The National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) governs women’s varsity collegiate rugby in the United States under the NCAA emerging sport framework. NIRA organizes competition across Division I, a combined Division II/III, and a Developmental Division that supports new or growing varsity programs. Division I features established powerhouses such as Dartmouth, Harvard, and Army, while the combined DII/III tier brings together competitive mid-sized and small colleges for meaningful postseason play. The Developmental Division provides a pathway for schools transitioning to varsity status, helping expand and strengthen women’s collegiate rugby nationwide.
Op-Ed: Quinnipiac Eliminating Rugby as Varsity Brings Up Previous Title IX Issues
Op-Ed: This Op-Ed is authored by Tyler Kania, author of The Maniac with No Knees,Tyler has been monitoring and covering Quinnipiac University's decision to eliminate rugby as a varsity sport for women.
Quinnipiac’s Termination of Women’s Rugby Reminds Some of the Title IX Case that Reinstated Quinnipiac Women’s Volleyball.
Harvard Takes Three-Fer Over Tenacious Lindenwood
In a thriller of a final, Harvard three-peated as National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) champions, holding off NIRA debutantes Lindenwood 22-19.
The game was played at a furious pace and had its fair share of pivotal moments and players.
What's the Playoff Picture in NIRA?
Going into the middle of October it's definitely time to think about playoff scenarios in NIRA's DI and the combined DII/DIII postseason.
For DI, Harvard remains on top thanks to a very convincing victory over Sacred Heart. It was Senior Day at Harvard but the young players, including first-years Maddie Hubbell, Gemma Ogoke, and Sana'a Lunon all impressed.
Army Gets Power Rankings Boost After Key NIRA Win
Army West Point have vaulted themselves into the semifinal conversation after this past weekend's 40-17 win over Sacred Heart.
Key Matchups in NIRA DI and DII
Well last week was interesting.
Harvard's close win over Dartmouth made sure that the Crimson were tops in the NCAA DI league at the moment. But everyone recognized that it was a close-run thing.
