New York Exiles


The New York Exiles are an American semi-professional women's rugby union team in New [York, New York]. The team competed in Women's Elite Rugby’s inaugural season, 2025.

History

The team name and crest is a nod to the Statue of Liberty who is known as the "Mother of Exiles". The three hooded figures on the crest represents Ellis Island as a "journey to a new life" but also "the boldness to step out in a sport that is often seen exiled in mainstream sport culture." The figures within the crest also give a nod to the "superhero typography associated with New York." The crest also uses the torch as the city's symbolism for liberty and illumination. The team colors consist of Night Navy, Liberty and Shadow Teal, and Torch Orange which mirrors and unites with the teal-based color palettes of Professional teams from New York, such as the New York Liberty, New York Sirens, and NJ/NY Gotham FC.
Diego Maquieira was selected to be the first head coach of the franchise. He was born and raised in Queens, New York, and most recently served as the head coach for the New York Rugby Club in the Women's [Premier League Rugby|WPL]. The following players were named as foundational players for the team in preparation for their inaugural season starting in March 2025: Adriana Castillo, Jenn Salomon-Clayton, Matilda Kocaj, Congetta Owens, and Misha Green-Yotts. The team's games will be played at The [Stadium at Memorial Field] with a capacity of 4,000–5,000.
The Exiles finished the inaugural season of the 2025 [Women's Elite Rugby season|Women's Elite Rugby] competition as runners-up after losing to the Denver Onyx 53–13 in the final for the Legacy Cup.

Players

Current squad

The New York Exiles squad for the 2025 Women's Elite Rugby season is: