 | |
| Abbreviation | NIRA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 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.
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]
As of November, 2023: [4]
| Club | Location | Nickname | Type | Joined | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army West Point | West Point, New York | Black Knights | Service Academy | 2018 | Bill LeClerc |
| Brown University | Providence, Rhode Island | Bears | Private | 2018 | Kathy Flores |
| Dartmouth College | Hanover, New Hampshire | Big Green | Private | 2018 | Katie Dowty |
| Harvard University | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Crimson | Private | 2018 | Mel Denham |
| Long Island University | Brooklyn / Brookville, NY | Sharks | Private | 2018 | Colleen Doherty |
| Mount St. Mary's University | Emmitsburg, Maryland | Mountaineers | Private | 2018 | Farrah Douglas |
| Quinnipiac University | Hamden, Connecticut | Bobcats | Private | 2018 | Becky Carlson |
| Sacred Heart University | Fairfield, Connecticut | Pioneers | Private | 2018 | Michelle Reed |
| Club | Location | Nickname | Type | Joined | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American International College | Springfield, Massachusetts | Yellow Jackets | Private | 2018 | Tara Roberts |
| Davenport University | Michigan | Panthers | Private | ||
| Emory and Henry College | Emory, Virginia | Wasps | Private | ||
| Frostburg State University | Frostburg, Maryland | Bobcats | Public | ||
| Lander University | Greenwood, South Carolina | Bearcats | Public | ||
| Newberry College | Newberry, South Carolina | Wolves | |||
| University of New Haven | West Haven, Connecticut | Chargers | Private | ||
| Queens University of Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina | Royals | Private | 2019 | Katie Wurst |
| West Chester University | Chester County, Pennsylvania | Golden Rams | Public | 2018 | Tony Deremer |
| Club | Location | Nickname | Type | Joined | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowdoin College | Brunswick, Maine | Polar Bears | Private | 2018 | MaryBeth Mathews |
| Castleton University | Castleton, Vermont | Spartans | Public | 2018 | Frank Graziano |
| Colby–Sawyer College | New London, New Hampshire | Chargers | Private | 2018 | Ken Pape |
| Guilford College | Greensboro, North Carolina | Quakers | Private | 2020 | Emily Record |
| Manhattanville College | Purchase, New York | Valiants | Private | 2020 | TBD |
| New England College | Henniker, New Hampshire | Pilgrims | Private | 2019 | Tom Campbell |
| Norwich University | Northfield, Vermont | Cadets | Private | 2018 | Austin Hall |
| University of New England | Biddeford, Maine | Nor'easters | Private | 2018 | Ashley Potvin-Fulford |
| Warren Wilson College | Swannanoa, NC | Owls | Private |
| Ed. | Year | Winner | Score | Runner-up | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2015 | Quinnipiac (1) | 24–19 | Army | [5] |
2 | 2016 | Quinnipiac (2) | 46–24 | Central Washington | |
3 | 2017 | Quinnipiac (3) | 29–20 | Dartmouth | |
4 | 2018 | Dartmouth (1) | 19–14 | Harvard | [6] |
5 | 2019 | Harvard (1) | 18–7 | Army | [7] |
6 | 2020 | (not held due to covid-19 pandemic) | |||
7 | 2021 | Dartmouth (2) | 28–18 | Army | [8] [9] |
8 | 2022 | Dartmouth (3) | 15–10 | Harvard | [9] [10] |
9 | 2023 | Harvard (2) | 20–12 | Dartmouth | [11] |
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