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.
Recruits, Cunningham Power Sacred Heart to Win Over Army
Getting all excited about freshman recruits is a dangerous game, as those players can often take a few years to make an impact ... or not.
NIRA DI Opens Season With Many Contenders
The NIRA season kicks off this weekend with DI teams already deep into their conference season.
While the lower divisions kick off their league seasons in a few weeks, it's all on for DI right now. With Dartmouth having graduated some players and other contenders getting more experience, this could be a wide open season.
Form USA Sevens Captain Abby Gustaitis Joins Naval Academy Staff
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy women’s rugby head coach Murph McCarthy announced the addition of former USA Women’s 7s captain Abby Gustaitis to his staff as an assistant coach.
Gustaitis has been involved in the sport of rugby for over 13 years as a player, coach, and TV analyst.
Competitive Balance Rises as NIRA Season Looms
The National Intercollegiate Rugby Association has some warmup work to do but the D1 season gets going in earnest in a little over a week.
With the addition of Navy and Queens into D1 the top level of the competition is as competitive as ever.
