National team players have to get their elite experience somewhere, and one of the best places is the New York 7s.

Watch The 2018 New York 7s LIVE All Day Nov 24 on FloRugby

Athletes from all over North America and the world meet up on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and while this massive tournament is about just having fun, it's also about getting some elite-level experience for players who have national team experience.

And that's not just a pipe dream. You do actually see future Eagles at the New York 7s. Here are four who made their USA debuts in 2018, and played in the 2017 New York 7s.

McKenzie Hawkins

The 2017-18 Sorensen Award Winner as the best women's collegiate player in the country, Hawkins played for Lindenwood as the Lions played in the Women's Premier bracket, reasoning (accurately) that they would be too good for the college division.

Hawkins made her debut for the USA Women's National 15s team November 3 against New Zealand, and will be back with Lindenwood for what has already been another successful season.

Emily Henrich

Before Henrich started for the USA against New Zealand as a teenager, and before she was a Freshman Of The Week on FloRugby, Henrich led Atlantis to a championship in the Girls Premier Bracket last year. This Atlantis team was packed full of talent, and Henrich was among those at the top. 

A fast, aggressive runner, Henrich has shown she won't back down from bigger, older, more experienced international players, and the exposure she received at the New York 7s helped her get there.

AK Pedraza

Another Lindenwood player, Pedraza earned her first cap for the USA this fall, and playing against senior women players at the New York 7s was part of this scrappy scrumhalf's development.

Ilona Maher

Like Hawkins, a previous Sorensen Award winner, Maher took a break from playing with Quinnipiac to suit up for Scion, where she helped the team make the final against Equipe Quebec. In that tournament, it was obvious that Maher had the vision and the tools to play at the highest levels.

And she has backed that up, finishing second at the USA Women's 7s tournament with seven tries, as the USA finished 2nd. If you had carried questions about Maher's ability to handle senior women's competition, she answered it last November at the New York 7s.

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