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.
UC Davis is back in the national DIAA final after beating Arkansas 32-15 Sunday in the national semifinal.
This was a hugely intense game with both sides hitting hard and fighting tooth and nail.
“Last year we were too beat up by the time the playoffs came,” said Arkansas Coach Warren Fyfe. “But this year, they knew they were in a game, for sure.”
Arkansas and UC Davis are through to the DIAA semifinals after both won their quarterfinals Saturday at the UC Davis campus.
Davis defeated Sacramento State for third time this season, taking the Hornets down 38-5.
The Kansas City Jr. Blues won the Heart of America Tournament in what was a somewhat strange finish.
A DIAA playoff spot and the Heart of America Conference championship is on the line this weekend as Arkansas visits Missouri.
The big scores have been coming in for Arkansas in the Heart of America Conference, but there’s more important work to be done.
