Zac’s legacy continues to live on through the Notre Dame Rugby Team. On March 26th, Notre Dame hosted 29 schools for the Fighting Irish Rugby Invitational, bringing in 40 teams and almost 600 rugby players to Notre Dame’s campus.
Coach Justin Hickey, Director of Rugby and Head Coach of the Fighting Irish, did not coach Zac but knew him within the community. When looking for opportunities to celebrate and remember Zac, Coach Hickey felt it appropriate to name the Man of the Tournament trophy after Zac, knowing him as a player who “embodied the values of rugby and what it means to be a good teammate.” Coach Hickey said “it was intentional that we gave this trophy not to the MVP but the “man of the tournament,” someone who performed with passion on the field and embraced the community of rugby off the field.”