Dowty Adds Five to Roster Ahead of Upcoming Fall Season

HANOVER, N.H. – Head women's rugby coach Katie Dowty has announced the addition of five players to the roster ahead of the 2021-22 season.

Joining the Big Green as members of the Class of 2025 are Cassie Depner, Josie Harrison, Reign Jefferson, Asialeata Meni and Sadie Schier.

"This incoming class had a unique recruiting experience, with the majority not yet having the opportunity to visit campus due to the pandemic," Dowty said. "Nonetheless, their personalities and character shined via Zoom and proved they are exactly the determined and thoughtful kind of people we want in our program. On the field, they bring a wealth of rugby experience as well as experience from a slew of other sports that gives each of them some exciting super strengths. We are so excited to see them (and our 24s!) represent the Big Green for the first time as we all come out of this pandemic together!"

Name: Cassie Depner
Hometown/High School: Moon Township, Pa. / Moon
Club Team: Moon Area Girls Rugby
Position: Lock / Number 8
Academic Accolades: National Honor Society … High Honor Roll … three-time Honor Roll … four-time scholar athlete … highest team GPA (girls' cross country, 2020)
Athletic Accolades: Fifteen-time varsity letter winner (track & field, basketball, cross country and rugby) … captain of all four teams … discus school record holder … Rugby PA All-State Team and RCT All-Northeast Team … United States Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award … BIG 56 All-Section (basketball).
Intended Major: Biology / environmental sciences.
Why Dartmouth: "I'm incredibly excited about attending Dartmouth because I could not have designed a more perfect school for myself, from personal interests to athletics to preparing me for my future career. I'm even more excited to play for Dartmouth, as it has been my dream team since I first began playing rugby. The fact that I achieved my wildest dream and get to play with the girls I already look up to seems simply surreal!"

Name: Josie Harrison
Hometown/High School: Usk, Wales / Monmouth Comprehensive School
Club Team: Jesters Girls Rugby / Llandaff North RFC
Position: Prop
Academic Accolades: Head Girl Monmouth Comprehensive School 2019/20 … Chief Scouts Gold Award … the Kerris Hughes Award for outstanding academic and sporting progress … Bronze, Silver, and Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award … Seren Network Member (recognizing top academic students throughout Wales).
Athletic Accolades: Represented on A Team in hockey, netball, rugby, football, rounders and cricket … Welsh Cricket U16 Development Squad … SE Wales Netball … Margaret Coates Shield for Rowing … Winner in Welsh Trials WJ 2 (2018, 2019) … selected for Wales for Home International Regatta (2018, 2019) … Great Britain Trialist (2018) … Welsh indoor Rowing Champion WJ16 (2017) … Welsh Rugby Union registered coach.
Intended Major: Geography or international relations.
Why Dartmouth: "Having always loved the outdoors, choosing Dartmouth was one of the easiest things I have had to do. From feeling the sense of community that all alums and current students talk about, without ever having set foot on campus, to the first call I had with Coach Dowty and Coach Bridges, after which I basically sprinted down the stairs to tell my mum all about it. The team's history of success combined with talking to current players making me feel like I was already part of the team are just two of the multitude of reasons that made me want to join the Dartmouth women's rugby family. I can't wait to get started and meet everyone on campus."

Name: Reign Jefferson
Hometown/High School: Los Alamitos, Calif. / Los Alamitos
Club Team: Los Alamitos Girls Rugby / South Bay Youth Rugby
Position: Prop
Academic Accolades: President's Education Award (2017, 2021).
Athletic Accolades: Athletic Award winner (2017, 2018) … scholar athlete award (2017, 2018).
Intended Major: Psychology.
Why Dartmouth: "I'm hyped to attend Dartmouth because it's going to be a new lifestyle and environment. Playing for the women's rugby team is super exciting as well since I get to be a student-athlete on campus and I'll already have a solid group of girls as a support system when I get there!"

Name: Asialeata Meni
Hometown/High School: Cypress, Calif. / Los Alamitos
Club Team: Los Alamitos Girls Rugby / South Bay Youth Rugby
Position: Hooker / Center
Academic Accolades: Held a cumulative 4.0 GPA throughout high school.
Athletic Accolades: Founder of Los Alamitos High School's first girls' rugby team … captained the team for two years.
Intended Major: Psychology.
Why Dartmouth: "I chose Dartmouth because of the close-knit student body and extreme change in environment from my Southern California upbringing. I can't wait to meet and play with the girls who will become family for the next four years."

Name: Sadie Schier
Hometown/High School: Eatonville, Wash. / Eatonville
Club Team: Kent Crusaders RFC / Washington Loggers
Position: Scrumhalf / Fullback
Academic Accolades: National Honor Society … student government.
Athletic Accolades: USA Rugby High School All-American … two-time Washington State champion … varsity soccer, swimming and wrestling member (won Team Spirit Award in all three) … captain of swimming and rugby teams.
Intended Major: History.
Why Dartmouth: "After visiting Dartmouth, I knew that it was the college for me. The idea of attending an Ivy League school to play Division I rugby was something that seemed unreachable for someone from a small, rural town in Washington. Despite the beautiful scenery and architecture, I was really drawn to the school because of the positive atmosphere and the feeling of being in a close-knit community. I am very excited to be attending and playing rugby at Dartmouth!"

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