National Intercollegiate Rugby Association

National Intercollegiate
Rugby Association
AbbreviationNIRA
Formation2015 (2015)
Legal statusAssociation
Region served
United States
Official language
English
Commissioner
Amy Rusert
Main organ
Board of Directors
Websitenira.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 May, 2026:[4]

Division I

Club Location Nickname Type Joined Coach
Army West PointWest Point, New YorkBlack KnightsService Academy2018Jenn Salomon-Clayton
Brown UniversityProvidence, Rhode IslandBearsPrivate2018Rosalind Chou
Dartmouth CollegeHanover, New HampshireBig GreenPrivate2018Katie Dowty
Harvard UniversityCambridge, MassachusettsCrimsonPrivate2018Mel Denham
La Salle UniversityPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaExplorersPrivate2025Kelsie McDowell
Lindenwood UniversitySt. Charles, MissouriLionsPrivate2024Trevor Locke
Long Island UniversityBrooklyn / Brookville, NYSharksPrivate2018Dee Nash
Mount St. Mary's UniversityEmmitsburg, MarylandMountaineersPrivate2018Maggie Myles
NavyAnnapolis, MarylandMidshipmenService Academy2023Murph McCarthy
Princeton UniversityPrinceton, New JerseyTigersPrivate2022Josie Ziluca[5]
Queens University of CharlotteCharlotte, North CarolinaRoyalsPrivate2023Danny Harlow
Quinnipiac UniversityHamden, ConnecticutBobcatsPrivate2018Becky Carlson
Sacred Heart UniversityFairfield, ConnecticutPioneersPrivate2018Michelle Reed

Division II

Club Location Nickname Type Joined Coach
American International CollegeSpringfield, MassachusettsYellow JacketsPrivate2018Denver Divens
Davenport UniversityMichiganPanthersPrivate2022Greg Teliczan
Emory and Henry UniversityEmory, VirginiaWaspsPrivate2023Tom O'Neill
Frostburg State UniversityFrostburg, MarylandBobcatsPublic2023Jeff Horton
University of New HavenWest Haven, ConnecticutChargersPrivate2021Emily Record
West Chester UniversityChester County, PennsylvaniaGolden RamsPublic2018Tony Deremer

Division III

Club Location Nickname Type Joined Coach
Bowdoin CollegeBrunswick, MainePolar BearsPrivate2018Laura Miller
Guilford CollegeGreensboro, North CarolinaQuakersPrivate2020Christine Newcomb
Thomas CollegeWaterville, MaineTerriersPrivate2025Farrah Douglas
University of New EnglandBiddeford, MaineNor'eastersPrivate2018Ashley Potvin-Fulford
Warren Wilson CollegeSwannanoa, NCOwlsPrivate2023Angelica Rodriguez

Championship finals

Division I

Ed. Year Winner Score Runner-up Ref.
1
2015Quinnipiac (1)
24–19
Army[6]
2
2016Quinnipiac (2)
46–24
Central Washington[7]
3
2017Quinnipiac (3)
29–20
Dartmouth[8]
4
2018Dartmouth (1)
19–14
Harvard[9]
5
2019Harvard (1)
18–7
Army[10]
6
2020
(not held due to COVID-19 pandemic)
7
2021Dartmouth (2)
28–18
Army[11][12]
8
2022Dartmouth (3)
15–10
Harvard[12][13]
9
2023Harvard (2)
20–12
Dartmouth[14]
10
2024Harvard (3)
19–12
Dartmouth[15]
11
 2025 Harvard (4)
22–19
 Lindenwood [16][17]

Division II

Division III

  • 2023 – Bowdoin 51–17 Adrian[27]
  • 2022 – Bowdoin 29–0 University of New England[28]
  • 2021 – Bowdoin 31–12 University of New England[29]
  • 2019 – Bowdoin College 27–5 University of New England [30]

References

  1. ↑ "Emerging Sports for Women". www.ncaa.org. NCAA. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
  2. 1 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, May 11, 2026
  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. 1 2 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. ↑ "Women's Rugby Makes History with 3rd Consecutive NIRA Championship Victory against Lindenwood". Harvard University. 2025-11-22. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  17. 1 2 admin (2025-11-24). "Harvard, AIC Retain NIRA Titles - The Rugby Breakdown". Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  18. ↑ "BE BOLD, BE CHAMPIONS AGAIN! Women's Rugby shuts out West Chester, captures third national crown in five years". American International College. 2025-11-15. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
  19. ↑ "NATIONAL CHAMPIONS AGAIN! Women's Rugby overpowers Davenport for second NIRA crown in four years". 23 November 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  20. ↑ "Panthers crowned as NIRA National Champions". Davenport University Athletics. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  21. ↑ "Queens Women's Rugby Claims First NIRA Championship". Queens University of Charlotte Athletics. 19 November 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  22. ↑ "WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS! Women's rugby dethrones West Chester to earn NIRA Title". 21 November 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  23. ↑ @NIRArugby (17 November 2019). "Brown in possession but it's not enough. Final WCU 15 Brown 14" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  24. ↑ "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.
  25. ↑ "Nor'easters handle Bowdoin, 57-14, in NIRA Cup Championship". University of New England Athletics. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  26. ↑ "Women's Rugby Mounts Huge Rally To Tip UNE In Season Finale". Bowdoin College. 12 November 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  27. ↑ "Women's Rugby Wins Fourth Straight NIRA Division III Championship". Bowdoin College. 18 November 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  28. ↑ "THREE-PEAT! Women's Rugby Wins Third-Straight NIRA Division III Crown". Bowdoin College. 19 November 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  29. ↑ "Women's Rugby Completes Perfect Season With Second Straight NIRA Championship". Bowdoin College. 21 November 2021. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
  30. ↑ "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.
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