Colorado Technical University, a four-year university with campuses in Colorado Springs and the Denver area, is going to start fielding varsity men’s and women’s rugby teams, and will also launch a rugby-related educational curriculum.

The Colorado Technical University Rugby Academy will offer a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a Rugby concentration. Students will not only play for the rugby team but will also receive certifications in coaching, refereeing, and strength & conditioning. In addition, students will take courses to help them be administrators, coaches, and professionals within the game.

The program will be run by Steve Lynch, with Mark Bullock (who was a high school principal before he became a full-time rugby coach) in charge of the education aspect of the program.

The program is looking to recruit a group of rugby players for the freshman class, with all rugby players getting a $1,500 scholarship for the first year, with the potential for that scholarship to increase. 

Lynch said he plans to recruit a strong freshman class, but will also look at military vets to provide leadership. CTU has a program that helps extend the two-and-a-half-year GI bill to four years.

CTU will compete in men’s and women’s college divisions, with the men hoping to be accepted into DIA. Lynch will coach the CTU men's team and the most-capped USA womens player of all time, Jamie Burke, will coach the women's team.

For more on the CTU program, go to: www.coloradotechrugby.com