Men’s NCR Division I (D1) is a top-tier collegiate rugby division organized by National Collegiate Rugby (NCR), featuring the most competitive and well-developed university programs across the country. Membership is based on rugby performance and program strength rather than school size, allowing both large public universities and smaller private institutions to compete at this level. Teams in D1 play regionally during the regular season and advance to national playoffs to determine the champion. The division represents the highest standard of competition within NCR’s collegiate structure, showcasing elite play and program excellence.
Playoff Spots Decided in NCR
NCR has finalized their playoff brackets in men's collegiate rugby.
Here is how it all shook out:
NCR D1
Twelve teams will compete with eight facing off this coming weekend while the top four teams await them in the quarterfinals. Those top four are Brown, St. Bonaventure, Indiana, and Marian.
NCR D1 Rankings Fall 2026 Week 11
We skipped last week so here is two weeks worth of rankings updates.
Brown is now #1 and that's pretty clear after a big win over Dartmouth.
Marian moves up a bit and, thanks to a win over Ohio State, Indiana moves up. However, Indiana did lose to Kutztown we it could be that Kutztown is better. We'll see in the next couple of weeks how that pans out.
NCR D1 Playoff Picture Clearing As Conference Winners Decided
NCR's Men's D1 playoff picture is clearing.
This article will be updated as results come in.
Here's what's going on right now:
Big Rivers: Marian defeated Aquinas 18-12 in the conference final Saturday in Chicago, winning their second-straight conference title.
Playoff Berth Decider Time in NCR D1
NCR D1 games are down to the wire now with conference champions and playoff spots being decided.
St. Bonaventure vs Walsh is the ARC decider and a rematch of a wild game where a cover defender bumping into the goalpost helped Walsh score the game-winner in a 20-14 nailbiter.
Bonnies failed to score as many as seven times when within five meters.
SNU Win Over UCLA Potentially Clarifies NCR D1 Playoff Picture
Southern Navarene's close win over UCLA seems to, perhaps, clarify the NCR D1 playoff picture.
SNU has been trying to get into the middle of that picture, and this year the Crimson Storm has done quite well to set that up. As independents they can only play who is available and that means some D1AA teams, albeit some strong D1AA teams.
