AIC Seeks Two New Head Coaches as Bonti Takes DOR Post
AIC Seeks Two New Head Coaches as Bonti Takes DOR Post
American International College is making a fairly significant change in its coaching staff.
T. Fletcher, who was Head Coach of both the men's team and the women's team, left earlier this month, and the institution has been looking at a new approach. Yesterday former assistant coach at AIC, Jameson Bonti, started his tenure as Director of Rugby. The chief recruiter for AIC Rugby, Bonti will direct coaching philosophy and approach for a to-be-hired Men's Head Coach and a to-be-hired Women's Head Coach.
Bonti had promising meetings with new Athletic Director Rob Kearney, whose hiring was announced in June. Kearney competed in the World's Strongest Man competition, and is serious about AIC Rugby being a high-performance program.
"We are thrilled to promote Jameson to Director of Rugby after serving as an Assistant Coach for the Men's program over the last three seasons," said Kearney. "Since arriving at AIC, Jameson has proved himself as a caring, compassionate and competitive coach who wants to excel in every aspect of the sport. With this hire, we are confident Jameson will not only continue the legacy of success for AIC Rugby but will be persistent in his pursuit of competitive excellence."
"The goal here is to build out a high-end, professional-caliber staff," said Bonti. "A staff and a program which we can feed and grow and give back to the students. We're committed to bringing in a staff that can provide that. We want a clear path for our players to compete professionally and age-grade national teams. From AIC up to USA Rugby, we need to have positive relationships. Rob Kearney is very excited about our vision; he understands what it takes to be a high-performance athlete."
It's easy to say "high-performance" but it takes planning and hard work. It appears that AIC is looking now for coaches who share the vision.
"Taking on the Director of Rugby position at American International College is an immense privilege, and I'm particularly enthusiastic about the chance to collaborate with our dedicated student-athletes and help their voices be heard," said Bonti. "My unwavering focus will be on fostering a strong family culture rooted in excellence, resilience, and community – values that align perfectly with AIC's mission. I am committed to establishing a clear pathway to professionalism and the US National Team, empowering our women and men to achieve their highest potential. The potential here to build a legacy of success and national impact is immense, and I truly can't wait to begin this journey with this remarkable group."
AIC's Women's team is NCAA Varsity and plays in NIRA's D2, winning the NIRA title in 2024 and in 2022. NIRA is adjusting how its season and schedule is organized, and the result is a more challenging schedule for the likes of AIC, which will have Harvard, Sacred Heart, West Chester, Brown, New Haven, Bowdoin, and Davenport on the slate.
AIC's Men's team has been playing in NCR's D1, and while they haven't won a championship, Bonti was quick to point out some consistent success.
"We are a national championship contender," said Bonti. "Twice in the last three years we have finished the fall 8-2, and both times our two losses were to Brown and Queens, the two teams that made the final in those years."
In between those two seasons, AIC went 5-4, losing to Siena, Dartmouth, Brown, and Iona.
Bonti carried much of the recruiting load for AIC as Assistant Coach. He will still be involved in that part of the program, but will be leaving much of that work to the new Head Coaches.
