GRR: Awards
Jone Naqica retired from playing international rugby as the highest-scoring USA player in international 7s.
While that record of 411 points scored has since been broken, it’s still evidence that Naqica was a hugely important player for the USA as its 7s program developed.
Vanesha McGee was an All American at Temple University and quickly through the USA U23s and onto the national team.
At Temple she led the Owls to a national DII championship, and her leadership and confidence was evident as she was able to make the jump to international rugby from the DII college game.
Kristin Zdanczewicz carried the nickname "Ham" for much of her career, so-named because the pronunciation of her last name rhymed with "sandwich" ... OK, maybe you had to be there.
Takudzwa Ngwenya came to American from what he described as a very difficult life in Zimbabwe.
He came to attend college in Dallas, and was quickly noticed for speed and ability to break a game open. Green, skinny, shy, he emerged as a seasoned professional with strength as well as pace, and one of the most recognizable personalities in the American game.
Kevin Swords was a monolith of American Rugby.