Denver Onyx Announces Their Foundational Five Players Ahead of the League’s Inaugural Season
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 .
Denver head coach Sarah Chobot revealed her foundational five players as Erica “Rica” Coulibaly (Sycamore, IL), Rachel Ehrecke (Clive, IA), McKenzie Hawkins (Maryville, TN), Maya Learned (Denver, CO), and Tahna “T” Wilfley (Denver, CO). In describing her F5 selections, Coach Chobot emphasized key three factors in her decision-making: diversity in positioning, youth, and the fact that her selections are fantastic humans, great teammates, and just a pure joy to be around. Chobot is no stranger to elite competition as the former USA Women’s National Team captain and is currently on staff with the organization, as well as coaching in the former iteration of the league (Women’s Premiere League Rugby, WPL) for the Glendale Merlins and Colorado Greywolves.
Denver Onyx Foundational Five Players
Rica Coulibaly a former high school soccer player turned a wing and potential fullback for Denver Onyx began playing rugby in college at the University of Iowa where they played from 2020 to 2023. After college they continued their development by joining the Des Moines women’s rugby team from 2023 to 2024, before playing for the Colorado Grey Wolves women’s rugby club in the WPL’s last season. In explaining her choice of Rica, Coach Chobot said, “Rica is really interesting as they are a player from Iowa and are that example of what the draft was all about. You have these players that maybe haven’t gone to a WPL city and didn’t come from a Lindenwood, or Western Washington, or one of the Ivys, but they just are this gem that you didn’t know about until they introduced themself. They only played half a season last season for the WPL but ended up being the WPL try leader where they scored two tries in the final. They are just one of those good young wings that you are excited about. They are one of those players that has some flexibility on where they can go but I thought they were a really great example of you might not have come out of one of those top programs, but it doesn’t mean you are not quality.”
Rachel Ehrecke comes to Denver Onyx having played for her Valley High School during the 2012 and 2013 seasons before moving to the other side of the country to pursue college rugby at Penn State University from 2014 to 2018. After college, Ehrecke played for the WPL’s Glendale Merlins that became the Colorado Grey Wolves from 2018 to 2024. With the Merlins/Grey Wolves Ehrecke won three WPL championships in 2019, 2023, and 2024. She has also played for the Rocky Mountain Magic club in 2019 and 2021, the Darlington Mowden Park Sharks in 2023, and has been a member of the USA Women’s High Performance squad since 2020. Ehrecke will most likely play the second row/lock or blindside flanker position for Denver Onyx. Coach Chobot added Ehrecke to her F5 players due to her work ethic stating, “If I had to describe her in one word it would be work. She chews through work like no other player I have seen. She is not the biggest or not the fastest, but I am not sure if there is someone who gets through more work in the country. She is a great line operator, she can lock, she can play in the back row, she can seamlessly play in the center.”
McKenzie Hawkins, although originally from Tennessee, is described by Chobot as a “home-grown eagle.” Hawkins began playing rugby at the age of ten and played for Maryville rugby football club during her youth from 2007 to 2015 and during this time she was named USA High School All-American for 7s and 15s before heading off to Lindenwood University in 2015. At Lindenwood, Hawkins won two national championships in 2018 and 2019 and was named to the Collegiate All-American 15s squad. After Lindenwood, Hawkins played and won a WPL championship with the Glendale Merlins in 2019, competed for WPL’s Lifewest Gladiatrix in 2022 and has been an avid and important piece of the USA Women's Rugby Senior Team since 2018. As a fly-half and fullback for Denver Onyx, “Mac is a home-grown eagle from the Colorado side and if you have ever met Mac you just can’t help but be inspired and want to work for her. Again, she is another home-grown eagle that the fans are already aware of and can get people out to our market to be excited about Denver”, stated Chobot.
Maya Learned, or as Chobot endearingly calls her Leonard, is a Colorado native that grew up in the Glendale youth system that led to her playing rugby at Glendale High School from 2009 to 2014 where she was named a Junior All American in 2012, 2013, and 2014, and High School All American in 2014. After high school, Learned headed east where she played for Harvard rugby from 2014 to 2018 and was named a Collegiate All-American for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. While in college, Learned competed for the then WPL Glendale Raptors from 2013 to 2014, winning a championship in 2014. She continued to play locally in Colorado for the WPL’s Glendale Merlins from 2018 to 2020, winning a championship in 2019, and the revitalized iteration of the Glendale team the Colorado Grey Wolves in 2024 where with her then and now teammates won the 2024 championship. Additionally, Learned has been a member of the USA National team since 2019. In the selection of Learned, Chobot asserted, “She was an easy choice. She is a Colorado kid that came through the Glendale youth system and played for the WPL’s Grey Wolves. In addition, she has international test prop experience.”
T Wilfley is the youngest foundational five selection but has already solidified herself as an important piece on the wing or in the fullback position for Denver Onyx. Wilfley, similar to many of her teammates grew up in the Glendale youth rugby system and has been playing for East High School. In addition, Wilfley played the last two seasons in the WPL for the Colorado Grey Wolves winning championships alongside Ehrecke and Learned. “She is a high schooler, and I want to build this team around youth and future eagles and a place for a young player to really grow. What is really cool is she goes to school at East High School, one of the Denver based high school programs and she has a great backstory that her dad was an eagle as well---kind of a cool family thing and definitely got the rugby gene over there. For me she was a no brainer as she is a really impactful player and has already played a year of senior rugby as a high schooler and she has chosen this path and journey and is really excited about it,” stated Chobot.
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
