Dakar Youth Olympic Games Welcome International Rugby Sevens Squads
Team USA joins seven other nations competing for medals in Senegal as the Youth Olympic Games return for their fourth summer edition. While New Zealand claimed gold at the previous tournament in 2018 with a roster featuring current senior stars Risi Pouri-Lane and Mahina Paul, the defending champions will not participate after pandemic delays pushed the event from 2022 to 2026. The Games mark the first since Buenos Aires 2018.
Competition runs across two pools over a multi-day schedule, with pool rounds beginning on November 2 and medal matches concluding the following day. Pool A features Australia, China, Kenya, and hosts Senegal, while Pool B comprises Czechia, Madagascar, Spain, and the USA. This marks the third time rugby sevens has featured on the program since its Youth Olympic debut in China in 2014, where Australia captured the inaugural gold medal.
Athletes voted to lead the American delegation
USA rugby sevens athlete Luisa Moala and beach volleyball player Caden Phillips will lead the American delegation out at the Opening Ceremony on October 31. Athletes across all sports voted for the pair to serve as flag bearers for the event. Phillips was nominated by USA Volleyball. Moala shares team co-captain duties alongside Abbey McGettigan as the squad prepares for opening fixtures. Moala is on the USA team alongside her sister Eseta, and she said: When I put on the USA jersey, I’m not just wearing it for me, but for my family, everyone who has supported me back home, girls who are growing the game of rugby across the United States.
The U.S. roster draws players from western states including Washington, Utah, Idaho, and Colorado, alongside representatives from Ohio and Pennsylvania. The squad includes sisters Eseta and Luisa Moala from Northside in Utah, hooker/center Sophia Johnson from the Majestics, and scrumhalf Lavinia Lomu from the United Rugby Club in Utah who has played for about eight years since she was 9 years old. Johnson has played less than a year. Other selections include prop/flyhalf co-captain Abbey McGettigan out of Downingtown in Pennsylvania, prop/wing Sofie Ferri out of Hudson in Ohio, 16-year-old Mallory Crawford out of Eagle High School in Idaho, 17-year-old wing Rebekah Jenks out of Rocky Mountain in Idaho, and Summit High School wing Avery Russer from Colorado. Flyhalf and scrumhalf Ella Mornihan from the Puget Sound area and Eseta Moala are the two 15-year-olds on the squad.
Coaches evaluated junior talent nationwide
Coaches and staff from the USA Women’s Sevens Pathways evaluated junior talent nationwide through a multi-phase qualification framework over the preceding year.
The broader Dakar 2026 delegation brings together 2,700 athletes competing across 151 events in 12 sports, with the USA Rugby Women’s Sevens side joining a 29-athlete USOPC delegation.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Dakar Sevens Tournament
Which countries are competing in the women’s rugby sevens pools?
Pool A includes Australia, China, Kenya, and Senegal, while Pool B features Czechia, Madagascar, Spain, and the United States.
Who serves as Team USA’s flag bearers for the Opening Ceremony?
Rugby sevens athlete Luisa Moala and beach volleyball player Caden Phillips lead the American delegation following a vote by fellow Team USA athletes.
When do the rugby sevens matches take place?
Pool rounds begin on November 2, with medal rounds concluding the competition a day later on November 3, as detailed in tournament schedules.
How many athletes are competing across all sports at the Games?
Dakar 2026 hosts 2,700 athletes competing across 151 events, with 96 participants specifically assigned to the women’s rugby sevens tournament.
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