Steve Gray

A University of Arizona golf scholarship brought him to campus; a student-newspaper notice introduced him to rugby in his senior year.

Selected in the inaugural modern-era USA Eagles squad against Australia in Anaheim, part of the generation that re-established international rugby for the United States.

Made his Test debut against France in Chicago. USA Eagle number 78; the Hall of Fame records six fifteens caps.

Played at UCLA as a graduate student during the Dennis Storer era, developing a career that eventually covered every position in the backline.

Coached Los Angeles Rugby Club to a league title before returning to UCLA as coach in 1981.

Started at fly-half for the International Overseas XV against North Wales at Colwyn Bay. The multinational touring side also included Jack Clark and John Fowler.

Returned to UCLA as coach. The university’s Hall of Fame announcement recognises his playing years and his 1981 coaching season.

Captained the first USA Eagles sevens squad at Hong Kong. The national sevens archive names OMBAC as his club and records his tries against Sri Lanka and Japan.

Event archiveMarch 28–29, 1981 · USA archiveView archive ↗

Returned to Hong Kong as captain, named in the opening scoring sequence against Japan. The team photograph identifies him in the lower row, third from the left.

Event archiveMarch 27–28, 1982 · USA archiveView archive ↗

Played at Hong Kong, converted against Crawshay’s Welsh and was photographed fending a Tongan defender. The tour roster lists the University of Miami as his club.

Event archiveMarch 31–April 1, 1984 · USA archiveView archive ↗

Captained the Hong Kong touring squad and scored against Brunei before a hand injury against Canada. He is identified in the photograph’s front row, third from the left.

Event archiveMarch 30–31, 1985 · USA archiveView archive ↗

Led the Pacific Coast Grizzlies to a National All Star title, combining representative coaching with his OMBAC player-coach role.

Served as OMBAC sevens player-coach. The club won the national championship in 1985 and finished third in 1986.

Coached San Diego State to the 1987 national collegiate championship, alongside a broader coaching career at Los Angeles, UCLA and Sacramento State.

Named as player-coach for the USA squad at the inaugural Sydney Sevens; the caption places him first from the left in the front row.

Event archiveMarch 22–23, 1986 · USA archiveView archive ↗

Coached the USA at Hong Kong as the Eagles won the Plate. The squad photograph identifies him at the right end of the standing row.

Event archiveApril 5–6, 1986 · USA archiveView archive ↗

Moved to Sacramento State as a professor while continuing to contribute to rugby coaching and development in Northern California.

Coached Davis High School, whose team won its league in 1999 and placed third in the Northern California playoffs in 2000.

UC Davis dates the start of his coaching era to 2003; the Aggies reached the Sweet Sixteen and a national fourth-place ranking in 2004, then returned to the Sweet Sixteen in 2006.

Received UC Davis rugby’s first Colby E. “Babe” Slater Award for dedication to student athletics and the game. The team made the playoffs in every season under him.

Served as a World Rugby Educator and Trainer, developing coaches and coach educators for USA Rugby. His work included courses in sevens coaching.

Inducted into the US Rugby Hall of Fame in Philadelphia, recognising a life spanning international play, captaincy, coaching and education.

Named to UCLA Rugby’s 2020 Hall of Fame class, celebrating both his graduate-student playing career and his return to coach the Bruins.