Valkyrie sign Under 19s graduates!
- sharonshortle
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
York Valkyrie have welcomed eight players from the Under 19s into their open age squad for 2026!
Bella Clarke, Chevelle Clarke, Ruby Ellis, T’Leesha Frederick-Maynard, Charlotte McDaid, Freya Moorhouse , Keira Hollin and Liv Turner have all stepped up and signed two year contracts.
Centre, Chevelle Clarke (heritage number #118) became the first player from the Under 19s to progress to the first team, when she featured in the Women’s Nines Festival in May 2023. She was named on the bench for the Valkyrie’s Super League win away at Huddersfield that same year, and is also a Jamaican international.
Second-row, McDaid (#141), made four Super League appearances in 2025, with her debut in the win at Leigh Leopards in June.
Forward, Frederick-Maynard (#142) also debuted in that game and went on to make four first team appearances.
Turner (#145) and Ellis (#148) were both named on the bench in the Valkyrie’s win at Barrow in September, earning them their first taste of Super League rugby.
Bella Clarke, Freya Moorhouse and Keira Hollin all make the step up after impressing for the Under 19s and are still to make their open age debut.
They follow the likes of Izzy Brennan and Evie Sexton who both came through from the Under 19s to be regulars for the Valkyrie last year, with Sexton being named the York Valkyrie Young Player of the Year at the end of season awards ceremony.
