Bill Brandt

1945-2004

Bill “Binky” Brandt became somewhat of a Rugby Icon over the course of his career. After graduating from the University of Iowa where he played tight-end for the Hawkeyes’ gridiron squad for three years, Bill took up the game of rugby and soon became a stalwart in the front row for the storied Gentlemen of Aspen in the mid 1970’s.

After a number of successful seasons in Colorado, Bill moved to St. Louis in 1981 and started coaching the St. Louis Druids at the high school level. In the height of a successful run at HS National Tournament appearances, Bill decided to make it his goal to make Saint Louis University Rugby into a competitive club on the national level.

He took over the club in the late 1980’s, and has never looked back. Bill was the backbone of a program rich with tradition and success, and gave everything he had to game of rugby, and to the men who are honored enough to play for him.

The Druids, under Bill's leadership, have achieved high levels of success throughout the years. At the National HS Tournament, they earned second place in 1988 and third in 1989 and 1991. They had only failed to reach the National Tournament three times in his 15 years as a coach.

Coach Brandt was a tremendous influence on the lives of countless young men over the past 15 years. A great role model and leader, Bill has been like a father to many of his players. His death in 2004 abruptly ended the life of a man who gave so much to the rugby community here in St. Louis and deeply sadened everyone involved with Saint Louis University rugby.

Coach Brandt always worked hard to drive SLU Rugby towards the ultimate goal of every student athlete to ever come through the program: to gain a bid to the National Championships.

We will always remember Bill wherever we play and in whatever we do.