Luke Gross enjoyed a rugby career as an American that is almost unprecedented in its length at the highest levels.
A basketball player at Indiana State and also at Marshall, Gross picked up the sport of rugby late, but his career blossomed with the Cincinnati Wolfhounds and with his 6-9 frame and love of contact, he soon earned notice from the USA setup.
First capped at 26, Gross ended up retiring with what was then a USA record of 62 caps. He was among the first USA players to earn a professional contract when rugby turned pro in 1996, and over an 11-year period played for eight different professional teams in England, Wales, and Italy.
