Seven Inducted into US Rugby Hall of Fame 2025 Class

05.06.2025Int'l News

The US Rugby Foundation has announced the 2025 inductees to the US Rugby Hall of Fame.

Seven inductees are honored this year.

Barb Fugate

Barbara "Barb" Fugate began playing rugby in 1985 and represented the Southern California Griffins, Pacific Coast Grizzlies, and Midwest Select Side from 1987-1997. She earned 4 caps with the USA Eagles 15s as a scrumhalf from 1990-1991, participating in the 1990 World Rugby Festival in New Zealand and the championship-winning 1991 Women's World Cup team in Wales. Barb organized the groundbreaking first women's territorial tour to New Zealand in 1989. Her administrative impact includes serving on the USA Rugby Board of Directors (1996-2004) as Strategic Planning Committee Chair and Treasurer, and presenting to the USOC Affiliate Sports Organization in 1998 to advance rugby's Olympic path. From 2000-2008, she coached the U23 Women's National Team, creating a vital player development pathway and winning the 2006 Senior All-Star Championships. She served on the Minnesota Amateur Rugby Foundation Board (1998-2008) with two terms as President. Previously inducted into the US Rugby Foundation Hall of Fame with the 1991 World Cup team, she was honored with the Metropolis/Valkyries RFC Hall of Fame induction and inaugural Kathy Flores Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023. Barb continues to serve the game as Rugby Development Officer for Metropolis Rugby Football Club and joined the US Rugby Foundation Board in 2024.

Bill Leversee

Bill "Chief" Leveresee began playing rugby at UC Santa Barbara in 1982, where he was a First Team All-American and club leader. He earned 15 caps for the USA Eagles from 1988-1996, participating in the 1991 Rugby World Cup and numerous international tours, including captaining the 1989 Junior Eagles tour to New Zealand. As one of the youngest locks to be capped at age 24, he competed internationally despite being undersized at 6'4" and 235 pounds. His club career includes five USA National Championships with OMBAC (1988, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1996) and professional stints with teams in New Zealand, Italy, and South Africa. Since 1994, Leveresee has devoted himself to coaching youth rugby in San Diego, leading San Diego Mustangs Youth Rugby, Torrey Pines High School, and La Jolla High School to multiple Southern California Championships. His contributions as a coach, announcer, and mentor have shaped generations of players, instilling rugby's core values of honor, duty, respect, discipline, loyalty, and love for others. He resides in La Jolla, California.

Danita Knox

Danita Knox began playing rugby at Clemson University in 1985 at age 18. From 1995-2005, she played with the Atlanta Harlequins Women's Rugby Football Club, helping transform the team into a perennial national contender. She represented USA Rugby South All Stars from 1998-2004, participating in Inter-Territorial Tournaments. Beyond her playing career, Danita's greatest impact has been through administrative leadership. She founded the US Women's Rugby Foundation in 2005, where she continues to serve as President and Board Chair. She served on the USA Rugby Board of Directors from 2004-2013, where she led the Territorial Union/Local Area Union (TU/LAU) Committee that created the current Geographic Union structure. Other significant leadership roles include President of the Georgia Rugby Union (2002-2012), Women's Director and Vice President of USA Rugby South (1999-2013), and advisor to the Women's Rugby Coaches and Referees Association since 2017. Professionally, Danita is a Global Product Specialist for Hitachi Energy with degrees in engineering and international business. Her visionary leadership continues to advance opportunities for women and girls in rugby across the United States.

Jill Potter

Jill Potter during 2016 Olympic trials. Photo Jordyn Maultsby.

Jone Naqica in action. Photo Ed Hagerty.

Kort Schubert playing for the Pacific Coast in 2005. Photo Ed Hagerty.

Jill Potter (photo from 2016. Jordyn Maultsby) began playing rugby at the University of New Mexico in 2005 at age 19, where she earned College All-American honors. She played Number 8 for the USA Eagles 15s from 2007-2014, earning 21 caps and participating in the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup in France. She captained the Eagles for two years and two tournaments. Jill's rugby career reached new heights when she transitioned to sevens, playing prop for the USA Eagles 7s from 2012-2016 and earning approximately 60 caps. She was one of the first eight women's athletes to be contracted by USA Rugby and served as captain during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she led the women's sevens team in the sport's Olympic debut. Her international career included participation in the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens, where the USA earned a bronze medal, and competing in the 2013-16 IRB/World Rugby Sevens Series. Jill's career was marked by perseverance through significant challenges, including breaking her C4-C5 vertebrae in 2010 and battling Stage III synovial sarcoma cancer in 2013-2014. After overcoming cancer to compete in the Olympics, she continues to give back to the sport through her 2018 RAN Leadership Development Scholarship program, designed to accelerate the global development of women in rugby and maximize the leadership potential of talented women currently in the game.

Jone Naqica

Jone Naqica began playing rugby at age 5 in 1985 and continued until 2014, spanning an impressive 29-year career. A Pacific Islander by heritage, he played fullback for the USA Eagles 15s from 2001-2010, earning 8 caps and playing 12 games. His Eagles debut was memorable, scoring two tries against South Africa in 2001. He also excelled in sevens rugby, playing as a fly-half for the USA Eagles 7s from 2001-2010, where he earned 23 caps and participated in 97 games. He captained the Eagles 7s team from 2006-2010 and competed in two Rugby World Cup Sevens (2005, 2009). At the club level, Naqica was a standout player for both the Denver Barbarians (2001-2006), leading them to USA 7s Championships runners-up in 2001 and 2004, and for SFGG (2007-2014), helping secure Super League Championships in 2009 and 2011. He also represented the Pacific Coast Grizzlies and West Mustangs in representative competitions, leading the latter to a territorial 7s championship. Following his playing career, Naqica contributed to rugby's development in the United States as a coach with the Eagle Impact Rugby Academy during the 2013 World Cup 7s in San Francisco. Known for his exceptional playmaking abilities, humility, and sportsmanship, Naqica retired as USA Rugby's all-time leading scorer in 7s with 411 points.

Kort Schubert

Kort Schubert began playing rugby at Jesuit High School in Sacramento in 1996 at age 16. He played primarily as a flanker for the USA Eagles 15s from 2000-2008, earning 49 caps and playing in 50 games. As team captain for 18 matches (including 17 consecutive games), he led the Eagles to their highest world ranking of the era. Schubert's collegiate career at UC Berkeley (1997-2002) was exceptional, helping Cal win five consecutive national championships while twice winning the Woodley Award as the nation's best collegiate player (2001, 2002). He was a five-time Collegiate All-American and was named Cal's Male Student Athlete of the Year in 2001. Schubert broke new ground for American players by going directly from college to professional contracts with Northampton Saints (2003-2004) and Cardiff Blues (2004-2006) in the UK. He also represented the USA in the 2003 Rugby World Cup, scoring three tries. Following his playing career, Schubert has coached at UC Berkeley (2004-2007) and with the Danville Oaks youth program (2015-present), where he helped develop future Eagles. In 2021, he was inducted into the California Athletics Hall of Fame.

Tony Ridnell

Tony "TR" Ridnell began playing rugby in Sydney, Australia in 1970 at age 9, continuing his development at the United States Military Academy at West Point (1978-1982) where he was named Most Valuable Forward in 1982. Playing primarily as a second row, Ridnell earned 14 caps with the USA Eagles 15s from 1985-1993, including appearances in both the 1987 and 1991 Rugby World Cups. He also excelled in sevens rugby, earning 16 caps and playing in 71 games from 1989-1993, including the inaugural Rugby World Cup Sevens in 1993. At the club level, Ridnell was instrumental in Old Puget Sound Beach RFC's dominance, helping them win four National 7s Championships (1988, 1990, 1991, 1992). As team captain, he led the USA Cougars on their tour to the Melrose 7s in Scotland in 1993. His military career included serving as captain of the USA Combined Services team, representing American military personnel in international competition. Following his playing career, Ridnell founded Eagles XVs Club to support USA national teams and currently serves on the USA Rugby International Athlete Council. He is also known as the "Voice of the Seawolves" for Seattle's Major League Rugby team.