National Intercollegiate Rugby Association

National Intercollegiate
Rugby Association

Abbreviation	NIRA
Formation	2015;10 years ago (2015)
Legal status	Association
Region served	United States
Official language	English
Commissioner	Amy Rusert
Main organ	Board of Directors
Website	nira.rugby

The National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) is a governing body of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) collegiate women's rugby programs in the United States founded in 2015.

History

The NIRA traces roots back to 2015 when eight NCAA member institutions formed the National Collegiate Varsity Women’s Rugby Association (NCVWRA) to organize collegiate competition and aid in the promotion of rugby at the varsity level in the NCAA after rugby was promoted to Emerging Sport status. ^{[1] [2]}

Inaugural members of the association included Army, Bowdoin, Brown, Central Washington, Harvard, Norwich, Quinnipiac, and West Chester. Membership in the organization is limited to NCAA institutions who sponsor women’s rugby at the varsity level. ^[2] In 2016 the association became known as the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA). ^[3]

Members

As of April, 2025: ^[4]

Division I

Club	Location	Nickname	Type	Joined	Coach
Army West Point	West Point, New York	Black Knights	Service Academy	2018	Jenn Salomon-Clayton
Brown University	Providence, Rhode Island	Bears	Private	2018	Rosalind Chou
Dartmouth College	Hanover, New Hampshire	Big Green	Private	2018	Katie Dowty
Harvard University	Cambridge, Massachusetts	Crimson	Private	2018	Mel Denham
Lindenwood University	St. Charles, Missouri	Lions	Private	2024	Trevor Locke
Long Island University	Brooklyn / Brookville, NY	Sharks	Private	2018	Dee Nash
Mount St. Mary's University	Emmitsburg, Maryland	Mountaineers	Private	2018	Maggie Myles
Navy	Annapolis, Maryland	Midshipmen	Service Academy	2023	Murph McCarthy
Princeton University	Princeton, New Jersey	Tigers	Private	2022	Josie Ziluca [5]
Queens University of Charlotte	Charlotte, North Carolina	Royals	Private	2023	Danny Harlow
Quinnipiac University	Hamden, Connecticut	Bobcats	Private	2018	Becky Carlson
Sacred Heart University	Fairfield, Connecticut	Pioneers	Private	2018	Michelle Reed

Division II

Club	Location	Nickname	Type	Joined	Coach
American International College	Springfield, Massachusetts	Yellow Jackets	Private	2018	Denver Divens
Davenport University	Michigan	Panthers	Private	2022	Greg Teliczan
Emory and Henry University	Emory, Virginia	Wasps	Private	2023	Tom O'Neill
Frostburg State University	Frostburg, Maryland	Bobcats	Public	2023	Jeff Horton
Newberry College	Newberry, South Carolina	Wolves	Private	2022	Eric Enright
University of New Haven	West Haven, Connecticut	Chargers	Private	2021	Emily Record
West Chester University	Chester County, Pennsylvania	Golden Rams	Public	2018	Tony Deremer

Division III

Club	Location	Nickname	Type	Joined	Coach
Bowdoin College	Brunswick, Maine	Polar Bears	Private	2018	Laura Miller
Guilford College	Greensboro, North Carolina	Quakers	Private	2020	Christine Newcomb
University of New England	Biddeford, Maine	Nor'easters	Private	2018	Ashley Potvin-Fulford
Warren Wilson College	Swannanoa, NC	Owls	Private	2023	Angelica Rodriguez

Championship finals

Division I

Ed.	Year	Winner	Score	Runner-up	Ref.
1	2015	Quinnipiac (1)	24–19	Army	[6]
2	2016	Quinnipiac (2)	46–24	Central Washington	[7]
3	2017	Quinnipiac (3)	29–20	Dartmouth	[8]
4	2018	Dartmouth (1)	19–14	Harvard	[9]
5	2019	Harvard (1)	18–7	Army	[10]
6	2020	(not held due to covid-19 pandemic)
7	2021	Dartmouth (2)	28–18	Army	[11] [12]
8	2022	Dartmouth (3)	15–10	Harvard	[12] [13]
9	2023	Harvard (2)	20–12	Dartmouth	[14]
10	2024	Harvard (3)	19–12	Dartmouth	[15]

Division II

• 2024 – American International 20–15 Davenport ^[16]
• 2023 – Davenport 91–5 Lander ^[17]
• 2022 – Queens 34–27 Davenport ^[18]
• 2021 – American International 29–17 West Chester ^[19]
• 2019 – West Chester 15–14 Brown ^[20]
• 2018 – Mount St. Mary's 22–15 Sacred Heart ^[21]
• 2017 – University of New England 57–14 Bowdoin ^[22]
• 2016 – Bowdoin College 32–22 University of New England ^[23]

Division III

• 2023 – Bowdoin 51–17 Adrian ^[24]
• 2022 – Bowdoin 29–0 University of New England ^[25]
• 2021 – Bowdoin 31–12 University of New England ^[26]
• 2019 – Bowdoin College 27–5 University of New England ^[27]

References

1. "Emerging Sports for Women". www.ncaa.org. NCAA. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
2. Young, Wendy (September 11, 2014). "National Collegiate Varsity Women's Rugby Association (NCVWRA) Formed". Your Scrumhalf Connection. Archived from the original on 14 January 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
3. "Women's Intercollegiate Season Starts with 2015 Final Rematch". Goff Rugby Report. Aug 31, 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-11-04. Retrieved 2016-11-02. What was the NCWVRA [National Collegiate Women's Varsity Rugby Association] is now the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association.
4. Teams at NIRA website, April 3, 2025
5. "Women's Rugby". Princeton Tigers. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
6. Finlan, Jackie (November 22, 2015). "Quinnipiac, First Varsity Champion". The Goff Rugby Report. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
7. "Back-to-Back! QU Women's Rugby Defeats CWU To Repeat As National Champions". Quinnipiac University Athletics. 20 November 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
8. "QU Women's Rugby Captures Third Straight National Title, Downs Dartmouth 29-20". Quinnipiac University Athletics. 19 November 2017. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
9. "Dartmouth Claims Program's First NIRA Championship". USA Rugby. Archived from the original on 2019-02-09. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
10. "Women's Rugby Crowned NIRA National Champions After Victory Over Army West Point, 18–7". Harvard Athletics. Archived from the original on 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
11. Hanover for Second Time By: Charlotte Brackett, 20 Nov 2021
12. Women's Rugby to Host Two-Time Defending NIRA Champion Dartmouth at Goprincetontigers, 23 Sep 2023
13. Big Green Repeat as Division I NIRA Champions at darthmouthsports.com, 19 Nov 2022
14. Champions! #1 Women's Rugby Captures 2023 NCAA DI Championship With 20-12 Win Against #2 Dartmouth at Gocrimson.com
15. "Champions Once Again! Harvard Secures Back-to-Back NIRA DI Championships with 19-12 Victory Over Dartmouth". Harvard University. 23 November 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
16. "NATIONAL CHAMPIONS AGAIN! Women's Rugby overpowers Davenport for second NIRA crown in four years". 23 November 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
17. "Panthers crowned as NIRA National Champions". Davenport University Athletics. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
18. "Queens Women's Rugby Claims First NIRA Championship". Queens University of Charlotte Athletics. 19 November 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
19. "WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! Women's rugby dethrones West Chester to earn NIRA Title". 21 November 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
20. @NIRArugby (17 November 2019). "Brown in possession but it's not enough. Final WCU 15 Brown 14" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
21. "CHAMPIONS! Mount Women's Rugby Holds off Sacred Heart, 22-15, for the NIRA Tier II Championship - Mount St. Mary's". Archived from the original on 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2019-04-03.
22. "Nor'easters handle Bowdoin, 57-14, in NIRA Cup Championship". University of New England Athletics. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
23. "Women's Rugby Mounts Huge Rally To Tip UNE In Season Finale". Bowdoin College. 12 November 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
24. "Women's Rugby Wins Fourth Straight NIRA Division III Championship". Bowdoin College. 18 November 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
25. "THREE-PEAT! Women's Rugby Wins Third-Straight NIRA Division III Crown". Bowdoin College. 19 November 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
26. "Women's Rugby Completes Perfect Season With Second Straight NIRA Championship". Bowdoin College. 21 November 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
27. "Women's Rugby Runs Away From UNE to Claim NIRA Division III Title". Bowdoin Athletics. Archived from the original on 2020-06-03. Retrieved 2021-10-15.

External links

• Official website