Athletic Team Pages
Rugby

List of 1 items.

  • Peter Baggetta, Head Coach

    Coach Baggetta has been coaching Rugby for 18 years and has been the head coach at Gonzaga since 2009. He led Gonzaga to National Championship titles in 2014, 2015, and 2016—marking the first time that any high school won three straight National Championships.

    Coach Baggetta has worked with teams at all levels both in the United States and around the world. He was the assistant coach for the US Women’s National team at the 2017 and 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cups and was the former National Team Coach and Rugby Development Officer for Guam, where he was instrumental in creating the national team program and establishing Rugby as a varsity interscholastic sport for middle and high schools. He also worked as the defense specialist coach for USA Rugby from 2008 to 2010, and as an IRB coach educator for the USA Rugby Coach Development Program from 2007 to 2011. In 2009, Coach Baggetta was the Assistant Director of Rugby at Penn State University. As a member of Gonzaga’s faculty, Coach Baggetta is the school’s Director of the Center for Academic Excellence and also teaches AP Psychology.

Assistant Coaches

  • Matias Cima '10, Assistant Varsity Purple Coach

    Bio forthcoming

  • Matt Flynn '13, Assistant Varsity Purple Coach

    Bio forthcoming

  • Bill Pierce, Assistant Varsity Purple Coach

    Bio forthcoming

  • Hugh Ferridge, Head Varsity Black Coach

    Coach Ferrdife enters his seventh season coaching Rugby at Gonzaga. His son Arthur graduated from Gonzaga in 2021.

    Hometown:     Bethesda, MD

    Playing Experience:     Represented the Royal Air Force as an openside flanker/wing forward.

    Coaching Experience: Has served as Head Coach of the Maryland Exiles, Maryland Select Side, Barnes Rugby Football Club, and Minis London. 

    Thoughts On Coaching at Gonzaga: "Gonzaga is a fantastic environment to coach, and the best high school rugby program in the U.S."

  • Dave Ries, Assistant Varsity Black Coach

    Hometown: Bethesda, MD

    Playing Experience:     Coach Reis played four years with University of Maryland, College Park, one year with Hastings Rugby, New Zealand, and 10 years with the Maryland Exiles. Furthermore, Dave had several tours with Atlantis 7s & US Eagles 7s.

    Coaching Experience: Coach Ries has been coaching at Gonzaga for five years -- two years as a Freshman coach and three years with Varsity Black.

    College Education: B.A. English, University of Maryland, College Park 

    Thoughts on Coaching at Gonzaga: "I am extremely grateful to be able to spend time with these young men and to be a part of a fantastic program."

    Fun Fact: Coach Ries  plays in two bands, Kentucky Avenue and The Shed Band.

  • Randy Tankersley, Assistant Varsity Black Coach

    Coach Tankersley is from San Antonio, Texas and began coaching Gonzaga Rugby in 2020. 

    Playing Experience:     Randy started playing rugby while at the Air Force Academy and continued playing for the next 17 years. He played for local teams wherever he was stationed: Oklahoma City, Pensacola, San Antonio, Little Rock, Denton, Heidelberg, Fort Walton Beach, and Ramstein. He was also selected for the U.S. Air Force team.

    Coaching Experience: Coach Tankersley coached Vienna Youth Rugby from 2013-2019 before starting his coaching tenure at Gonzaga.

    College Education: United States Air Force Academy, University of Oklahoma

    Thoughts On Coaching at Gonzaga: "It’s always been a pleasure to coach the young men at Gonzaga."

  • Josh Brady, Head Frosh/Sophs Coach

    Bio forthcoming

  • TJ Gletner '17, Assistant Frosh/Sophs Coach

    Coach Gletner makes his return to Eye Street as an Alumni Service Corp after graduating from Gonzaga in 2017. 

    Hometown: Chevy Chase, MD 

    Coaching Experince: This year, he has coached Water Polo, Hockey, and Rugby at Gonzaga. 

    Playing Experience:     Four years of Rugby at Gonzaga.

    College Education: Georgetown University 

    Thoughts on Coaching at Gonzaga: "Coaching has allowed me to get to know a lot of students on a personal level outside of school. It also brings me back to my days when I was playing sports at Gonzaga, and it's been very fun to live somewhat vicariously through them -- helping the boys become better players and better young men."

  • Mac Kimmit '04, Assistant Frosh/Sophs Coach

    Coach Kimmit grew up in Arlington, Virginia and graduated from Gonzaga in 2004. He is a full time counselor at Gonzaga.

    Playing Experience:     Mac played Rugby his senior year at Gonzaga. Following that he played for four years at John Carroll University and has been an All-Star in the annual Gonzaga Alumni Match since 2004.

    Coaching Experience: This will be Coach Kimmit's 5th year coaching rugby at Gonzaga. 

    College Education: Post-Master’s, Mental Health Licensure, Trinity Washington University; MA, School Counseling, Trinity Washington University; BA, History, John Carroll University 

    On Coaching At Gonzaga: "I love rugby, but my creaky old man knees forced me to retire. Coaching is a great way to stay connected to the game and to compliment my role as a Counselor."

  • Logan Leathers '13, Assistant Frosh/Sophs Coach

    Coach Leathers enters his 4th season coaching at Gonzaga. 

    Hometown:     Alexandria, VA

    Playing Experience:     Coach Leathers played rugby at Gonzaga from 2009-2013 and collegiate rugby at Hampden-Sydney College from 2013-2017.

    Coaching Experience: Coach Leathers has been coaching Gonzaga Rugby since 2019 as well as Gonzaga Wrestling from 2018-2021

     On Coaching at Gonzaga:  "Coaching Gonzaga students on how to be men for others on and off the field is one of the most rewarding experiences I take part in."

  • AJ Powers '17, Assistant Frosh/Sophs Coach

    Coach Powers is a member of Gonzaga's Alumni Service Corp this year.

    Hometown: Alexandria, VA

    Playing Experience:      Coach Powers played four years of rugby at Gonzaga and three years of colligate rugby at Saint Bonaventure University.

    College Education: B.A. Communications, St. Bonaventure University

    On Coaching at Gonzaga: "I'm looking forward to it; after all, Gonzaga is part of the reason I fell in love with Rugby."

  • Sarah Strohecker, Assistant Frosh/Sophs Coach

    Bio forthcoming

  • Finnian Tuite '15 Assistant Frosh/Sophs Coach

    Coach Tuite is entering his fourth season coaching Gonzaga Rugby.

    Hometown: Kensington, MD

    Playing Experience: Played collegiate rugby at Saint Joseph's University. He also played club rugby for Capital Selects and Beltway Elite Sevens

    Coaching Experience: Coach Tuite has coached for Atlantis Rugby, Capital Selects, and Minutemen RFC

    College Education: Saint Joseph's University

    On Coaching at Gonzaga: "Gonzaga is a special community, and being connected to it through coaching gives me a whole new perspective on how impactful this place is."
1/13
Celebrating 200 Years of Jesuit Education in the Nation's Capital

Gonzaga College High School

202-336-7100