MICHAEL McHUGH

Michael McHugh played wing forward for University of Nebraska from 1977 through 1980 including a stint on the All-Nebraska Select team that played the Heart of America.  Upon graduation he played wing forward and 8-man for the Omaha GOATS between 1980 – ‘83 and recalls spending a lot of long nights at the long defunct rugby bar called Gilligan’s, drinking the Italian liqueur Tuaca.  He would later play the same positions for the Saint Paul Pigs from 1983 –‘88 when an unfortunate series of knee surgeries ended his playing career.  Subsequent rugby experience included being an assistant coach for the Saint Paul Pigs, the Twin City Amazons, and the Minnesota college select side.  

When asked for his favorite rugby memory, Mike listed a plethora with some of them being: a season long contest of who could steal and retain the Irish flag from other players homes, punching a hole from Zippy’s trunk to the back seat so they could drink keg beer all the way to Norman, OK for the Big 8 Rugby Tourney, watching an Scott Carlson flirt with “ROTC’s” mom before throwing her in the Holidome pool, Dennis Pfeffer “spiking” the ball in the try zone at Iowa State as he “almost” scored his first try (didn’t know you had to touch the ball down??!!), and Mike winning the season long “LifeStyle” award during the end-of-season party with the prize being a free DWI defense from a lawyer on the team.  Thankfully, this award remains unredeemed!

Mike founded the Minneapolis-based firm GMB Capital Partners, which has raised and invested over $2 billion in over 200 companies throughout the United States.