College Women
In a possible preview of the conference final, DII Rocky Mountain East leaders Colorado Mesa University and Colorado College finished out the regular season against each other. The pair entered the match with perfect 5-0 records, but it was the Mavericks that enjoyed its sixth win of the season.
It was only a friendly, but whenever Virginia Women’s Rugby (UVA) and North Carolina play each other, the game is of interest. They’re two of the consistently strong DI teams in the Mid-Atlantic and are favorites to meet in the Mason-Dixon conference final this spring.
For the third time this fall season, the Army Athletic Association has named a member of the women’s rugby team the Athlete of the Week. Zye Crittington joins Nicole Heavirland and Lindsay Clark as award recipients, and put in a noteworthy performance during West Point’s 68-15 victory over Norwich last weekend.
Despite the score, a very good game occurred between Central Washington and BYU on Saturday. The pair are inarguably the two best DI teams that are competing in-season in the West right now, and the friendly offered insight into their progress as they build toward the DI Elite championship in the spring.
South Florida and Florida International had it tough last year. The pair were the only competitive DII teams in the state, and even though a healthy rivalry formed between the two, the rest of the season was filled with forfeit wins. Salvation came when Florida decided to form an independent DI separate from the South Independent conference.