Indianapolis, Ind. — The College Rugby Association of America (CRAA), in partnership with USA Rugby and the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA), has confirmed that the CRAA USA Rugby Women’s 7s National Championship will be held in Indianapolis at Kuntz Stadium, on April 25-26, 2026.
The tournament will feature two competitive brackets – Premier and Challenger – bringing together the top women’s rugby programs from CRAA and NIRA. The event will be a showcase in collegiate women’s rugby.
This tournament has been held the last couple of years, bringing top division teams and NIRA sides in a two-day competition at the highest level of the collegiate game. The pace and skill of these tournaments has been objectively excellent.
Building the Pathway
This championship has been deliberately structured to provide a talent identification pathway to the USA Women’s Sevens National Team, aligning with long-term planning ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
By uniting CRAA and NIRA institutions in a single national championship competition, players will gain meaningful high-performance match minutes, national exposure, and direct visibility with USA Rugby’s talent identification programs.
The combined Premier and Challenger brackets ensure that elite and emerging programs alike have a platform to compete, develop, and contribute to the next generation of Eagles.
“Having our student-athletes compete on a national stage with CRAA programs not only elevates the standard of play but also reinforces the growth of women’s rugby in the U.S.,” said Katie Dowty, Dartmouth College Head Coach. “This collaboration creates a true developmental bridge between collegiate competition and the international game.”
“This event ensures our best women’s programs are playing in meaningful matches with national championship implications,” added Ryszard Chadwick, Life University Head Coach. “It’s about preparing these athletes for what’s next—whether that’s professional rugby, USA Sevens, or the Olympics.”
In May 2025, Dartmouth took the Premier final over Life.
Dartmouth Clearly Top of Women's 7s Heap>>
Stanford rolled to the D1 championship.
