Southern Virginia University has hired David Smyth to be the college's new men's rugby head coach.

Smyth, who won multiple major championships with BYU, with be the program's first varsity head coach.

"We are blessed to have Coach Smyth," said Athletic Director Jason Lamb. "He is easily one of the best college rugby coaches in the country. This is a tremendous first step in building a strong rugby program that can immediately compete and contend with the very best."

Smyth coached at BYU for 27 years, and won a USA Rugby national title in 2009, and a D1A title in 2012. In 2013, '14, and '15 BYU won the Varsity Cup, a now defunct national playoff run privately. On the Cougar were also national runners up five times. This past year Smyth left BYU and took over Utah Valley University. But he has now switched to join the Knights in Buena Vista, Va.

"This is an exciting challenge and one that I'm really looking forward to," said Smyth. "I have been really impressed with what I've seen so far at Southern Virginia, from the administration, the coaches and staff in the Athletic department, great people. I'm really looking forward to getting to work with them all. My vision is to establish an environment where our rugby players can fully embrace the opportunity to learn and excel in the classroom and also in life," said Smyth. "While doing this we hope to build a rugby program where they can excel in a competitive sporting environment, one in which they can experience success and enjoy what they do."

Southern Virginia will begin competition this coming fall.