This weekend, the Southern Independent Rugby Conference (SIRC) will join the West Coast and Southern California conferences in DII women’s college league play. In the past, the SIRC has suffered from forfeits and teams folding, but the conference has now doubled in size, and that should stabilize the schedule to an extent.

There are three important changes of note, the most significant being the addition of Lee University. The nationals veteran had been withering in an ineffectual, underpopulated conference the last couple of years. Fortunately, Lee has made the jump into a better organized competition and will receive the proper buildup to playoffs that it deserves.

The Tennessee side should get that from fellow North division opponents Georgia and Clemson. The duo has been relegated to Division II, and their influence should drive the five-team subset upward. Lee plays North Georgia Saturday, while Georgia opens up against UT Chattanooga.

In the South division, Spring Hill College is the big news. The fall season saw Justin Goonan take over for Mollie McCarthy, but the new coach had a difficult time locking down opponents in the pre-season. One hopes that won’t be a problem in the five-team division; however, opponents Emory and Kennesaw State were both guilty of forfeits last matrix season.

With that said, Spring Hill can rely on a good game from division mate Alabama, which will kick off league against Georgia Southern this Saturday. The Badgers will play KSU in its opener.

The West Coast enters its second league weekend, but what sounded like a solid, growing conference is actually one in flux.

Last weekend, three games were scheduled but only one counted toward the standings: UC Santa Cruz’s 84-14 win over Santa Clara. The SF BATS (who are ineligible for playoffs) and St. Mary’s mutually postponed their game for lack of numbers. CSU Monterey Bay stepped in for the now-folded Santa Rosa on the schedule, but all of those games are considered friendlies. Good thing, because CSUMB fell 92-5 to Fresno State last weekend. Moriah Halteman (5), Alondra Belmontes (3), Nicole Bourke (3), Jacklyn Blankenship (2), Catherine Garcia (2) all had multi-try games, while Alexandra Knapp slotted six conversions and dotted down one try.

Fresno hosts the SF BATS Saturday, while St. Mary’s lines up against CSUMB in a friendly, presuming the sides have the numbers to pull it off.

The West Coast game to watch is UC Santa Cruz vs. UN Reno, which was off last weekend. The two typically play a good game, and this early-season bout will shed some light on the team’s potential. The other title contender, Humboldt, was supposed to play Saturday as well, but the game against Santa Clara has been canceled.

UC Irvine and UC Riverside initiated the SoCal season last Saturday. UCI led at the half, 8-7, but then injuries to two key players, including the captain, allowed Riverside to pull ahead with three tries and two conversions, 26-8. Three games await on Saturday: CSU Northridge vs. Claremont, and USC vs. Occidental, Long Beach State vs. CSU Fullerton, which we’re predicting as the most engaging.

All eyes will be on Northridge, the #2 team from USA Rugby’s nationals. Still leading by example are Gillian Chance, Jessica Murillo, Ciarra Waters-Mullen, Lupe Moreno and Yesenia Camacho, and they’re helping some promising newcomers realize their potential.

“The goal was to have rookies stepping up, and they have,” coach Christina Alatorre reflected on the mixed-squad approach at the pre-season Devil’s Cup in Arizona. “We have Jasmine Mims, a rookie out of North Carolina, with some speed! Aaliyah Thomas came out of a high school 7s program with great offensive and defensive skills. Jenna Loucks is our new fullback, a transfer from our Alma Mater Humboldt State, who scored the game-winning try at Scrum by the Sea,” which Northridge won over a host of DI teams.

But one of the team’s most remarkable achievements has been the integration of two deaf players, Vanessa Molina and Julia Neagoe. Alatorre indicated that both may work into starting positions.

As for the rest of the field?

“It is too soon to tell what teams will be on top,” Alatorre confirmed. “There definitely has been a step up in level of play from the DII teams in Southern and Northern California. Long Beach has always been a top team and consistently improving. Riverside looks like they could be somewhere on top. USC has some great individual talent. It will be interesting to see what teams finish on top.”

South Independent
North Georgia @ Lee (N)
Georgia @ UT Chattanooga (N)
Alabama @ Georgia Southern (S)
Kennesaw State @ Spring Hill (S)

Southern California
Claremont @ CSU Northridge
CSU Fullerton @ Long Beach State
USC @ Occidental

West Coast
SF BATS @ Fresno State
UC Santa Cruz @ UN Reno
Santa Clara @ Humboldt CLD
CSUMB @ St. Mary's Friendly