Head Coach
Lance Hohaia
The Aquinas athletic department and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Athletics Nick Davidson announced on January 15, 2021 the hiring of Lance Hohaia as the first men's rugby coach in Aquinas program history. Coming to AQ after a two-year coaching stint at nearby Davenport, Hohaia was a professional rugby player for 15 years in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Hohaia becomes the first coach of the new Aquinas men's rugby program, announced as one of four new sport additions at AQ last month. The Saints will be affiliated with USA Rugby and it is believed that the men's rugby program will compete off-campus in the Grand Rapids area.
"I am very excited to be joining the Aquinas Saints family," commented Hohaia. "It is a terrific opportunity for me. I look forward to the challenge of building this program and I believe that my experiences in the sport over the past 20 years will help me lead Aquinas rugby into this new era."
During his tenure at Davenport, Hohaia led the 2018-19 Panthers to an 18-8 record in his first season, which was an eight-win improvement from the previous year. That season, Davenport was ranked as high as eighth in the country. The 2019 7's team qualified for the 7's National Championships and had a strong showing at the national tournament, capturing the bronze medal.
Most recently, Davenport started the 2019-20 campaign with a 5-2-1 record before the season was cut short due to COVID concerns.
"We are excited to have a coach with Lance's caliber at the helm of our men's rugby program," Davidson explained. "He understands the importance of the student-athlete experience and will build a strong program both on and off the field. Lance has recruiting ties to Grand Rapids, as well as his many national and international connections. I look forward to watching his team compete in the future."
Hohaia played for the New Zealand national team from 2002 to 2011 and helped the team win the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. He also helped New Zealand win the 2005 Tri Nations championship and capture the 2010 Four Nations championship.
Nicknamed 'The Huntly Hurricane' by the media after growing up in the town of Huntly, he played in over 300 matches in his 15-year professional career. Hohaia competed for 11 seasons with the New Zealand Warriors and is one of only six players in club history to spend 10 consecutive seasons with the Warriors. He closed his professional career by playing four years for St. Helens RFC in the United Kingdom and helped the team win the 2014 Super League championship.
Hohaia will begin his duties at AQ immediately and begin preparations for the 2021-22 season.