Liberty D1AA Wrap: First Weekend of New-Look Conference

09.20.2026College Men

Iona takes a lineout in 2025. Alex Goff photo.

Author: Alex Goff

It's the first weekend of competition in the Liberty Conference D1AA and we've got six winning teams to talk about.

Iona, Buffalo, Northeastern, Harvard, Connecticut, and Columbia all came away winners.

Two of those games were very close, with UConn edging UMass 19-14, while Columbia got by Rhode Island 25-20.

Northeastern rolled past Princeton 75-0, while Harvard shut out NIagara 50-0.

Northeastern got a player-of-the-game performance from Nate Hirsch in the forwards and Harry Johntson in the backs. Johnston scored three tries and added a 10-for-11 conversion performance for 35 points.

Two more were perhaps of special interest.Buffalo won 50-12 over Yale

George Thompson scored three tries for UB while they spread the wealth with five others scoring tries.

Iona defeated Babson in impressive fashion 47-12.

Flyhalf and captain James Phelps, in his first game back from a concussion, was a bit of a points machine in this game with three tries and six conversions for 27 points. Phelps scored two tries in the first half to provide all of the Gaels' scoring as they took a 12-5 lead into the halftime break.

Phelps scored this third just after halftime to make it Phelps 19 and Babson 5.

Luke Goldman would score two tries while Luca Holloway and Joe Morano added tries in the victory.

"Jamie had a massive game for us along with Luke Goldman," said Head Coach Kyle Granby."

They were backed up by freshman Kaden Blount out of Bergen Catholic, who was outstanding at flanker in his first start. Centers Hollaway and Morano have been connecting well.

"Luca was a big pickup for our program and has been a class act in and off the field," said Granby.

Co-captain Hamish Goonan showed plenty of class as he led the forwards.

"We had a few mental errors in the first half but we re-gathered at halftime and executed the plan for that game well in the 2nd half," said Granby. "I am most pleased at the discipline from the team at this moment. They're doing whatever is asked of them gameplan-wise and doing what is best for the team. The move to D1AA is definitely working out but at the same time this is a better program this year then where we were last year. From the staff to the players it is just better vibes and everyone working together to further Iona Rugby as a program. The winning is a great bonus but it's really seeing the way these boys are showing up for each other that is the best part about this year."