Waterville, ME – Thomas College will be adding the institution's first ever Women's Rugby program, with former NCAA Division I Head Coach and USA National Team Assistant Coach Farrah Douglas tasked with leading the program. The team will play in the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) and starting competition in the Fall of 2025. 
  
Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Christopher Parsons stated, "Farrah brings a wealth of experience as a coach and student-athlete… Her involvement with the USA Women's Rugby team at multiple levels shows a high level of coaching expertise that will prove to be extremely valuable to our institution and department." 
  
Douglas participated in both Women's Rugby and Track and Field at Bowdoin College. Since then, Douglas has spent the last seven years as the Head Coach of Women's Rugby at NCAA Division I school Mount Saint Mary's University. From 2012-2016 she served as an Assistant Coach of the USA Women's Rugby team, and an assistant on the USA U-20 Women's Rugby team from 2021-2023. Douglas has also been involved with several other collegiate, high school, and national rugby teams and leagues across the country. 

  
Emphasizing support while also having disciplined expectations, Douglas's coaching style is focused around developing a positive environment with personalized guidance. She believes that instilling resilience and character through maintaining high standards allows for student-athletes to reach their full potential on and off the field. 

 
When asked about what she is looking forward to and what excites her about the new addition to athletics Douglas stated, "The opportunity to build a brand-new Women's Rugby program at Thomas is incredibly exciting… This program will not only elevate the profile of women's sports at Thomas College but also provide student-athletes with unparalleled opportunities for personal growth, teamwork, and athletic achievement." 

  

In her free time, Douglass is an "Ultra-Runner", and has completed three 50-mile races and a 100-mile race. 

 
Douglas's official start date at Thomas College was July 1st.