Kayla Moleschi

Biography

Kayla Moleschi was a member of Team Canada at Rio 2016 where she scored three tries, helping Canada win bronze in the first ever Olympic rugby sevens tournament. She was named the 2016 Women’s Sevens Player of the Year by Rugby Canada. In her second Olympic appearance at Tokyo 2020, Moleschi recorded one try in five games for Canada.

After playing with the Canadian U19 program from 2006 to 2009, Moleschi was attending the University of Lethbridge when she was invited to join the senior national team. In her sole year with the Pronghorns in 2011, she won the Canada West Championship, was named to the CIS All-Canadian Team, and was awarded the Canada West Rookie of the Year. She made her debut with Canada’s Women’s Sevens Team that same year, scoring two tries in the inaugural IRB Challenge Cup event in Dubai. Moleschi’s on-field vision from the hooker position gives Canada another scoring option in the forwards and her consistent play has made her a regular on the women’s national team.

The IRB Challenge Cup would be reformed as the World Rugby Sevens Series for 2012-13 and Moleschi has played in more games than any other player on the tour since. In total, Moleschi has 49 tries and four conversions in 219 matches over eight seasons. She has helped Canada to one overall Sevens Series silver medal (2014-15) to go along with six bronze medals, missing the overall podium for the only time in 2017-18.

Moleschi has appeared in two World Cups and two Pan Am Games for Canada. She helped Canada win silver at the 2013 World Cup, their only medal at the event yet. She was part of Canada’s gold medal-winning team at the 2015 Pan Am Games, scoring two tries. She would be named captain for the 2019 Pan Am Games, leading a younger team to a perfect 5-0 record and the gold medal, with their only points against coming in the final 24-10 win over USA.

A Little More About Kayla

Getting into the Sport: Started playing rugby in grade 9 when she was 14… Had played baseball and hockey but was intrigued by rugby after watching games on the local field… Outside Interests: Enjoys camping, hiking with her dog Finnigan, doing puzzles on rainy days… Owns her own business, KM Yardworks, that her dad helps her with while she is away from Williams Lake… Studied at Thompson Rivers University before transferring to the University of Lethbridge… Odds and Ends: Nickname is “Moley”… Favourite motto: “Don’t ever give up on anything. No matter how challenging, just remember you are capable of so much more than what you think you are and have so much left in the tank!”