National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) announced yesterday that the Mid-America Women’s Collegiate Conference has joined the organization. Commissioner Rachel Pate oversees nine teams from Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, and they’ll compete in both the Small College and Open divisions going forward.
MID-AMERICA CONFERENCE
Benedictine College (KS)
University of Central Missouri (MO)
John Brown University (AR)
Kansas State University (KS)
Oklahoma State University (OK)
Pittsburg State University (KS)
Truman State University (MO)
Washburn University (KS)
Washington University of St. Louis (MO)
Why is this move significant? It’s a reminder of the schism that occurred in college rugby around this time last year, the effects of which have been muted due to Covid-19 cancelling everyone’s season (save DI Elite). Attention turned elsewhere – i.e., keeping teams alive. But once the rugby world is back to normal, and competitions are trying to secure referees, or teams are looking to play a local opponent that’s registered with a different organization, then the impact of this schism will be more tangible. If fall rugby happens, then those logistics part will begin in August at the latest.
So what does this move from USA Rugby to NCR mean for Mid-America? The conference used to run a split season – meaning 15s was played in the fall and spring – and then competed toward USA Rugby’s DII College Spring Championship. NCR’s 15s season is in the fall, and so the schools will need to adjust. But that means these teams will have a well defined 7s season, both for those that want to compete toward another title and those programs that are developing.
The move also means members will have additional post-season options. Benedictine College (Kan.) and John Brown University (Ark.) both qualify as small colleges, so they could compete in a hybrid 15s league during the fall and then follow a small-college post-season pathway. Meanwhile, the rest of the field would follow the Open Division pathway.
Mid-America really waited to make a decision between USA Rugby and NCR. All of the eastern-bracket conferences that previously competed toward USAR’s DII spring championship – Capital, Carolinas, Florida and South Independent (which is also in flux due to several members joining South Atlantic, an NCR conference) – aligned with CRAA. ACRA is also a USA Rugby-aligned competition that plays fall 15s and spring 7s. This spreadsheet gives some shape to the women’s college landscape today.