GREENWOOD, SC – The Lander University women's rugby team will be joining the NCAA and the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) beginning in the fall of 2021. 

The Bearcats will become the NIRA's eighth program at the Division II level, joining Alderson Broaddus, American International College, Molloy, Notre Dame College, Post, Queens, and West Chester.

"We are excited about our transition to the emerging sports division of the NCAA," head coach Buck Billings said. "It's great for our student-athletes for them to compete under the NCAA umbrella. This is an historic moment for our program and I'm humbled to lead our team into this transition. We want to represent Lander in a strong way in the growing world of NCAA women's rugby. Rugby has been the fastest-growing team sport for middle and high school girls, so seeing it grow in the NCAA is inspirational for young girls aspiring to be college athletes. "

"This is a fantastic opportunity for our women's rugby program," athletics director Brian Reese said. "We are excited about seeing our Bearcats compete at this new level and to see the sport of rugby continue to grow in Greenwood and beyond."

The Bearcats posted a 3-1 record during the fall of 2019, the program's first season as a member of the athletic department. 

NIRA has 25 teams divided into three divisions. The teams follow the NCAA delineations for college sports divisions; here's how they are divided:

Division 1: Army, Brown, Dartmouth, Harvard, Long Island, Mount St. Mary's, Quinnipiac, Sacred Heart

Division 2: Alderson Broaddus, American International College, Lander, Molloy, Notre Dame College, Post, Queens, West Chester

Division 3: Adrian, Bowdoin, Castleton, Colby-Sawyer, Guilford, Manhattanville, University of New England, New England College, Norwich