At this point, there are too many National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) games every weekend to cover all of them, but for a quick review of the scores, visit last weekend’s digest. The following is organized by division and then by conference, and focuses on 15s. Rugby on!
DIVISION I
In Division I, Walsh University picked up its first Allegheny conference win, defeating Ohio State 57-17. Walsh rostered 17 players, including Kalie Blaising, who attended the USA 7s high performance camp in Chula Vista earlier this month. • Wheeling University had also beat Ohio State (35-7) in week one of the season and spent last weekend topping DII Allegheny’s Cincinnati 66-0. Eight players scored tries. Bella Gullatta led with 15 points (T, 5C). Read more. • DI St. Bonaventure sent 12 players into the try zone against DII Upstate NY Buffalo. Makenna Ramsey and Natalie Lamar (lead photo) both scored three tries in the shutout win.
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The High Peaks held its first DI league match of the fall, and Colorado defeated in-state rival Colorado State 33-17. This weekend, the West pool gets moving. • In the Midwest, Minnesota bested Winona State 53-12 and Lauren Garfield scored five tries.
There are three pools in the DI South Atlantic Rugby Conference (SARC): North, Central, South. Some important results: James Madison beat Howard 43-10 in the North. The D.C. program is playing in its first fall-only 15s season. Virginia played a friendly against a DII senior women’s club, James River, and triumphed 31-10. In the Central pool, North Carolina State bested Clemson 64-17. And in the South, Florida State beat Univ. Florida 25-13. Remember, the Florida teams are also competing in their first fall 15s season.
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DI Lander University played its first 15s game in NCR and under the direction of new head coach Makayla Lowe and assistant coach Adriana “Coco” Mendoza. The Bearcats defeated SARC DII South Carolina 49-10.
“I am extremely pleased with their performance,” coach Lowe told Lander Athletics. “We started with eleven players in August, and we added eleven athletes who made their debut in this match. Coach Coco and I are very impressed with their rapid adaptation and outstanding performance.”
DIVISION II
The Great Lakes conference is typically the first DII league to get rolling en masse, and Bowling Green State University is 2-0 already. On Saturday, the Falcons beat Grand Valley State University 48-12. That result warranted an interview; stay tuned for words from coach Roger Switzer.
Photo: Brian Martin (more photos)
Much like the South Atlantic, the Mid-Atlantic also has North, Central and South pools. Of the notable results … Temple beat Bloomsburg 65-39 in the North, and Delaware tied Kutztown (which had beaten Bloomsburg in week one) 17-17. Kutztown doubled up and played Tri-State’s Vassar College on Sunday. The Brewers put 13 players across the try line in the 90-0 win.
In the Central pool, Maryland beat American 40-12, and Georgetown topped George Washington 77-17. In the South, Virginia Commonwealth was meant to play Mary Washington but had to cancel.
In cross-divisional action, DII William & Mary beat DIII Christopher Newport 34-12. The game marked CNU’s first-ever 15s game.
Important games in the South Atlantic (SARC) include: Appalachian State beat Univ. Tennessee Knoxville 99-12 in the Central pool. The East’s UNC Charlotte shut out the WEst’s Kennesaw State 17-0. And in cross-divisional play, DII Coastal Carolina beat DIII Citadel 51-5 in a friendly.
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The Tri-State conference gets moving this weekend, but Fairfield and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) got a head start last weekend. The Connecticut team eked out a 26-21 win. Prop and try-scorer Hannah Bershefsky was named Forward of the Match, while flyhalf Serena Koshy, back from injury last year, put in a Back of the Match performance.
DIVISION III
DIII Allegheny‘s Gannon University continues to challenge itself and beat DII Indiana Univ. of Pennsylvania (IUP) 55-27 last weekend.
In the new North Atlantic conference, Endicott beat Yale 55-7. Tess Merrill scored five tries, while transfer Laryssa Landmesser dotted down twice. Caitlin Padeck kicked five conversions. • Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) edged Plymouth State 22-19 and will face Endicott on Sunday, Sept. 22.
In the Prairie States, Wayne State College defeated Univ. South Dakota 62-19. On Saturday, the Wildcats play DI Iowa State at home and Yotes head to Omaha.
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Lots of action in Upstate New York, which fields 15s pools in the West and East, as well as a Challenge division. The closest games included Le Moyne’s 29-19 win against Nazareth, and Plattsburgh’s 29-20 victory against Oswego. • Leader of the last few years, SUNY Cortland beat Colgate 17-5. Emily Russo (2) and McKenzie Barber scored the tries, and Haileigh Rhodes added the conversion. • In the West, Brockport beat Rochester 30-12.
NON-CONFERENCE / FRIENDLIES
The two North Dakota teams in the Northern Lights conference saw each other, and the DII North Dakota beat DIII North Dakota State 49-24. • In the Rugby Northeast, DII Univ. Maine Orono topped DIII Colby College 27-5. • Reigning DI national champion Michigan ran out against senior club Ypsilanti for a 34-15 win. The Big 10 gets moving this weekend.