New York Exiles Announces 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 .

New York head coach Diego Maquieira named Adriana Castillo , Jenn Salomon-Clayton , Matilda Kocaj , Congetta “Jetta” Owens , and Misha “Mish” Green-Yotts to his foundational five group. Maquieira intentionally picked local talent as all of the F5 players are from New York except Owens who is from Clarksville, MD but has extensive ties to the New York area. Maquieira brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the position as a former player but also as a coach that has had the opportunity to coach both men and women’s rugby at a multitude of levels (youth, collegiately at Northeastern, Columbia University, and in the former iteration of the league, Women’s Premiere League Rugby, WPL for the New York Rugby Club).

New York Exiles Foundational Five Players

Adriana Castillo, born and raised in the Bronx played volleyball and cheerleading before finding rugby. She played at Marist College from 2014 to 2018. After college Castillo began playing for the Village Lions Rugby Football Club from 2019 to 2020 before joining the WPL’s New York Rugby Club (NYRC) in 2021 and played until this past season in 2024. In 2023, Castillo was named to the WPL’s All-Star team. Castillo, who was recently named to the Dominican Republic’s national team for the second time can play the blindside flanker, openside flanker, and eight-man positions for NY. Maquieira feels Castillo’s ability to make big plays will be essential for his team’s success saying, “Adriana will make New York proud with her bruising carries and knack for making big plays that lift the team around her. Adriana is a former WPL all-star and recently capped for the Dominican Republic national team.”

Mish Green-Yotts’ athletic experience before playing rugby is extensive as she lettered four years in high school basketball and lacrosse before playing four years of collegiate basketball at Division III Plattsburgh State. Green-Yotts was first bit by the rugby bug at Binghamton University, and returned to the sport after transferring to Plattsburgh State. Following a four-year hiatus to finish her collegiate basketball career, her club and teammates at SUNY Plattsburgh helped her fall in love with the beauty of rugby culture again. After college she went on to play five seasons in the WPL for NYRC from 2017 to 2022 and again in 2024. She also played for the Scion Rugby 7s from 2017 to 2018 and Northeast Academy 7s from 2018 to 2021. Green-Yotts can play the second row/lock, blindside flanker, openside flanker, and eight-man positions for the New York Exiles squad. In selecting Green-Yotts, Maquieira positioned, “Misha brings a special athletic skill set thanks to her basketball background and was the leading try scorer on the NYRC WPL side that made it to the semifinals in 2024. Misha is a proud mother of two, a superpower all on its own.”

Matilda Kocaj, an immigrant to the United States from Albania and a former three sport athlete in soccer, volleyball and track, started playing rugby in college at Division III Babson College, in Wellesley, MA. Kocaj began playing rugby by happenstance as she did not make the Babson women’s soccer team and was encouraged to try rugby by a friend. During her sophomore season, Kocaj and the Babson Beavers emerged from the New England Wide 7s conference as champions that led to a national title bid for a team that began playing 7s only a year prior. In that same season Kocaj was named an All-Conference selection. After college, Kocaj played for NYRC, Northeast Academy, the Loggerheads in the Premiere Rugby 7s League, and was able to play at the Division I elite level for Life University while pursuing her master’s degree where she won a national title in 2024. For WER NY, Kocaj can play the outside center, but Maquieira seems excited to see what she can do out on the wing stating, “, Matilda is an up-and-coming wing out of Life University where she was just named a finalist for the MA Sorenson Award as one of the top college players in 2024.”

Jetta Owens found rugby in college at Virginia Tech after playing soccer and basketball in high school and throughout her youth. Owens played rugby at Tech from 2016 to 2020 where she and the Hokies were runner’s up in the women’s Division I 7s collegiate championships. During and after college Owens represented the national team, as she was named to the USA 7s All American Team in 2018 and 2019, the USA 15s U23 All-American Team in 2019, the USA 15s World Cup Training Camp from 2020 to 2021. She also played for the NYRC from 2022 until this past season as well as a stint for the NY Locals PR7s in 2023. At the ten, fly-half and fullback positions, Owens is known as a playmaker, and this excites Maquieira about her joining the WER roster as a F5 member. He asserted, “Jetta has been a standout player for NYRC in the WPL and has also recently featured in Premier 7s with the NY Locals. Look for her to use her ability to kick off both feet and her playmaking skills to get the team playing an exciting brand of rugby.”

Jenn Salomon-Clayton brings a wealth of rugby playing experience to the New York Exiles beginning with playing for Quinnipiac University from 2011 to 2015. Directly after college, Salomon-Clayton went on to play for the New Haven Rugby Club for two seasons, the Old Blue 7s from 2016 to 2017, and the Phoenix 7s Northeast Academy from 2017 to 2019, the WPL’s NYRC from 2017 to 2019 and the again in 2024. In 2017 in her rookie season with NYRC she was named NYRC’s Rookie of the Year and helped her team to the championship title. Taking her game overseas, Salomon-Clayton played for the London Irish Rugby Football Club in the 2021 and 2022 seasons before joining the Headliners 7s in 2022 and the international touring 7s team the Savvy 7s in 2023. She has also been a consistent member of the Mexico 7s National Team since 2019 helping them win a silver medal at the 2023 Central American Games. Salomon-Clayton can play the fly-half, inside center, and outside center for the New York Exiles. Beyond playing rugby Salomon-Clayton was recently named Interim Head Coach for the Army Black Knights after coaching at Sacred Heart. In describing Salomon-Clayton’s anticipated contributions to New York Exiles Maquieira said, “Jenn is the definition of calm, cool, and collected on the pitch thanks to her years of high-level experience including the Mexican National Team 15s and 7s. Also, the newly appointed Head Coach of the West Point women's rugby team, Jenn will use her premier IQ and skills to put her teammates in position to be successful.”

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

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

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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.