Hayes to be inducted into USC Rugby Hall of Fame

Burke Hayes (with ball) with fellow hall of fame members Dr. Jim Wynn (center) and Warren Muir.

By Shelby Rosen, rugby intern

Burke Hayes, a key figure in what many consider the most explosive backline in University of South Carolina rugby history, will be inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame on April 18, 2026.

Born in Chevy Chase, Maryland, Hayes had never set foot in South Carolina until one of his closest friends, Werner Minshall, convinced him to take a leap of faith and apply to USC alongside him. A few months later, the pair packed their bags for Columbia, where they became roommates and rugby teammates for four years.

Hayes was an outstanding quarterback at Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania where he also played lacrosse and wrestled.

“As a quarterback I needed to see the full field, assess defenses and determine how to best move the ball efficiently on the ground or through the air,” said Hayes. “This skillset helped me when I joined the rugby team.”

Hayes played for USC from 1969 to 1973 under longtime head coach Dr. Jim Wynn, during one of the most dominant stretches in program history. The Gamecocks compiled an incredible 37-game home winning streak and regularly competed for national championships.

Standing 6 feet tall and weighing 180 pounds, Hayes played outside center and was a cornerstone of an electric backline that included fellow Hall of Famers Frank Walton and Warren Muir. Though new to the sport when he arrived at USC, Hayes was a natural. He possessed soft hands, excellent speed, and a relentless approach to defense that quickly made him one of the team’s most dangerous players.

“I was fortunate to be surrounded by some remarkable players,” Hayes said. “And together, we did some remarkable things.”

“Burke was the finest outside player I ever played with, against, or saw play,” said teammate Tom Utsey. “He was fast, tough, and had magical hands, almost never missing a pass or fumbling a ball. He was smart and loved to play — the complete package you would hope for as a teammate. When the ball made it to him, you knew something good was about to happen.”

Hayes’ favorite memory from his USC rugby career came during the legendary Bulwark series. In 1973, the Gamecocks played home-and-away matches against sailors and officers from HMS Bulwark, a British Royal Navy ship docked in Charleston. In 2024, Hayes

joined former teammates Fred Holland, Rick LeBel, and Georges Lussier to reflect on those historic matches in Remembering the Days, a USC rugby podcast.

After college, Hayes took a different path than most former players. Rather than committing to a single club, he suited up whenever former USC teammates’ teams traveled to the Washington, D.C. area. If they needed him, he played — and he always delivered.

Hayes graduated from USC in 1973 with a degree in liberal arts and returned to the Washington, D.C. area, where he launched a successful career in property and casualty insurance. While he never formally joined a men’s rugby club, he remained closely connected to the sport through his USC teammates.

Beyond rugby, Hayes proved to be an elite all-around athlete. He competed in paddle tennis, winning three national championships, and remains an avid golfer. He currently competes on the United States senior international golf team.

Now a retired business owner, Hayes serves on numerous boards and lives in Maryland with his wife of 51 years, Kathy. Together, they have three children and 11 grandchildren. To RSVP for the Gamecock Rugby Hall of Fame Gala, please visit our events page.