American rugby union player (born 1991)
Rugby player
Alev Kelter
Kelter during 2017 match between women's rugby sevens teams for U.S. and Ireland
Born Leyla Alev Kelter (1991-03-21 ) March 21, 1991 (age 34) Height 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) Weight 165 lb (75 kg) Rugby union career Ice hockey player
Leyla Alev Kelter (/ˈ l eɪ l ə ə ˈ l ɛ v ˈ k ɛ l t ər LAY -lə ə-LEV KEL -tər[ 1] rugby sevens andrugby union player. She competed for theUnited States at the2016 ,2020 and2024 Summer Olympics . She also represented theUnited States at the2017 and2021 Rugby World Cups .
She won a silver medal at the2015 Pan American Games as a member of theUnited States women's national rugby sevens team .[ 2] [ 3] 2016 Summer Olympics inBrazil .
Kelter was named in the Eagles squad to the2017 Women's Rugby World Cup inIreland .[ 4]
In January 2022 the English rugby sideSaracens Women announced that they had signed her for the rest of the2021–22 Premier 15s season.[ 5] Eagles squad for the2022 Pacific Four Series inNew Zealand .[ 6] [ 7] 2021 Rugby World Cup inNew Zealand .[ 8] [ 9] [ 10]
She has also played for the Northern Loonies inPremier Rugby Sevens , and was part of the 2021 Inaugural Championship team and the 2023 Women's Championship.[ 11] [ 12] Loughborough Lightning , for the2024–25 Premiership Women's Rugby season.[ 13] [ 14]
Kelter won a bronze medal in rugby sevens at the2024 Summer Olympics .[ 15]
On February 18, 2025, it was announced that theBay Breakers had signed her for the inaugural season of theWomen's Elite Rugby competition.[ 16] [ 17] test againstJapan inLos Angeles on April 26, 2025, the Eagles lost the game 33–39.[ 18] [ 19]
On May 17, 2025, in the United States' match againstAustralia in the2025 Pacific Four Series , Kelter received a red card in the 79th minute for an illegal act on the field.[ 20] [ 21] Georgina Friedrichs ,[ 22] [ 21] straight red card by refereeAimee Barrett-Theron , who described her actions as "thuggery".[ 22] Australia men's centreMorgan Turinui said her actions were "disgusting".[ 23] World Rugby ,[ 24] [ 25] [ 26]
She was selected in theEagles side on July 17 to the2025 Women's Rugby World Cup that will be held inEngland .[ 27] [ 28]
Soccer and Ice hockey [ edit ] Kelter played for the United States women's national under-16 soccer team and theUnited States women's national under-18 ice hockey team and later played both sports at theUniversity of Wisconsin from 2009 to 2013.[ 29] [ 30]
In 2014, she almost made her Olympic debut at theWinter Games but was one of the last cut for that team.[ 14]
Born to Mark Perusse and Leyla Kelter, she has two brothers, Erol and Aydin and a twin sister, Derya, who also playedsoccer andice hockey . Before she was nine, her family had moved four times because her parents were in the military. Kelter was raised inAlaska and was the first woman to play boys' varsity high school ice hockey. She also played for the U23 USA soccer team and U18 USA ice hockey team.[ 31] Chugiak High School inChugiak, Alaska . She graduated with a degree in Fine Arts fromUniversity of Wisconsin in 2015.[ 32] [ 33]
At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kelter got engaged to her partner, fellow rugby playerKathryn Treder .[ 34] [ 14]
^ "KELTER Alev" .Paris 2024 Olympics . RetrievedAugust 9, 2024 .^ "Leyla Kelter" .Toronto2015.org .2015 Pan American Games .Archived from the original on August 4, 2015. RetrievedJuly 16, 2016 .^ "TeamUSA Rugby at the 2015 Pan American Games" .TeamUSA.org .United States Olympic Committee . Archived fromthe original on August 8, 2016. RetrievedJuly 16, 2016 .^ "Eagle River Olympian Alev Kelter headed back to international rugby stage" .Alaska Dispatch News . July 17, 2017.Archived from the original on September 24, 2017. RetrievedSeptember 23, 2017 .^ "ALEV KELTER SIGNS FOR SARACENS WOMEN" . January 10, 2022.^ "Eagles name Pacific Four traveling squad" .Americas Rugby News . May 10, 2022. RetrievedJune 20, 2022 .^ Cahill, Calder (May 9, 2022)."USA Women's Eagles traveling roster named for Pacific Four Series 2022" .USA Rugby . RetrievedJune 20, 2022 . ^ Cahill, Calder (September 14, 2022)."USA Women's Eagles Rugby World Cup roster named as the official countdown to New Zealand begins" .eagles.rugby . RetrievedOctober 12, 2022 . ^ "Kate Zackary leads Eagles squad to Rugby World Cup" .Americas Rugby News . September 16, 2022. RetrievedOctober 12, 2022 .^ Mockford, Sarah (October 9, 2022)."USA Women's Rugby World Cup Squad 2022 – USA 10-22 Italy" .Rugby World . RetrievedOctober 12, 2022 . ^ "Premier Rugby Sevens crowns inaugural champions" .Americas Rugby News . October 10, 2021. RetrievedAugust 10, 2023 .^ "Loggerheads, Loonies Win PR7s | Goff Rugby Report" .www.goffrugbyreport.com . August 7, 2023. RetrievedAugust 10, 2023 .^ "USA EAGLES STAR ALEV KELTER SIGNS FOR LOUGHBOROUGH LIGHTNING | Premiership Women's Rugby" .www.thepwr.com . RetrievedMarch 5, 2025 .^a b c "Triple threat Alev Kelter on Loughborough Lightning and her ice hockey background" .www.thepwr.com . RetrievedMarch 5, 2025 .^ "2024 Olympics: U.S. women's rugby sevens wins first bronze medal, stunning Australia with try as clock expires" .CBSSports.com . July 30, 2024. RetrievedJuly 31, 2024 .^ Lane, Ro (February 18, 2025)."Bay Breakers Announce 2025 Athlete Roster" .Women's Elite Rugby . RetrievedFebruary 26, 2025 . ^ Perkins, Bruce (February 19, 2025)."Women's Elite Rugby – Our first Roster!" .4 The Love Of Sport . RetrievedMarch 5, 2025 . ^ Cahill, Calder (April 24, 2025)."Roster confirmed as USA Women's Eagles make 2025 debut against Japan" .eagles.rugby . RetrievedApril 30, 2025 . ^ Cahill, Calder (April 27, 2025)."Women's Eagles lose close contest to Japan in Los Angeles" .eagles.rugby . RetrievedApril 30, 2025 . ^ Martin, Chantz (May 19, 2025)."US women's rugby star sent off for 'deliberate and dangerous' head stamp of Australian opponent" .Fox News Fox Corporation .Archived from the original on May 20, 2025. RetrievedMay 20, 2025 . ^a b " .Fox Sports Australia News Corp Australia . May 18, 2025.Archived from the original on May 20, 2025. RetrievedMay 20, 2025 .^a b Maloney, Sean (May 19, 2025)."Sean Maloney: American star deserves to be rubbed out for double digit weeks after appalling act of thuggery" .Nine.com.au Nine Entertainment .Archived from the original on May 20, 2025. RetrievedMay 20, 2025 . ^ Maloney, Sean (co-host);Horwill, James (co-host);Turinui, Morgan (co-host) (May 20, 2025).Alev Kelter Red Card Incident During Wallaroos v USA | Between Two Posts Stan Sport Talk show ). Nine Entertainment. RetrievedMay 20, 2025 – viaYouTube . ^ "Disciplinary update: Alev Kelter (USA) | World Rugby" .world.rugby .World Rugby . RetrievedMay 20, 2025 .^ Williamson, Nathan (May 20, 2025)."USA star Alev Kelter handed three match ban for "thuggery" stomping incident" .Rugby.com.au Archived from the original on May 20, 2025. RetrievedMay 20, 2025 . ^ Payten, Iain (May 18, 2025)."US rugby star escapes with three-match ban for 'glancing' head stomp" .The Age Archived from the original on May 20, 2025. RetrievedMay 20, 2025 . ^ "USA name squad for Women's Rugby World Cup 2025" .Rugby World Cup . July 18, 2025. RetrievedJuly 18, 2025 .^ Burke, Jenni (July 17, 2025)."USA Women's Eagles Squad ready to make their mark as the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 is revealed" .USA Rugby . RetrievedJuly 18, 2025 . ^ Rubinroit, Seth (August 3, 2016)."Who is Alev Kelter?" .NBC Olympics .Archived from the original on September 24, 2017. RetrievedSeptember 23, 2017 . ^ "Gatorade Alev Kelter Girls' Soccer POY" .ESPNdeportes.com (in Spanish). August 25, 2008. RetrievedJuly 31, 2024 .^ "Alev Kelter - Olympic Rugby | Team USA" .www.teamusa.com . July 31, 2024. RetrievedMarch 5, 2025 .^ "Alev Kelter" . USA Rugby. RetrievedMarch 20, 2021 .^ "Alev Kelter" . Team USA. Archived fromthe original on January 1, 2016. RetrievedMarch 20, 2021 .^ "Instagram" .www.instagram.com . RetrievedAugust 10, 2024 .
