Dan Payne

Wrestled for Clarion University, becoming a three-year captain and three-time PSAC champion. His career record was 111 wins and 35 defeats.

Moved to heavyweight for his senior season, finished seventh at the NCAA Division I championships and earned All-America recognition. Clarion named him its Male Athlete of the Year.

Earned an MBA at the University of Pittsburgh while serving as a Panthers wrestling assistant coach.

After international wrestling, began rugby with Old Blue of New York before moving west to join OMBAC in San Diego.

Became San Diego State’s head coach in 2006. His three seasons brought three playoff appearances and a national semifinal in 2009.

Cal’s contemporary match preview names him as OMBAC captain and No. 8, leading a back row that also included Todd Clever. The club entered that season as the reigning Rugby Super League champion.

First appeared for the USA at the Churchill Cup in Henley-on-Thames. His place on the senior national roll is Eagle No. 379.

Started at No. 8 against South Africa in Montpellier at the Rugby World Cup, completing his route from club rugby to the international stage.

Event archiveDan Payne carrying against South Africa · Rugby World Cup, 2007View archive ↗

Served as USA Rugby’s Director of Competition, overseeing more than twenty annual national-championship tournaments across the country.

Appointed Life University Director of Rugby, with responsibility for building an undergraduate programme alongside the existing Super League club side.

Served as skills coach on Eddie O’Sullivan’s Eagles staff in the build-up to the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Named forwards/continuity coach in Mike Tolkin’s staff for the Eagles’ match against Canada in Kingston.

Continued on the USA staff for the Pacific Nations Cup tour in Japan; the Japan Rugby Football Union’s official roster names him as assistant coach.

Expanded his responsibilities at Life University to help launch women’s rugby and women’s soccer, stepping away from his Eagles assistant-coaching position to focus on the growing university programme.

Helped establish the Curt Huckaby Cup between Life and Arkansas State, honouring the Arkansas coach’s contribution to collegiate rugby. A named university photograph places Payne in the green Life shirt beside Huckaby.

Event archiveDan Payne with Curt Huckaby and Matt Huckaby · 2014View archive ↗

Promoted to Life’s assistant athletics director while continuing as Director of Rugby. His remit expanded from one programme into wider athletic-department development.

Career contextDan Payne coaching Life University · 2014 featureView archive ↗

Promoted to Life University athletic director. The university’s 2015 conference biography records five rugby teams and four national titles during his programme-building tenure.

Became CEO of USA Rugby after seven years at Life. The university credited his athletic-department expansion from seven to sixteen intercollegiate teams and more than 300 student-athletes.

Explained USA Rugby’s push for high-level events and stronger domestic competition as Premiership rugby brought Newcastle and Saracens to Philadelphia.

Career contextPremiership rugby in Philadelphia · Dan Payne feature, 2017View archive ↗

Appointed CEO of Rugby Americas, working with Rugby Americas North and Sudamérica Rugby on participation, elite development and stronger competitions across both continents.

Inducted into Clarion University’s Sports Hall of Fame, recognising his All-American wrestling career and later international sporting leadership.

Returned to USA Rugby as General Manager of High Performance, with a remit spanning senior national teams, junior pathways, talent identification, coach development and international partnerships.

Event archiveDan Payne · USA Rugby high-performance appointment, 2021View archive ↗