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
Marcus Majszak
Forwards Coach
Position
- Lock, 8
Years Played
- 2010-2018 Illiana Misfits
- 2018-2019 San Fransisco Golden Gate
- 2020-2023 NW Indiana Reapers
- 2016-2024 Highwaymen
Awards
- 2015 Illiana MisfitsMost 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
Avery Laurencell
Backs Coach
Position
- Center
Years Played
- 2015-2019 South Suburban Cobras
- 2020-2022 University of South Carolina Gamecocks
- 2022-2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2023 Most Valuable Back
- 2023 Heart and Soul Award
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
Forwards
Aaron Weitgenant
Position
- Hooker, Prop
Years Played
- 2012-2015 Culver Military Academy
- 2015-2019 Hobert Lake College Trouts
- 2020-2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2012 Culver Military Academy MVP
Benji Mota
Position
- Hooker
Years Played
- 2022-2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- Most Improved Player
Braydon King
Position
- Flanker
Years Played
- 2023-2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Bret Trowbridge
Position
- Flanker, 8 Man
Years Played
- 2020-2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Dan Biby
Position
- Hooker, Prop
Years Played
- 2005-2006 Purdue University
- 2009-2019 NW Indiana Exiles
- 2020-2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2005 Purdue Freshman Party Animal
- 2010 NW Indiana Exiles Rookie of the Year
- 2013 NW Indiana Exiles A**hole of the Year
- 2015 NW Indiana Exiles Most Valuable Player
- 2015 NW Indiana Exiles Steve Potter Award
- 2023 NW Indiana Reapers Most Valuable Forward
Daniel "Donk" Borun
Position
- 8 Man, Lock
Years Played
- 2020-2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Eli Davis
Position
- Lock
Years Played
- 2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Gary Nelson
Position
- Lock, 8 Man
Years Played
- 2017-2019 Illiana Misfits
- 2020-2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Joe Sullivan
Position
- 8 Man, Lock
Years Played
- 2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Marcus Majszak
Position
- Lock, 8 Man
Years Played
- 2010-2018 Illiana Misfits
- 2018-2019 San Fransisco Golden Gate
- 2020-2024 NW Indiana Reapers
- 2016-2024 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
Michael Kreppein
Position
- Flanker, Wing
Years Played
- 1995-1997 Lake County Rogues
- 2001-2006 NW Indiana Exiles
- 2013-2018 NW Indiana Exiles
- 2015-2018 Chicago Laywers
- 2018-2019 Rappahannock Rugby
- 2019 NW Indiana Exiles
- 2020-2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 1995 Lake County Rogues Rookie of the Year
Michael Ross
Position
- Flanker
Years Played
- 2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Mike Togo
Position
- Prop, Lock
Years Played
- 2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Ryan Statham
Position
- Prop
Years Played
- 2022-2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Spencer Erspamer
Position
- Flanker
Years Played
- 2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Steve Krinakis
Position
- 8 Man, Center
Years Played
- 2015-2019 NW Indiana Exiles
- 2020-2024 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
Thomas Blejski
Position
- Lock, Flanker
Years Played
- 2021-2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2022 Most Improved Player
Tommy Cunningham
Position
- Prop, Lock
Years Played
- 2015-2019 Mount Carmel High School
- 2019-2021 University of Notre Dame
- 2023 NW Indiana Reapers
William Silverback
Position
- 8 Man
Years Played
- 1999-2000 Marine Corps. Misfits
- 2001-2002 NW Indiana Exiles
- 2003-2019 Illiana Misfits
- 2020-2024 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
- 2019 Illiana Misfit
Backline
Alex Lopez
Position
- Wing
Years Played
- 2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Avery Laurencell
Position
- Center
Years Played
- 2015-2019 South Suburban Cobras
- 2020-2022 University of South Carolina Gamecocks
- 2022-2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2023 Most Valuable Back
- 2023 Heart and Soul Award
Bryan Burandt
Position
- Wing, Center
Years Played
- 2023-2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Filip Zivkovic
Position
- Fullback
Years Played
- 2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Hayden Dillabough
Position
- Scrumhalf, Flyhalf
Years Played
- 2020-2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Julian Mota
Position
- Fullback
Years Played
- 2018-2019 Chicago Barbarians
- 2019 South Suburban Cobras
- 2020-2021 Chicago Blaze
- 2022-2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2022 NW Indiana Reapers Rookie of the Year
- 2023 NW Indiana Party Animal
Koron Walker
Position
- Wing, Inside Center
Years Played
- 2018-2019 Mount Carmel High School
- 2019 Indiana University
- 2023-2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Kyle Hallberg
Position
- Wing, Inside Center
Years Played
- 2011-2019 Illiana Misfits
- 2020-2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Michael "Bubba" Elizalde
Position
- Flyhalf, Inside Center
Years Played
- 2016-2019 Mount Carmel High School
- 2023-2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Midas Russ
Position
- Flyhalf, Wing
Years Played
- 2014-2017 Chicago Blaze
- 2023-2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2023 NW Indiana Reapers Rookie of the Year
Reno Powell
Position
- Inside Center, Flanker
Years Played
- 2018-2019 Illiana Misfits
- 2020-2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2018 Rookie of the Year
- 2018 Most Improved Rugger
Robbie Wagers
Position
- Scrumhalf, Wing
Years Played
- 2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Todd Fitzpatrick
Position
- Scrumhalf, Wing
Years Played
- 2003 Lincoln-Way CHS Dragons
- 2003 Manhattan Shamrocks
- 2003-2008 Ball State University
- 2018-2019 Illiana Misfits
- 2020-2024 NW Indiana Reapers
Meet the NW Indiana Banshees
Coaches
Dan Biby
Head Coach
Position
- Hooker, Prop
Years Played
- 2005-2006 Purdue University
- 2009-2019 NW Indiana Exiles
- 2020-2023 NW Indiana Reapers
Awards
- 2005 Purdue Freshman Party Animal
- 2010 NW Indiana Exiles Rookie of the Year
- 2013 NW Indiana Exiles A**hole of the Year
- 2015 NW Indiana Exiles Most Valuable Player
- 2015 NW Indiana Exiles Steve Potter Award
- 2023 NW Indiana Reapers Most Valuable Forward
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
Forwards
Alyssa Weldon
Position
- Hooker, Flanker
Years Played
- 2021-2023 NW Indiana Banshees
Awards
- 2023 Most Improved Player
Amanda Miller
Position
- Flanker, Wing
Years Played
- 2023-2024 NW Indiana Banshees
Awards
- 2023 NW Indiana Banshees Rookie of the Year
Isabel Cunningham
Position
- Prop, Lock
Years Played
- 2017-2019 Clarkson University Daze
- 2023 NW Indiana Banshees
Awards
- 2023 NW Indiana Banshees Hardest Hitter
Jasmine Mauries
Position
- Flanker
Years Played
- 2023 NW Indiana Banshees
Jessica Weitgenant
Position
- Prop
Years Played
- 2021-2023 NWI Indiana Banshees
Keisha Franklin
Position
- Flanker, Lock
Years Played
- 2023 NW Indiana Banshees
Naomi Garcia
Position
- Prop, Hooker
Years Played
- 2022-2023 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
Backline
Elyse Wilson
Position
- Flyhalf
Years Played
- 2022-2024 NW Indiana Banshees
Jessica Fuller
Position
- Fullback, Wing
Years Played
- 2023-2024 NW Indiana Banshees
Mia Mendoza
Position
- Center
Years Played
- 2023 NW Indiana Banshees
Nneoma Ebiringah
Position
- Wing, Center
Years Played
- 2018-2019 South Suburban Cobras
- 2019-2021 Universitty of Central Florida
- 2023 NW Indiana Banshees
Summer Biby
Position
- Scrumhalf, Hooker
Years Played
- 2016-2024 NW Indiana Banshees
Awards
- 2023 NW Indiana Banshees Most Valuable Back
- 2023 Heart and Soul Award
Victoria Jones
Position
- Wing
Years Played
- 2023-2024 NW Indiana Banshees