Army West Point Athletics
Mike Mahan Announces Retirement
May 27, 2015 | Men's Rugby
WEST POINT, N.Y. - After serving the men's and women's rugby programs for more than 25 years, Army West Point Men's Rugby Head Coach Mike Mahan has announced his retirement.
"We are very appreciative of Mike's time and dedication, not only as a coach, but a mentor and leader for our cadet-athletes," said Army West Point Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Boo Corrigan. "He has aided the Academy's rugby programs for a quarter of a century and has set a high standard of success for the program, and for that we thank him. We wish him and his wife, Dorothy, the very best in the future."
Mahan rejoined the program in the summer of 2014, overseeing the team's transition from a club sport to the Army Athletic Association.
"I have coached rugby at West Point at some level for either the men's team or the women's team for 27 years, 17 of those years as a head coach," said Mahan. "Doing so has allowed me to work closely with some of the very best young men and women this nation has produced. I will always cherish that opportunity to have contributed, in a small way, to their development as Army officers and as people."
The fall of 2014 was one of the most successful in program history, as the team posted an unblemished 8-0 regular season record. Mahan helped guide the team to wins over nationally-ranked opponents such as Penn State, Kutztown, Air Force and Wheeling Jesuit and led the Black Knights to a Rugby East title.
This season, Army West Point boasted a perfect 2-0 mark against service academy foes Air Force and Navy, knocking off the Falcons in the fall and besting the Midshipmen by a score of 41-24 in the spring.
For his efforts, he was named the Rugby East Coach of the Year and landed eight individuals on the All-Rugby East squads. Of the 538 men's college rugby programs, Army West Point was ranked fifth at the conclusion of the 2014-15 season.
"Coach Mahan isn't so much of a coach to me as he is a mentor," said vice-captain Logan Pearce. "As a retired Lieutenant Colonel, coach Mahan shared his valuable experiences with us so that we could learn not just how to be better rugby players, but, more importantly, to be better officers. He pushed us to our limits and challenged us every day in practice, and we emerged a stronger team and family.
"Just when you thought he couldn't get any tougher on us he came up with a quick joke or one-liner, making all of us crack up with laughter," Pearce continued. "Despite the difficulties in our season, coach Mahan never stopped believing in us, and our successes should be directly attributed to him. He is a legend of the Army rugby program and his leadership and spirit will be missed."
Mahan guided the Army West Point men's team as head coach from 1988-2002 and then returned in 2013. He was the first head coach of the Army West Point women's team in 2003 and served as women's coach emeritus from 2005-07.
He also spent three seasons as the head coach of the Combined Service U-25 National Team and four years as head coach of the U.S. Army National Team. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Army West Point in 1980.
During Mahan's 16 years as the men's head coach, he led his squads to 10 Collegiate National Championship Final Fours and none of his teams finished ranked below ninth in the country. Of Army West Point's 12 appearances in the Collegiate Rugby National Championship Final Four, he was the head coach for 10 of those seasons. In addition, he sat on the executive board of USA Rugby for three years. Among Mahan's former players currently serving in the Army, three have achieved the rank of Lieutenant General.
In addition to his rugby coaching duties, Mahan served as an Airborne, Ranger and Infantryman for 21 years of active duty service. Mahan has worked at West Point as a professor, senior vice president with the Association of Graduates and coach. He retired from the military with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Mahan graduated from West Point with an engineering degree and later collected his master's degree in Chemical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Mahan and his wife Dorothy, a marriage and family therapist, have a son, Matthew, of Boston, and a granddaughter, Madeline.
"Beyond rugby, coach Mahan has taught the team to be leaders prepared for our lives as officers in the Army," added captain Collum Magee. "His ability to stress the importance of details, both inside and outside of the rugby pitch, contributed greatly to our success. Coach's passion to the program taught us the importance of dedication and commitment. We could not have asked for a better coach or mentor and we were privileged to have him as our leader."
"We are very appreciative of Mike's time and dedication, not only as a coach, but a mentor and leader for our cadet-athletes," said Army West Point Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Boo Corrigan. "He has aided the Academy's rugby programs for a quarter of a century and has set a high standard of success for the program, and for that we thank him. We wish him and his wife, Dorothy, the very best in the future."
Mahan rejoined the program in the summer of 2014, overseeing the team's transition from a club sport to the Army Athletic Association.
"I have coached rugby at West Point at some level for either the men's team or the women's team for 27 years, 17 of those years as a head coach," said Mahan. "Doing so has allowed me to work closely with some of the very best young men and women this nation has produced. I will always cherish that opportunity to have contributed, in a small way, to their development as Army officers and as people."
The fall of 2014 was one of the most successful in program history, as the team posted an unblemished 8-0 regular season record. Mahan helped guide the team to wins over nationally-ranked opponents such as Penn State, Kutztown, Air Force and Wheeling Jesuit and led the Black Knights to a Rugby East title.
This season, Army West Point boasted a perfect 2-0 mark against service academy foes Air Force and Navy, knocking off the Falcons in the fall and besting the Midshipmen by a score of 41-24 in the spring.
For his efforts, he was named the Rugby East Coach of the Year and landed eight individuals on the All-Rugby East squads. Of the 538 men's college rugby programs, Army West Point was ranked fifth at the conclusion of the 2014-15 season.
"Coach Mahan isn't so much of a coach to me as he is a mentor," said vice-captain Logan Pearce. "As a retired Lieutenant Colonel, coach Mahan shared his valuable experiences with us so that we could learn not just how to be better rugby players, but, more importantly, to be better officers. He pushed us to our limits and challenged us every day in practice, and we emerged a stronger team and family.
"Just when you thought he couldn't get any tougher on us he came up with a quick joke or one-liner, making all of us crack up with laughter," Pearce continued. "Despite the difficulties in our season, coach Mahan never stopped believing in us, and our successes should be directly attributed to him. He is a legend of the Army rugby program and his leadership and spirit will be missed."
Mahan guided the Army West Point men's team as head coach from 1988-2002 and then returned in 2013. He was the first head coach of the Army West Point women's team in 2003 and served as women's coach emeritus from 2005-07.
He also spent three seasons as the head coach of the Combined Service U-25 National Team and four years as head coach of the U.S. Army National Team. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Army West Point in 1980.
During Mahan's 16 years as the men's head coach, he led his squads to 10 Collegiate National Championship Final Fours and none of his teams finished ranked below ninth in the country. Of Army West Point's 12 appearances in the Collegiate Rugby National Championship Final Four, he was the head coach for 10 of those seasons. In addition, he sat on the executive board of USA Rugby for three years. Among Mahan's former players currently serving in the Army, three have achieved the rank of Lieutenant General.
In addition to his rugby coaching duties, Mahan served as an Airborne, Ranger and Infantryman for 21 years of active duty service. Mahan has worked at West Point as a professor, senior vice president with the Association of Graduates and coach. He retired from the military with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Mahan graduated from West Point with an engineering degree and later collected his master's degree in Chemical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Mahan and his wife Dorothy, a marriage and family therapist, have a son, Matthew, of Boston, and a granddaughter, Madeline.
"Beyond rugby, coach Mahan has taught the team to be leaders prepared for our lives as officers in the Army," added captain Collum Magee. "His ability to stress the importance of details, both inside and outside of the rugby pitch, contributed greatly to our success. Coach's passion to the program taught us the importance of dedication and commitment. We could not have asked for a better coach or mentor and we were privileged to have him as our leader."
Players Mentioned
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