van Biljon BIO | Wood BIO | Rugby Home

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Men's Rugby program will see a change in their coaching staff but only at the top as Kruger van Biljon announced he will be stepping down while current assistant coach James Wood will take over in 2014-15. Kruger led the program since the 2010-11 season and has been with the team since its inception in 2009 while Wood has been on staff all four years under van Biljon. The team recently wrapped up its 2013-14 campaign with a trip to the USA Rugby Quarterfinals.
 
"Kruger has been the cornerstone of Davenport University Rugby," said Paul Lowden, Director of Athletics. "He has built a solid foundation leading the program to national success. His leadership will be missed. I wish Kruger all the best and thank him for his commitment, loyalty and service to Davenport University."
 
Under van Biljon, the rugby program at Davenport has become one of the country's elite winning a pair of national championships in 2011 and 2012 while at the DII and DIAA level of USA Rugby. He is stepping down due to the increased responsibility of his full-time job off campus.
 
In an interview with Rugby Magazine , Kruger stated, "The time commitment is a little too much with my job at this time,". "It's just not right to the players that I can't be 100-percent committed anymore."
 
Taking over the reins of the program is assistant coach James Wood, who served under vanBiljon as the Strength and Conditioning and Backrow Coach for the past four seasons.
 
Wood received his undergraduate degree in movement science from Grand Valley State University in 2007 and a Master of Science distinction in human movement with an emphasis in sports conditioning at A.T. Still University. 
 
Wood competed at the collegiate level as a member of the Grand Valley State University RFC and later moved on to play for Grand Rapids Gazelles RFC. He has represented the state of Michigan at the collegiate and men's club levels, as well as the Midwest in the rugby 7s format.
 
 
Men's Rugby Contact: Aaron Sagraves | 616-554-5045 | asagraves@davenport.edu
DU Athletics: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
Men's Rugby: Facebook