Photo courtesy UCONN Women’s Rugby
USA Rugby has not circulated its DI College Fall Championship bracket, but there is a sense of where teams are heading. The question marks are the play-in matches, but there is some insight when cross-referencing the information shared with certain coaches and commissioners. For an update on the DII college fall post-season, click here.
DI FALL CHAMP DATES
Nov. 11 Quarterfinal play-in matches
Nov. 18-19 Quarterfinals & semifinals (Lemont, Ill., & Annapolis, Md.)
Dec. 2 Championship (Greenville, S.C.)
QUICK LOOK
Champions from the Rocky Mountain (Air Force), Midwest (Minnesota) and Lonestar (Texas A&M) conferences are heading to the western portion of the fall quarterfinals in LEMONT, ILL. (replacement site for Normal, Ill.). The trio will be joined by the winner of a play-in match contested on Nov. 11.
Champions from the Northeast (TBD Nov. 5) and Big 10 (Notre Dame*) conferences are heading to the eastern portion of the fall quarterfinals in ANNAPOLIS, MD., and will be joined by host Navy and the winner of a play-in match contested on Nov. 11.
PLAY-IN MATCHES
Traditionally, the Big 10 and Northeast have sent their runners-up to the quarterfinal play-in round. Should history hold, then it’s very likely that Northeast #2 (decided this weekend; see details below) will play Allegheny’s Kent State on Nov. 11 for that fourth spot in the eastern pool.
Davenport is expecting a play-in match on Nov. 11 at a neutral location, Notre Dame, against a Big 10 opponent for a spot at the western quarterfinals. The Big 10 is holding its conference championship on Nov. 11 at Notre Dame. Those details are TBA.
* Remember that even though the Big 10 has not contested its championship that Notre Dame will take the top seed out of the league. The Irish and Penn State are in the title match, but the latter defers its championship play until the DI Elite spring. Additionally, the third-place team serves as “Big 10 #2” for the DI fall playoffs.
NORTHEAST CHAMPIONSHIP
The Northeast will name its reps this weekend, and the top two seeds – UCONN and Boston University – have the advantage per the weekend set-up (all games 60 minutes):
Saturday
G1 (9:30 a.m.) #3 Rhode Island v #6 UMASS
G2 (11:00 a.m.) #4 Boston College v #5 Northeastern
The winners then play the top two teams in the semifinals:
G3 (12:30 p.m.) Winner Game 1 v #2 Boston University
G4 (2:00 p.m.) Winner Game 2 v #1 UCONN
Sunday
5th (10:00 a.m.) Loser G1 v Loser G2
3rd (11:30 a.m.) Loser G3 v Loser G4
Final (1:00 p.m.) Winner G3 v Winner G4