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Promotion Means Final Game as Coach Payne

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Promotion Means Final Game as Coach Payne

The ACRC Bowl game between Army and Life University will be the last for Dan Payne as Head Coach of the Life undergraduate men's team.

Payne is not leaving the school. Rather, he has been promoted to Athletic Director. Payne joined Life in 2009 after being the coach at San Diego State. He coached the Life Men's team and then launched an undergraduate team that quickly rose to the upper echelon of college rugby. The Running Eagles won the DIA final in 2013 and were runners up in 2014.

Life has also launched a women's undergraduate team, which is also part of Payne's legacy. Payne was promoted to an assistant athletic director position, and is now taking the AD position. He will continue to provide coaching support to the Life team, but a coaching staff under the watchful eye of former Eagles Scott Lawrence and Tui Osborne will take over day-to-day coaching operations.

"Growing the program allowed me to have this opportunity," said Payne. "We're committed to the game and we've got some great coaching talent here, including Rosalind Chou with the women's team, who has been phenomenal. We're committed to doing the exact same thing with the women's rugby team that we did with the men. Overall, the school is adding sports and developing young men and women on a variety of teams. It's a big undertaking, and we all have more to do."