The Northern Lights Men's Collegiate Rugby Conference is a collegiate rugby conference that competes under the umbrella of National Collegiate Rugby (NCR). It is a part of the larger college rugby structure, which includes various leagues and divisions for men's and women's teams. The conference was listed as an organization on Exposure Rugby's event platform for the 2025-2026 season.
The Northern Lights Men’s DII season kicks off in about a month with a slight change in how the league is organized.
The defending national DII champs, Minnesota-Duluth, is of course back, with tough opposition Mankato, Bemidji State, and North Dakota State hoping to bring UMD back down to earth.
The University of Minnesota-Duluth Fighting Penguins are now double champions, as they took the national DII 7s championships on Sunday.
The University of Minnesota-Duluth won the Fool's Fest Men's DII college bracket at Winona State in Minnesota.
The win qualifies the Fighting Penguins for a spot in the USA Rugby's DII 7s championships. UW-Eau Claire finished 2nd, and Winona 3rd.
Full order of finish:
Lindenwood-Belleville hosts a 7s tournament this weekend, and it’s yet another first for a program that didn’t exist a year ago.
L-B made the national DII 15s playoffs, and now is looking at a berth at USA Rugby’s 7s DII nationals. They have an excellent shot, as Head Coach Pat Clifton has worked hard to get his Lynx game time, going to Florida, Tennessee, and Las Vegas to find it.
If you read Goff Rugby Report a lot you will realize that we have a soft spot for the unheralded players.
De La Salle HS
Saint Mary's (Rudy Scholz Finalist)
USA U20s (Captain)
USA Men's National 15s Team (Debut vs Georgia 2023 at age 20)
As a 17-year-old Spencer Huntley required a waiver to play for the USA U20s, an indication of how he was rated in the USA age-grade pathway. He got that waiver and impressed for the USA U20s, and then moved up to the USA U23s. He led the San Diego Mustangs to a national HS Club championship in 2024.
He also played in the SoCal single-school league for Cathedral Catholic.
Hope Rogers began playing rugby at age 16 in high school and continued to compete during her time at Penn State University. There, she won four National Championships, was crowned MVP on two occasions, was named to the USA Under-20s and earned Collegiate All-American honors for four years. Rogers was also an impressive discus player during her senior year in high school where she broke a school record and won Gold at Districts for the sport.
Mike played for Life College, Philly-Whitemarsh and played for the USA National 7s and 15s teams in the 1980s and 1990s.
He was also part of the Atlantis touring side, playing 7s for the team in several around the world.
