Trent University has announced the appointment of Luke Bentvelzen as the new head coach of the Excalibur women’s rugby program, bringing extensive coaching experience and a strong commitment to athlete development both on and off the field. 

“We’re thrilled to welcome Luke to the Excalibur coaching staff and to our women’s rugby program,” said Nathan McFadden, director of Athletics and Recreation. “He brings an exceptional breadth of experience in rugby, along with a strong commitment to leadership, education, and student-athlete development. Luke has already made a meaningful impact within the local rugby community, and we’re excited to see him bring that energy and expertise to Trent as we continue to build a competitive and supportive environment for our women’s rugby student-athletes.” 

A former professional rugby player and veteran coach, Bentvelzen has worked with athletes at all levels of the game in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Most recently, he served as head coach of the senior women’s program at the Peterborough Rugby Union Football Club, where he led the team to an undefeated 2022 season and promotion to the provincial league. 

In addition to his coaching experience, Bentvelzen has built a career focused on leadership, education, and creating safe and supportive environments in sport. A significant part of that work has been through his role as Male allyship and leadership coordinator with the Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre, where he has led violence prevention and education initiatives across the local sport community. In this role, he has worked with organizations including the Peterborough Petes and minor hockey associations, designing and facilitating on topics such as healthy relationships, consent, bystander intervention and positive team culture. 

Bentvelzen currently serves as coordinator of training and education with Rugby Canada, where he supports coach and athlete development programming across the country. He previously held the role of coordinator of leagues and competitions with Rugby Ontario, contributing to the structure and delivery of competitive rugby throughout the province. 

“I’m grateful to be given the opportunity to work with a fantastic staff at an institution with a great academic reputation,” Bentvelzen said. “There is a great group of coaches and returning players that I think can lay a foundation of continued excellence.” 

Bentvelzen emphasized that his coaching approach is built around teamwork, unity, and shared identity, with a focus on developing the technical, tactical, and physical skills needed to compete at the OUA level while fostering a strong performance mindset across the program. 

Looking ahead, he said he hopes to elevate both the program’s performance profile and its regional impact. “We want to be a destination for student-athletes to begin or continue their rugby journey in an environment that supports their holistic development.” 

Bentvelzen’s appointment marks an exciting new chapter for the Excalibur women’s rugby program as the team continues to build on its strong tradition of competition and student-athlete success. 

The Excalibur women’s rugby team will begin preparations for the 2026-27 season later this summer with Bentvelzen’s leadership.