The TRU rugby community is set to come together on August 24 in Austin to celebrate the Hall of Fame Class of 2024, present the prestigious Alan Sharpley Award for visionary leadership, and honor the 2001 Baylor University Rugby team for their USA Rugby Men’s Division 2 Collegiate National Championship win.
Hall of Fame Inductees:
Scott Green: A national panel referee who has been a fixture in Major League Rugby from its inception, officiating the first two MLR championship matches and the 2017 National Club Championship. Scott, a New Zealand native, also played for the Austin Huns and Austin RFC. As a former chair of the Texas Rugby Referees Association, he revamped many referee development programs while continuing to referee and coach across Texas.
Michelle Persica: A capped USA Eagle known for her speed and tackling, Michelle toured with the national team to New Zealand and Canada. She starred for the Austin Valkyries, Little Rock, and the Atlantis 7s squad. Her coaching career includes roles with the Valkyries, Lonestar men’s club, and Western USA Select Side.
Mike “Panama” Mazzerole: Known for his time with the Houston Old Boys, Mike also played for Stephen F. Austin University, HARC, and internationally in Panama. He coached numerous Texas teams at various levels, including the Spartans program in Houston. His playing career includes appearances for the Canal Zone All Stars, Texas junior and senior Select Sides, and the Western USA All Stars.
Traci (Schmidtke) Young: Her rugby journey is a rich tapestry of playing, coaching, refereeing, and being a tireless administrator. She is a former co-captain and assistant coach of the Austin Valkyries after serving as president of the Texas A&M women’s team. Her playing chops include being a member and often captain of numerous select sides, including the TRU, Western, and USA U-23s sides, and a member of the TRU and Western RFU senior select side. Her playing experience served her well as a coach at the collegiate, club and select side levels and as a referee. She has also held leadership roles as a member of the TRU Board, collegiate conference commissioner, Chair of the referee society, and World Rugby Educator. Currently, her rugby expertise has led her to event management for the TRU annual summit and Hall of Fame.
Alan Sharpley Award:
This year, the Alan Sharpley Award for visionary leadership honors the original shareholders, we’re calling them the ‘Burr Fie
ld OGs’ who funded and built Texas’s first club-owned rugby facility, Burr Field. Their dedication turned a flood plain into an iconic rugby touchstone, with many shareholders donating their stakes back to the club.
- Joe Beamon
- Rick Blackney
- Aaron Cahoon
- Lucy Cochrane
- Bubba Cook
- Jim Goulding
- Jon Green
- Dan Hilliard
- Jim Hogan
- Pete Machotka
- Alan Sharpley
- Diane Smith
- Chez Towery
- Phil Weatherbee
- Steve Wiley
- Phil Wilhite
Honoring Baylor University:
Each year, the HOF banquet revisits TRU rugby history, celebrating significant achievements. This year, the spotlight is on the 2001 Baylor University team, which won the USA Rugby Men’s Division 2 Collegiate National Championship. Members of that squad will be honored, along with alumni and supporters from other years.
Hall of Fame Banquet Celebration
The 2024 HOF Banquet on August 24 will coincide with the annual three-day TRU Summit Conference on the Game at the same location. You can learn more about the HOF Banquet Celebration here and purchase single tickets and discounted tables here. Discounted rooms at the Hilton are available here, and you can purchase various TRU and HOF merchandise here.