Through its Pathways to Excellence Fund, the US Rugby Foundation will be sending promising players Miles McCormick and Andrew Alves to the world-renowned Stellenbosch Academy of Sport in Stellenbosch, South Africa for the next three months. “This experience for Miles and Andrew, to go to a full time...

The United States Rugby Foundation is pleased to announce that the recipients of the 2022 Prusmack Awards, awarded to the top female and male collegiate 7s player in the country, are Lindenwood University Graduate, Sativa Tarau-Peehikuru, and Life University Sophomore, Darius Law. Over 60 collegiate coaches from across...

The US Rugby Foundation is pleased to announce that the RugbyTown National Training Center will be the Title Sponsor of this year’s US Rugby Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. This years Induction Ceremony will take place on Friday, July 15, 2022 at the Infinity Park Event Center in...

The US Rugby Foundation is partnering with USA Youth & High School Rugby to provide seed funding to encourage the formation of new high school rugby programs. The Foundation is providing $100,000 for this national program to expand single school rugby programs throughout the United States. “We are...

The US Rugby Foundation has joined National Collegiate Rugby as a sponsor of the 2022 Collegiate Rugby Championships (CRC), known as May Madness 7s. The Collegiate Rugby Championships is the largest collegiate rugby event in the country with 100 rugby 7s teams. The national championship will be held...

It is our pleasure to announce the US Rugby Hall of Fame Class of 2022 and special award recipients. All of this year’s honorees have played a major role in the sport of rugby in the United States. We will honor these Hall of Fame inductees and special...

The US Rugby Foundation is pleased to welcome eight new State Governors who have made a commitment to volunteer their time to further develop and build grassroots rugby in America. Assisting the US Rugby Foundation Board of Directors is the Board of Governors. The Governors live in different...

Washington D.C. and Delaware (March 17, 2022): USA Youth & High School Rugby (USAY&HS) and the US Rugby Foundation (USRF) announced a joint agreement which will see USRF providing funding to support USAY&HS’ efforts to  introduce, develop and grow 20 new high school rugby programs across the country....

The US Rugby Foundation has proudly supported Memphis Inner City Rugby (MICR) since their founding in 2012. Since then, MICR has impacted over 2,000 student-athletes born into under-resourced communities across Memphis, scaled to field 14 teams, employed 3 full-time staff members and dozens of coaches – the majority...

After receiving and reviewing a record number of 30 college scholarship applications for the 17 2021-22 college scholarships on offer, the US Rugby Foundation is pleased to announce this year’s scholarship recipients. Kaler Family Rugby Scholarships Ellie Villnow Born with hearing loss, some sports and activities were uncomfortable...

Austin Felt They say the safest place is in the eye of the storm, but for Austin Felt that place was in the middle of the scrum. After experiencing the tragic loss of a friend during his teenage years, being present on the pitch brought Austin a sense...

Amelia Dellamano Born to a British mother and an American father, it was never a doubt Amelia Dellamano would take interest in the sport of rugby. Dellamano was introduced to the sport at a young age while living in England, but after moving stateside she assumed that her...

Alyssa Cunningham Alyssa Cunningham’s rugby roots helped boost her confidence on and off the field. When Alyssa was diagnosed with dyslexia in middle school, she turned to rugby. “When I struggled in school, athletics became my outlet. I excelled at rugby, and it gave me the confidence to...

Philip Tracey Growing up in a rugby family, Philip Tracey spent most of his early years around the pitch and at other rugby related events. Once he began playing, he had a host of mentors ready to help him develop his skills and understanding of the game. What...

Micky O’Leary Rugby has been the moral compass guiding Micky O’Leary. By experiencing the respect and accountability the game demands, Micky began to demand those same qualities out of those in his own life and the returns were two-fold.  In 2012, O’Leary began his rugby career with the...

Jakai Bailey “Playing rugby has led to opportunities to travel and has also taught me how being disciplined and always trying my best can lead to bigger and better things in life,” said Jakai Bailey.  He was introduced to rugby during his sophomore year of high school. After...

Israel Martinez A graduate of Valley Center High School in the greater San Diego area, Israel Martinez had the opportunity to climb the rugby ranks with the San Diego Mustangs Youth Rugby Club. As a freshman with the Mustangs, Israel immediately earned a starting front row position on...

Elijah Palmer After years of participating in football, Elijah Palmer strived for more and was eager to gain an edge on other competitors. He felt stuck in a performance rut, until he found rugby. After he was introduced to the game, Elijah hit his stride and became a...

Devon Roosna What pulled Devon Roosna closer to the sport of rugby was the culture. His experiences on the pitch made him realize that on the playing field, beside different kits, everyone is equal. He credits the game for giving him a family and support system that changed...

Brett Krenke Brett Krenke’s dedication to conditioning not only made him a stronger player on the pitch, but also in everything that he does. The mental toughness and work ethic that he has developed from the sport has transcended into all avenues of his life, giving him the...

Ellie Villnow Born with hearing loss, some sports and activities were uncomfortable for Ellie Villnow, until she was introduced to rugby. After experiencing her first practice, her presence on the rugby pitch felt like second nature. She joined a cooperative girls’ team for multiple high schools in a...

Erron Hubbard At scrum half, Erron Hubbard thrives under the responsibility asked of him on the pitch. The ultimate team player, Hubbard finds comfort in being able to tune his thoughts to the game, knowing his teammates trust him to help them succeed. Rugby has given him the...

Thomas Curran Thomas Curran’s very first rugby game was a rude awakening, but one bloody nose and a lesson learned was all it took for him to find the confidence he didn’t even know he had. After getting run over, he was determined to improve his tackling skills...

Emmet “Ash” Mallach Having played rugby for seven years while simultaneously coaching for four, Emmet Ashton “Ash” Mallach enjoys being both a student and a teacher of the game. As a rugby sponge, he looks forward to practices, because it allows him to communicate with his coaches and...

Luke Misleh “Imagine a skinny 13-year-old who somehow also has a pot belly, who was a musical theater kid all through grade school, walking onto a rugby field, ready to play. You’re probably thinking that that kid got rocked with this new challenge. But the beautiful part is,...

Luke Malanga Luke Malanga describes rugby as both an end and a means to his life, cherishing the positive influences of fraternity and athletic challenges the sport has to offer. “Workouts on off days, practice in the rain, and student run training in the off season, have brought...

Kalisi Po’oi “Playing rugby has taught me to adapt to the situations, rather than me expecting situations to always be in my favor. That is, I don’t have to wait for the opportunity, instead, I must go forth and look for opportunities to grasp,” said Kalisi Po’oi. Her...

A scholarship new to the US Rugby Foundation in 2022 is the William V. Campbell Memorial Scholarship. Named after US Rugby Hall of Famer, the late William “Bill” Campbell, this scholarship will be awarded to the college freshman who demonstrates a prowess on the rugby field and in...

The Crusaders are the most successful Super Rugby team ever having won 10 league titles, including the past three, since the competition began in 1996. The Crusaders have also won the domestic Super Rugby competition created due to the COVID pandemic, Super Rugby Aotearoa, the past two seasons....

The US Rugby Foundation is set to establish new representation in 10 regions where there are open spots (Northwest, Southwest, Northern California, Southern California, Central, Midwest, South, Southeast, Northeast, New England). These regions are spread across the entire United States, with each region featuring at least 1 member...

San Diego, California. Brian Vizard, President of the US Rugby Foundation has announced the appointment of four prominent rugby players and community leaders to lead the second phase of the With You! Campaign toward a final goal of $2.5 million. All of this taking place after a successful...

The Kaler Family Scholarships were established to provide assistance for deserving members of the rugby community who have been active players in high school programs and to be used for continuing education. The application process for the Kaler Family Scholarships will end August 31. To make things as...

July 6, 2021 – United States Rugby Foundation (USRF) is excited to announce their new partnership with Girls Rugby, a non-profit organization working with young girls to advocate for their success on and off the field. USRF is expanding their fundraising efforts to those who say “With You!”...

The Crusaders are the most successful Super Rugby team ever having won 10 league titles, including the past three, since the competition began in 1996. The Crusaders have also won the domestic Super Rugby competition created due to the COVID pandemic, Super Rugby Aotearoa, the past two seasons....

The North America Youth Rugby Referee Program was created to give opportunities for developing youth referees to travel to tournaments around North America and work with local and National referee coaches. The organization is a non-profit and 100% of the donations and sponsorships go directly to the expenses...

On behalf of the United States Rugby Foundation, it is our honor to announce the US Rugby Class of 2021 Hall of Fame and special award recipients. Let’s celebrate those that have played a major role in developing the sport of rugby in the United States. Pending COVID-19...

The New Zealand Crusaders Virtual Coaching Course through their Academy is developing an incredible opportunity for coaches in the Pacific Northwest. US Rugby Foundation has sponsored 6 coaches from youth to adult to participate in the coaching course. This will provide synergy between all levels within one geographic...

Please join the Women’s Rugby Coaches & Referees Association for their 2021 Virtual Conference with keynote speaker Rachel Simmons! As a best-selling author and leadership development expert and coach, Rachel helps people build their resilience, amplify their voices, and own their own courage. You do not want to...

San Diego, CA  (February 22, 2021) – With generous support from the Graham Downes Development Fund and the Pathways to Excellence Fund (both under the U.S. Rugby Foundation umbrella), U.S. U18s player Damian Morley will be spending the next three months at the world-renowned Stellenbosch Academy of Sport in...

U.S. Rugby Foundation Announces Latest Ball Grant Recipients San Diego, CA (February 1, 2021) – The United States Rugby Foundation has helped introduce rugby to thousands of children by providing size 4 and 5 rugby balls to youth and high school clubs, schools and community programs throughout the...

Most of us now know Brian Vizard as the head of the US Rugby Football Foundation, and as a TV announcer and analyst, but before all of that, Viz was the captain of the USA team. Little-known fact—Brian Vizard was this rugby reporter’s first interview, which happened in...

To honor one of the most prolific players to ever pull on a United States Eagles jersey, the United States Rugby Football Foundation is pleased to announce the Kevin Higgins College Scholarship Program. The application process for the Higgins Scholarships begins on May 1 and will have a...

The Meg Votta Memorial Fund was created in 2010 to honor the memory of Margaret “Meg” Votta, who passed away in November 2009 after a valiant battle with ovarian cancer. The fund was established to provide scholarships for deserving members of the rugby community who have been active...

In 2016, the USRF introduced the Terry O’Reilly Memorial Scholarship, awarded to a deserving high school senior rugby player who goes on to play rugby in college. Cal freshman, Owen Duvall, was the first recipient of the $2,500 Terry O’Reilly Memorial Scholarship. The most recent recipient is Lindenwood...

Last Week to Submit Nominations for the U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame Class of 2021 The United States Rugby Foundation is accepting nominations for the U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame (http://www.usrugbyhalloffame.org) Class of 2021. The  nomination criteria are set forth below. Nominations for the Class of 2021 must be received...

2020-21 KEVIN HIGGINS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT ZOË DEMASSA PENN STATE UNIVERSITY Zoë DeMassa describes rugby as her personal “cheat code” to life. DeMassa has learned life lessons both on and off the pitch that have shaped her into the young woman she is today and says she is...

2020-21 KEVIN HIGGINS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT LYRIC GREENHILL-CASADOS LIFE UNIVERSITY Lyric Greenhill-Casados has faced her fair share of adversity, but because of rugby’s influence on her life, she is confident that she can tackle and overcome whatever life throws her way.  “Playing rugby has been quite an experience....

2020-21 KEVIN HIGGINS COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT ANTHONY RICHARDSON SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA Anthony Richardson credits rugby for giving him a new lease on life. At a time when his health was wavering, Richardson was invited to come out to a 7s practice and instantly fell in love....