Meet The NW Indiana Reapers
Coaching Staff
Jay Rizzo
Head Coach
Playing Career
- 1983-1986 University of Dayton Rugby Club
- 1986-1987 Blackthorn Rugby
- 1987-1990 Philadelphia Whitemarsh Rugby
- 1990-2003 Chicago Griffins
- 2011-2022 Chicago Blue
Coaching Career
- 2003-2006 Chicago Griffins
- 2010-2011 Midwest Collegiate All Stars
- Won the National Championship
- 2011-2014 Chicago Blue
- 2016-2019 University of Illinois at Chicago
- 2019-2021 Loyola University Chicago
- Ranked 10th in National Collegiate Rugby Division II
- 2023-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Christina Kukla
Club Coach
Position
- 8, Prop
Years Played
- 2016-2019 NW Indiana Banshees
- 2019-2022 Chicago Lions
Awards
- 2017 NW Indiana Banshees Rookie MVP
- 2018 NW Indiana Banshees Most Valuable Forward
- 2018 NW Indiana Banshees Heart Award
- 2019 NW Indiana Banshees Most Valuable Forward
- 2019 NW Indiana Banshees Hardest Hitter
- 2019 Chicago Lions Midwest Champion
- 2021 Chicago Lions Most Improved
- 2021 Chicago Lions Midwest Champion
- 2023 NW Indiana Rugby Hall of Fame
Kelly O'Connor
Club Coach
Position
- Scrumhalf
Years Played
- Elsie Allen High School
- Portland Rugby Club
- Brisbane Easts
- Queensland Reds
Awards
- Portland Rugby Club Lifetime Gratitude Award
Forwards
Aaron Daniel
Position
- Prop
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Benji Mota
Position
- Hooker
Years Played
- 2022-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2023 Most Improved Player
Braydon King
Position
- Flanker
Years Played
- 2023-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Colin Black
Position
- Flanker, Wing
Years Played
- 2016-2020 South Suburban Cobras
- 2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Daniel Borun
Position
- 8 Man, Lock
Years Played
- 2020-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Dre Sissman
Position
- Flanker, Wing
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Eli Davis
Position
- Lock
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2024 NW Indiana Most Valuable Rookie
Fires Van Vuuren
Position
- Prop
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2025 Heart and Soul Award
Gary Nelson
Position
- Lock, 8 Man
Years Played
- 2017-2019 Illiana Misfits
- 2020-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
George Thompson
Position
- Flanker
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Jamie Turlay
Position
- Hooker
Years Played
- 2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Kevin Bynum
Position
- Hooker
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Marcus Majszak
Position
- 8 Man
Years Played
- 2010-2018 Illiana Misfits
- 2018-2019 San Fransisco Golden Gate
- 2020-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
- 2016-2025 Highwaymen
Awards
- 2015 Illiana Misfits Most Valuable Forward
- 2016 Highwaymen Most Valuable Rookie
- 2017 Highwaymen best play on the pitch
- 2018 Highwaymen prankster award
- 2019 Highwaymen best costume
- 2020 Highwaymen MVP
- 2021 NW Indiana Most Valuable Forward
- 2022 NW Indiana Reapers Most Valuable Forward
- 2025 NW Indiana Reapers Most Valuable Forward
Michael Ross
Position
- Flanker
Years Played
- 2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Mike Toigo
Position
- Prop, Lock
Years Played
- 2023-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Oscar Magallanes
Position
- Prop, Flanker
Years Played
- 2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2025 Most Valuable Rookie
Rob Rosado
Position
- Prop
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Spencer Erspamer
Position
- Flanker
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Steve Krinakis
Position
- 8 Man, Center
Years Played
- 2015-2019 NW Indiana Exiles
- 2020-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2016 NW Indiana Exiles Most Improved Player
- 2017 NW Indiana Exiles MVP
- 2019 NW Indiana Exiles MVP
- 2021 NW Indiana Most Valuable Back
- 2022 NW Indiana Reapers Most Valuable Back
- 2024 NW Indiana Most Valuable Forward
Thomas Blejski
Position
- Hooker, Lock
Years Played
- 2021-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2022 Most Improved Player
William Silverback
Position
- 8 Man
Years Played
- 1999-2000 Marine Corps. Misfits
- 2001-2002 NW Indiana Exiles
- 2003-2019 Illiana Misfits
- 2020-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2003 Founder of the Illina Misfits
- 2003 Illiana Misfits MVP
- 2004 Illiana Misfits MVP
- 2005 Illiana Misfits MVP
- 2007 Illiana Misfits MVP
- 2007 Illiana Misfits Hardest Hitter
- 2009 Illiana Misfits MVP
- 2011 Illiana Misfits MVP
- 2014 Illiana Misfits Most Valuable Forward
- 2016 Illiana Misfits Most Valuable Forward
- 2018 Illiana Misfits Most Valuable Forward
Backline
Avery Laurencell
Position
- Flyhalf, Center
Years Played
- 2015-2019 South Suburban Cobras
- 2020-2022 University of South Carolina Gamecocks
- 2022-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2023 Most Valuable Back
- 2023 Heart and Soul Award
- 2025 Hardest Hitter
Bryan Burandt
Position
- Center, Wing
Years Played
- 2023-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2024 NW Indiana Most Improved Player
Cavin Porter
Position
- Wing
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2025 NW Indiana Breakthrough Player
Connor Booth
Position
- Scrumhalf, Hooker, Wing
Years Played
- 2015-2018 Chicago Blaze Rugby Academy
- 2019 South Suburban Cobras
- 2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Devon Young
Position
- Wing
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Donovan Carpennter
Position
- Wing
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Filip Zivkovic
Position
- Backline
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Josh Maghirang
Position
- Wing
Years Played
- 2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Julian Mota
Position
- Fullback
Years Played
- 2018-2019 Chicago Barbarians
- 2019 South Suburban Cobras
- 2020-2021 Chicago Blaze
- 2022-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2022 NW Indiana Reapers Rookie of the Year
- 2023 NW Indiana Party Animal
- 2024 NW Indiana Reapers Comeback Player of the Year
- 2024 NW Indiana Reapers Most Valuable Back
- 2025 NW Indiana Reapers Most Valuable Back
Nathan Creech
Position
- Inside Center, Flanker
Years Played
- 2014-2019 South Suburban Cobras
- 2019-2022 Iowa Hawkeyes
- 2023 Tasmanian University Rugby Union Football Club
- 2024-2025 South Side Irish
- 2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2022 Iowa Hawkeyes Most Valuable Forward
Todd Fitzpatrick
Position
- Scrumhalf, Wing
Years Played
- 2003 Lincoln-Way CHS Dragons
- 2003 Manhattan Shamrocks
- 2003-2008 Ball State University
- 2018-2019 Illiana Misfits
- 2020-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Wiley Creal
Position
- Wing
Years Played
- 2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Meet the NW Indiana Banshees
Coaches
Jamie Walker
Head Coach
Position
- Prop, Flanker
Years Played
- 2009-2010 At Large
- 2011-2014 Chicago Sirens
- 2015-2021 NWI Banshees
- 2022-2024 Chicago Northshore Women’s Premiere League
Awards
- 2011 Chicago Sirens Most Improved
- 2017 NWI Heart Award
- 2021 NW Indiana Banshees Most Valuable Forward
- 2022 Thunderbirds Selects
- 2023 Thunderbirds Selects
Christina Kukla
Club Coach
Position
- 8, Prop
Years Played
- 2016-2019 NW Indiana Banshees
- 2019-2022 Chicago Lions
Awards
- 2017 NW Indiana Banshees Rookie MVP
- 2018 NW Indiana Banshees Most Valuable Forward
- 2018 NW Indiana Banshees Heart Award
- 2019 NW Indiana Banshees Most Valuable Forward
- 2019 NW Indiana Banshees Hardest Hitter
- 2019 Chicago Lions Midwest Champion
- 2021 Chicago Lions Most Improved
- 2021 Chicago Lions Midwest Champion
- 2023 NW Indiana Rugby Hall of Fame
Kelly O'Connor
Club Coach
Position
- Scrumhalf
Years Played
- Elsie Allen High School
- Portland Rugby Club
- Brisbane Easts
- Queensland Reds
Awards
- Portland Rugby Club Lifetime Gratitude Award
Avery Laurencell
Assistant Coach
Position
- Flyhalf, Center
Years Played
- 2015-2019 South Suburban Cobras
- 2020-2022 University of South Carolina Gamecocks
- 2022-2025 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2023 Most Valuable Back
- 2023 Heart and Soul Award
- 2025 Hardest Hitter
Forwards
Alyssa Weldon
Position
- Hooker, Flanker
Years Played
- 2021-2023 NW Indiana Banshees
Awards
- 2023 Most Improved Player
Frankie Gramillano
Position
- Hooker
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Banshees
Awards
- 2025 NW Indiana Banshees Breakthrough Player
Keisha Franklin
Position
- Flanker, Lock
Years Played
- 2023-2025 NW Indiana Banshees
Awards
- 2025 NW Indiana Banshees Hardest Hitter
- 2025 NW Indiana Banshees Most Valuable Forward
Megan Potter
Position
- Prop
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Banshees
Misty Knestrict
Position
- Lock
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Banshees
Nicole Strode
Position
- Lock
Years Played
- 2018-2022 Grand Valley State University
- 2023-2024 NW Indiana Banshees
Awards
- 2023 NW Indiana Banshees Most Valuable Forward
Zoe Perillo
Position
- Flanker
Years Played
- 2024 NW Indiana Banshees
Backline
Elyse Wilson
Position
- Flyhalf
Years Played
- 2022-2024 NW Indiana Banshees
Jessica Fuller
Position
- Fullback, Wing
Years Played
- 2023-2024 NW Indiana Banshees
Natalia Ruiz
Position
- Center, Wing
Years Played
- 2025 NW Indiana Banshees
Soshi Spurlock
Position
- Backline
Years Played
- 2024-2025 NW Indiana Banshees
Awards
- 2025 NW Indiana Banshees Most Valuable Back
Victoria Jones
Position
- Wing
Years Played
- 2023-2025 NW Indiana Banshees