
Anthem RC Announce 2025 Roster
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (January 21, 2025) – Anthem RC, Charlotte’s professional rugby team, today announced the club’s 2025 Roster featuring seven USA Eagles, six 2024 MLR Draft Picks, one 2024 MLR Rookie of the year and a slew of our country’s top, young rising rugby talent. Anthem RC is committed to player development and accelerating domestic talent to the USA Eagles National Team.
Meet Our 2025 Anthem RC Rising Stars:
🇺🇸 Conner Mooneyham, Wing:
Mooneyham was selected for his first USA Eagles roster in July 2024 starting at wing against Scotland in Washington DC. He totals three caps for team USA.
The 28-year-old wing spent the last two seasons with the Seattle Seawolves in Major League Rugby. Mooneyham made Major League Rugby (MLR) history when he was selected as the #1 pick in the Inaugural 2020 MLR Collegiate Draft by the Austin Gilgronis. He remained in Austin through the 2022 season.
Before becoming a pro, Mooneyham played college rugby at Life University where he helped lead the team to two D1A National Championships in 2016 and 2019, also earning Collegiate All American Honors in 2019.
A proud father of two boys, Mooneyham grew up in Rocklin, California and Magnolia, Texas. He played youth rugby with Sierra Foothills Rugby Club (CA) and Woodlands Rugby Club (TX).
🇺🇸 Cullen “Alex” Maughan, Prop:
Maughan, a Charlotte native, has five caps with the USA Eagles. He made his debut in February 2017 coming on as a substitute in a match vs. Uruguay. Maughan also has 70 appearances in Major League Rugby. His professional career began with NOLA Gold (2019), then to Rugby ATL (2020-2023) and RFCLA (2024).
Maughan played collegiate rugby at Life University, winning a pair of D1A National Championships. He first started playing rugby at the age of 12 at Arborbrook Christian Academy.
🇺🇸 Erich Storti, Center:
Storti was selected first overall by Anthem RC in the 2024 Major League Rugby Draft.
Storti helped Saint Mary’s win the 2024 D1A National Championship, scoring a try in the championship game. The center earned First-Team All-American honors for the 2023-24 season. Storti was one of only two collegiate players named to Scott Lawrence’s USA Eagles Extended Players Squad in May 2024.
🇺🇸 Jake Turnbull, Prop:
Turnbull, from Sydney, Australia, was named Captain of the Inaugural 2024 Anthem RC squad. He brings years of professional rugby experience to Charlotte, including 10 caps with the USA Eagles (XVs).
In 2022, Turnbull became the 18th player in Major League Rugby to take the pitch for 50 matches.
Turnbull first joined MLR in 2018 with the Houston Sabercats and he played for two seasons and served as a youth development coach in their player pathway program. In 2021 he signed with Old Glory DC, and in 2022, with the Austin Gilgronis, he was featured in the documentary “Inside The Scrum.”
🇺🇸 Mikey Grandy, Lock:
Grandy is a 26-year-old lock from San Jose, California. He joins Anthem RC after four seasons with the American Raptors, a professional rugby union team based in the municipality of Glendale in Colorado. Grandy was named to the 2024 USA Men’s Eagles Reserves for their 2024 November Tour where he earned his first cap.
Grandy played college football at the University of Austin Texas in 2017. He graduated in 2021 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science.
Grandy attended Palo Alto High School and was an offensive tackle in football. He was a two-time All-Santa Clara Valley Athletic League DeAnza Division Selection.
🇺🇸 Mitch Wilson, Fullback:
Wilson, a decorated player with extensive experience in Major League Rugby and with the USA Eagles, joins Anthem RC from New England Free Jacks. He was a member of New England’s inaugural roster, and over five seasons, has accumulated 17 tries in 58 matches. Tidwell helped the Free Jacks to back-to-back MLR Championships in 2023 and 2024.
Wilson made his official USA Eagle debut against Kenya in 2022 during a 2023 Rugby World Cup Qualifier in Dubai. He has since earned 10 caps (XVs) for the United States. At the junior level, Wilson played in 13 matches. He was chosen for the 2018 USA Select team which competed at the America’s Pacific Challenge.
Collegiately, Wilson was a three-time All-American and three-time D1A National Champion at Life University from 2016-2019. He also served as team captain his final three years.
Originally from Sydney, Australia, Wilson moved to Oviedo, Florida, when he was 14. He was named a USA Rugby High School All-American in 2014, beginning his path to the USA Eagles.
🇺🇸 Sam Golla, Lock/Back Row:
Golla first appeared for team USA with the U-20s against Canada for the World Rugby Trophy qualifiers in 2019. An impressive showing led to his first camp with the senior National Team in 2023 for the Men’s Eagles August Tour in Europe. Golla sits at seven caps with the USA Eagles (XVs). He joins Anthem RC after two seasons in Major League Rugby with the Dallas Jackals. Golla was named the 2023 MLR Rookie of the Year and First Team All-Star. The Jackals selected Golla first overall in the 2022 MLR Draft.
Golla captained the varsity rugby program at University of California – Berkeley in 2021 and 2022. The 25-year-old is from Denver, Colorado. He played rugby at Denver East High School where he has since been inducted in the school’s athletic Hall of Fame.
🇳🇦 Cliven Loubser, Flyhalf:
Loubser was a member of the 2024 Anthem RC Inaugural Roster. The international from Windhoek, Namibia, graduated from the University of Pretoria. Loubser made his senior national team debut for Namibia in 2017 in a match against Russia, marking the start of a promising international career.
Since then, he has been a standout player for Namibia, including representing his country at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Professionally, Loubser played for the Utah Warriors from 2021 to 2023, making 27 appearances and contributing 97 points.
🇹🇴 Sosefo “Joe” Apikotoa, Prop:
Apikotoa was a member of the 2024 Anthem RC Inaugural Roster. The international prop from Wellington, New Zealand graduated from St. Patrick’s College, Silverstream.
In 2022, Apikotoa earned a spot on the Tongan National Team for the Pacific Nations Cup, and played a key role in the Asia-Pacific qualifiers for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Apokotoa played in 3 matches and made 11 tackles.
Most recently, he played with Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand, where he demonstrated great strength and versatility in the front row earning 5 points in 6 matches.
Albert “Alby” O’Shannessey, Flanker, USA Eligible:
O’Shannessey was a member of the 2024 Anthem RC Inaugural Roster. He was drafted by Rugby New York in the 2023 Major League Rugby Draft.
In 2024 with Anthem RC, he made a significant impact, starting and playing in 12 matches. He scored 2 tries and played a total of 939 minutes, contributing both offensively and defensively to the team’s success.
He played colleg rugby at Central Washington University, where his standout performances earned him the title of “Top D1A Freshman” by Flo Rugby in 2019.
The 24-year-old is from Christchurch, New Zealand.
Alejandro Martinez Tapia, Back Row, Homegrown Talent, USA Eligible:
Alejandro Martinez Tapia moves up to the professional ranks after graduating from Lindenwood University. He was named All-Conference 2022-24 and selected as a First Team All-American in 2024.
In 2023, Martinez Tapia received an invitation to the USA Sevens Camp and has also spent time with the U-18 and U-20 USA Rugby squads.
Martinez played high school rugby in Hilliard, Ohio at Hilliard Davidson High School.
Ashawnty Staples, Wing:
Staples was selected Round 2, Pick 25 by Anthem RC in the 2024 Major League Rugby Draft.
A 2023 Division I National Collegiate Rugby Champion with Notre Dame College, Staples played for the Falcons from 2019 to 2023. He was named to the D1 Hot 100 list by Goff Report at the conclusion of his final season. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Staples was named 2019 Mr. Rugby Ohio due to his success playing with the Toledo Junior Celtics.
Carlo de Nysschen, Scrumhalf:
Nysschen, who is U.S. eligible, is a Major League Rugby veteran with 67 appearances and 10 tries. He joins Anthem RC after two seasons with the Houston Sabercats from 2023-24.
In 2022, he started 9 times with the Dallas Jackals and was named team captain once. Nysschen was drafted in the MLR Dallas Jackals dispersal draft after the Dallas entry into the league was postponed until 2022. He then signed with San Diego Legion playing 650 minutes in 12 matches, starting 7. He also scored 24 points (3 tries, 3 conversions, and 1 penalty goal).
From 2018-20, Nysschen played with the Colorado Raptors. The Pretoria, South Africa native attended the University of the Free State from 2015-17 and played with the Under-19s in 2015, and the Under-20s in 2016-17.
Nysschen moved to the U.S. in 2017 and joined the Glendale Rugby Academy.
Colin Turner, Flanker, Homegrown Contract:
Turner joins Anthem RC for his rookie season in 2025 through the MLR’s Homegrown Player Program. He played college rugby at Davenport University from 2020-2024. Howard has competed with team USA at the U-18, U-20 and U-23 levels.
From 2011-19, Turner played youth rugby with the Back Bay Sharks rugby club.
Turner’s hometown is Irvine, California.
Connor Robinson, Hooker:
Robinson was a member of the 2024 Anthem RC Inaugural Roster and returns to Charlotte for the 2025 season.
Before moving to North Carolina, Robinson spent two seasons with the Dallas Jackals. In 2022, the Wilmington, Massachusetts native trained with the New England Free Jacks and played with the New England Independents. Later that Fall, Robinson returned to the Boston area and played with Mystic River in the American Rugby Premiership season.
Daniel Hanson, Prop:
Hanson returns to Anthem RC for his second year after first joining the club for its inaugural season in 2024. Prior to moving to Charlotte, he played for the South Side Irish Rugby Club in the Fall of 2023, as well as for the Chicago Hounds Academy. Hanson played collegiate rugby at the University of Louisville, graduating in 2023. He was an All-Conference selection and a USA Rugby South U-23.
The 25-year-old prop is from Bardstown, Kentucky. He played football at Thomas Nelson High School, graduating in 2017.
Declan Moore, Hooker:
Moore was a member of the 2024 Anthem RC Inaugural Roster and returns to Charlotte for the 2025 season.
Prior to moving to the U.S., Moore played for Ulster Rugby (2021-23) and Munster (2021) in Ireland, competing in the United Rugby Championship and in the European Rugby Champions Cup.
Moore spent a brief stint with the Melbourne Rebels from 2019-20. He played rugby union for Sydney University from 2013 through 2021 in the New South Wales Shute Shield. Moore was a 2019 Shute Shield Winner and in 2021 was awarded the Most Tries Shute Shield with 16 tries across nine games.
Moore calls Sydney, Australia home.
Dylan Fortune, No. 8:
Fortune was a member of the 2024 Anthem RC Inaugural Roster and returns to Charlotte for the 2025 season. The San Diego, California native has spent four years developing through the USA pathway.
From 2022-24 Fortune has competed with the USA U-20s. In 2023, he was rostered for the World Rugby Trophy competition. The two years prior he competed with the USA U-18s while also spending time with the San Diego Mustangs.
In college, Fortune played for Lindenwood University. Growing up he played football at Cathedral Catholic High School and rugby with the San Diego Youth Rugby Mustangs.
Ernest ‘EJ’ Freeman, Center:
Freeman was selected Round 2, Pick 13 by Anthem RC in the 2024 Major League Rugby Draft.
Freeman, a two-time Rudy Scholz Award nominee and two-time All-American, was a prominent player for the University of Arizona. Growing up in Germany, Freeman played for the U16 and U18 German National Teams before moving back to the United States. Freeman received call-ups to the USA National Teams at the U-18 and U-20 levels for rugby 15s and the U-23 team for rugby sevens.
Ethan Howard, No. 8, Homegrown Contract:
Howard joins Anthem RC for his rookie season in 2025 through the MLR’s Homegrown Player Program. He played college rugby at Davenport University from 2020-2024. Howard has competed with the USA U-18s and U-23s. He was named an All-American in high school and college.
From 2019-20, Howard played youth rugby with the Back Bay Sharks, and from 2013-18 he played for the San Clemente Rhinos.
Howard’s hometown is Huntington Beach, California.
Graeme Pedegana, Flanker, USA Eligible:
Padegana signed in April 2024 as a mid-season addition to the 2024 Anthem RC Inaugural Roster. He appeared in two matches and returns to Charlotte in 2025.
A flanker from Cape Town, South Africa, Pedegana played for French Rugby Union club US Carcassonne in 2023. Prior to that, he was a member of the Western Province rugby squad in Cape Town in 2022.
Pedegana competed in high school rugby at Rondebosch Boys High School in Cape Town, South Africa until graduating in 2022.
Ishma-eel Safodien, Scrumhalf, Homegrown Contract, USA Eligible:
Safodien begins his professional career with Anthem RC after playing at the collegiate level with Life University. He captained the squad during the 2023-24 season and was named a Rudy Scholtz Award Nominee, an annual award that honors the nation’s top men’s college rugby player as voted on by their peers and members of the college rugby community.
The 23-year-old scrumhalf is from Cape Town, South Africa where he competed with Rondebosch Boys’ High School in the 2019 Western Province Craven Week, an annual rugby union tournament organised for schoolboys in the Republic of South Africa. The competition has become a hunting ground for many young, upcoming stars who see the tournament as an opportunity to further their careers.
Jason Tidwell, Fullback:
Tidwell makes the move to Charlotte after two seasons with Major League Rugby opponent, Dallas Jacksals. In 2024, he appeared in 16 matches with seven starts and recorded three tries. In 2023, he appeared in three matches for the Jackals while also spending time with the USA Hawks.
Tidwell played college rugby at Texas A&M University where he also captained the team. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Tidwell played with Alliance Rugby since he was 10 years old.
Jerad “Line” Latu, Fullback:
Line was a mid-season addition to the Houston Sabercats in 2023 ahead of their Western Conference Playoff match. He re-signed with Houston for the 2024 season recording two tries in 12 matches with five starts.
In 2023, Line was also the Super Rugby America’s First Team Fullback, representing the American Raptors. He was also selected to the 2023 USA Rugby Eagles greater squad and the Eagles traveling squad for the November 2023 Vila International Rugby Cup in Spain.
Line first joined the American Raptors in 2022, the same year he played with the USA Falcons in matches against Uruguay XV and Argentina XV in Montevideo, Uruguay.
A California-native, Line first played college football before making the move to rugby. He played college football at the College of San Mateo before transferring to Eastern Michigan University.
Jeron Pantor, Fullback:
Pantor was selected in Round 1, Pick 5 by Anthem RC in the 2024 Major League Rugby Draft.
While playing at Life University, Pantor won the 2022 and 2023 D1A USA Collegiate Rugby Sevens National Championship. Pantor also competed with the USA U19 squad for multiple competitions, earning MVP honors at the 2016 Rugby Americas North (RAN) Tournament, 2017 RAN Tournament, and 2017 Rugby Club Sevens Nationals. Pantor placed third in the 2018 Rugby Club Sevens Nationals with Mystic River.
Junior Gafa, Center:
The 2024 Major League Rugby Rookie of the Year, Junior Gafa, re-signs with Anthem RC for the 2025 season. He was also named the Anthem RC Back of the Year.
Gafa was selected 23rd overall in the 2023 MLR Collegiate Draft by the New England Free Jacks. New England loaned Gafa to Anthem RC for the club’s inaugural season in 2024.
“Gafa’s outings earned him three First XV of the Week nods as the former Ivy League football prospect from Brown University participated in his first professional rugby season. At the end of the regular season, the center gained 1,062 meters, beat 37 defenders, and scored four tries for Alama Ieremia’s team.” – Major League Rugby
In college, Gafa played both football and rugby. He won the 2022 National Collegiate Rugby Championships before representing the New England Independents Reds in the NCR All-Stars National Championships.
Gafa also won a National Championship with the Back Bay Sharks Rugby Club before being added to the wider training squad for the Youth Olympics Rugby Sevens before representing the USA U20s.
Karl Keane, Scrumhalf:
Keane has been a member of the USA pathway since his teen years as part of the High School All-Americans and Collegiate All-Americans. The 2x USA U-20 and 2x USA Falcon comes to Anthem RC after one season with Major League Rugby opponent, Seattle Seawolves, in 2023.
The 23-year-old also spent time this past year competing with Urayasu D Rocks, a rugby union team which is part of Japan’s Rugby League One competition.
Keane played collegiately at one of the top U.S. programs at Saint Mary’s College of California.
He was born in Ireland where he grew up playing for Dublin’s Malahide Rugby Club. After moving to the states, Keane continued to develop his skills as a young scrumhalf with Rugby Washington’s Eastside Lions and Washington Loggers.
Le’Donn Mathis, Lock/Flanker:
Mathis was selected Round 2, Pick 24 by Anthem RC in the 2024 Major League Rugby Draft.
Mathis comes from Lindenwood University where he helped lead the team to a 52-8 combined record during his two seasons with the Lions which culminated in being named the 2024 Midwest Rugby Conference (MRC) Champions. Before transferring to Lindenwood, Mathis played two years at Iowa Central Community College.
Makeen Alikhan, Flanker:
In 2024, Alikhan played for the Dallas Jackals while on loan from Harlequins, a professional rugby union club that plays in Premiership Rugby, the top level of the English rugby union. He recorded three tries in 13 matches with 10 starts with Dallas.
Alikhan is USA Eligible and was included in the USA U-20 squad in May 2020. His hometown is Oxshott, Surrey and he attended the University of Surrey.
Mateo Gadsden, Wing:
Gadsden, from Oceanside, California, was a member of the 2024 Anthem RC Inaugural Roster and returns to Charlotte for the 2025 season. Before moving to North Carolina, Gadsden spent two seasons with the Glendale Raptors in 2019 and 2020.
His USA pathway experience began in high school playing with the Back Bay Rugby Under-18s and with the Eagle Impact Rugby Academy. Gadsden was a USA Rugby High School All-American from 2016-2018. In 2017, he attended the USA Rugby Men’s 7s High-Performance Camp. In 2018, he helped the Men’s U-18s qualify for the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Neil Trainor, Hooker, USA Eligible:
Trainor was selected second overall by Anthem RC in the 2024 Major League Rugby Draft.
Trainor played for Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, where he won a pair of Ontario University Athletics (OUA) silver medals. He also won the 2023 Coast to Coast Cup with the Toronto Arrows Senior Academy. Originally from Maryland, Trainor moved to Canada where he won the 2019 U18 Eastern Canadian Rugby Championship and finished as runner-up in the 2018 U18 Eastern Canadian Rugby Championship.
Quinton Tindel, Prop:
Tindel enters his rookie season with Anthem Rugby Carolina in 2025. The Encinitas, California native attended university at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Tindel is a 2x Collegiate rugby All-American and a tour selection player by the California Grizzlies, northern California’s youth and high school All-Star Program.
Rhys Mitchell, Lock, USA Eligible:
Mitchell is a 19-year-old from Richardsbay, South Africa. He comes to the United States and Major League Rugby for the first time after competing with Westville Boys High School from 2019-2024.
Shawn Clark, Lock:
Clark joins Anthem RC after spending the fall 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons with the American Raptors. In 2022, he played 202 minutes in 4 matches, starting twice, for the Dallas Jackals. Clark was also a member of the USA Sevens program.
A late-season addition for the LA Giltinis in 2021, he competed for the club’s Academy team, while also playing with the USA U-23s at the Rugbytown 7s. Clark was invited to the USA Olympic Sevens High-Performance Camp in September 2021.
Clark began his rugby career in January 2021 with the now-American Raptors, formerly Colorado XO’s, a rugby club made of crossover players to develop domestic elite talent. He played nine of ten matches during the Spring 2021 season.
Stephan Bernal-Wendt, Prop:
Wendt was a member of the 2024 Anthem RC Inaugural Season. He brings international experience with the USA Hawks on their South American Tour. In 2024, he played in 12 matches and started in 2 for 280 minutes for the Rising Stars.
Wendt is a 24-year-old prop from Honolulu, Hawaii, with a background in football and rugby. He was a football player at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa before making the transition from football to rugby. Most recently, he played for the Utah Warriors, where he gained valuable experience in Major League Rugby.
Tomalati “Michael” Ma’afu, No. 8:
Ma’afu was a member of 2024 Anthem RC Inaugural Roster. He played rugby with Tempe Rugby Club, as well as with the San Diego Legion Academy.
Ma’afu attended the University of Idaho during Fall 2018 playing football as a defensive tackle. He transferred to Carroll College in Helena, Montana, graduating in 2023.
In high school, Ma’afu was a First-team All-Conference and All-Region defensive lineman as a senior, an Honorable Mention USA Today All-Arizona selection, and helped Saguaro High School to its fifth-consecutive AIA 4A state title in 2017. He played rugby as a junior at Arcadia High School. Ma’afu was an elite rugby player from a young age, competing on state, regional, and national level teams in the U.S.
Uatesoni “Watson” Filikitonga, CENTER:
Filikitonga was born in Tonga but raised in San Mateo, California. He spent the last three seasons with the American Raptors, a professional rugby union team based in the municipality of Glendale in Colorado. The team plays in the transcontinental Super Rugby Americas competition.
The 27-year-old was the first signing for the LA Glitinis, a Major League Rugby team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. The team was announced in 2020 and entered the league in 2021 as an expansion franchise.
In high school, Filikitonga concentrated on football. His brother, USA Eagle #470 center Lemoto Filikitonga finally got him into Rugby at the end of high school before he graduated in 2015.
Viliami Vuli, Lock:
Vuli joins Anthem RC after three seasons with Mie Honda Heat, a Japanese rugby union team based in Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan. The team plays in the Japan Rugby League One, the top tier of Japan’s rugby union hierarchy.
Vuli began his professional rugby career with the Utah Warriors in 2019. He was re-signed by the Warriors in 2020 and remained with the club through 2022.
He also played for Lomaiviti Barbarians in the 2018 and 2019 Rugbytown 7s.
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