SPARTANBURG, SC — The College Rugby Association of America (CRAA) announced the complete fixture lineup for the 2025 CRAA Fall Classic in Spartanburg, S.C., on Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 6–7. The event will once again be hosted at the Louis P. Howell Athletic Complex at the University of South Carolina Upstate, in partnership with OneSpartanburg, Inc. [lead photo: Beni Thiongo, Mianya’s Photography]

The CRAA Fall Classic unites elite programs, pathway academies and regional all-star teams for a weekend of high-performance competition. Returning to Spartanburg builds on a successful foundation and reinforces the strong community and institutional support behind this signature event.

“We are excited to welcome back the CRAA Fall Classic and build upon the success of the 2024 event,” said John Mark Freeze, Vice President of Sports Development at OneSpartanburg, Inc. “Spartanburg is an excellent backdrop for collegiate athletics, and we are excited to watch some incredible, high-performance rugby being played at County University Soccer Stadium.”

Spotlight Match: The Resurgence of the North American Four

This year’s North American Challenge Bowl, featuring Life University vs. the University of British Columbia, holds special significance as it helps set the stage for the resurgence of the North American Four (NA4)—a continental competition framework designed to feature the top two men’s and top two women’s teams from the United States and Canada.
The renewed NA4 will aim to strengthen cross-border high-performance pathways, elevate competition standards, and provide meaningful international exposure for student-athletes. The Life vs. UBC showdown in Spartanburg will serve as a foundational moment in this bi-national rugby initiative.

2025 CRAA FALL CLASSIC FIXTURES

@ Louis P. Howell Athletic Complex, USC Upstate • All times ET

SAT DEC 6

11 a.m. — D1AA All-Star Bowl (Men)
Heart of America vs. Florida Collegiate Conference

1:30 p.m. — Upstate Challenge Cup (Men)
Florida State University vs. Southern Virginia University

4 p.m. — Upstate Challenge Cup (Women)
Peaks Rugby Academy vs. Life University

6:30 p.m. — North American Challenge Bowl (Men)
Life University vs. University of British Columbia
— A showcase match highlighting a renewed North American Four (NA4) initiative.

SUN DEC 7

11 a.m. — Hub City Bowl (Men)
Ohio State University vs. Utah State University

1:30 p.m. — Spartan Regiment Bowl (Men)
Mount Saint Mary’s University vs. Arkansas State University

4 p.m. — Battle of Cowpens Bowl (Men)
St. Thomas University vs. University of Mary Washington