Women’s Elite Rugby Adds Teams in New York, San Francisco and Twin Cities

Women’s Elite Rugby has announced New York, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Twin Cities will be joining Boston, Chicago and Denver as the first six markets in the United States to host a professional women’s rugby team when the inaugural season gets underway in March 2025.

Team names and stadium details for all markets will be announced at a later date. WER has also announced Jamie Burke as the league’s director of rugby.

“We are thrilled to take world-class women’s rugby to the next level across the United States and delighted by the welcoming of our six generous host cities,” said WER President Jessica Hammond-Graf. “Each chosen market has a unique, storied history with the sport of rugby and we’re proud to continue building upon that legacy and expanding opportunities for the future generations of athletes.”

Burke was on the USA women’s national team and is the women’s record holder for most test match caps. She has coached the game from the youth level in Colorado to the USA National Team, while also serving on the Board of Directors and USA Rugby International Athlete Council since September of 2020. She was recently named as a participant in the Capgemini Women in Rugby Leadership Program in 2024 and 2025, which drives visibility of female leaders from within the sport and helps to accelerate the development of the women and girls’ game on the road to Rugby World Cup 2025.

“We are at an incredible inflection point in both the women’s sports space and women’s rugby, specifically,” Burke said. “I am thrilled about the vision of Women’s Elite Rugby and getting the opportunity to be a crucial pillar of an organization that is driving the future of women’s rugby in the United States. We have the opportunity to define a unique brand of WER rugby that is dynamic, exciting and allows our athletes to showcase their skills, athleticism, and creativity for both the American rugby fan and the sports fans across the globe.”

The first woman to coach a U.S. men’s professional rugby team was Karameli Faʻaeʻe, who captained the Eagles in the Women’s Rugby World Cup in Ireland, where the US finished fourth. In 2014 and 2017, Faʻaeʻe was also the team captain of the New York Rugby Club. Faʻaeʻe is currently serving as the Director of Rugby at New York Rugby Club.

“New York City is proud to be home to one of the first professional Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) teams in the country and we’re excited for the inaugural season next spring,” said Nancy Mammana, interim chief executive officer of NYC Tourism + Conventions. “We’re home to a robust and passionate rugby community across all five boroughs and cannot wait to shine a spotlight on WER’s mission to elevate women’s rugby and inspire the next generation to take up the sport.”

The Twin Cities produced the first women president of USA Rugby, Anne Barry. She served USA Rugby as its president from 1998-2002. Barry was also the first woman inducted into the U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame in 1979.

“We are thrilled to welcome Women’s Elite Rugby to Minnesota.” said Minnesota Sports and Events President and Chief Executive Officer Wendy Blackshaw. “A national leader in high school girls’ sports participation, home to WNBA, PWHL, and USL W teams, and host to sellout crowds at the 2022 NCAA Women’s Final Four and 2024 Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament, Minnesota is a top destination for women’s sports. We look forward to growing rugby in our state and giving opportunities for women to play at the highest level.”