[Updated: 2.3.25] There are three main competitions that funnel into the College Rugby Association of America (CRAA) Division I 15s post-season, and these teams are primarily on the West Coast. With that said, there’s always a wild card in the independent teams, and at least one eastern program has declared interest in the spring post-season. [lead photo: Alex Ho @hoiho_photo]
RELATED: January 2025 Results
The Pacific Mountain Rugby Conference (PMRC) operates two separate competitions — one in the “North” (Pacific Northwest) and another in the “South” (Northern California). They hold their own regular seasons, and then come together for crossover playoffs that determine seeds into the next stage of regional playoffs.
The PMRC North contests a split season, i.e., the five teams play regular-season games across the fall and spring. Western Washington (5-0) is the team to beat, having outscored opponents 249-20. Backs captains and flyhalf Marin Cohan has been a big contributor on the scoreboard — with both tries and conversions — but the work is well dispersed across the pitch. In fact, there is a wide spread of players who like Cohan have not only scored tries but also contributed conversions: prop Victoria Rodenbaugh, hooker Keeahna Clary, No. 8 Clementine Radoff, centers Saylah Commerton and Carly Mattson, wing Lydia Nelson and Syd Copeland.
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Western Washington’s closest game thus far was against Univ. Oregon (3-1) — a 41-17 decision. Between the two programs, they account for 12 players on the PNW U23 team that will face DIA Central Washington in Feb. 15 friendly. Univ. Washington (1-3) has two representatives on the select side, too. It’s also worth noting that Gonzaga University is a new program and competing in its first DI 15s season this year.
PMRC NORTH SCORES
Western Washington 41-0 Oregon St
Western Washington 41-17 Oregon
Western Washington 57-0 Washington
Western Washington 52-3 Gonzaga
Western Washington 58-0 Oregon St
Oregon 36-0 Oregon State
Oregon 38-14 Washington
Oregon 37-3 Gonzaga
Oregon St 39-5 Washington
Oregon St 28-14 Gonzaga
Washington 22-10 Gonzaga

Photo: Alex Ho @hoiho_photo
The PMRC North is the farthest along in its 15s season, and its South counterpart started contesting league games on Jan. 25. Cal is the first to 2-0, partially because it was able to actually host its game last Saturday despite the atmospheric river that hit NorCal (the two other league games were postponed). The Bears played on the turf Witter Field and shut out UC Davis (0-2) 61-0. Malina Goldstein went 8/9 on conversions to lead all point-scorers with 16. Eve Mango (2), Cecilia Galvez, Amarisa Gonzalez, Lupita Gonzalez, May Lauritzen, Lorie Martinez and Mariah Overby (lead photo) scored the tries.
2024 CRAA DI reigning champion Stanford and Chico State are 1-0 so far. Also of note, Sacramento State promoted itself from DII and is competing in DI this year.
PMRC SOUTH SCORES
Cal 61-0 UC Davis
Cal 70-0 Fresno St
Stanford 62-0 UC Davis
Chico State 49-0 Sacramento St
PMRC FEB 8 FIXTURES
South
UC Davis @ Fresno St
Cal @ Sac State
Chico St @ Stanford
North
Oregon @ Washington
Gonzaga @ Western Washington
PMRC PLAYOFFS
On March 22, Stanford University (Palo Alto, Calif.) will host PMRC playoffs. The #1 teams in the North and South will contest the final, and both are guaranteed berths into the next round of playoffs. The #2 teams in each pool will play for third place and also advance to the next stage of the post-season — which at this point, still awaits confirmation. Skip to the final section in this update.

Photo: Alex Ho @hoiho_photo
The Pacific Desert Rugby Conference (PDRC) is the other major competition building toward the CRAA DI postseason. Its eight DI teams hail from Southern California and Arizona, and they play all of their regular-season 15s in the new year. Opening weekend was Jan. 25.
Arizona State — which won the PDRC 7s Championship in the fall — is the first 2-0. The Sun Devils beat UCLA (0-2) 36-0 in California, and then hosted UC San Diego (1-1) on Saturday in a 56-5 decision. Arizona State runs a full B side as well, and it played Northern Arizona University last weekend as well.
Claremont Colleges (1-0) in year two of DI play beat UC Santa Barbara (0-2) on the road. Six different players scored six tries: wing Catherine Cryan, flyhalf Alex Meecham (who also kicked two conversions), captain and inside center Laila Hannum, wing Ashlee Viveros, and reserves Ahlyssa Santillana and Emma Mohs.
Univ Arizona also picked up its first win, a 38-14 decision against UCLA, on Saturday. Captain and inside center Molly Chisholm led all point scorers with 18 on two tries and four conversions. Lock Grace Uso (2), wing McKenna Whisenant, and No. 8 and vice captain Adrienne Emma also dotted down.
PDRC SCORES
Arizona State 56-5 UC San Diego
Arizona State 36-0 UCLA
Claremont 34-5 UC Santa Barbara
Arizona 38-14 UCLA
UC San Diego 32-12 UC Santa Barbara
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This weekend will see 2024 runner-up Grand Canyon University as well as San Diego State (a second-year DI program like Claremont) play their first league games of the season.
PDRC FEB 8 FIXTURES
San Diego St @ UC Santa Barbara
UC San Diego @ UCLA
Arizona @ Grand Canyon
Claremont @ Arizona St
The Pacific Desert has league games scheduled until March 29.
PLAYOFFS
Still awaiting official confirmation, but this is what we know: Pacific Mountain names its playoff reps on March 22 at Stanford, and Pacific Desert plays its final regular-season games on March 29. A handful of coaches have noted that the weekend of April 5 is a playoff weekend, presumably the quarterfinals/semifinals, but a location has not been circulated.
If the aforementioned is correct, then this April 5 stage would also involve any independent teams vying for the DI title. Wheeling University (W.V.), which won the NCR DI 15s National Championship in the fall, is looking at the CRAA DI 15s post-season. The Cardinals are also building toward CRC 7s qualification. Busy! Virginia is also an independent member but confirmed that it is only playing 15s friendlies this spring and also going on tour to Ireland.
Traditionally, the first weekend in May is when the DI and DII spring champions are named (CRAA 2025 championship announcement ), but the 2025 women’s DIA (formerly DI Elite) national final, and DI and DII spring 15s finals will be held Saturday, April 19 at Stanford. On May 2-4, the CRAA 7s Premier and Club College championships will occur in Indianapolis, Ind.