 Tom Billups began his rugby career in 1984 with the Quad City Irish, a rugby union club in Davenport, Iowa, while an undergraduate student at Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois.In 1985, Billups in part led the QC Irish to the 7's national championship.Starting out as an offensive lineman for the Augustana football team, Tom played football in the Fall, wrestled in the Winter and played rugby for the Quad City Irish in the Spring.