ELSAH, IL – The Principia College athletic department is pleased to announce the hire of
Peter Lang as our new Head Rugby Coach as well as
Lucas Black as our new Assistant Rugby Coach and Head Strength & Conditioning Coach.
Under Lang and Black's leadership, Principia will officially be joining USA Rugby and the College Rugby Association of America (CRAA) in Division 1-AA, competing in the Midwest Rugby Conference. The conference's emphasis on competitive depth, regional rivalries, and meaningful championship pathways aligns closely with Principia's vision for sustained excellence.
Lang and Black both come to Principia College having just built the men's rugby program at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis from the ground up, leading them to qualify for the CRAA National 7s and finish 7th nationally in the team's third year of operation. Following WashU's acquisition of UHSP this year, we are grateful that both Lang and Black have chosen to stay in the area and come lead the Thunder Chickens forward.
Peter Lang is a World Rugby Level 3 Coach with a Masters in Sports Performance Coaching and over 15 years of experience coaching across five continents. Alongside his work at UHSP, Lang served as Director of Rugby and Lead Coach of the St. Louis Bombers, guiding them to the 2024 USA Rugby Division I National Championship and National 7's Runners-Up. He also coached USA Rugby South's select-side programs, leading the U19s to back-to-back World Rugby Americas North titles in 2022 and 2023.
Lang's international coaching career has taken him to the United Kingdom, Belgium, Japan, Uganda, New Zealand, and across the United States. Notably, in 2018, he coached the Uganda Women's National 7s team to first place at the Rugby Africa Women's Championship. At the collegiate level, Lang previously served as Head Coach of the women's program at American International College, leading them to a third-place finish in the national playoffs in his first full season. He also spent six years as Director of Rugby at the College of William and Mary, where he coached the men's and women's programs simultaneously. Several of the players Lang has developed over his career have gone on to represent their nations internationally, including USA Eagles, Scotland, Samoa, Tonga, and South Africa.
Lucas Black is a World Rugby Level 1 Coach and Certified Strength & Conditioning Coach. After growing up playing rugby in his native England, he initially attended Lindenwood University-Belleville, where he was part of the squad that won the D1-AA National 7s Championship during his freshman year. Following this success, Black transferred to Lindenwood University in St. Charles, competing at a high level and earning selection to the Collegiate Shield. His playing career then took him to Texas, where he joined Rugby HTX within the Houston SaberCats system, further developing within a professional high-performance environment.
Transitioning into coaching, Black served as an Assistant Coach at St. Louis University High School in 2023, helping guide the program to a state championship. That same summer, he founded the Saint Louis Rugby Academy, a nonprofit organization also known as The Jets, focused on growing grassroots rugby and providing year-round development opportunities for athletes across the St. Louis region.
Athletics Director Ramiro Dominguez says: "The addition of
Peter Lang and
Lucas Black represents a significant step forward for Principia Rugby and Principia Athletics as a whole. Peter brings proven leadership, a deep understanding of the collegiate rugby landscape, and a clear vision for building a competitive, sustainable program. Lucas complements that vision with an exceptional background in player development, strength and conditioning, and grassroots rugby growth. Together, they provide the leadership, experience, and passion necessary to guide our student-athletes and position Principia Rugby for long-term success as we welcome the incoming UHSP players and begin our next chapter in the Midwest Rugby Conference."
Lang says: "This is an exciting opportunity to renew Principia Rugby's strong foundation and championship tradition. Our goal is to foster an environment where student-athletes are challenged every day to reach their utmost potential both on and off the field. We are in the business of developing future leaders in society and establishing Principia as a destination program for aspiring rugby players."
Welcome to Principia College, Coach Lang and Coach Black!
