Chicago Tempest Announce Their Foundational Five Players Ahead of the League’s Inaugural Season

WRITTEN BY Allison Smith, WER

UNITED STATES—Women’s Elite Rugby (WER), which will be the first professional women’s rugby league in the United States, reveals their foundational five (F5) players for each of the six market teams in preparation for their inaugural season starting in March of this year. 

Coming off the announcement of their team names and crests last week, WER continues to build on the momentum and excitement of the league by announcing foundational five players for each team. Each coach drafted five players for their team with the goal to build dynamic and diverse groups that span positions, but also have connections to the city and communities that they will play in."We are thrilled to announce the foundational five players for each of our six market teams. Our head coaches selected foundational players of the highest caliber and talent in terms of their on pitch play and expertise but also their off pitch leadership and community connection to lead their teams this season. Additionally, these players have an enduring commitment to the game of rugby and continue to work to grow the game here at WER and beyond", said WER President Dr. Jessica Hammond-Graf. 

For Chicago, head coach Bryan Colbridge designated Anabel Diaz (Chicago, IL), Emma Farnan (Bay Shore, NY), Cienna Jordan (Carmel, IN), Betty Nguyen (Chicago, IL), and Kadie Sanford (West Branch, MI) as his foundational five core players. Colbridge brings a wealth of experience to the post as he played for 27 years in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Additionally, Colbridge coached both men and women at Taita College in New Zealand before moving to the US and coaching rugby at the club and collegiate level in Memphis, TN since 2016.

Chicago Tempest Foundational Five Players

Anabel Diaz, a Chicago native will be a dynamic and multifaceted player for Chicago Tempest as she can play the loosehead prop, tight end prop, second row/lock, openside flanker, and eight-man positions for the squad. A former track and field and CrossFit athlete, Diaz began playing rugby later in life as there were not as many options for her in the Chicago urban school system. She is a staple of midwest rugby, having played for the Chicago Sirens, Chicago Lions, Chicago North Shore, and Midwest Thunderbirds programs. Diaz also brings national and international team experience to Colbridge’s roster as she has played for Mexico Women’s National Team, Las Serpientes. “As a front rower for Mexico, Anabel brings experience from the National stage to the table. It is important for us to be assertive in the set piece and Anabel will definitely give us a strong start in that regard”, asserted Colbridge.

Emma Farnan from Bay Shore, New York is the definition of a multi-sport athlete having played soccer (Goalie), wrestling, track/cross country, baseball, softball, field hockey, tennis, golf, basketball, and swimming all before landing on rugby as her main sport and passion. Just as she is versatile in her sport experience, she brings position diversity to Chicago Tempest as she is able to play the wing, center, outside center, and fullback positions for the team. Farnan played collegiate rugby at Notre Dame from 2019 to 2022 before finding her way to the WPL in 2022 playing for Chicago North Shore until 2024. She has had stints with the Southern Headliners 7s in 2022 and 2023. Colbridge is excited to welcome Farnan to his squad due to her depth stating, “Emma brings a dynamic skill set and offers strength and depth across the whole backline. This is huge for us as we will have a lot of out-of-market players and adaptability is going to be crucial as we start to build connections and chemistry. I'm pretty sure that she could wear any jersey number and lift its legacy.”

Cienna Jordan from Carmel, Indiana is a former basketball high school All-American, volleyball, and track athlete whose experience and stint in women’s elite rugby began by happenstance while studying abroad at the University College London. Jordan more recently played for the former WPL’s Chicago Northshore from 2022 to 2024 where she was named an All-Star in 2023, as well as the Chicago Green and Gold 7s from 2022 to 2024. She was also recently named a USA Senior National 7’s Pathway member in 2024. Again, the theme for Colbridge’s selections was flexibility and adaptability as Jordan can play the wing, outside center, and fullback positions. When describing what makes Jordan a valuable asset to his roster, Colbridge touted, “[Jordan is] lightning in a bottle, Cienna brings speed and agility and is physical on both sides of the ball. The fact that she is in the USA 7s pathway is a testament to what she can offer on the field. 

Betty Nguyen, a native Chicagoan, played high school football at Walter Payton College Prep school and was the only girl on the varsity team before playing rugby at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Nguyen is well acquainted with the sport of rugby as a player and a coach. She played for the WPL’s Chicago Northshore from 2014 to 2018 before joining the Chicago Lions in 2019 alongside then and now teammate Diaz. Nguyen can play the scrum-half, wing, outside center, and fullback positions, but is also known for her leadership as she was awarded captain of her Lion’s squad in 2023. Her coaching stints include Loyola University and winning the 2022 National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) Small College 7’s National Championship with the University of Chicago in 2022, as well as other accolades and coaching stretches at the club and youth levels. In selecting Nguyen, Colbridge said, “Betty is an energizer and a real glue athlete. Having somebody that can galvanize a squad and make everybody feel uplifted is a huge asset for any team. Not only that but Betty also helps give us depth and will really challenge for a back three jersey.”

Kadie Sanford, from West Branch, Michigan began her sport career playing softball for over a decade before moving into rugby. Again, keeping in line with Colbridge’s design for a team filled with depth, Sanford can play the loosehead prop, tighthead prop, second row/lock, blindside flanker, openside flanker, and eight-man positions. Sanford played for the University of Michigan women’s rugby football club from 2006 to 2010, Detroit women’s rugby football club from 2011 to 2012, before joining the Chicago North Shore in 2013 and playing until this past season. In 2023, she was named the Most Valuable Player of the WPL’s All-Star Game in a season that also earned her Dream Team honors at the front row, second row, and loose forward spots. “Kadie is a warrior. Not only is she tough as teak, but she also has Chicago in her bone marrow. Over 50 caps for Chicago North Shore in the WPL is a heck of an achievement. Every team needs someone to follow into battle and I cannot think of a player better suited to lead this team”, claimed Colbridge. 

About WER

To learn more about the team’s foundational five players, please follow WER on their social media platforms @rugbyevolved or check out the league’s website at https://www.womenseliterugby.us/. After the 2022 “Ignite the Change” campaign seeking to professionalize women’s rugby in the United States from the former Women’s Premier League Rugby player-run and operated amateur league, Women’s Elite Rugby was founded and formed. The league announced their official launch in 2024 with their inaugural season starting in March 2025 centering six teams in Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York, Bay Area, and Twin Cities featuring 180 athletes.

For more information, please contact:
Women’s Elite Rugby
inquiries@womenseliterugby.us