MARIETTA, Ga. — Director of Athletics Jayme Pendergast announced today title change within the Women's Rugby program that elevates leadership and positions the Running Eagles for continued growth and success at both the varsity and broader rugby levels. Ryszard Chadwick has been named Director of Women's Rugby, building on his strong foundation since joining Life University in August 2022.

This title change comes as the program expands into a groundbreaking dual-pathway model, with Life University Women's Rugby now fielding both its established CRAA Division 1 college team and a new senior club team competing in USA Rugby's Women's Division 1 Club Competition (via the Texas Rugby Union, in collaboration with the Carolina Rugby Union) starting in the 2025-26 season. The addition of the club-side competition, announced in August 2025, provides expanded year-round opportunities for athletes, and elevates the program's competitive footprint in the premier senior women's rugby platform in the country.

Chadwick, who has served as Head Coach of the Women's Rugby program, brings a global perspective and proven track record to this expanded role.

Under Chadwick's leadership since August 2022, the Life University Women's Rugby program has achieved remarkable success and established itself as a national powerhouse. Highlights include:

• Winning the 2024 D1 Elite National Championship in Phoenix, Arizona, defeating long-time rival Lindenwood University in a historic, hard-fought final to claim the program's first-ever title at that level and end years of dominance by opponents. 44-41.
• Securing the USA Rugby Collegiate 7s National Championship in 2023 & Tropical 7s , demonstrating excellence in the shorter format of the game.
• A dominant start to the 2025-26 season, going 11-0 overall Including the CRAA Fall Classic Bowl game vs Peaks Academy
• Consistent strong regular-season performances, including near-perfect records in key stretches (100%-win rate in the 2024 Calander year for 15s), high national rankings in CRAA D1A power polls, and emphasis on depth, player rotation (over 50 athletes utilized), academic excellence (record team GPAs), and holistic development.

Director of Athletics, Jayme Pendergast, shared her thoughts on the change, "Rys continues to recruit and develop great rugby student-athletes, helping Life U maintain its status as one of the most premier collegiate rugby training environments in the country. Additionally, he is a disciplined CEO of his program and continually pushes the same standards of academic excellence.  As the dual-pathway model unfolded, his leadership in overseeing both pathways has become critical to our student-athlete success.  I look forward to seeing the continued excellence from the program under his leadership."

Chadwick expressed his thoughts on the title change, "Our mission has always been clear: to consistently serve as the leading breeding ground in the USA for developing the next generation of professional and international rugby players, while delivering a world-class education and meaningful student-athlete experience. The entry into USA Rugby's senior club competition has been transformative, it gives our athletes a true dual-pathway structure, with expanded competitive opportunities year-round, a dedicated platform to train at elite levels, and more visibility to showcase their talents to scouts, professional leagues, and national selectors. This full-time, performance-driven environment is further elevated by our strategic partnerships with Catapult for cutting-edge GPS tracking, load management, and performance analytics, and LUMIN for unified data integration that turns insights into smarter, individualized training and recovery. Together, these advancements create an unmatched daily ecosystem for our players to reach their highest potential on and off the field. Since joining in 2022, I've been inspired by the talent, dedication, and spirit here, and I look forward to continuing to build this legacy of excellence across our college and club sides."

Outside of coaching, Chadwick is a dedicated educator, founder of initiatives in rugby development (including The Rugby Advantage), and a mentor committed to the holistic growth of student-athletes. His passion for the sport and alignment with Life University's mission make him an ideal leader to guide the Women's Rugby program, now encompassing both college and club pathways into its next chapter.