CRAA Names 1st Set of 15s Playoff Teams

[updated 3.17.25] The DI Pacific Mountain Rugby Conference (PMRC) has locked up its postseason participants and will contest its finals on Saturday, March 22 at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. Three of the All four teams will advance to the next round of College Rugby Association of America (CRAA) playoffs, set to occur Friday-Sunday, April 4-6. [lead photo: Alex Ho @hoiho_photo]

In the five-team PMRC North, aka, Pacific Northwest, Western Washington University and Univ. Oregon both finished 7-1 to top the standings. On the Saturday, the two ended their regular seasons against each other, and the Dirty Ducks snapped the Vikings’ undefeated record with a 47-15 win. Nonetheless, Western Washington remained atop the standings for the #1 seed out of the PMRC North, and Oregon takes #2.

 

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Stanford finished the PMRC South with an undefeated 6-0 record, with its most challenging games occurring against Cal, 36-21, on Feb. 22. On Sunday, the Cardinal played Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the reigning DII CRAA 15s champion, in a 15s friendly — 36-33 to Stanford. Cal finished runner-up and also added non-league games to its schedule. Last weekend, the depth ran out against St. Mary’s College. Both Cal and Stanford will be back on the pitch for PMRC playoffs at Steuber Rugby Stadium.

PMRC playoffs are identical to the 2024 set-up. The #1 teams from the PMRC North (Western Washington) and South (Stanford) will play each other for the top seed into the next stage of playoffs. The #2 teams (North’s Oregon and South’s Cal) will play for the third spot and four seeds in the next stage at April 4-6 regionals, where three Pacific Desert teams and at-large Air Force await (read more).

Grand Canyon / Photo: Jeff Dalton @jeffd2u

Pacific Desert has regular-season games until March 29, but Grand Canyon University is the heavy favorite to win that conference. The Lopes have yet to surrender a point against in its five league games so far.

There is a great race for No. 2 (see the standings) and it might come down to the Arizona State vs. Arizona match on March 22. Still, we don’t know how many Pacific Desert teams are advancing out of league play. The SoCal conference receives three seeds, and that brings Claremont Colleges into the conversation as well. CRAA, the organizing body has only released info on its 7s championship on May 2-4 in Indianapolis. Remember: the women’s DIA, DI and DII 15s titles will be named the weekend of April 18-19 at Stanford.