WEST HAVEN, CONN. -- New Haven Rugby's Sereana Vulaono (Roselle, Ill./Lake Park) is headed to Australia as one of six new athletes selected for Team USA's first tournament in the Global Rugby Series. The Chicago, Ill. native has continued to rise through the ranks of American rugby over the past 3 years, earning her a place among the country's 18 most elite players that will be representing the U.S.A. on the international 7s stage this month.

Vulaono's journey has been full of grit and growth. In the summer of 2023, Vulaono competed not only with the USA U20s in Ottawa, Ontario, but also with the U23 national team in Quincy, Massachusetts, where she tore her ACL just two weeks prior to the start of New Haven's preseason. Determined to return to the pitch, Vulaono powered through intense rehab and came back stronger and more confident in 2024. Her comeback not only impacted New Haven for the better but also led her to train at the Elite Athlete Training Center in Chula Vista, CA, as well as travel to Cardiff, Wales, to face off against Wales and Canada with the USA U20s over the summer. Her commitment to development and progress on the field earned her invites back to Chula Vista throughout the fall and into the summer of 2025.

This past summer, she helped lead the Chicago Lions to a national championship in 7s rugby, earning MVP honors at the 7s Nationals. At the collegiate level, she's been a standout—named First Team All-NIRA Fullback and finishing as New Haven's top try scorer. A junior majoring in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Crime Analysis, Vulaono brings both brains and power to the pitch. With her explosive play and relentless drive, she's poised to make a powerful impact in Australia and beyond.