The National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) kicked off the 2025 season with a full slate of mostly Division I and Division II matches this past weekend. Highlights included two DI teams playing their first-ever games in the NCAA varsity league, as well as first-ever wins against specific opponents.
Army (0-1) traveled to St. Charles, Mo., to face Lindenwood (1-0) in the Lions’ first game in NIRA. The home side led 22-17 at half and then extended to 34-22 after 80. Madison Jersey (3), Amy Brice, Jasmine Fehoko and Ava Reuter scored the tries, while Gianna Diaz slotted two conversions.
“Was great to get our first win in the NIRA against a quality opponent in Army,” Lindenwood head coach Trevor Locke told lindenwoodlions.com. “Loved our atmosphere inside the stadium as well. We will take lots from this match heading into next week on the road to Boston!”
Tyra Soleil Ringdahl (2), Gabby Woenker and Chloe De Leon dotted down the Black Knights’ tries, and Alissa Eisenhart added the extras.
“Lindenwood is a great team, and we’re excited to welcome them to NIRA,” first-year Army head coach Jenn Salomon Clayton told goarmywestpoint.com. “While the result wasn’t what we wanted, I’m proud of how we took the opportunity. We set a great foundation we’re building on and that gives us tremendous confidence as we continue building this season.”
La Salle v Mount St. Mary’s
La Salle University (0-1) also played its first NIRA match as a first-year DI varsity program and hosted Mount St. Mary’s University (1-0) on Saturday.
“They just played their first collegiate game and none of them have been in college before,” La Salle head coach Kelsie McDowell said after the final whistle. “After two weeks of pre-season, they came out and they were hitting hard. We lost our shape quite a bit, and that’s something we’ve got to work on.”
It took approximately 12 minutes for the scoreboard to start ticking over, and it was Mount St. Mary’s that built a 31-0 lead before La Salle could respond points wise.
“I told the players that I think that this was truly the first game in the last three years that I’ve been head coach that I’ve seen them play for each other and play off of each other,” Mount St. Mary’s head coach Maggie Myles said. “They really want to learn how each other plays and to strengthen that with reps. And it’s just been really, really amazing to just see them go and get after it.”
The Explorers scored two tries on the day, both dotted down by first-year and starting flanker Delaney Maeve. Fellow first-year and wing Taylor Major added a conversion.
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But the day belonged to the Mountaineers, who added another 24 points in the 55-12 win. Captain and prop Caliann Dietz as well as outside center Olivia Woodward scored two tries apiece. Tori Holmes, Lily Myers, Koda Hall and Josie Schussler also scored, and Shaniah Mayers added 10 points on five conversions.
“We brought in five new players,” Myles said of this year’s team. “So we have a lot of examples for us, a lot of leadership. We’re really trying to change the culture and I think you can feel that on the pitch but also in practice.
“She brings a lot,” Myles said of tone-setter Dietz. “Not only just experience, but heart. She is the epitome of ‘work hard, play hard.’ She’s always allowing any of the younger girls to learn from her. She’s constantly bringing up the team and pushing herself along the way as well. So it’s been really great to watch her.”
Photo: Jackie Finlan
Woodward is also a senior like Dietz.
“She is a hammer in search of a nail, to say the least,” Myles said of the center. “She will have open space, but if she can get herself in contact, she absolutely will.”
“Relief,” McDowell reflected on the program’s first match ever. “We only had two subs and didn’t have any major injuries. And I’m really proud of the girls’ attitudes. They never gave up. But I think a lot of them are harder on themselves than they need to be because what they just did was historic – our first game at La Salle, you know? And I don’t think they had anything to hang their heads about.”
Photo: Jackie Finlan
Navy (1-0) traveled to North Carolina and returned to Annapolis with its first-ever win against Queens University of Charlotte (0-1) 58-7
“The team worked hard during the preseason and that showed,” Navy head coach Murph McCarthy told navysports.com. “Our defense has grown from last year to this year and our attack was impressive in breaking off big chunks. It was nice to come away with a win to kick off the season.”
Kelsey McKnight, Ella Callahan (2), Caroline Shegogue (2), Ashley Spencer, Layla Lujan and Catherine O’Hara scored tries while Megan Alvarez kicked four conversions and two penalty kicks. Mia Young added to conversions, too. Fran Clarke and Cece Scarff accounted for Queens’ try and conversion, respectively.
Dartmouth (1-0) opened with a 59-0 victory against Quinnipiac (0-1). Big Green First-year Marley Larkin led with four tries, while fellow Team USA Junior Pan Am Games teammates Paola Arredondo Almeida (2) and Annie Henrich also dotted down. Henrich kicked seven conversions for 19 points overall. First-year Reece Moody and Katelyn Walker, both from Idaho, rounded out the try scoring.
Photo: Pat Moroney @patmoroney
In other DI news, Long Island (1-0) came right out of the gate with a 54-7 win against Princeton (0-1), a solid start for new head coach Alex Artus. Sacred Heart (1-0) took down Brown University (1-0) 45-21.
In Division II, Frostburg (1-0) shut out Emory & Henry (0-1) 57-0 and put six different players into the try zone: Ellis Lysse (2), Scout Spadoni (2), Natalie Allen, Abby Stapleton, Izzy Sage, LJ Jordan. Allen kicked four conversions and the final score was a penalty try awarded to Jordan.
Davenport (1-0) and New Haven (0-1) met in Indiana, Pa., for their DII conference match, and the Panthers won 78-19. Leilani Lepe led with 33 points on three tries and nine conversions, while Rachel Wilkie contributed two tries. Jean Gaines, Alexandria Ma’ae, Addison Foote, Marla Aymond, Kara Higgins and Cece Stowers added five points apiece.
In non-conference action, DI Harvard beat DII American International College.