Denver Onyx
| Founded | January 2025 |
|---|---|
| Location | Denver, Colorado |
| Ground(s) | Infinity Park |
| Coach(es) | Sarah Chobot |
| Captain(s) | TBA |
| League(s) | Women's Elite Rugby |
| 2025 | Champions (1st title) |
The Denver Onyx are an American professional women's rugby union team based in Denver, Colorado. The team was founded in 2025 and is scheduled to play in the inaugural Women's Elite Rugby season.[1]
The franchise is led by Nick Donnelly as Senior General Manager (SGM) and Rachel Pierce as Assistant General Manager (AGM), who oversee all team operations, sponsorships, and community engagement initiatives.
History
Since Denver has a history in mining for rare gems and metals, the team name is derived from the Colorado rose onyx, "a gem which is featured in the foundation of the Colorado state capitol building and known for its colors that reflect a Colorado sunset."[2] The black onyx which is also mined in the state "represents strength, courage and determination symbolising the sheer grit and resilience of these athletes." The logo features gemstones in these contrasting colors of black and bright pink.[2]
Former Eagles representative, Sarah Chobot, was appointed to be the first head coach of the Denver franchise.[3] She currently serves as an assistant coach on the USA Women's Eagles team.[3]
Denver Onyx named Erica Coulibaly, Rachel Ehrecke, McKenzie Hawkins, Maya Learned, and Tahna Wilfley as their five foundational members.[4]
Their matches were played at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado.[5] They won the inaugural season of the Women's Elite Rugby competition after defeating the New York Exiles 53–13.[6][7]
Players
Current squad
The Denver Onyx squad for the 2025 Women's Elite Rugby season is:[8]
Note: Flags indicate national union under World Rugby eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-World Rugby nationality.
Senior 15s internationally capped players are listed in bold.
References
- ^ Pengelly, Martin (January 29, 2025). "'High-energy, risk-taking, intense' US women's league shows its rugby colors". The Guardian. Retrieved February 6, 2025.
- ^ a b Smith, Allison (January 29, 2025). "Women's Elite Rugby (WER) Announces Their Highly Anticipated Team Names, Colors, and Crests Spearheaded by Partnership with MATTA". Women's Elite Rugby. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b "Women's Elite Rugby (WER) Announces 2025 Head Coaches for Inaugural Season". Women's Elite Rugby. October 24, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Smith, Allison (February 5, 2025). "Denver Onyx Announces Their Foundational Five Players Ahead of the League's Inaugural Season". Women's Elite Rugby. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Smith, Allison (February 19, 2025). "Women's Elite Rugby (WER) Releases Venues, Schedule, and Tickets ahead of Inaugural Kickoff in March". Women's Elite Rugby. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Finlan, Jackie (June 29, 2025). "Denver Wins WER Legacy Cup". The Rugby Breakdown. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Young, Wendy (July 3, 2025). "Denver Onyx Win the First-Ever Legacy Cup, Ushering in a New Era for Women's Rugby in the USA". Your Scrumhalf Connection - Women's Rugby News. Retrieved July 7, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Lane, Ro (February 18, 2025). "Denver Onyx Announce 2025 Athlete Roster". Women's Elite Rugby. Retrieved February 26, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
External links
- Denver Onyx at Women's Elite Rugby