MARIETTA, Ga. — Wednesday afternoon, Life University Director of Athletics Jayme Pendergast announced that Ryszard Chadwick will be taking the reigns to lead the women’s rugby program.
Chadwick takes over an elite women’s rugby program in Marietta that has garnered global attention. The Running Eagles have a history of success, that includes seven alumni that have competed with the USA Rugby Eagles in both 15s and 7s. Appearing on the national team, few alumni have also been featured in international competitions across the globe. The women’s rugby program has appeared in the D1 Elite National Championship for the last five consecutive years, and also captured the Collegiate Rugby Championship 7s national title in 2016. There have been 52 USA Rugby D1 Elite All-Americans in the program’s short history with the first All-American being named in 2015.
Pendergast expressed her excitement over the selection of Chadwick to head the program.
“We had a high-quality candidate pool for this position and Ryszard quickly rose to the top of the pack. He brings a very cerebral perspective and will add some innovative approaches to our training environment while also putting the academic and personal development of our student-athletes at the forefront. He has a vast rugby network that will be important in recruiting, as bringing in top-notch student-athletes is a priority for us to achieve our goals. My favorite thing about Ryszard is that when I communicated the high expectations of the program both on and off the pitch, he had nothing but confidence, energy, and excitement. I’m really looking forward to seeing the program’s continued excellence under his leadership.”
Chadwick is no stranger to international success either, as he has been published in numerous magazines and articles discussing positive coaching and how it relates to his coaching philosophy. He also has immediate ties here in the states with USA Rugby as he has been the Junior National Team & Female Pathway Coach since 2016. He has also aided as the Director of Rugby Performance & Development Coach for the American Rugby Pro Training Center. Chadwick has also been the Executive Director and Director of Rugby for the Northeast Rugby Development Academy. With USA Rugby, he has personally developed and trained with 22 USA Eagles.
Chadwick conveyed how excited he was for the future of the women’s rugby team and how thankful he is for this opportunity.
“I very much look forward to my start at Life U. Ros has done an incredible job over the last eight years of taking the program to where it is today, and I’m excited to continue to match the same standards of excellence she has provided to so many students both on and off the field.”
He continued, “Knowing the goals and ambitions of the university, I am confident that being in this position will be a great fit for myself, the players, and the school. Not only does Life U have bold visions for the rugby program, but it is intentional about the development of players off the field, as well. As USA Rugby builds towards the 2033 World Cup, I am excited to help Life U create an environment where players can flourish and develop their rugby skills and game, while simultaneously providing a platform for students to excel and kickstart their careers both in and outside of rugby.”