Rugby

Phaidra Knight

 

Phaidra Knight, J.D. is a Women’s Sports Foundation Past President, World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee, sports media talent, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and mixed martial artist. One of the premier players in the sport of rugby, she made three appearances in the Rugby World Cup, was selected as the top player in the world in two different positions, was named the USA Rugby Player of the Decade in 2010, and became the first African American and eighth woman inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame. In 2017, Knight was named head coach of the newly formed Monroe College women’s rugby team in the Bronx, New York, and she has served as a director and coach of Play Rugby USA, the premier Olympic nonprofit dedicated to reaching kids in underserved communities in New York.

Knight recently launched PSK Collective, a fusion of activewear and streetwear for girls and women, and she is also the founder of PeaK Unleashed, a non-profit organization devoted to cultivating personal and physical development of marginalized youth through rugby and yoga. She is a keynote speaker, addressing many audiences on leadership, resilience, LGBTQ rights, race, and anti-bullying. Concurrently, Knight works as a Rugby Analyst for NBC Sports, ESPN, and CBS Sports, and continues to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Women’s Sports Foundation, and is training to make her professional debut as an MMA fighter.

  • Inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame, 2017
  • 18-year member of the US Women’s National Rugby team with 35 international caps
  • Three-time Women’s Rugby World Cup participant
  • Two-time All-World Team honoree
  • Named USA Rugby’s Player of the Decade in 2010
  • Currently holds a world scoring record
  • Coach of the Under 19 New York Rugby Club
  • Travel & Training Fund Grant Recipient (2011)
  • WSF Yolanda Jackson Give Back Award winner, 2017
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