Welcome to our first-ever NSCRO Women’s Top 20. Well, it’s half ours. We leaned on the expertise of NSCRO women’s commissioner Byrn Chivers to get the rankings started, but we’ll be tracking the leagues and adjusting the order as playoffs get underway, beginning this weekend.

There are two elements in which we’re particularly interested: the new conferences and hybrid leagues. NSCRO has grown this year and has welcomed conferences like Excelsior, which transferred from DII. The New York-based league contains DII playoff veteran Colgate, so we’re eager to see how it measures against the NSCRO field. Same with Denison in the new Ohio Valley conference. The Ohio squad has seen DII post-season as well.

In the hybrid leagues, NSCRO teams play each other but also have crossovers against DII teams, and we’re keen to see if that set-up helps the small-college teams up their play. Representatives from Allegheny, Great Waters, and Rugby Northeast will help answer that question.

And finally, we’re excited to see the addition of Lee University. The Tennessee team is competing as an independent, but supporting the local DII South Independent league. The team is also beating DII teams in the region rather regularly.

Stay tuned as league season wraps up and squads look toward playoffs. The NSCRO Round of 16 begins on Nov. 14-15 at four regional site (see here), and the final four will convene on Dec. 5-6 at the Rugby Athletic Center in Charlotte, N.C.

NSCRO WOMEN'S TOP 20 - OCT. 15, 2015

1. Wayne State College (Mid-America). Reigning 7s and former 15s champion is undefeated and looking very strong early on.

2. Minnesota State University Moorhead (Northern Lights). Undefeated in Minnesota’s River Bluffs Pool; all wins have been forfeit wins (28-0).

3. Lee University (Independent). 6-1 against DII teams around the South; big wins vs. Alabama 25-19, Western Kentucky 40-0, and UTC 31-19.

4. Mount St. Mary’s University (Eastern Penn). 5-0 but getting good push-back from teams like Widener (35-20) and Albright (20-10).

5. University of New England (New England). Three blowout wins, and two competitive games against UM Farmington (25-17) and Colby-Sawyer (36-27).

6. Denison University (Ohio Valley). Undefeated in the North Coast conference; outscored five opponents 359-0.

7. Colgate (Excelsior). Out in front of the former DII conference; played a nailbiter against SUNY Cortland, 29-28.

8. UMass Dartmouth (Colonial Coast). 5-0, outscored opponents 187-29; #1 seed into this weekend’s conference playoffs.

9. Union College (Upstate New York). Leading the East division at 3-0, outscored opponents 167-13; big game vs. Clarkson this weekend.

10. Gustavus Adolphus (Northern Lights). Undefeated in Minnesota’s River Bluffs Pool; all four games have been bonus-point wins.

11. SUNY Cortland (Excelsior). Lone loss came at the hands of Colgate, 29-28.

12. U of Wisconsin - Platteville (Great Waters). 2-1 in the DII hybrid league; dropped a heart-breaker to DII UW La Crosse, 29-22.

13. Franklin Pierce (Rugby Northeast). 3-1 in a mostly DII league; impressive 35-24 win over St. Anselm’s.

14. Widener University (Eastern Penn). Lost a good game to leader Mount St. Mary’s, banked to blowout wins, and just got past Albright 32-29.

15. University of Findlay (Ohio Valley). 4-0 in Northwest Conference; got toughest game against Ashland, 29-15.

16. University of Rochester (Upstate NY). Leads West division; tied St. Bonaventure (2-1-1)

17. Colby-Sawyer (New England RFU). 3-1, having dropped a tight game to conference leader Univ. New England 36-27.

18. Clarion University (Allegheny) 3-0 in a DII hybrid league; beat Robert Morris 92-0 last weekend.

19. Endicott (Colonial Coast). #2 seed in conference playoffs; lone loss to UMass Dartmouth.

20. Bryant (Rugby Northeast). 2-1 in the mostly DII conference; beat Merrimack and Southern CT.