Austin Ryan became the 2nd Director of Rugby at Fairfield University on January 3, 2022. Ryan first came to Fairfield in 2014 as the Head Coach for Women’s Rugby, but had to step down after one year to pursue his career in fundraising. Ryan returned to Fairfield in 2019 as the Head Coach for Men’s Rugby before being promoted fulltime.
Ryan was 5-9 overall in his only year at the helm of Women’s Rugby. Ryan is 12-6 overall in 15s, and 12-6 overall in 7s through his three seasons as the head coach of Men’s Rugby.
Prior to coaching at Fairfield, Ryan coached the inaugural Connecticut Men’s Select Team in 2020. This team defeated the DC Capitol Selects before being canceled due to COVID-19. Ryan’s coaching résumé also includes Westport U12/U14 in Connecticut, a 2x state runner-up with Jesuit Dallas H.S. Boys in Texas, and a national semifinalist as Head Coach for Brookfield Girls H.S. Rugby in Wisconsin.
A 2006 graduate of Fairfield Prep and a 2010 graduate of Marquette University with a BS in Secondary Education and a BA in English, Ryan captained Prep Rugby as a senior and Marquette Rugby his entire career, and earned three selections to the Wisconsin Collegiate All-Star Team. After college, he pursued his teaching career in Dallas, where he played for the Reds at the D1 Club level. Making the national playoffs every year, the Reds finished 3rd in the country in 2014. Ryan also played for the North Texas All-Stars that year. Returning home to Connecticut, Ryan joined the Fairfield Yankees, who won the D3 Club National Championship in 2016.
