Quad Rugby, or Wheelchair Rugby, is a sport with roots going back to wheelchair basketball and ice hockey, which is not surprising, since it was developed by three Canadians as a quadriplegic equivalent to wheelchair basketball. The sport was originally called Murderball due to the aggressive nature of the game. It was introduced in the U.S. in 1981 by Brad Mikkelsen who formed the first team, the Wallbangers, and changed the game's name from Murderball to Quad Rugby.


The first quad rugby match in the U.S. was held at Southwest State University in 1982. This same year, the University of South Dakota hosted the first international tournament. In 1988, the United States Quad Rugby Association (USQRA) was formed to help regulate and promote the sport on both national and international level.


Since its introduction, Quad Rugby has grown to become a truly international sport, with teams now competing from around the globe. There are now more than 45 organized teams in the U.S. with many others in the developmental stage. In addition, there are at least 20 international teams from as far away as Australia. Without question, Quad Rugby is the fastest growing wheelchair sport in the world today.