Bio

Janice Cougle was named Huskies rugby head coach in May 2025. Janice is no stranger to the Huskies rugby program – she has been the Huskies lead assistant coach for several years, and served as interim head coach in 2022, when Emma DeLory was working with the Rugby Canada Women's National Team. At the 2022 Huskies Athletic Award Banquet, Cougle was awarded the Robert G. Hayes Award as Volunteer of the Year.

Janice is involved in the sport of rugby at all levels, as a player, coach and official. She coaches the Nova Scotia Keltics U18 Provincial team, and also works as a referee, along with continuing to play the sport she loves at a high level. In her professional career, Janice works as the Senior Participation Lead at Sport Nova Scotia.

Originally from Lethbridge, Alberta, Cougle played with the Lethbridge University Pronghorns from 2007-2009, winning three straight CIS and Canada West Rugby Championships. Cougle, along with her Lethbridge teammates, have been inducted into both the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Canada West Hall of Fame.

Janice moved to Nova Scotia in 2012, and spent three years coaching with the Acadia Axewomen, before suiting up as a player for her final years of eligibility in 2015-16, captaining the Axewomen to their first AUS Rugby Championship, and back-to-back appearances at CIS Nationals. Cougle holds a Bachelor of Community Development degree from Acadia, and a Bachelor of Management degree from Lethbridge.