positions, but is also known for her leadership as she was awarded captain of her Lion’s squad in 2023. Her coaching stints include Loyola University and winning the 2022 National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) Small College 7’s National Championship with the University of Chicago in 2022, as well as other accolades and coaching stretches at the club and youth levels. In selecting Nguyen, Colbridge said, “Betty is an energizer and a real glue athlete. Having somebody that can galvanize a squad and make everybody feel uplifted is a huge asset for any team. Not only that but Betty also helps give us depth and will really challenge for a back three jersey.”

Kadie Sanford, from West Branch, Michigan began her sport career playing softball for over a decade before moving into rugby. Again, keeping in line with Colbridge’s design for a team filled with depth, Sanford can play the loosehead prop, tighthead prop, second row/lock, blindside flanker, openside flanker, and eight-man positions. Sanford played for the University of Michigan women’s rugby football club from 2006 to 2010, Detroit women’s rugby football club from 2011 to 2012, before joining the Chicago North Shore in 2013 and playing until this past season. In 2023, she was named the Most Valuable Player of the WPL’s All-Star Game in a season that also earned her Dream Team honors at the front row, second row, and loose forward spots. “Kadie is a warrior. Not only is she tough as teak, but she also has Chicago in her bone marrow. Over 50 caps for Chicago North Shore in the WPL is a heck of an achievement. Every team needs someone to follow into battle and I cannot think of a player better suited to lead this team”, claimed Colbridge.

About WER

To learn more about the team’s foundational five players, please follow WER on their social media platforms @rugbyevolved or check out the league’s website at https://www.womenseliterugby.us/. After the 2022 “Ignite the Change” campaign seeking to professionalize women’s rugby in the United States from the former Women’s Premier League Rugby player-run and operated amateur league, Women’s Elite Rugby was founded and formed. 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.

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

Fans will be able to watch all WER games live and on-demand for free only on DAZN UNITED STATES (March 20, 2025) – Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) , the first professional women’s rugby league in the United States, is proud to announce a groundbreaking media partnership with DAZN, the leading global sports entertainment platform, to bring all the action from the inaugural 2025 season to fans across the country and around the world. With this partnership, DAZN’s platform becomes the only place for fans to enjoy all Women’s Elite Rugby games live and on-demand for free, alongside an exclusive, new mid-week highlights program. Women’s Elite Rugby joins DAZN’s extensive offering of women’s sport content, enjoyed by fans worldwide. DAZN holds the largest portfolio of women’s football rights in the world including the UEFA Women’s Champions League, Liga F, Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga, Arkema Première Ligue and Serie A Femminile. DAZN also broadcasts top-tier women’s basketball, tennis and volleyball competitions in select markets. “We are thrilled to enter into this media partnership with DAZN,” said Jessica Hammond-Graf, President of Women’s Elite Rugby . “This collaboration marks a major milestone for Women’s Elite Rugby as we continue to grow the sport and provide a platform for our talented athletes headed into our inaugural season. With the combined reach of DAZN, we are excited to deliver top-tier women’s rugby to a global audience and bring the game to new fans around the world.” 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 3pm (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 . "DAZN’s partnership with Women’s Elite Rugby means that fans around the world eager to watch the inaugural season of this exciting competition can do so for free, alongside other premium women’s sports,” said Esmeralda Negron, Co-CEO of Women’s Sports at DAZN . “DAZN is committed to growing the reach and popularity of women’s rugby, having already set the standard for sports entertainment and the global broadcasting of premium women’s football." DAZN’s unrivalled scale, global footprint, and significant women’s sport audience is uniquely positioned to help build an engaged fanbase for Women’s Elite Rugby, with both DAZN and the league committed to growing the product through collaborative marketing efforts. For members of the media interested in speaking to a WER representative about the broadcast rights deals and 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 DAZN As a world-leading sports entertainment platform, DAZN streams over 90,000 live events annually and is available in more than 200 markets worldwide. DAZN is the global home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, as well as the NFL internationally. The platform features the biggest sports and leagues from around the world – Bundesliga, Serie A, LALIGA, Ligue 1, Formula 1, NBA, Moto GP, and many more, including FIFA Club World Cup 2025. DAZN is transforming the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, play, buy, and connect. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. DAZN is a global, privately-owned company, founded in 2016, with more than 3,000 employees. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com .

USA Rugby and Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) Formalize Sanctioning Agreement Ahead of Historic Inaugural Season

March 28, 2025

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Women’s Elite Rugby Announces Partnership with Pinto Capital LLC

March 28, 2025

Pinto Capital is a sports M&A financing company, specialising in brokering sports investments UNITED STATES – Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) is delighted to announce the appointment of Pinto Capital LLP as strategic finance advisors and partners as the league progresses into Series A. With the boom of women’s sports valuations in the United States and in the United Kingdom creating exciting new opportunities, Pinto Capital is the ideal partner to support WER’s continued growth for many seasons to come. Pinto Capital is a sports M&A financing company, specializing in brokering sports investments, founded by former investment banker and hedge fund owner Laurie Pinto. Pinto Capital has been responsible for brokering ownership deals across the sports spectrum from the Premier League to the National League as well as wider work in (the) Bundesliga, USL and more. In October 2024, Pinto Capital announced the first sale ever of a county cricket team to an international group, after advising and brokering the sale of Hampshire County Cricket Club to GMR Global Pte Ltd. In January, it was also announced that Pinto Capital LLP started working with Leicestershire County Cricket Club (LCCC) to explore financing options to fund the County’s future development plans. “We are extremely excited to be working with the team at Women’s Elite Rugby to help drive the commercialisation of the sport as a whole,” said Pinto Capital Founder Laurie Pinto. “Rugby is one of the leading women’s sport - from rising social media stars to growing grassroots participation - and we look forward to taking it to new heights.” Working with WER was the perfect fit for Pinto Capital, with the growing interest and popularity of women’s rugby among the masses. Coming off the 2024 Paris Olympic Games where the USA Eagles took a Bronze medal, interest in women’s rugby spiked in the US with USA Club Rugby noting a spike of 64% in registered members for the 2024-2025 season. Men, women, non-binary and gender-diverse individuals all saw an increase in participation and registration within the organization after the Paris Olympics with women making up 45% of new players . Women’s rugby valuation is on the rise as businesswoman and entrepreneur Michelle Kang, who has invested in various women’s sports entities including the National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) Washington Spirit, donated $4 million to USA Rugby 7s team. In the UK, women’s rugby is also growing with Sports England highlighting that the number of women playing rugby has grown from 25,000 to 40,000 from 2017 to 2022 . Particularly, US superstar IIona Maher has seen her stardom pay off overseas, since joining the Bristol Bears, she debuted to a sold out crowd of 9,240 fans which was double their previous crowd. Maher’s valuation continues to soar as she recently signed a multi-year deal with Adidas , demonstrating that rugby players can be featured on the world stage as global ambassadors alongside other sport athletes. 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 3pm (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 . “We are thrilled to have Pinto Capital on board with us at WER,” said WER President Jessica Hammond Graf. “Pinto Capital brings a wealth of experience having worked with premier leagues and teams around the world. We have no doubt that our partnership together will elevate our league to new levels that assist us in furthering our mission to provide a world class rugby league for our athletes, coaches and fans.” For media members interested in speaking to a WER representative about Pinto Capital LLP and 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/ .

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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.