Saint Mary’s Huskies announce Janice Cougle as head rugby coach

Saint Mary's University Department of Athletics & Recreation is proud to announce the hiring of Janice Cougle as head coach of the Saint Mary's Huskies women's rugby team.

"We are extremely excited and proud to announce Janice Cougle as the new head coach of Huskies women's rugby," said Scott Gray, Saint Mary's Director of Athletics & Recreation. "Janice has been an invaluable member of the coaching staff the past few years, and we are confident that she is the right person to continue to lead our program forward, as we continue to improve on-the-field, and recruit fantastic student-athletes to Saint Mary's."

"I'm very excited to take the next step in continuing to build this program, and lead this fantastic group of student-athletes as we continue to build towards our goals," says Janice Cougle.

"The growth of this group can't be measured with the win-loss record over the past few seasons. We've been closing the gap from a scoring percentage, and bringing in some really talented athletes, including several members of our leadership group who are back for their fifth-and-final seasons this fall," adds Cougle, citing Katherine Fairbrother, Lauren Maye, and Anna van Wart as returning leaders for the team.

Janice is no stranger to the Huskies rugby program – she has been the Huskies lead assistant coach for several years, and served as interim head coach in 2022, when Emma DeLory was working with the Rugby Canada Women's National Team. At the 2022 Huskies Athletic Award Banquet, Cougle was awarded the Robert G. Hayes Award as Volunteer of the Year.

"It was absolutely incredible to work alongside Emma the past few years, and she did an amazing job of bringing in a phenomenal group of talented players, and I really just hope I can continue to grow the rugby culture here at Saint Mary's and help the team reach our goals," says Cougle.

In her professional career, Janice works as the Senior Participation Lead at Sport Nova Scotia.

"I work with our provincial supporting organizations in officiating and participation," says Cougle. "So, my day-job keeps me in sport, and I love to be in sport outside of it, especially rugby."

Janice is involved in the sport of rugby at all levels, as a player, coach and official. She coaches the Nova Scotia Keltics U18 Provincial team, and also works as a referee, along with continuing to play the sport she loves at a high level.

Originally from Lethbridge, Alberta, Cougle played with the Lethbridge University Pronghorns from 2007-2009, winning three straight CIS and Canada West Rugby Championships. Cougle, along with her Lethbridge teammates, have been inducted into both the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Canada West Hall of Fame.

Janice moved to Nova Scotia in 2012, and spent three years coaching with the Acadia Axewomen, before suiting up as a player for her final years of eligibility in 2015-16, captaining the Axewomen to their first AUS Rugby Championship, and back-to-back appearances at CIS Nationals. Cougle holds a Bachelor of Community Development degree from Acadia, and a Bachelor of Management degree from Lethbridge. 

"I've been really fortunate to play for and work alongside a lot of wonderful coaches that have helped shape my values and mentor me through my rugby journey," says Cougle, who named her Lethbridge coaches Neil Langevin and Rob Kossuth, as well as Jack Hanratty (Former head coach of Canada women's sevens national team), and Emma DeLory as mentors in her coaching journey. "Emma is one of my best friends and a mentor, so taking a program over from her is really cool."

"We would like to thank Emma DeLory for her valuable contributions to Huskies rugby over the past five years, and wish her the best of luck in her future endeavours," adds Scott Gray.