Dear OU Roses Alumni Association members,
Happy New Year. The OURAA has lots of activities planned for 2026 and needs your support. As always, share this newsletter and get involved. We’d love to have you. Read on to learn more about upcoming activities and ways you can support the Roses.
1. Varsity Alumni Weekend – March 13-15
Make plans to join the OU Rugby community in Norman this March for Varsity Alumni Weekend. More details will be shared soon, but activities currently include:
- Friday, March 13:
- Pickleball with OURAA members, 1-3pm in Norman. Exact location TBD.
- Hall of Fame Banquet, 6pm at the Sam Noble Natural History Museum. Tickets go on sale soon. Stay tuned to the OU Roses Facebook page for more details.
- Saturday, March 14:
- OURAA and Varsity Potluck Brunch, 10am at Holly Iker’s house, location to be shared with those who RSVP. Join OURAA members and current Roses players to mix and mingle before the VA game.
- Varsity Alumni Matches, 12pm for the men and 1:30pm for the women at the pitch.
- Post match fun at the clubhouse, 3pm – ?
- Hosty night at The Deli, 9pm
- Sunday, March 15:
- Survivor’s Brunch & Cornhole Tournament, 10am-2pm at Tracy Curtis’ house. Celebrate another successful VA weekend and partake in a competitive cornhole tournament to support the Roses. $20 per 2-person team to compete.
Lastly, we’ll have a pre-sale for new OURAA t-shirts soon, likely available at VA. We will also debut a new OURAA online shop with new swag. Stay tuned for more via the Facebook group and future newsletters.
2. Hall of Fame Nominations
Nominations are open for the 2026 Hall of Fame. Nominate an exceptional Rose who you believe deserves this prestigious honor. Fill out this nomination form by Monday, Jan. 19 to be considered.
3. Roses Raffle Needs Goods/Services
New this year at the HOF Banquet will be a raffle put on by the OURAA and benefitting current players, but we need good and services to offer. Have an old Roses jersey or other rugby swag you’re willing to part with for a good cause? Do you own a business where you could offer free services? Please consider contributing. Contact Deena at dtelley313@gmail.com or deenapuffin@aol.com if you have something to offer. We thank you for your generosity.
4. 2026 Roses Need Your Support
The current Roses need support and there are lots of ways to help.
- Donate any amount on Venmo @OURAA that can help purchase a shipping container for equipment storage, support hotel and travel expenses, fund team dinners, and other player needs.
- Volunteer your time on the pitch. Holly can use guest coach support during team practices this season. Practice is every Tuesday and Thursday from 8-10pm.
5. A Roses Historical Moment: Making Our Successes Shine
By Deena Telley
This past summer a team of dedicated ruggers completed an extensive renovation and remodel of the selector’s chambers. It was an undertaking that saw the foundation repaired, flooring and walls remodeled, painting, etc. The work also included taking all of the trophies out of the trophy cases to be cleaned, repaired, and chronologically ordered. Which, as you can imagine, was a LOT of work. Our own OU Rose Michelle Corr did much of the work with the trophies…and it was a huge task. So buy her a beer next time you see her!
It takes a village of course so shout out to everyone else who worked this summer: Steve Tresemer, David Jones, firemen Rick and Teddy, Tony Gomez, Gray Graham, David Tresemer, Kelly Meek, KB came in from Houston, and Beezer Bethany Grissom came up from Fort Worth. Buy them all a beer!
You can check out all the before, during, and after pics of all the hard work on the OU Rugby Alumni Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ourugby, starting with posts on August 17th by Michelle Corr.
Photo credits: Michelle Corr
Have an OU Women’s Rugby story or pictures to share? We’d love to include it in our archives! Please contact Deena for more details or just send. Let’s keep the legacy alive. To submit a story to the OURAA Historical committee, please email Deena Telley at: dtelley313@gmail.com or deenapuffin@aol.com.
6. OU Rose Honored with Regents’ Alumni Award
Nicole Lynn was honored along with several other Sooners with the prestigious Regents’ Alumni Award for her exceptional dedication and service to the university. She played for the Roses (along with her sister, Taylor Hornsby) during their undergraduate years at OU. She is one of the most formidable sports agents in the industry, notably for the Philadelphia Eagles’ and OU’s own Jalen Hurts and so many others. Her husband is also a coach for UCLA football and they have a beautiful toddler keeping them busy. Congrats Nicole, you make all of us prOUd!
7. Save the Date: Next Alumni Association Call: February 3
Our next OURAA call will be on February 3 at 7pm CT. We’ll discuss all things VA weekend. More updates to share soon!
8. Check out the Roses this Spring
Thank you for your continued support of the Roses. We’re grateful for your involvement, and we look forward to connecting soon.
If you have news to share, please email Rachel Griffith at RachelAGriffith@gmail.com.