Glendale Merlins
# Glendale Merlins

Glendale Merlins is an amateur rugby club based in the municipality of Glendale in Colorado, United States. The club was founded in 2006 and first played in 2007 under the name Glendale Raptors.

In 2017, a Glendale Raptors team was accepted into the professional Major League Rugby competition and the amateur Glendale teams changed their mascot from the Raptor to the Merlin, transitioning to the new brand before the inaugural season of Major League Rugby in 2018. The Glendale teams play at Infinity Park.

## History

The men's squad won the 2011 Division I Championship. They were 2014 runners-up in the inaugural season of the Pacific Rugby Premiership losing to the San Francisco Golden Gate RFC 39-38 on the last play. The team won the Pacific Rugby Premiership in 2015, defeating San Francisco Golden Gate by 25-11. They repeated the feat in 2016, winning the Pacific Rugby Premiership title by 44-20 against San Francisco Golden Gate at their home field, Infinity Park.

The women's squad advanced from USA Rugby's Division I into the Women's Premier League in 2012. They placed third in 2013, won back-to-back national championships in 2014 and 2015, and placed second in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

## Players

Five of Glendale's women's players - props Jamie Burke, Sarah Chobot, Sarah Wilson, hooker Kittery Wagner, and flyhalf Hannah Stolba - represented the U.S. team for the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup.

Two of Glendale's men's players — hooker Zach Fenoglio and scrum half Niku Kruger — were named to the U.S. team for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

Additionally, Iniki Fa'amausili played for the US U-20 national team that won the 2012 IRB Junior World Rugby Trophy held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Three of Glendale's men's players represented the US national team at the 2011 Rugby World Cup: James Paterson, Nese Malifa, and Nic Johnson.

### Men's squad

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

| Player | Position | Union |
| - | - | - |
| Ami Lavakeiaho | Hooker | United States |
| James DelBozque | Hooker | United States |
| Moses Saole | Prop | United States |
| Fehoko Faniaka | Prop | United States |
| Marcus Thomas | Prop | United States |
| Stephen Karas | Prop | United States |
| Scott Smith | Prop | United States |
| Christopher Schoelch | Lock | United States |
| Nathaniel Shipley | Lock | United States |
| Joshua Gihring | Lock | United States |
| Alex Fitch | Flanker | United States |
| Justin Oles | Flanker | United States |
| Joseph Kamara | Flanker | United States |
| Devin Vaughter | Number 8 | United States |
| Player | Position | Union |
| Vita Makasini | Scrum-half | United States |
| Trevor Wilder | Scrum-half | United States |
| Colin Gregory | Fly-half | United States |
| Siale Maka | Centre | United States |
| Campbell Johnstone | Centre | United States |
| Clint Cook | Centre | United States |
| Zach Rademacher | Wing | United States |
| Alexander Wormer | Wing | United States |
| Ryan Chavkin | Wing | United States |
| Samuel Enari | Fullback | United States |
| Alexander McKenzie | Fullback | United States |

### Women's Squad

| Player | Position |
| - | - |
| Amandine Chatelier | Flanker |
| Carmen Farmer | Back row |
| Charley Thompson | Flanker, Lock |
| Joanna Kitlinski | Flanker, Hooker |
| Joanna McElroy | Lock |
| Maya Learned | Lock, Prop |
| Rachel Ehrecke | Flanker |
| Samantha Luther | Lock, Prop, Back row |
| Carly Waters | Scrum-half |
| Danielle Ordway | Wing, Center |
| Gabriella Cantorna | Center, Fly-half |
| Hannah Tennant | Fly-half |
| Jeanna Beard | Wing, Lock, Hooker |
| Juliann Tordonato | Center |
| Justine Wypych | Fullback, Wing |
| Kaitlyn Broughton | Wing, Fullback |
| Kelsie O’Brien | Scrum-half |
| Leann Lam | Fly-half, Scrum-half |
| Madison Slaught | Fullback |
| McKenzie Hawkins | Center |
| Nichole Wanamaker | Fullback, Wing |
| Rachel Ryan | |
| Paige Stathapoulos | |
| Jenny Kronish | |
| Deanna Nash | |
| Allison Schrenker | |
| Caitlyn Weigel | |

### Notable former players

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

| Player | Position | Union |
| - | - | - |
| Jamie Burke | Prop | United States |
| Nic Johnson | Number 8 | United States |
| Nese Malifa | Fly-half | United States |
| Ata Malifa | Fly-half | United States |
