Chicago Hounds Appoint Matt Wagner as Team Manager

CHICAGO, I.L.- As the Chicago Hounds continue to build out their performance staff for the 2024 Major League Rugby season, the team announced the appointment of Matt Wagner as the Team Manager.

Wagner’s presence has been felt throughout the Chicago rugby community since 2012 when he began playing for the Chicago Lions club. He captained the 7s program before retiring as a player in 2018. During that time, Wagner coached the Purdue University 7s program and led the Boilermakers for four and a half years. He was named as the Big 10 7s Coach of the Year in 2015.

In 2018, Wagner became the assistant coach for the Illinois Women’s College All-Stars. He worked in conjunction with Head Coach Charli Jacoby to select the teams and develop training plans, with a focus on creating new pathways for young women rugby players to make an impact on the national and international stage.

He joined the Lions’ coaching staff in the summer of 2019, signing on with the club as the assistant coach for both the Women’s and Men’s 7s programs. During this time, Wagner filmed and reviewed training sessions and tournament footage in order to provide feedback and identify successes as well as areas for improvement. He collaborated with the coaches in planning and leading training sessions and managing in-game performances.

Later that fall, Wagner was named as the Head Coach of the Men’s 7s team. He led the team to a first place finish at the Club 7s National Championship in 2021 and followed that up with a 5th place finish at Nationals during the 2022 sevens circuit. With the Men’s 7s program, Wagner managed season and tour budgets, fundraising for the team, and created comprehensive engagement plans between the club and both their alumni and sponsors.

Wagner parlayed that success into the Director of Rugby role for the Lions in January of last year. He reinvigorated the club processes and structures, including their recruiting and hiring plans, budgeting for the club, sponsor communications, and worked to expand medical coverage and care for all of the players.

In addition to his work with the Lions, Wagner acted as the Head Coach of the Men’s Loonies 7s team, competing in Premier Rugby 7s.