Women's Premier League Rugby

Last updated

Women's Premier League Rugby
Current season or competition:
Rugby football current event.svg 2024 Women's Premier League Rugby season
Women's Premier League Rugby Logo.png
Sport Rugby union
Inaugural season2009 [1]
Number of teams7
CountryUnited States (USA Rugby)
ChampionsColorado Gray Wolves (2024)
Most titlesColorado Gray Wolves (5 titles)
Website wplrugby.org
Broadcast partner YouTube Page

The USA Rugby Women's Premier League (WPL or WPL Rugby) is the top annual American women's rugby union competition. It is player-run and operates in partnership with USA Rugby. It involves the top 10 clubs in the country. The league was founded in 2009.

Contents

The League initially began from 8 different Division 1 Women's Sides coming together in 2009. In 2017, the League grew to 10 clubs. In 2023, the League reduced their club numbers to 7.

The 2020 Season was canceled on June 1, 2020 due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. The League started up again in 2022.

History

A former logo for the League Old Logo WPL Rugby.jpg
A former logo for the League

Founding

The WPL was founded in 2009 with 8 of the top Division 1 Women's Teams in the US. The organization was created with the leadership of Kathy Flores, USA Eagle and Head Coach of the USA Women's Team, and Alex Williams in order to grow the Women's game and develop more potential players for the Women's National Team.

The League began with 8 clubs: Beantown Rugby, Berkeley All Blues, New York Rugby Club, Washington DC Furies, Twin City Amazons, Keystone Rugby Club, Minnesota Valkyries, and Oregon Sports Union (ORSU). [2]

Promotion and relegation

In 2010, the league began its promotion/relegation opportunities for Division 1 Teams to join the WPL in 2010, whereby the top-ranked Division 1 Team would challenge the bottom-ranked WPL Team for their position in the WPL. [3] From the end of the 2016 Season until the 2019 season, the WPL stopped its relegation due to their expansion. [4]

Expansion and beyond

For the 2017 Season, the WPL allowed for the Leagues first expansion, growing the League from 8 to 10 teams, adding Beantown RFC and Chicago North Shore Rugby into the competition. [5]

In 2017, the WPL created their Inaugural All-Stars Team, composed of top players from the season who would compete in preparation for the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup. [6] In 2018, the WPL decided to create two All-Star Teams, one for the Eastern Conference and one for the Western Conference, allowing more players to compete at the top level of competition. [7]

On June 1, 2020, the 2020 Season was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. [8] The season was later cancelled on July 8, 2020 and the WPL has resumed in 2022. [9]

Professionalism

In 2023, the WPL changed their season schedule outline and moved forward towards a more professional structure. Unfortunately, this led to three teams, the San Diego Surfers, Atlanta Harlequins, and Oregon Sports Union, specifically, to leave the WPL to focus on their club teams. [10] With that, the Conference structure that was in place throughout most of the WPL's timeline was left behind for a cohesive league structure. [11]

The Women's Elite Rugby (WER) league officially began in March of 2025. This launch also brought the closing of the Women's Premier Rugby (WPL) league making the 2024 season the final WPL season. [12]

Women's Premier League teams

Map

Usa edcp (+HI +AL) location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Beantown RFC
Red pog.svg
Chicago North Shore
Red pog.svg
New York Rugby Club
Red pog.svg
Twin Cities Amazons
Red pog.svg
Berkeley All Blues
Red pog.svg
Colorado Gray Wolves
Red pog.svg
Life West Gladiatrix
class=notpageimage|
Locations of teams in Women's Premier League
          Red pog.svg Current Teams         


Current teams

TeamMetro AreaJoinedStadiumCoachWebsite
Beantown RFC Boston, Massachusetts 2009 Union Point Sports Complex Kelly Seary http://beantownrugby.com/
Berkeley All Blues Berkeley, California 2009Gabes FieldTheo Bennett http://berkeleyallblues.com/
Chicago North Shore Rugby Chicago, Illinois 2017CIBC Fire PitchNoby Takaki,

Lauren Trout

 http://www.northshorerugby.com/
Colorado Gray Wolves Denver, Colorado 2012 Infinity Park Kittery Ruiz https://www.cograywolves.com/
Life West Gladiatrix Hayward, California 2019 Ray Sheeran Field Adriaan Ferris https://www.lifewestrugby.com/womens/
New York Rugby Club New York, New York 2009 Randall's Island James English http://newyorkrugby.com/
Twin Cities Amazons Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota 2009Eagan Community CenterRoger Bruggemeyer http://www.amazonrugby.org/


Timeline

Life West GladiatrixGlendale MerlinsGlendale MerlinsSan Diego SurfersBerkeley All BluesBerkeley All BluesNew York Rugby ClubNew York Rugby ClubWomen's Premier League Rugby

Current MembersPrevious Team NamePast Members


Promotion/relegation

YearRelegated Team

(Out)

Promoted Team

(In)

2011Oregon Sports UnionSan Diego Surfers
2012Minnesota ValkyriesGlendale Raptors
2013Keystone Rugby ClubAtlanta Harlequins
2014Beantown RFCOregon Sports Union
2015––
2016––
2017N/A+ Chicago North Shore Rugby

+ Beantown RFC

2018N/AN/A
2019Washington DC FuriesLife West Gladiatrix
2020(Season Cancelled)(Season Cancelled)
2021(Season Cancelled)(Season Cancelled)
2022- San Diego Surfers

- Atlanta Harlequins

- Oregon Sports Union

N/A
2023N/AN/A
2024N/AN/A


Former teams

TeamMetro AreaJoinedLeftWebsite
DC Furies Washington DC 20092018 https://dcfuries.com/
Keystone Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 20092012 http://keystonerugby.org/
Minnesota Valkyries Minneapolis, Minnesota 20092011 http://www.valkyriesrugby.org/
San Diego Surfers San Diego, California 20112022 http://sdsurfersrugby.com/
Atlanta Harlequins Atlanta, Georgia 20132022 http://ahwrfc.com
Oregon Sports Union Portland, Oregon 20142022 http://orsu.org/

League champions

YearFinal
ChampionScoreRunner-up
2009New York Rugby Club20–10Berkeley All Blues [13]
2010New York Rugby Club33–8Beantown RFC [14]
2011Berkeley All Blues17–8Twin Cities Amazons [15]
2012Berkeley All Blues39–5Glendale Raptors [16]
2013Twin Cities Amazons25–12Berkeley All Blues [17]
2014Glendale Raptors16–15Twin Cities Amazons [18]
2015Glendale Raptors26–17Berkeley All Blues [19]
2016San Diego Surfers26–16Glendale Raptors [20]
2017New York Rugby Club27–26Glendale Merlins [21]
2018San Diego Surfers34–28Glendale Merlins [22]
2019Glendale Merlins39–31Life West Gladiatrix [23]
2020Not held due to COVID-19
2021
2022Berkeley All Blues29–7Beantown RFC [24]
2023Colorado Gray Wolves29–24Berkeley All Blues [25]
2024Colorado Gray Wolves31–27Berkeley All Blues

See also

References

  1. ↑ Young, Wendy (2009-09-01). "Preview of Teams in the USA Rugby Women's Premier League (WPL)". YSCRugby | Women's Rugby News. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  2. ↑ "About the WPL". WPL Rugby. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  3. ↑ Young, Wendy (2010-09-22). "WPL promotion/relegation". YSCRugby | Women's Rugby News. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  4. ↑ Gillberg, Alicia (2018-06-13). "WPL to Reinstate promotion/relegation". WPL Rugby. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  5. ↑ "Women's Premier League expands to 10 teams for 2017 season". USA Rugby. 2017-03-20. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  6. ↑ "WPL All-Stars roster announced". USA Rugby. 2017-06-21. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  7. ↑ Gillberg, Alicia (2018-07-05). "2018 WPL All-Stars Rosters Released". WPL Rugby. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  8. ↑ Gillberg, Alicia (2020-06-01). "2020 WPL Season Officially Postponed". WPL Rugby. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  9. ↑ Gillberg, Alicia (2020-07-08). "WPL Season Postponed Until 2021". WPL Rugby. Retrieved 2020-07-11.
  10. ↑ "YSCRugby | Women's Rugby News | WPL Releases 2023 Schedule and Participating Teams as they continue to 'Ignite the Change'". scrumhalfconnection.com. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  11. ↑ "YSCRugby | Women's Rugby News | 2023 USA Women's Premier League (WPL) – Schedule & Results". scrumhalfconnection.com. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  12. ↑ "New Professional American Women's Rugby League Announces Formation". Women's Elite Rugby. Retrieved 2025-03-13.
  13. ↑ "Women's Premier League Rugby". womenspremierleaguerugby.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  14. ↑ "USA Rugby". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  15. ↑ "USA Rugby Women's Club National Champions Crowned [VIDEOs]". YSCRugby | Women's Rugby News. 2011-11-14. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  16. ↑ Young, Wendy (2012-10-29). "2012 EMIRATES AIRLINE USA RUGBY WOMEN'S PREMIER LEAGUE, DI AND DII CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS". YSCRugby | Women's Rugby News. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  17. ↑ Young, Wendy (2013-10-29). "2013 EMIRATES AIRLINE USA RUGBY WOMEN'S PREMIER LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS". YSCRugby | Women's Rugby News. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  18. ↑ "USA Rugby Stats". usarugbystats.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  19. ↑ "USA Rugby Stats". usarugbystats.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  20. ↑ "USA Rugby Stats". usarugbystats.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  21. ↑ "USA Rugby Stats". usarugbystats.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  22. ↑ "USA Rugby Stats". usarugbystats.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  23. ↑ "USA Rugby Stats". usarugbystats.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  24. ↑ Young, Wendy (February 21, 2023). "2023 USA Women's Premier League (WPL) – Schedule & Results". scrumhalfconnection.com.
  25. ↑ Young, Wendy (2023-02-21). "2023 USA Women's Premier League (WPL) - Schedule & Results %". YSCRugby | Women's Rugby News. Retrieved 2024-09-06.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.