CHULA VISTA, Calif. ­— Whitefish’s Nicole Heavirland will make her debut for the USA National Rugby Sevens squad at its matches in Atlanta next week, the team announced Thursday.

Heavirland, who finished her sophomore season this winter at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, was named as one of 12 players selected to the national team for the home leg of the 2015-16 HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series, known as the HSBC Atlanta Sevens to be held on April 8-9 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium on the campus of Kennesaw State University. The 21-year-old plays scrum half for the Eagles, a position loosely-akin to the quarterback in football.

She was notified of her spot on the team after the morning practice at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California. Heavirland has been working out at the facility since the end of the collegiate season in November.

Sevens rugby, named because it uses seven players instead of the traditional 15, will make its debut at the Olympics this summer. The Atlanta Sevens series is the last home series for the USA Women before they compete at Olympics this summer in Brazil.

“It was pretty good feeling,” Heavirland said. “I know what it feels like not to be selected. (So I was) not really celebrating, you just nod and take it as it is. But it’s a pretty good feeling.”

“Nicole stepped up and proved herself,” Women’s Eagles coach Richie Walker said in a press release. “She’s a strong runner and very aggressive. That’s the look we have in this team – aggressive and a lot of speed.”

Heavirland, who played at the 2013 U20 Nations Cup with the AIG Women’s Junior All-Americans, received her first senior 15s caps in last summer’s Women’s Rugby Super Series, where she was the youngest player on the team. Most recently she suited up for the USA Falcons at both the Las Vegas Invitational tournament and Vancouver Rugby Festival in the past month.

She got her start during her sophomore year at Glacier High School, playing for the Kalispell Black & Blue rugby club. She said the club was huge in her development, before eventually playing prep at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire and graduating to become a star for Army. The Black & Blue, now coached by Heavirland’s father, Lance, open their season on Saturday.

The USA Sevens team currently holds the eighth position in the HSBC Series standings after two of the season’s five rounds. A disappointing opening round to the year saw the Eagles haul two points from Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, and an 11-week layoff allowed the athletes to regroup for a fourth-place campaign in São Paulo at the Brazil Women’s Sevens.

The team selected to play this week will likely also play at the next leg of the Series on April 16-17 in Langford, British Columbia, before any changes are made. The final round will be played May 28-29 in France and the Olympics begin on Aug. 5.

Though the Eagles will not have to worry about Olympic qualification, only a maximum 18 matches are possible for the remainder of the Series before the games begin in August.

“I still have a patient outlook,” Walker said of the run-up to the first Olympic Games to include Rugby Sevens. “For me, it isn’t about the hard work right now. Believe me, when we come back from Langford, that’s when we’re going to switch on to just all hard work. If I do my job and I do it right with the time we have, we should be able to prepare well enough for the Olympics.

“Every single day, every single minute matters.”

Heavirland said she’s not focused on making the Olympic team, just working hard to improve.

“There’s no guarantee to make the team,” she said. “I just train hard every day, that’s all you can control. I’m here to learn and play, and just give it my all.

“There’s a lot that can happen before the Olympics. As long as I give it 100 percent every day I’ll be happy no matter the results.”

Women’s Eagles | HSBC Atlanta Sevens

v. Spain - Friday, April 8 @ 12:20 p.m. MT

v. Japan - Friday, April 8 @ 3:04 p.m. MT

v. New Zealand - Friday, April 8 @ 5:26 p.m. MT