The Heart of America (HOA) is a Division I-AA men's college rugby conference that expanded to 12 teams for the 2025-2026 season. It operates under the College Rugby Association of America (CRAA) and is made up of schools from the middle part of the USA—Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri.
The conference plays its 15s season in the fall but enters its champion in the CRAA D1AA postseason in the spring.
The Heart of America D1AA Conference has confirmed two new additions for the 2024-25 season.
In the middle of what has become an annual shift of conferences and shift between oversight organizations, the HOA already has added Oklahoma after the Lonestar Conference announced a move to NCR and OU decided not to follow.
Iowa State defeated Kansas 43-14 Sunday to win the Heart of America Conference 15s championship.
Coming off back to back seasons of putting teams in the ACR 15s final, the Heart of America has seen some turnover that has lead to a wide open competition so far.
Kansas State's shutout win over Arkansas put many in the Heart of America on notice but a week late KSU got a notice of their own after Kansas beat them 34-12.
For the Jayhawks, this was a fairly important showing because KSU had already shown themselves to be a force to be reckoned with.
The Heart of America Conference title game between Iowa State (7-0) and Minnesota (5-2) produced a tight and dramatic finale.
