Coaches & Staff

Head Coach

John Durant
Coach Durant has been involved with the UAlbany Rugby program as a player and coach since 1980. He led the Danes as captain for the 1981 season and then went on to play for the Albany Knickerbocker Rugby Club in 1982. He captained/vice captained the Knicks for 4 years as well as played Upstate Selects and Empire Games. He is a USA Rugby Certified coach and still plays in an occasional old boys game with the Knicks and UA Alumni.

Forwards Coach

Pete Zilgme
Coach Zilgme has been involved with the UAlbany Rugby program since 1980. He played at UAlbany in 1985 as a grad student after 4 years of rugby at Hofstra University. Peter later went on to play for the Manhattan Rugby Club and the Albany Knickerbockers where he was a captain + president on the squad. Peter has also coached the Knicks + the Empire State game's Adirondack team. He is a USA Rugby Certified coach.

Forwards Coach - U19 Bulldogs Head Coach

Dave Farison
Coach Farison started coaching the forwards in the fall of 2007 and is the head coach of the Albany Bulldogs U19 team. Coach Farison has played many years with the Albany Knickerbocker RFC and is currently the club's OBC. He is a USA Rugby Certified coach.

Half Backs Coach

Bruce Szelest
Coach Szelest in a graduate of UAlbany after which he played many years with the Albany Knickerbocker Rugby club. He was a standout player with the Albany Knickerbocker RFC and anchored the backline of UAlbany's Alumni side the Purple Haze.

Back row/#9 Coach

Chuck Rappazzo
Coach Rappazzo joins the staff after quite a few years off from the game. Rappazzo graduated from UAlbany and went on to a stellar career with the Albany Knicks were he captained the team. Rappazzo was an Ast UAlbany coach in the early 80s and went to a head coaching posistion at Williams College.

Athletic Trainer

Tom Fashouer