Kelly Griffin

Griff first started playing rugby as a student at UCLA. From there she was selected to play in the U.S.A. Rugby U23 team, and later in the AIG Women's Collegiate All-Americans. In 2011, she was named MVP and won the Women's Club Sevens National Championship with the Berkeley All-Blues. She also won the Women's All-Star National Championship with the Pacific Coast, along with the Women's Premier League Championship with the Berkley All-Blues. In 2013, Griff took part in the Women's Sevens at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow, helping her team win the Bronze medal. She continued to win the Silver Medal in 2015 at the Toronto PanAm Games and was later named to the 12-player Team USA team for Rugby Sevens' debut at the Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games.

Griff started coaching our UCSB Women's Club Rugby Team in 2019-2020. She led the team through a successful pre-season and through ups and downs of winter season; all while motivating the team to push ourselves to do our best. She continued to keep the team connected through virtual meetings & practices during the pandemic & academic school year of 2020-2021. Griff teaches us beneficial techniques and drills in every practice to challenge us and help us better understand the sport; making us feel confident in ourselves and in each other on and off the field. She leads by example and has proven to be a strong, supportive, and empowering part of our rugby family. Griff encourages each member of the team to ask questions, be a team player, uplift one another, and to have fun!