OUR HISTORY
In the fall of 1983, two friends from Midland — Alan “Lizard” Noel and Phil “Phur” McKown, who’d learned the game with the Maddogs RFC — landed at Southwest Texas State and started recruiting teammates. The university wasn’t part of the deal yet, and neither were its colors. What they built first was the Renegade Rugby Football Club.
THE FOUNDING YEARS
FROM ZERO WINS TO CHAMPIONS
1983
Club Sport status made it official: the Southwest Texas State Renegade Rugby Football Club, competing at the club-side level in the Texas Rugby Union.
1983-84
A rough first season with no wins. The club celebrated anyway, throwing its first-ever Rugby Prom that spring even though money was tight, so the team made its own traditions.
1984-85
Second season, real progress: a complete, competitive side on the pitch every week against Men’s club-sides across Texas.
1985
First big result - a win over the University of Texas and the Renegades took the Collegiate Division at the Austin Rugby Tournament.
1985-86
Membership grew, and the club placed 3rd in the Open Division at Austin that spring. By season’s end, the Renegades had beaten every team that had ever beaten them.
1987
Hosted the Collegiate Cup in San Marcos and were crowned Texas Collegiate Champions which was the first trophy of many.
Full list of championships on the Team Accolades timeline →