Hope Rodgers Makes History As 50th Cap For USA Women's Eagles
By Priscilla Jepchumba
Hope Rodgers joyously celebrated her 50th cap, solidifying her place as only the second USA Women’s Eagle to reach this impressive milestone. She followed in Jamie Burke's footsteps, who achieved 51 caps.
During the Jersey ceremony, Jamie Burke personally presented Rodgers with her jersey, marking a special moment in her career. Additionally, Captain Zachary made history by earning her 40th cap, joining an elite group as only the sixth player to achieve this distinguished mark.
“For me, it's always been trying to enjoy every moment you get. You don't always know when your last cap will be. I am a girl with big aspirations, so it was definitely something I wanted but I'm just enjoying each moment," said Rodgers.
Rogers embarked on her rugby journey at the age of 16 during her high school years, and she continued to pursue her passion while enrolled at Penn State University. At the university, she achieved an impressive four National Championships, earned the prestigious MVP title twice, and was honored with a spot on the USA Under-20s team.
Pete Steinberg, Penn State’s former head coach for the Women’s Rugby team, described Rogers as” The best rugby player I ever coached,” adding that she is “an elite prop that has played on the 7s circuit is so rare (still think she could do a good job off the bench BTW), and I have loved seeing her show her ability.”
In June 2013, Rogers made her debut for the United States in a match against France. She was then selected to represent her country at the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup in Ireland, marking a significant achievement in her career. Additionally, she ventured into rugby sevens, debuting at the 2017 Sydney Women's Sevens.
Rogers also earned a spot in the United States squad for the 2021 Rugby World Cup. Looking ahead, in 2023, she continued to make waves in the sport, being named in the Eagles traveling squad for a test against Spain and the 2023 Pacific Four Series. Her impact was evident as she scored two tries in her team's hard-fought victory over Spain.
She earned a spot in the PWR Team of the Year for outstanding performance during the 2023-24 season.
