Newbury Park’s Genevieve Ireland is the youngest player on the U23 Southern California All-Star Women’s Griffins Rugby team for the third straight year.

Ireland, 17, is the only player from Ventura County.

The Newbury Park High junior was selected to the team by USA Rugby, Southern California Rugby Football Union and Southern California Youth Rugby.

The U23 Griffins team will travel to UC Santa Barbara to battle the best rugby players in the United States at the Women’s Under 23 National All -Star Championship. The Griffins’ first match will pit them against the United States National Team, the Eagles, U20 side. The first two rounds of tournament play will be Friday, with the final rounds on Sunday at Storke Field, adjacent to UCSB’s Harder Stadium.

At this event, selectors from the United States National Rugby Team will be on hand scouting America’s best talent for the national sides, known as the Eagles.

Ireland plays for the Thousand Oaks-based Orca Rugby Club’s U19 high school team.