National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) updated its weekly Coaches Polls for its four women’s 15s competitions: Divisions I, IAA, II and III. As these rankings suggest, it’s NCR coaches who vote and sort the teams. The following is some context for Division I, which is the highest level of competition for NCR and involves varsity and varsity-like programs. [lead photo: Christine Varga]
Division I is re-imagined in 2025-26 due to the addition of some double-registered (with College Rugby Association of America, CRAA) teams. That is, that are a handful of teams competing toward both NCR’s 15s national championship in the fall and potentially CRAA’s 15s DI championship in the spring.
Why might a program double register? Plenty of reasons: More games, generally, especially for those geographically isolated teams; more opportunities to develop 15s, especially for programs with large rosters; a spring 7s season can isolate those tight-five players; etc.
There are seven teams in NCR Division I, stretching from BYU in the west, to Southern Nazarene in Mid-America, to two teams in the Midwest, and the balance on the East Coast. There will be a semifinal round on Nov. 15 pitting: East #1 vs. West #2, and West #1 vs. East #2. The two victors will report to Houston on Dec. 6 for the NCR DI 15s National Championship and duke out the title.
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The Coaches Poll is limited to five teams and leaves off BYU, which will play its first game this weekend against CRAA’s Air Force. The Cougars are really trying to find their place competition wise, especially after the CRAA DIA dismantled due to Lindenwood leaving for DI NIRA and Central Washington University eliminating its varsity rugby programs (the Wildcats will now compete in CRAA DI Pacific Mountain North). The Provo, Utah, program has a short fall schedule that includes CRAA opponents, but the game to watch is Oct. 10 against Southern Nazarene.
Reigning national champion Wheeling University sits atop the Coaches Poll and for good reason. The West Virginia program built a strong fall schedule — although regrettably has had to deal with forfeits — and has beaten NIRA teams DI Mount St. Mary’s 62-0 and DII Davenport 42-12. Future fixtures include Navy and Virginia, as well. Wheeling has faced one NCR DI team so far, Penn State, and banked an 87-0 win. Walsh is next on Oct. 11.
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Southern Nazarene comes in at No. 2, its finish at the end of the 2025 15s season. The Bethany, Okla., program has also had some forfeit wins but heads on a fun road trip Oct. 2-4, when the squad plays CRAA’s Grand Canyon University and then Texas State. The team hosts BYU on Oct. 11 and then will sharpen against Life University on Oct. 25. The Running Eagles also had to solve a competition problem when CRAA DIA dissolved, and got creative.
Inarguably the most compelling game of the NCR DI season occurred last Friday, when Penn State beat Walsh 22-19 under the lights. The Nittany Lions have also filled in their schedule with games against NIRA’s Mount St. Mary’s (22-14 loss) and Davenport (42-12 loss), and will host Life University this weekend.
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Aside from Penn State, Ohio’s Walsh University has beaten a pair of NCR teams — 48-0 vs. Pitt and 75-5 vs. Niagara — and plays St. Bonaventure this Friday night.
The 5th-ranked Bonnies had a nice build with scrimmages early in the season, which will culminate with its toughest test against Wheeling on Oct. 25. The New York team banked its first NCR DI win of the season against Michigan’s Aquinas, 47-27.