Lethbridge – Former head coach Neil Langevin and the most decorated Pronghorn women's rugby player, Ashley Steacy will lead the University of Lethbridge Pronghorn women's rugby program for the 2017-18 season.
 
Langevin and Steacy will serve as head coach and associate head coach respectively with Ashley serving as a daily on campus presence for the team, while Langevin will continue day-to-day his role with Winston Churchill High School.
 
"This is an exciting day for all of us associated with Women's Rugby here at the U of L," said Executive Director Ken McInnes. "Having Neil and Ashley step up and take on the coaching duties heading into the 2017/18 campaign is the best possible outcome we could have hoped for with the passing of Coach Suggitt."
 
"Ric's passing was devastating for the entire Pronghorn family but with the dynamic duo of Neil and Ashley leading the coaching staff we will be able to maintain our focus on building a championship women's rugby team."
 
Head coach Ric Suggitt passed away suddenly on June 27, 2017.
 
Langevin, the architect of the Pronghorn women's rugby program, was the head coach starting during the programs inaugural season in 2000 and led the program to three consecutive National titles from 2007-2009, in addition to winning six consecutive Canada West titles starting in 2006. The 'Horns also medaled two other times at the CIS Championships during Langevin's tenure, winning a silver medal in 2003 and a bronze medal in 2006.
 
Over the 12 years as head coach, Langevin compiled a 40-20-0 conference record including a 22-game conference winning streak that spanned more than three full seasons. Twice named the Canada West coach of the year (2002 and 2009), Langevin was also named the CIS coach of the year in 2009.

 
Internationally Neil coached Canada's National Team to a fourth place finish at the 2006 World Cup where they barely missed the gold medal game, losing a heart breaker to England. He also spent time as the head coach with Rugby Canada's National U20 Women's team.
 
Steacy, who just retired from international rugby at the end of the 2017 Women's Sevens World Series, returns to the program she helped to put on the Canadian University landscape. In addition to leading the Pronghorns to the three CIS titles and four Canada West titles during her five season, she was a two-time CIS Player of the Year and was named both the Canada West and CIS Rookie of the Year in 2005.
 
Her career highlights international was this past summer as a member of Canada's Olympic Bronze medal willing team in Rio. She was also named to the 2014-15 Women's Sevens World Series Dream team and Rugby Canada's Women's Sevens Player of the Year for 2014.
 
"The women's rugby program is so near and dear to my heart, I'm incredibly excited to be back at the U of L taking on the role of associate coach alongside Neil Langevin," said Ashley Steacy. "I'm honoured to have been asked to help move the program forward after Ric's passing. He had created a lot of momentum with the team and we are going to work hard to honour the legacy that he left."
 
"I am really looking forward to working closely with the girls, helping them have the best experience they can through athletics and academics while being at the U of L."
 
 "One of the many things that makes the U of L special is our ability to invite our successful alumni back home and for them to be willing to step up and take on leadership roles," concluded Executive Director Ken McInnes.
 
Pronghorn Athletics and the women's rugby program are proud to host the 2017 USPORTS Women's Rugby Championships this coming November and the Pronghorn women's rugby team will see their first conference action September 21^st, hosting the defending Canada West Champion Calgary Dinos.