Rio Grande selects Sandig to lead rugby program

Rio Grande Sports Information
     RIO GRANDE, Ohio - University of Rio Grande athletic director Jeff Lanham has announced the hiring of Brad Sandig as the new head coach of the school's rugby program.
     Sandig replaces Adrian Pilkington, who stepped down after 2-1/2 seasons at the helm of the RedStorm following the conclusion of the 2023-24 school year to pursue a coaching opportunity in his native Ireland.
     "The arrival of coach Sandig marks a new era for our rugby team," Lanham said. "He is committed to continue the plan of developing well-rounded athletes who excel both on and off the field. He brings a wealth of knowledge and a relentless work ethic to the position and we're looking forward to working with him as he combines experience, enthusiasm and a deep understanding of rugby to inspire and elevate our players."
     Sandig, who is 52 years old and a native of Johannesburg, South Africa, comes to southeastern Ohio via Glendale, Arizona where he's served as the head coach of the Phoenix Rugby Club since 2016 and as the head coach of the Southwest Rugby Union Men's Select Side for the past four seasons.
     "I'm a rugby guy through and through and when I saw the opportunity to move into a position and coach a collegiate team that has had the accolades that Rio has enjoyed - and is growing the way that it is - I had to jump on it," Sandig said. "To become a part of the program and help build it, develop it and grow it to the next level - it's an honor to keep things going in the right direction. I'm really excited to be taking over from Adrian and I've certainly got some big shoes to fill. He did a fantastic job in the time that he was there and I'm grateful for what he's leaving behind. It's great to be able to work in a program that's already so well-developed."
     Sandig, who led the 15's team for Phoenix Rugby, began playing the sport at age 10 and continued to do so throughout high school and into the Air Force before relocating to Phoenix in 1992.
     Upon his arrival in Arizona, Sandig played for the Scottsdale Blues and Arizona Select Sides. He retired from the game, though, after breaking both legs in two separate matches and began his coaching career.
     "Obviously, for me, there's a love for the game. When I started playing rugby, it was a fit for me and I was good at it. Growing up, the sport was engrained in me. You couldn't go a mile without coming up on a rugby pitch," he said. "I played here for a local club in Phoenix once I came to the United States. I represented the select side of things here in Arizona. I had my time. But I broke both of my legs and it ended my career, so that love for the sport had to go somewhere."
     Sandig is a Level 3 certified coach with USA Rugby and a Level 2 certified coach through World Rugby.
     Rio Grande started its 2023 Fall 15's season slowly and finished with a 1-7 record, but improved significantly as the season went along and dropped its final three outings - two of which came in the Big Rivers Rugby Conference playoffs - by just 13 points combined.
     The late season momentum carried over into the Spring 7's campaign, where the RedStorm posted a 14-8 record and reached National Collegiate Rugby's National Championship in Washington, D.C. for a second straight year.
     Included among the Spring victories were triumphs against the University of Notre Dame, the University of Cincinnati, the University of Michigan, the University of Nebraska and the University of South Carolina.
     "My first priority, definitely, is reaching out to the guys who are already on the roster, as well as to the (graduate assistants) that we'll have. Getting to know them and having them getting to know me will be a big part of it," said Sandig. "I'm looking forward to that, as well as meeting the athletic staff and the other staff who are on campus. I want to hit the ground running as best I can. This is the first go-around for me at the collegiate level and I'm very excited. Working in college rugby is different than working in men's and senior level rugby, but I've been involved in working with high school players and players under the age of 19 before, so it's not totally new."
     In addition to meeting the program's returning players, Sandig said he's also anxious to start the process of recruiting future players - something he believes will be made a tad easier due to the success the program has enjoyed over the three seasons since its startup.
     "In my conversations with Adrian, the program has quickly become well-known. Recruiting for him grew phenomenally and I'm looking forward to continuing that and also adding my own ideas to it. We really want to show some high energy and output to the kids we recruit," Sandig said. "In my conversations with Jeff, recruiting is the top priority because that's what keeps the program alive. Continuity is the key. Between training, coaching, the games and making sure the student-athletes are academically sound and keeping up with what we want them to do, getting good players and good students is what it's all about."