National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) canceled its women’s fall 15s championship season due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the organization was quick to provide a slate of competition and educational services to members (read more). For the past five weeks, teams have had the opportunity to participate in a virtual season – which involved everything from fitness tasks, to social media challenges, to law quizzes – within their respective conferences. On Oct. 25, NCR Women’s Director Angela Smarto announced the 15 teams that are advancing to the virtual post-season.
There isn’t a traditional bracket, where the top seed plays the bottom seed in the first round of playoffs. Instead, the 15 teams will amass their scores from Oct. 25-31, and then the eight highest-scoring teams will advance to the quarterfinals. From Nov. 1-7, those eight teams will repeat the process with a different challenge, and on Nov. 8 the semifinalists will be named. The virtual season ends on Nov. 14, when the champion will crowned and awarded customized team kit from Rhino Rugby.
Two conferences received three post-season berths – Great Waters and Midwest – and the former has a representative from each of its three member states. Univ. of Chicago from Illinois won the Great Waters and also accounted for the very first MVP in week one: Ally Bartholomew. Michigan Tech took the second seed, and Univ. Wisconsin Oshkosh is in third.
The Univ. Northern Iowa won the Midwest, which is an NCR Open Division competition, and the Panthers’ Kayla Dustin nabbed Week 2 MVP honors. Winona State (Minn.) is runner-up, and the Univ. Wisconsin Madison took third.
Three conferences have two reps apiece. Ohio teams Kent State Univ. (#1) and Youngstown State Univ. (#2) took both of the Allegheny seeds. Univ. South Dakota took top honors in Prairie States and also accounted for the Week 4 MVP, Erica Olney. Wayne State College, the multi-titled program in Nebraska, took the second seed. In Upstate New York, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and Union College advance to the playoffs.
Another three conferences are placing their hopes in a single team. Northern Lights has Gustavus Adolphus College out of Minnesota. Ohio Valley is sending Grace College, which is based in Indiana, and also had Madeline Martinez earn Week 3 MVP accolades. Finally, Rugby Northeast is represented by Bryant University (R.I.), which nabbed the Week 5 MVP through Ali Weisheit.
Of the post-season players, eight are small colleges, seven are Open Division members, and 10 states are represented. Tune into NCR Facebook Live on Sunday, Nov. 1 for the Round of 8 announcement.