AG Sign Draftees Lui Sitama & Mason Koch

AUSTIN, TX (November 2nd, 2020) Austin Gilgronis is elated to announce the signing of the club’s first-ever draft picks, Lui Sitama and Mason Koch.

Lui Sitama - 4th Overall Pick

After being selected fourth overall in the draft, Sitama was eager to get down to Austin and get in shape for the 2021 season. Sitama reached out to AG’s newly announced head coach Sam Harris to gauge potential interest in bringing the rookie to Austin early. It was a no-brainer for Harris, “That’s exactly what you want to hear from your first-year player, I mean how could you say no?” says Harris. “We just started making some calls on his early housing when Lui got the bad news.” Sitama would not be coming to Austin early, his mother had been diagnosed with cancer. He instead would begin his strength and conditioning program from home and spend quality time with his mother.

Coach Harris asked Sitama for his blessing to establish an internal donation link for the club to pass around their hat and raise funds that might help Sitama in the short term. The players passed their well wishes to Lui and the Sitama family on the AG Town Hall Zoom meeting, and promptly rallied around their youngest player’s toughness and appreciated the youngster’s eagerness to prepare for the season. Club ownership followed with a generous gesture to match the donation the players and staff were able to pool together.

“Getting drafted is still only just setting in for me with everything that’s been going on, the team’s done more than I could ever ask for already,” says Sitama. “I’m just looking forward to meeting them and yea just getting to work.”

The AG’s first-round pick is currently training in Olympia, Washington alongside former American International College teammate and MLR first-round draft pick, Tommy Clark. Clark was selected just four picks after Sitama to Texas rival, Dallas Jackals. So while Sitama and Clark prepare for their MLR debuts together, they will go head-to-head twice this coming season.

Mason Koch - 16th Overall Pick

Since being drafted 16th overall by the AGs, Mason Koch graduated from Dartmouth with an Ivy League dual-major diploma in both Biochemistry and Economics. Koch settled into Austin in October and has already begun working through his pre-season strength and conditioning program with fellow rookie Cameron Dodson. Koch also works during the day as a patent agent for Bozicevic, Field & Francis LLP; processing, researching, and arguing on behalf of potential patentees across the country.

When Koch was drafted this June he was one of only two hookers on the AGs roster, following the May departure of AG’s 2020 starting hooker Tiaan Erasmus. Four months later, Koch is now one of four hookers in Sam Harris’ squad. Koch is excited to battle for the hooker position, but even more so to learn from the quality hookers in the team.

Koch will compete with local legend, Brendan Rams and Super Rugby transplant Robbie Coetzee; as well as a fourth hooker to be announced in November.

“I think as a rookie I am expected to bring a certain level of energy and enthusiasm to the team so I am preparing to do just that and just be a sponge when the veteran guys arrive,” says Koch.

Welcome to the AGs, Lui Sitama and Mason Koch!