Bryce Campbell Retires from Professional Rugby
Bryce Campbell Retires from Professional Rugby
USA Eagle and 2017 Rudy Scholz Award-winner Bryce Campbell has announced that he is retiring from professional rugby.
After an accomplished international and Major League Rugby (MLR) career, Campbell will return to his hometown of Indianapolis to take the helm at Kuntz Stadium with an ambitious vision: to make the city a national hub for rugby.
Campbell will serve as General Manager and Sports Activities Director with Riverside Sports Properties LLC, which operates Kuntz Stadium through a lease agreement with the City of Indianapolis. Riverside Sports Properties began investing in and ultimately operating the stadium in January of 2025. In May 2025, Riverside Sports and the Indiana Sports Corp attracted the Collegiate Rugby Association of America (CRAA) National Championships and USA Rugby’s Senior Men’s and Women’s National Championships to Kuntz Stadium, bringing athletes and fans from more than 30 states to Indianapolis.
In addition to premier rugby events, Kuntz Stadium and Riverside Sports will continue to serve and host community groups such as the Central Indiana Women’s Soccer League (CIWSL) and the International Soccer League. Kuntz Stadium also now serves as the home field for the Indianapolis AlleyCats men’s professional Ultimate Frisbee League team and has hosted the Indy Reds, women’s Ultimate Frisbee League team.
Riverside Sports Properties, led by Indianapolis residents Brian Williams and Bill Ehret, has set its sights on elevating Indianapolis as a training site for one of the World’s elite Men’s teams during the 2031 Men’s Rugby World Cup and potentially host competitions for the 2033 Women’s Rugby World Cup. Both are among the largest sporting events in the world. In addition, the group is evaluating the potential for a Major League Rugby (MLR) franchise in Indianapolis and attracting USA Rugby to Indianapolis and joining the growing number of NGBs that call the city home.
Williams, who played on Indiana University’s rugby team, and serves alongside celebrity entrepreneur Mark Cuban on the Indiana University Men’s Rugby Alumni Board, said, “Bringing in Bryce to run the operations and champion Indy as a nation’s rugby destination is a key component of our vision.”
Eagle number 497, Campbell was capped 48 times for the Eagles and also served as the team's captain. He most recently competed in Major League Rugby with the Chicago Hounds. He was a HS All American while playing with Royal Irish in the Indianapolis area and then attended Indiana University, where he was an All American and the Scholz Award-winner as the top collegiate rugby player in the nation.
Chicago Hounds co-owner Matt Satchwell said, “We recruited Bryce as the very first Chicago Hound for a reason. His character, leadership, work-ethic, and courage set the standard for the kind of team we aspire to be, and everyone in the Hounds organization is grateful that he’s been with us every step of the way.”
In November 2016, he earned his first cap with the Eagles against Romania. He has two bachelor’s degrees from Indiana University: one in Marketing, another in Entrepreneurship & Corporate Innovation. He and his wife, Lucie, have two children and look forward to living in Indianapolis.
“This is the city that raised me — and now, I want it to be the city that raises the future of American rugby,” Campbell said. “There’s momentum for the sport here, incredible athletic infrastructure, and a community that knows how to rally around its teams and major events. I’m excited to help grow the sport in an outstanding sports city.”
Campbell officially begins his new role at Kuntz Stadium July 28, just in time for the USA Rugby Women’s Talent ID Camp, which will bring 40 athletes from across the U.S. to the city through Aug. 1.
