Jun. 18—Eagle River’s Alev Kelter will head to her third Olympics this summer in Paris after being named to the Team USA Olympic Rugby sevens team Monday.
Kelter, 33, will be among the most experienced players on the team, joining teammate Lauren Doyle in making a third Olympic appearance.
“We have an excellent blend of speed, power, work ethic, skill, and creativity that we know will ignite our brand of rugby,” coach Emilie Bydwell said in a statement. “The players complement each other extremely well, enabling individuals to express their strengths and simultaneously bring out the superpowers of those around them and the team.”
Kelter has become a mainstay on the international rugby scene, both on Team USA and in World Cup events.
Kelter will be looking to earn her first Olympic medal in her third trip to the Games. Team USA finished fifth in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and sixth in Tokyo in 2020. Rugby sevens was introduced to the Olympics in 2016. The women’s Olympic tournament will run from July 28-30.
