Jen Crawford will be inducted into the U.S. Rugby Hall of Fame tonight, Friday, July 26, 2019.
Crawford is regarded as one of the finest female rugby players that North America has ever produced. The Stanford graduate commanded the field wherever she lined up, be it at center, wing, or fullback.
She represented the United States from 1988 to 1998. Crawford was arguably the most dangerous attacking player on a supremely potent USA team and was a central figure in the U.S. team that played in three consecutive Rugby World Cup Finals, captaining the team in the ’98 final. She scored five of her 24 international test tries against Wales in a Rugby World Cup match and when she finally hung up her boots, she had earned a then record 20 caps, and boasting a strike rate of over a try per test.
Crawford is one of many who have championed the women’s game. In addition to both playing for and coaching her local club, the Berkeley All-Blues, as well as her regional select side, the Pacific Coast Grizzlies, she started the Piedmont High School Girls’ Rugby Club. Six members of this team went on to play rugby in college, two members started their college club teams and one, Naima Reddick, went on to become a USA National Team player.
