Karameli Fa'aee - Staff Directory - Brown University Athletics

Staff Directory

Karameli Fa'aee

Title:
Assistant Coach
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Fa’aee joined the women’s rugby staff in April 2025, entering her first season with the team in the fall of 2025.

“Brown has helped mold some of the most exceptional leaders, both among students and staff. The opportunity to collaborate with such individuals is invaluable. I believe this is the environment where I can continue to the thrive and make the most significant impact,” said coach Karameli Fa’aee.

Fa'aee serves as an assistant coach on the Team USA U-23 team, where she coaches Kate Muldoon. Before Brown, Fa’aee served as an assistant coach for the New York Athletic Club Rugby team of the American Rugby Premiership, the highest level of rugby competition in the United States. She also served as the head coach of the New York Locals of the Premier Rugby Sevens league and Director of Rugby at the Roots Rugby Family in New York.

She was the head coach of New York Rugby Club in the women’s premier league (WPL) in 2023 and served as an assistant on the WPL All-Star team that year. She also worked as an intern coach of the WXV USA Women’s Eagles on during their South African Tour in 2023.

Fa’aee was the head coach of Life West in the WPL in 2022 after working as an assistant coach on Rugby New York of Major League Rugby. She was the first woman to be part of a U.S. men’s professional rugby team coaching staff when she accepted the role in 2019.

Stints as an assistant coach of the Jamaica Lady Crocs and a manager of the USA Rugby Women’s National Team in Chula Vista in 2019 gave Fa’aee her coaching start.

In her final tenure as a player, Fa’aee was a captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team in 2017, her last of three years with the team.

She also played in the Fetu Samoa Rugby League from 2009 to 2011 prior to her playing days in the United States.

“Karameli has had a storied career as both a player and coach,” said head coach Rosalind Chou. “We are incredibly lucky to have her join our staff. Her experience coaching at the highest levels, women and men, will enhance the experience for all our student-athletes. She connects with everyone she works with and her extensive background in both 15s and 7s exponentially expands our coaching capabilities. We are so excited for her to join us on College Hill!"