CALEDONIA, Mich. — A West Michigan native has earned her spot on the 2024 U.S. Women's Olympic Rugby Sevens Team for Paris.
Alena Olsen, 28, is a Caledonia native and will aim with her team to earn their first Olympic medal.
The USA won its last Olympic gold in rugby 100 years ago and finished fifth at Rio in 2016 and sixth at Tokyo in 2020.
The team of 12 players and two traveling reserves is a mix of new and veteran Olympians.
Olsen's first Olympic appearance will be as a scrumhalf on the field. In her position, Olsen acts as a link between the forwards and the backs and will be responsible for making quick decisions and connecting plays on the field.
Olsen played volleyball and soccer in high school and didn't start playing rugby until she was an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Michigan.
From 2014-2018, she was a member of the women's rugby club. During her time at Michigan, Olsen earned a two-time All-American in 2015 and 2016 and earned a nomination to the Collegiate Rugby Championship Dream Team in 2016 and 2017.
She graduated from the University of Michigan in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in music, biology and environmental sciences.
In 2017, Olsen appeared in three USA Falcons development tournaments, including a five-match exhibition series with Australia, Super Sevens Brisbane and the Okinawa Invitational 2018.
Olsen also helped the San Diego Surfers win a Club Sevens National Championship in 2018.
She made her USA Rugby debut in 2019 in the Glendale Sevens where the USA won the tournament. She was also part of the U.S. sevens roster that finished fourth in the 2022 Rugby World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa.
Olsen has been playing with the Kansas City Headliners of Premier Rugby Sevens since 2021.
Pools for Women's Olympic Rugby Sevens Teams will be announced by World Rugby on June 23.
Olsen and her team will leave on July 14 for a pre-Olympic training camp in Tours before they enter the Olympic Village in Paris. The competition will begin on July 28.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Watch 13 ON YOUR SIDE for free on Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV and on your phone.
