CHULA VISTA, CA. - Following a rigorous training and selection camp, USA Rugby today named 12 players to the 2019 U.S. Pan American Games Men’s Sevens team. The Games will take place in Lima, Peru from July 26 to August 11.

The Pan-Am Games come after a remarkably successful season where the USA men qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, reached a No. 2 World Ranking and won seven tournament medals. 

Competition in Lima will be used as a tool to ready a collection of up-and-coming players for the demands of senior international competition as the Olympic year approaches. 

Led by head coach JD Stephenson, the roster features six players who have yet to make their national team debut but have regularly appeared in development tournaments. That group includes Life University’s Scholz Award-Winner Harley Wheeler, Kutztown University’s D’Montae Noble, and Vail Rugby’s Travion Clark to name a few. 

Marcus Tupuola is one of the players with some World Series experience.

New Leaders

Senior USA Men’s Sevens players Cody Melphy and Joe Schroeder will serve as captain and vice-captain, respectively, with four additional senior players earning spots as well.  

The range of experience in the Pan Am Games roster will be a benefit to newer players looking to embed themselves in the makeup of the Men’s Sevens program and ultimately earn a spot in the 2019-20 USA Sevens Residency Program. 

 “Our Pan-Ams squad is excited to continue on the overwhelming success of the sevens program as a whole,” said Stephenson. “Automatic qualification for both our men’s and women’s programs is a tough act to follow, but the group selected is hungry for an opportunity to impress against some of the world’s best. The selection committee has picked a squad that represents our Tokyo 2020 hopefuls, but also those who could be pivotal in our success working towards 2024.”

Rivals Christian Dyer and Harley Wheeler will now be teammates.

At the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, the United States men won bronze, defeating Uruguay 40-12 after their unbeaten campaign was ended in the semifinals with a loss to Canada. The USA men also won bronze in 2011 when Rugby Sevens debuted in the quadrennial event. 

Founded in 1951, the Pan American Games are a multi-sport event hosted every four years in the year preceding the Olympic Games, featuring countries from the North, South and Central America as well as the Caribbean.

The 2019 PanAm will kick off on July 26 with the Opening Ceremony. Both women’s and men’s rugby sevens competition will be played from July 26-28. A final schedule and broadcast details will be confirmed closer to date. 

2019 U.S. Pan American Games Men’s Sevens Roster**

*Uncapped in HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

**All Pan American Games roster nominations are pending final approval of the U.S. Olympic Committee. 

Non-Traveling Reserves: Anthony Welmers, Will Holder, Kevon Williams 

2019 U.S. Pan American Games Men’s Sevens Staff

Head Coach | JD Stephenson

Team Leader | David Fee

Assistant Coach | Anthony Roques

Head of Performance | Jon Hood

Performance Analyst | Brendan Keane

Athletic Trainer  | Danielle Allen