Remembering Mark “Tav” Taverniti

Mark was a star athlete and a 1965 graduate of Roosevelt High School. He earned a football scholarship to Oregon State before transferring to Weber State, where he started for the remainder of his collegiate career and earned conference honors in both seasons.

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While attending graduate school at the University of Washington, Mark was recruited to Husky Rugby by Don Falkenbury. As the story goes, Don spotted Mark walking across campus, struck up a conversation, and convinced him to give rugby a try. Prof. Bob Moreford, whom Don and others had recruited to coach the team, quickly saw Mark’s potential and named him the starting inside center. A Canadian, Moreford described Mark as perfectly suited to the short-yardage style of rugby of the era—BFBI: Brute Force and Bloody Ignorance.

‍Mark later spent a couple of seasons playing with OPSB while building his beverage business. He became the owner of Black Dog Ale, famously featuring his beloved lab, Chug, on the bottle cap, and later launched his own vodka and gin company.

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Mark remained connected to the Husky Rugby family throughout the years. He was a cousin of fellow Husky rugby player Jeff Taverniti and attended the University of Washington Gala in 2025. He is pictured in the back row on the right in the Husky Rugby team photo from the 1972 Monterey National Tournament. For those who knew him, Mark will be remembered for his athleticism, his entrepreneurial spirit, his friendship, and his place in the early history of Husky Rugby.

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‍He was a good friend, a good rugger, and a good guy. He will be deeply missed.

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Mark's Obituary: https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/49237336/mark-w.-taverniti