Tag: USA Rugby

Former Wisconsin Badgers multi-sport athlete wins bronze medal in Olympic rugby

Former Wisconsin Badgers multi-sport athlete wins Bronze medal in rugby

The U.S. women’s rugby team defeated Australia 14-12 in the bronze-medal match at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, capturing the nation’s their first ever rugby sevens medal. Part of the winning squad was former Wisconsin Badgers women’s soccer and women’s hockey player Alev Kelter.

Kelter was a member of the United States women’s national under-16 soccer team and the United States women’s national under-18 ice hockey team prior to arriving in Madison in 2009.

While at Wisconsin, she excelled at both sports for four years, earning All-Big Ten honors in soccer in both 2009 and 2010 while scoring 17 goals in her time as a defender with the women’s hockey team.

Kelter made the switch to rugby after college and she’s appeared the Summer Olympics, the Pan American Games and Women’s Rugby World Cup, amongst other events in her career.

Kelter is just another example of the long list of fantastic athletes who have played for the Badgers and gone on to do spectacular things.

Wisconsin multi-sport alumnus earns two Olympic victories in women’s rugby

Wisconsin multi-sport alumnus pockets two Olympic victories in women’s rugby

Wisconsin women’s hockey and soccer alumnus Alev Kelter helped guide USA rugby to two wins on the second day of competition at the Olympic Games.

USA Rugby kicked off its day at 9:30 a.m. CT with a 36-7 victory against Japan. Kelter did not record any points in her first match but responded with a spectacular performance later in the day.

Kelter started against Brazil in her second Olympic appearance of 2024 and executed on a try fewer than 45 seconds into the match. The former Badger followed the earlier try by scoring on a conversion at the 8:09 mark before yet another conversion late in the second half.

USA Rugby would go on to a 24-5 win and finish 2-0 on the day.

At UW, Kelter represented both the women’s hockey and soccer teams from 2009-13. She was named second-team All-Big Ten on the pitch in 2012 and NCAA Frozen Four All-Tournament Team member during her sophomore season in 2011.

The top two teams in each pool, as well as the best two teams placed third in their pools, will qualify to the quarterfinal round. The United States is competing alongside Brazil, France and Japan as a member of Pool C.

Kelter and the United States will continue action at 9:30 a.m. ET on Monday, July 29.