Leyla Alev Kelter (/ˈleɪlə əˈlɛv ˈkɛltər/ LAY-lə ə-LEV KEL-tər; born March 21, 1991)[1] is an American rugby sevens and rugby union player.
Birth name | Leyla Alev Kelter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | March 21, 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Tampa, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 6 in (168 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 165 lb (75 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rugby career
editShe won a silver medal at the 2015 Pan American Games as a member of the United States women's national rugby sevens team.[2][3] She also made the squad at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.
Kelter was named in the Eagles squad to the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup in Ireland.[4]
In January 2022 the English rugby side Saracens Women announced that they had signed her for the rest of the 2021–22 Premier15s season.[5] She was named in the Eagles squad for the 2022 Pacific Four Series in New Zealand.[6][7] She was selected in the Eagles squad for the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.[8][9][10]
Kelter has also played for the Northern Loonies in Premier Rugby Sevens, and was part of the 2021 Inaugural Championship team and the 2023 Women's Championship.[11] She won the Finals MVP in 2023.[12]
Kelter won a bronze medal in rugby sevens at the 2024 Summer Olympics.[13]
Soccer and Ice hockey
editKelter played for the United States women's national under-16 soccer team and the United States women's national under-18 ice hockey team and later played both sports at the University of Wisconsin from 2009 to 2013.[14][15]
Personal life
editBorn to Scott and Leyla Kelter, she has two brothers, Erol and Aydin and a twin sister, Derya, who also played soccer and ice hockey. Before she was nine, her family had moved four times because her father was a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force.[16] Kelter attended Chugiak High School in Chugiak, Alaska. She graduated with a degree in Fine Arts from University of Wisconsin in 2015.[17][18] At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kelter got engaged to her partner, fellow Rugby player Kathryn Treder.[19]
References
edit- ^ "KELTER Alev". Paris 2024 Olympics. Retrieved August 9, 2024.
- ^ "Leyla Kelter". Toronto2015.org. 2015 Pan American Games. Archived from the original on August 4, 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
- ^ "TeamUSA Rugby at the 2015 Pan American Games". TeamUSA.org. United States Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved July 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. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
- ^ "ALEV KELTER SIGNS FOR SARACENS WOMEN". January 10, 2022.
- ^ "Eagles name Pacific Four traveling squad". Americas Rugby News. May 10, 2022. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
- ^ Cahill, Calder (May 9, 2022). "USA Women's Eagles traveling roster named for Pacific Four Series 2022". USA Rugby. Retrieved June 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. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ "Kate Zackary leads Eagles squad to Rugby World Cup". Americas Rugby News. September 16, 2022. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ Mockford, Sarah (October 9, 2022). "USA Women's Rugby World Cup Squad 2022 – USA 10-22 Italy". Rugby World. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- ^ "Premier Rugby Sevens crowns inaugural champions". Americas Rugby News. October 10, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "Loggerheads, Loonies Win PR7s | Goff Rugby Report". www.goffrugbyreport.com. August 7, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ "2024 Olympics: U.S. women's rugby sevens wins first bronze medal, stunning Australia with try as clock expires". CBSSports.com. July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
- ^ Rubinroit, Seth (August 3, 2016). "Who is Alev Kelter?". NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on September 24, 2017. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
- ^ "Gatorade Alev Kelter Girls' Soccer POY". ESPNdeportes.com (in Spanish). August 25, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
- ^ "Alev Kelter". Team USA. Archived from the original on September 24, 2017. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
- ^ "Alev Kelter". USA Rugby. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ^ "Alev Kelter". Team USA. Archived from the original on January 1, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
- ^ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved August 10, 2024.
External links
edit- Alev Kelter at the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series (archived)
- Alev Kelter at USA Rugby (archive July 20, 2021)
- Alev Kelter at Team USA (archive July 12, 2022)
- Alev Kelter at Olympedia
- Alev Kelter at Olympics.com
- Alev Kelter at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games (archived)
- Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com
- Alev Kelter on Instagram