SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – The Notre Dame College men's and women's rugby coaching staffs are set, heading into the 2021-22 season. Jason Fox will now serve as the Director of Rugby Operations, in addition to his role of men's rugby head coach. Jack Nece has been hired as the head coach of the women's rugby program.

The men's team will be led by Fox and a coaching staff with some familiar faces. Dale Linville is now the assistant head coach and Geoff Gainford is also an assistant. Hanno van Vuuren joins the staff as the graduate assistant and strength and conditioning coach. Tony Vegh is the student-athlete advisor for the men's team.

Fox became head coach of the men's team in 2015, after being an assistant on the staff for three seasons. He led the Falcons to a DIAA Fall Championship in 2016 with a win over Bowling Green State University before taking the Falcons to the National Championship, a few months later in the spring, where they defeated the University of California Davis.

"I am very honored to be offered the role of Director of Rugby Operations at Notre Dame College," Fox said. "I will still be in same role with the men's team as head coach, however, I am excited to bring in a new coaching staff for the women's Falcon rugby team, which I will be working with, also. I believe Jack Nece, along with NDC alumni assistants Danielle Walko-Siua, Lucinda Darvell and Markaya Bailous will do great things with the program. The program, under the new coaching staff, looks to return to their winning ways. I believe they will."

Jack Nece began playing rugby in 2012 at Revere High School in Richfield, Ohio, where he graduated as a captain in 2014.

From 2014-2018, Nece played for Ohio University RFC and was a co-captain his senior year while holding multiple other positions within the organization. Due to medical issues, he retired from actively playing in 2018. While completing his master's degree, Nece was an assistant coach for OURFC.

Nece has helped coach multiple high school programs in the Cleveland area, most recently for the women's programs at Brecksville/Broadview Heights High School and John Marshall High School.

"Having a championship pedigree did not happen by accident and I plan on bringing that back to NDC," Nece said. "Additionally, I have a great staff around me building skills and talent not only for this season, but for years to come. We are all very excited for what we have in store."

Walko-Siua and Darvell will be assistant coaches and Bailous will be the graduate assistant.