0
0
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Matthew Ramirez has been hired as Penn State Women’s Rugby head coach. The Nittany Lions compete in National Collegiate Rugby’s Division I competition for both 15s and 7s. Ramirez replaces Lauren Shissler, an alum who coached the team from 2024-26. [lead photo c/o @pennstatewrugby]
Ramirez takes over the Nittany Lions program after helping launch the Iowa Central Community College women’s rugby team, serving as head coach for the 2025-26 season. He accepted that role after a distinguished career with the Central Washington University Women’s Rugby team, where he was assistant coach from 2018-21 and then head coach from 2021-25. The Ellensburg, Wash., program was an NCAA varsity powerhouse that regularly competed against the likes of Life, Lindenwood and BYU. The program had also competed in NIRA until geographic strains pointed CWU to CRAA for 7s and 15s competitions. Ahead of the 2025-26 season, CWU Athletics removed the men’s and women’s rugby teams from its lineup, and the teams transitioned to club status.
Central Washington was a hub for nationwide talent but specifically for the Pacific Northwest. During Ramirez’s time with the Wildcats, the scrum specialist helped develop four USA Rugby Women’s National Team Eagles, 12 All-Americans, five USA Rugby U20 players, two USA Rugby U23 players, one Canada Rugby U20 player and one MA Sorensen Award Winner (Keia Mae Sagapolu).
Additionally, Ramirez was the men’s rugby coach at the University of Nebraska from 2016-18, and earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism from Nebraska in 2006. He earned his master’s degree in athletic administration from Central Washington in 2020.