ADRIAN, Mich.—Adrian College director of athletics Michael Duffy on Monday has named veteran college rugby coach John Gulden to lead the first women’s program at Adrian College, as the Bulldogs are scheduled to take the field in Fall 2021.
“Being appointed the head women’s rugby coach at Adrian College is a great honor,” Gulden stated. “Adrian has a rich history of athletic success and implementing new programs for student athletes. I look forward to adding women’s rugby to that success and help grow women’s rugby in the region.”
Gulden comes to Adrian after serving as the head coach since August 2017 for the men’s and women’s rugby programs at Marywood University in Scranton, Pa. He found immediate success in the classroom and on the field with both programs as the 2018-19 women posted a 3.32 team grade-point average while the men had a 3.21 combined that same school year. One player from each squad was named a USA Rugby All-American. Women’s Rugby had a winning season in its first three semesters of competition, and three players were selected to the all-conference team in the first year. On the men’s side, they had their first winning season in Fall 2019 and two student-athletes landed on the second-team all-conference after the first season.
At Marywood, Gulden was tasked with creating practice plans, game management, and organizing schedules including travel logistics and financing. He also wasresponsible for maintaining the budget and fundraising for both programs.
During his tenure at Marywood, he sat on the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Conference Board of Directors as the compliance director, then as president/commissioner.
Before Marywood, Gulden served as the women’s assistant rugby coach at West Chester University of Pennsylvania for two years. He was involved with practices, lifting workouts, team meetings, program fundraising events, recruiting, field set-up/tear-down, compiling statistics and coaching B-side matches. He helped recruit top-caliber student-athletes that saw WCU compete at the highest level, including the USA Rugby Women’s Division I Final Four and the first National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) playoff appearance.
“Women’s Rugby will be a great addition as part of Adrian College’s lineup of 50 intercollegiate sports,” said Adrian Bulldogs director of athletics Michael Duffy. “John emerged as our first head coach for Women’s Rugby from a national pool of coaching candidates due in large part to his previous experience building rugby programs at Marywood University.
“He also played a vital part in recruiting efforts that helped West Chester compete in the USA Rugby Final Four in the top women’s division and make the playoffs in the inaugural NIRA championships. He impressed us with his drive, enthusiasm, knowledge and passion for the sport of women’s rugby.”
Gulden also has experience for one season as the head coach for the men’s and women’s rugby programs at Lock Haven University.
A former team captain for the Lock Haven Men’s Rugby Club, Gulden is USA Rugby certified at Level 200 coaching, Level 100 strength and conditioning, and Level I referee.
Gulden earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in sports administration from Lock Haven in May 2012, and his master’s degree in public administration from West Chester in December 2016. He also received graduate certificates in sports management and athletics as well as administration management from WCU.
Gulden is eager to get started to assemble his first team and showcase Adrian College as a new opportunity for aspiring women’s rugby student-athletes to compete at the intercollegiate level.
“As a coach you always have high expectations for your program but it can take time when you’re building from the ground up. I want to build a strong team culture to achieve on and off the field success,” he said.
“What excites me about Adrian is the dedication and resources they are committing to their athletic programs, plus the college’s willingness to learn and engage in a new sport of rugby. Specifically, for the women’s rugby program joining NIRA is important to me because of the level of competition and adding to the goal of 40 NCAA women’s rugby programs (for NCAA Emerging Sports for Women status).
Gulden has a clear plan what he would like to see in his first team next fall. “My goals are to have a successful competitive team that is respectful and engaged in the local and campus community,” he said. “I want to have a positive impact on my student-athletes lives on the field and in the classroom.”
Adrian’s women’s rugby team will be affiliated with the prestigious NIRA organization.
Rugby is among four current NCAA Division III sports – Acrobatics and Tumbling, Triathlon and Wrestling are the others – in the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program. A sport must have a minimum of 20 varsity teams and/or competitive club teams that have competed in a minimum of five contests to be considered for the program. The sport must be sponsored by 40 varsity programs to move forward to the NCAA governance structure for championship consideration. In the past 21 years, the following emerging sports for women have reached championship status: rowing, ice hockey, water polo, bowling and beach volleyball.