Empire Rugby announced the appointment of Chris Lynch as High Performance (HP) Director for Connecticut, further strengthening its commitment to player development and pathway alignment across the region.
Lynch brings more than a decade of experience within Empire Rugby, having served the game in multiple capacities both on and off the field. His background includes playing at competitive levels domestically and overseas, earning certification as a referee and contributing as an assistant coach with NYC Selects.
Beyond his on-field credentials, Lynch has demonstrated a strong commitment to growing the game at the grassroots level. As an educator, he has successfully integrated rugby into academic environments, launching after-school rugby programs throughout New York City and coaching youth athletes — creating meaningful entry points and development pathways for the next generation of players.
In his new role as HP Director for Connecticut, Lynch will focus on identifying and developing high-potential athletes, aligning regional programming with national pathways, while enhancing collaboration across clubs, coaches and stakeholders.
“Chris represents exactly what we are building across Empire — someone who understands the game from every angle and is deeply committed to developing players the right way,” said Dannish Patel, President of Empire Rugby. “His ability to connect performance, education and long-term athlete growth will have an immediate impact.”
Lynch’s appointment reflects Empire Rugby’s continued investment in high performance infrastructure and its mission to support athletes, coaches and clubs through a development pathway.
For more information on Empire Rugby, please visit empire.rugby.
