Division 1-A Rugby Explained
| Division 1-A Rugby |
| Current Season: | 2024 Division 1-A Rugby Championship |
| Formerly: | College Premier Division |
| Sport: | Rugby union |
| Founded: | 1980 (as National Collegiate Championship)
2010 (as Division 1-A) |
| Inaugural: | 2011 |
| Commissioner: | Paul Santinelli[1] |
| Organizer: | USA Rugby |
| Teams: | 46 |
| Country: | United States |
| Continent: | or |
| Continents: | --> |
| Champion: | Saint Mary's (4th title) |
| Champ Season: | 2024 |
| Most Champs: | California (26 titles) |
| Tv: | CBSSN, ESPN+, The Rugby Network |
Division 1-A Rugby (formerly known as the College Premier Division) is the highest level of college rugby within the United States and is administered by USA Rugby. Division 1-A rugby is modeled after NCAA athletic competitions, with the 46 D1-A rugby schools divided into eight conferences: East, Midwest, Rocky Mountain, California, Big Ten, Red River, PAC, and Independent.
The regular season sees all teams in the conference play one another, with the two top seeds qualifying for the playoffs. Playoffs are a single-elimination format, occurring each year in April and May, with the winner of D1-A declared the National Champion.[2] Regular seasons for most conferences are played in the spring, although some cold-weather conferences, such as the Big Ten Universities, play their regular season in the fall.
The competition's first season was played during 2011 and consisted of teams from 31 schools from across the United States. The first ever match of the competition was played on Friday March 4, the Arizona State Sun Devils hosted the Colorado Buffaloes at the Arizona State University Soccer Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.[3] The 2011 final was played at Rio Tinto Stadium, in Sandy, Utah, on the 21 May 2011.
D1-A Rugby secured sponsorships in 2012 with World Rugby Shop and Veloce.
Several players who have excelled in the top level competitions in college rugby have also represented their country as part of the United States national under-20 rugby union team or the All Americans rugby union team.
Formation
History of college rugby in the U.S.
See also: History of rugby union in the United States and college rugby. A group of British Army officers organized a game of rugby against the students of McGill University (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) in 1865; the Canadians were so enamored of the game that they decided to continue to play football by the Rugby code. In 1874 McGill organized two games of football against Harvard, one was played under Harvard's rules, the other under "McGill" rugby rules.[4] [5] [6] In late 1874, the Harvard team traveled to Montreal to play McGill in rugby, and won by three tries in front of 2,000 spectators.[7] [8] [9] In 1875 Harvard athlete Nathaniel Curtis challenged Yale's captain, William Arnold to a rugby-style game.[10] [11] Columbia, Princeton and Yale were persuaded by Harvard to play football according to the Rugby School code in 1876. These four colleges formed the Intercollegiate Football Association (IFA), an organization that eventually expanded to become the "Ivy League." In fact, the governing body of all American intercollegiate varsity sports, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) traces its roots to the IFA and is thus a product of rugby rather than any of the sports it now governs.
By 1886 the Yale coach Walter Camp had modified rugby's rules in order to solve the problem of tackled players lying on the ball by introducing a series of four downs to gain ten yards; ironically in the same year the Rugby Football Union in England solved the same problem by requiring that tackled players release the ball. This is still one of the most fundamental differences between Rugby Union and American Football but one further modification, that of allowing one forward pass per down, was suggested by the Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne which, when accepted in 1905, gave rise to that distinctly American form of football.
Around the turn of the century American football was being frowned upon for its violence. Publication of graphic photographs of a harsh game between Swarthmore College and the University of Pennsylvania[12] caused a stir; President Theodore Roosevelt was forced to insist upon reform or abolition of the game. During this period of uncertainty, rugby made a brief but important reappearance in many colleges, most notably at the University of California and at Stanford. It was Stanford that supplied most of the players to the two US Olympic rugby teams (1920 and 1924), along with Santa Clara University and the University of California, who claimed fame by winning both gold medals. As 1924 was the last time the Olympic Games staged a rugby competition, this made the USA the defending Olympic champions when rugby was re-introduced after almost a century at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
In 1934, there was only one official rugby body in the United States, the Eastern Rugby Union, with a total of 9 member teams. By 1950, there were 30 clubs in the US, existing only in small pockets on the East and West Coasts.
It was not until the mid-1960s that rugby began to re-appear with regular fixtures and competitions; the game suited the mildly anarchistic temperament of American College students of the period; it required minimal costs for the individual, the style of the game provided constant action, there was an emphasis on enjoyment rather than winning because rugby was not part of the now rigidly institutionalized athletic system that American Universities had developed. The formation of the United States of America Rugby Football Union (USARFU, now USA Rugby) in 1976 was a major organizational milestone for the sport in the US, and by 1980 there were over 1,000 clubs nationwide.
In 2011, there were 2,433 clubs in the United States with more than 88,000 registered players, approximately 40% of which are college players (about three-quarters being male and one quarter female).[13]
Formation of Division 1-A
Prior to the formation of Division 1-A, there had been some difficulty in determining how many teams each territory would send to the Sweet 16 tournament, as the relative strengths of the rugby teams in each territory fluctuated over time, and despite the disparity in the levels of rugby, it was politically difficult to deny a union any playoff bids, even though the team that came third or fourth in a more powerful territory might be a better side. Further problems occurred because of the different competitive seasons across the continent; in the East the league season is played in the fall while in the South and West spring is the primary season, so this structure was frequently open to criticism.
Because of these issues, and to raise the level of rugby in the consciousness of the American public, USA Rugby restructured Division 1 college rugby. In 2010, several of the top college teams agreed to form the College Premier League to begin play in spring 2011.[14] USA Rugby and the top colleges believed that an elite level college rugby competition would make it easier to get college rugby onto TV and attract sponsors. USA Rugby also believed that a higher level college competition would develop players to potentially play for the U.S. national team.[15]
The governance of collegiate rugby was split and diverged in 2021. National Collegiate Rugby (NCR), formerly NSCRO, emerged as a rival by expanding beyond small colleges to include the higher divisions. The umbrella of the USA Rugby Collegiate Council includes College Rugby Association of America (CRAA), among several other organizations.[16] In 2021, there were five men's DIA conferences plus independents under USA Rugby/CRAA. Two men's conferences that played DIA in 2019 joined NCR in 2021.[16]
D1-A Championships results
See main article: National Collegiate Rugby Championship results.
Collegiate Championship results prior to D1-A Formation
The earliest claims to a national title go back to the mid-1960s when Sports Illustrated Magazine started demonstrating an interest in Collegiate rugby. During the 1965-1966 season, the University of Notre Dame won several cups and tournaments and, in the absence of a bona fide national championship, Sports Illustrated named them unofficial Collegiate Rugby Champions.[17] The next year, under the authority of USARFU, Notre Dame played a match on April 8, 1967 against California at Memorial Stadium for the unofficial national championship, again as a result of both teams being highly rated by Sports Illustrated; Cal won 37-3.[18]
National Invitational Championship
- 1972 – Palmer College of Chiropractic 28–17 Navy[19] [20]
- 1973 – Palmer College of Chiropractic 13–4 Illinois[21]
- 1974[22] – Texas A&M 12–0 LSU[23]
- 1975 – Not held[24]
- 1976 – (moved from spring to fall) LSU 21–3 Palmer College of Chiropractic[25]
- 1977 – (moved from fall to following spring)
- 1978[26] – Palmer College of Chiropractic 19–4 LSU[27]
- 1979[28] – Palmer College of Chiropractic 24–6 Navy[29]
The first official National Collegiate Championship series began in 1980. Rugby in the United States is divided into territorial unions (the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Coast, the South, Southern California, and the West). Each of these unions organized collegiate rugby into "Division One" and "Division Two" league competitions, generally with promotion and relegation between the divisions. Between 1980 and 2010 each Territory qualified Division One and Two teams for the Sweet 16 of a D1 and D2 National championship.
California was dominant in Division One for the 31 years that the competition was run in this format, winning 25 titles. Air Force won three titles; Harvard, San Diego State, and Brigham Young University each won one D1 national championship.
| Year | Location | Champion | Score | Runner-up | 3rd Place | 4th Place |
|---|
| 1980 | Davenport, IA | California | 15–9 | | | Navy |
| 1981 | Dayton, OH | California | 6–3 OT | | Miami (OH) | Kansas St. |
| 1982 | Greeley, CO | California | 15–14 | | Michigan | New Mexico St. |
| 1983 | Athens, GA | California | 13–3 | Air Force | Navy | Illinois |
| 1984 | Pebble Beach, CA | Harvard | 12–4 | Colorado | Long Beach St. | Miami (OH) |
| 1985 | Pebble Beach, CA | California | 31–6 | Maryland | Colorado | Illinois |
| 1986 | Pebble Beach, CA | California | 6–4 | Dartmouth | Air Force | Bowling Green |
| 1987 | Pebble Beach, CA | San Diego State | 10–9 | Air Force | Bowling Green | Dartmouth |
| 1988 | Pebble Beach, CA | California | 9–3 | Dartmouth | Air Force | Bowling Green |
| 1989 | Colorado Springs, CO | Air Force | 25–7 | Penn State | Army | Long Beach St. |
| 1990 | Pebble Beach, CA | Air Force | 18–12 | Army | Ohio State | Long Beach St. |
| 1991 | Houston, TX | California | 20–14 | Army | Ohio State | Wyoming |
| 1992 | Colorado Springs, CO | California | 27–17 | Army | Air Force | Penn State |
| 1993 | Houston, TX | California | 36–6 | Air Force | Harvard | Wisconsin |
| 1994 | Washington, DC | California | 27–13 | Navy | Air Force | Penn State |
| 1995 | Berkeley, CA | California | 48–16 | Air Force | Penn State | Army |
| 1996 | Colorado Springs, CO | California | 47–6 | Penn State | Stanford | Navy |
| 1997 | Berkeley, CA | California | 41–15 | Penn State | UC Davis | Stanford |
| 1998 | San Francisco, CA | California | 34–15 | Stanford | Navy | Indiana Univ. |
| 1999 | San Francisco, CA | California | 36–5 | Penn State | Navy | Army |
| 2000 | Tampa Bay, FL | California | 62–16 | Wyoming | Army | Indiana Univ. of PA (IUP) |
| 2001 | Virginia Beach, VA | California | 86–11 | Penn State | Navy | Army |
| 2002 | Virginia Beach, VA | California | 43–22 | Utah | Army | Wyoming |
| 2003 | Stanford, CA | Air Force | 45–37 | Harvard | California | Army |
| 2004 | Stanford, CA | California | 46–24 | Cal Poly, SLO | Navy / Air Force |
| 2005 | Stanford, CA | California | 44–7 | Utah | BYU / Navy |
| 2006 | Stanford, CA | California | 29–26 | BYU | Utah / Penn State |
| 2007 | Stanford, CA | California | 37–7 | BYU | Navy / Penn State |
| 2008 | Stanford, CA | California | 59–7 | BYU | St. Mary's / Colorado |
| 2009 | Stanford, CA | BYU | 25–22 | California | Army / San Diego State |
| 2010 | Stanford, CA | California | 19–7 | BYU | Arkansas State / Army |
|
Participants
Below is the list of Division 1A conference participants for the 2023–2024 season.[30]
East
Mid-West
California
Rocky Mountain
Big Ten
See main article: Big Ten Universities.
Red River Conference
See main article: Red River Conference.
PAC
See main article: PAC Rugby Conference.
Independent
Rankings
| Final 2011 (CPD) |
|---|
| Rank | College | CPD |
|---|
| 1 | California | 10-0 |
| 2 | BYU | 9-1 |
| 3 | Arkansas State | 8-1 |
| 4 | Life University | 5-2 |
| 5 | St. Mary's | 6-2 |
| 6 | Utah | 7-2 |
| 7 | Cent. Washington | 5-2 |
| 8 | Army | 7-1 |
| 9 | Navy | 6-2 |
| 10 | Arizona State | 5-2 |
| 11 | Penn State | 5-2 |
| 12 | Arizona | 4-3 |
| 13 | Air Force | 3-4 |
| 14 | Kutztown | 4-4 |
| 15 | San Diego State | 5-5 |
| 16 | Dartmouth | 3-4 |
| 17 | Delaware | 2-5 |
| 18 | Cal Poly | 3-4 |
| 19 | Notre Dame | 2-3 |
| 20 | LSU | 3-3 |
|
| Final 2012 (D1A)[45] |
|---|
| Rank | College |
|---|
| 1 | BYU |
| 2 | Life University |
| 3 | Arkansas State |
| 4 | St. Mary's |
| 5 | Utah |
| 6 | Army |
| 7 | Penn State |
| 8 | Air Force |
| 9 | Kutztown |
| 10 | Navy |
| 11 | UCLA |
| 12 | Central Washington |
| 13 | Delaware |
| 14 | Colorado |
| 15 | Cal Poly |
| 16 | Texas A&M |
| 17 | Wyoming |
| 18 | Arizona |
| 19 | Arizona State |
| 20 | Ohio State |
|
| Final 2013 (All College)[46] |
|---|
| Rank | College |
|---|
| 1 | BYU |
| 2 | California |
| 3 | Life University |
| 4 | Arkansas St. |
| 5 | St. Mary's |
| 6 | Central Washington |
| 7 | UCLA |
| 8 | Army |
| 9 | Kutztown |
| 10 | Cal Poly |
| 11 | Navy |
| 12 | Davenport |
| 13 | Central Florida |
| 14 | Penn State |
| 15 | Lindenwood |
| 16 | Dartmouth |
| 17 | Western Washington |
| 18 | Clemson |
| 19 | Tennessee |
| 20 | Bowling Green |
|
| Final 2014 (All College)[47] |
|---|
| Rank | College |
|---|
| 1 | St. Mary's |
| 2 | BYU |
| 3 | Life University |
| 4 | California |
| 5 | Arkansas State |
| 6 | UCLA |
| 7 | Central Florida |
| 8 | Navy |
| 9 | Central Washington |
| 10 | Utah |
| 11 | Kutztown |
| 12 | Lindenwood |
| 13 | Davenport |
| 14 | Arizona |
| 15 | Arizona State |
| 16 | Bowling Green |
| 17 | Santa Clara |
| 18 | Cal Poly |
| 19 | Dartmouth |
| 20 | Army |
|
| Final 2015 (All College)[48] |
|---|
| Rank | College |
|---|
| 1 | BYU |
| 2 | California |
| 3 | St. Mary's |
| 4 | Life University |
| 5 | Central Washington |
| 6 | Davenport |
| 7 | Lindenwood |
| 8 | Utah |
| 9 | Army |
| 10 | Navy |
| 11 | Clemson |
| 12 | UCLA |
| 13 | Arkansas State |
| 14 | Kutztown |
| 15 | Dartmouth |
| 16 | Cal Poly |
| 17 | Penn State |
| 18 | Wheeling Jesuit |
| 19 | Colorado State |
| 20 | Air Force |
|
| Final 2016 (All College)[49] |
|---|
| Rank | College |
|---|
| 1 | California |
| 2 | Life University |
| 3 | BYU |
| 4 | Central Washington |
| 5 | St. Mary's |
| 6 | Lindenwood |
| 7 | Arkansas State |
| 8 | Indiana |
| 9 | Army |
| 10 | Navy |
| 11 | Dartmouth |
| 12 | Penn State |
| 13 | Kutztown |
| 14 | UCLA |
| 15 | Utah |
| 16 | UC Davis |
| 17 | Notre Dame College |
| 18 | Davenport |
| 19 | AIC |
| 20 | Arizona |
|
| Final 2017 (All College)[50] |
|---|
| Rank | College |
|---|
| 1 | Saint Mary's |
| 2 | Life University |
| 3 | BYU |
| 4 | California |
| 5 | Arkansas State |
| 6 | Indiana |
| 7 | Penn State |
| 8 | Lindenwood |
| 9 | Army |
| 10 | Navy |
| 11 | Central Washington |
| 12 | Notre Dame College |
| 13 | San Diego State |
| 14 | Utah |
| 15 | Arizona |
| 16 | UC-Davis |
| 17 | Davenport |
| 18 | Wisconsin |
| 19 | Ohio State |
| 20 | Chico State |
|
| Final 2018[51] |
|---|
| Rank | College |
|---|
| 1 | Life |
| 2 | California |
| 3 | Lindenwood |
| 4 | Saint Mary's |
| 5 | Penn State |
| 6 | BYU |
| 7 | Army |
| 8 | Navy |
| 9 | Notre Dame College |
| 10 | Arkansas State |
| 11 | Arizona |
| 12 | Grand Canyon |
| 13 | Kutztown |
| 14 | Iona |
| 15 | Cal Poly |
| 16 | San Diego State |
| 17 | Davenport |
| 18 | Central Washington |
| 19 | Indiana |
| 20 | Texas A&M |
|
| Final 2019[52] |
|---|
| Rank | College |
|---|
| 1 | Life |
| 2 | California |
| 3 | Saint Mary's |
| 4 | Lindenwood |
| 5 | Navy |
| 6 | Arkansas State |
| 7 | Army |
| 8 | BYU |
| 9 | Arizona |
| 10 | Penn State |
| 11 | Central Washington |
| 12 | UCLA |
| 13 | Kutztown |
| 14 | St. Bonaventure |
| 15 | Grand Canyon |
| 16 | Davenport |
| 17 | Iona |
| 18 | Wisconsin |
| 19 | Notre Dame College |
| 20 | UC Davis |
|
| Final 2022[53] |
|---|
| Rank | College |
|---|
| 1 | Army |
| 2 | Saint Mary's |
| 3 | California |
| 4 | Lindenwood |
| 5 | BYU |
| 6 | Central Washington |
| 7 | Life |
| 8 | Navy |
| 9 | St. Bonaventure |
| 10 | Penn State |
| 11 | Ohio State |
| 12 | Indiana |
| 13 | Arkansas State |
| 14 | Davenport |
| 15 | Arizona |
| 16 | Grand Canyon |
| 17 | UCLA |
| 18 | Cal Poly |
| 19 | Texas A&M |
| 20 | Kutztown |
|
| Final 2023[54] |
|---|
| Rank | College |
|---|
| 1 | Navy |
| 2 | California |
| 3 | Lindenwood |
| 4 | Life |
| 5 | Saint Mary's |
| 6 | BYU |
| 7 | Central Washington |
| 8 | Army |
| 9 | Davenport |
| 10 | Arizona |
| 11 | Cal Poly |
| 12 | Penn State |
| 13 | Grand Canyon |
| 14 | UCLA |
| 15 | Mary Washington |
| 16 | Arkansas State |
| 17 | Texas A&M |
| 18 | Mount St. Mary's |
| 19 | Colorado |
| 20 | Ohio State |
|
| Final 2024[55] |
|---|
| Rank | College |
|---|
| 1 | Saint Mary's |
| 2 | Navy |
| 3 | Life |
| 4 | Lindenwood |
| 5 | BYU |
| 6 | Central Washington |
| 7 | Army |
| 8 | California |
| 9 | Arkansas State |
| 10 | Cal Poly |
| 11 | Arizona |
| 12 | Davenport |
| 13 | UCLA |
| 14 | Mary Washington |
| 15 | Mount St. Mary's |
| 16 | Grand Canyon |
| 17 | Colorado State |
| 18 | CSU, Long Beach |
| 19 | Penn State |
| 20 | Texas A&M |
|
Notes:
- 2012: Cal was not included in the D1A rankings because it withdrew from D1A mid-season.
- 2013: Utah was not ranked because its rugby program was suspended by the school. Central Florida, and Bowling Green were new to the rankings; they had been ranked #17 and #19 respectively in D1-AA during the previous 2012 season.
- 2014: Army was ranked low, due in large part to the team's suspension during the season.
- 2023: No final D1A rankings were released so rankings listed above of week 1 from the 2023–24 season
| Key |
|---|
| | Green shading indicates the highest-ranked team to debut in the rankings that year. |
| | Silver shading indicates the team that increased the largest number of places in the rankings that year. |
|
Seasons
2011 season
- Notable events
- First Season of the College Premier Division
- Funding for Cal Rugby, which previously was announced would be dropped,[56] was restored after additional funding was raised by donors, alumni and fans.[57]
- Life University participated in its first playoff game in school history
- BYU hosted its first rugby playoff game in club history.
- BYU and California played for the national championship for the 6th consecutive year (2006-10 in USA Rugby Collegiate Tournament, 2011 USA Rugby College Premier Division)
- Regular seasonRecords and final standings for 2011.
| Pacific Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
record | +/- |
|---|
| 1 | x-California | 7-0 | +344 |
|---|
| 2 | y-St. Mary's | 6-1 | +143 |
|---|
| 3 | Cent. Washington | 5-2 | +55 |
|---|
| 4 | San Diego State | 4-3 | -8 |
|---|
| 5 | Cal Poly | 3-4 | -66 |
|---|
| 6 | UCLA | 2-5 | -107 |
|---|
| 7 | UC-Davis | 2-5 | -169 |
|---|
| 8 | Claremont | 0-7 | -192 |
|---|
|
x-Conference champion
y-Qualified for playoffs
Gold = national champion
Silver = national runner-up
Bronze = national semifinalists
| Western Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
record | +/- |
|---|
| 1 | x-BYU | 7-0 | +376 |
|---|
| 2 | y-Utah | 6-1 | +176 |
|---|
| 3 | Arizona State | 5-2 | +49 |
|---|
| 4 | Arizona | 4-3 | 34 |
|---|
| 5 | Air Force | 3-4 | -9 |
|---|
| 6 | Colorado | 2-4 | -48 |
|---|
| 7 | Colorado State | 1-7 | -251 |
|---|
| 8 | Wyoming | 0-7 | -307 |
|---|
|
| Mid-South Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
record | +/- |
|---|
| 1 | x-Arkansas St. | 6-0 | +227 |
|---|
| 2 | y-Life University | 5-1 | +243 |
|---|
| 3 | LSU | 3-3 | -56 |
|---|
| 4 | Texas A&M | 2-4 | -48 |
|---|
| 5 | Tennessee | 2-3 | -115 |
|---|
| 6 | Notre Dame | 2-3 | -85 |
|---|
| 7 | Oklahoma | 0-6 | -166 |
|---|
|
| East Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
record | +/- |
|---|
| 1 | x-Army | 7-0 | +158 |
|---|
| 2 | y-Navy | 6-1 | +103 |
|---|
| 3 | Penn State | 5-2 | -20 |
|---|
| 4 | Kutztown | 3-4 | +60 |
|---|
| 5 | Dartmouth | 3-4 | -9 |
|---|
| 6 | Delaware | 2-5 | -21 |
|---|
| 7 | Rutgers | 2-5 | -133 |
|---|
| 8 | Ohio State | 1-6 | -138 |
|---|
|
- Playoffs and final
- After the season
2012 season
- Regular seasonRecords and final standings for 2012.
| Pacific Coast Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
record | +/- |
|---|
| 1 | x-Saint Mary's | 4-0 | +154 |
|---|
| 2 | y-UCLA | 3-1 | -32 |
|---|
| 3 | Cent. Washington | 2-2 | -6 |
|---|
| 4 | Cal Poly | 1-3 | -27 |
|---|
| 5 | UC Davis | 0-4 | -89 | |
|---|
| Western Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
record | +/- |
|---|
| 1 | x-BYU | 7-0 | +293 |
|---|
| 2 | y-Utah | 6-1 | +201 |
|---|
| 3 | Air Force | 5-2 | +127 |
|---|
| 4 | Colorado | 3-4 | +54 |
|---|
| 5 | Arizona | 3-4 | -75 |
|---|
| 6 | Wyoming | 3-4 | -149 |
|---|
| 7 | Arizona State | 2-5 | -186 |
|---|
| 8 | Colorado State | 0-7 | -205 |
|---|
|
| Mid-South Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
record | +/- |
|---|
| 1 | x-Life University | 8-0 | +360 |
|---|
| 2 | y-Arkansas St. | 5-2 | +252 |
|---|
| 3 | Texas A&M | 3-3 | -47 |
|---|
| 4 | Notre Dame | 1-6 | -216 |
|---|
| 5 | Oklahoma | 1-7 | -349 |
|---|
|
| East Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
record | +/- |
|---|
| 1 | x-Army | 6-0 | +115 |
|---|
| 2 | y-Penn State | 5-1 | +88 |
|---|
| 3 | Kutztown | 4-2 | +67 |
|---|
| 4 | Navy | 3-3 | +55 |
|---|
| 5 | Ohio State | 1-4 | -74 |
|---|
| 6 | Delaware | 0-4 | -61 |
|---|
| 7 | Rutgers | 0-5 | -190 |
|---|
|
x-Conference champion
y-Qualified for playoffs
- Playoffs and final
- After the season
- Nine schools from the Big-10 joined Ohio State in D1-A and formed the Big Ten Universities conference.
- Texas A&M and Oklahoma were joined by several other Texas schools to form the Allied Rugby Conference, composed mostly of Big-12 South schools.
- The Pacific Coast Conference was renamed the California Conference, several former D1-AA California schools were promoted to this conference, and Central Washington became an independent D1-A school.
- D1-AA champion Davenport was promoted to D1-A and joined the Mid-South Conference.
- UCLA, Utah, Arizona and Arizona State moved from their respective past conferences to the newly formed D1-A PAC Rugby Conference.
- BYU moved from Division 1A to the D1-AA Mountain States Conference; Navy moved from D1-A to the Atlantic Coast Rugby League; and Rutgers moved from D1-A to the Empire Rugby Conference.
2013 season
| California Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
W/L |
|---|
| 1 | x-Saint Mary's | 7-0 |
|---|
| 2 | y-Cal Poly | 6-1 |
|---|
| 3 | San Diego St. | 5-2 |
|---|
| 4 | UC Davis | 4-3 |
|---|
| 5 | UC S. Barbara | 2-5 |
|---|
| 6 | Sacramento St. | 2-5 |
|---|
| 7 | Santa Clara | 2-5 |
|---|
| 8 | Stanford | 0-7 |
|---|
|
| West Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
W/L |
|---|
| 1 | x-Colorado St. | 4-0 |
|---|
| 2 | y-Colorado | 3-1 |
|---|
| 3 | Wyoming | 1-2 |
|---|
| 4 | North. Colorado | 0-3 |
|---|
|
| Mid-South Conf. |
|---|
| School | Conf.
W/L |
|---|
| 1 | x-Arkansas St. | 3-1 |
|---|
| 2 | y-Life Univ. | 3-1 |
|---|
| 3 | Davenport | 0-4 |
|---|
|
| East Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
W/L |
|---|
| 1 | x-Army | 3-0 |
|---|
| 2 | y-Kutztown | 2-1 |
|---|
| 3 | Penn State | 1-2 |
|---|
| 4 | Delaware | 0-3 |
|---|
|
| Big Ten Univ. |
|---|
| School | Conf.
W/L |
|---|
| 1 | z-Wisconsin | 5-0 |
|---|
| 2 | Ohio State | 3-1-1 |
|---|
| 3 | Illinois | 4-1 |
|---|
| 4 | Indiana | 3-2 |
|---|
| 5 | Michigan | 3-2 |
|---|
| 6 | Michigan St. | 2-2-1 |
|---|
| 7 | Iowa | 2-3 |
|---|
| 8 | Minnesota | 2-3 |
|---|
| 9 | Purdue | 0-5 |
|---|
| 10 | Nebraska | 0-5 |
|---|
|
| Allied Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
W/L |
|---|
| 1 | z-Texas A&M | 5-0 |
|---|
| 2 | Texas | 4-1 |
|---|
| 3 | Oklahoma | 3-2 |
|---|
| 4 | Texas Tech | 2-3 |
|---|
| 5 | Sam Houston | 1-4 |
|---|
| 6 | Baylor | 0-5 |
|---|
|
x = conference champion and automatic quarterfinal berth
y = conference runner-up and eligible for playoffs
z = conference champion and eligible for playoffs
- Playoffs and final
- After the season
2014 season
- Regular season
- Playoffs and final
- After the season
2015 season
For the 2014–2015 school year, a number of conferences — particularly those in the colder northeast and upper midwest — played their regular seasons in the fall.
| California Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
W/L |
|---|
| 1 | Saint Mary's | 4–0 |
|---|
| 2 | Cal Poly | 3–1 |
|---|
| 3 | San Diego St. | 2–2 |
|---|
| 4 | Santa Clara | 1–3 |
|---|
| 5 | UC S. Barbara | 0–4 |
|---|
|
| West Conference |
|---|
| School | Conf.
W/L |
|---|
| 1 | Air Force | 6–1 |
|---|
| 2 | Colorado St. | 6–1 |
|---|
| 3 | Wyoming | 2-4-2 |
|---|
| 4 | y-Colorado | 2-4-2 |
|---|
| 5 | New Mexico | 0–6 |
|---|
|
| Mid-South Conf.[58] |
|---|
| School | Conf.
W/L |
|---|
| 1 | Life Univ. | 4–0 |
|---|
| 2 | Davenport | 1–3 |
|---|
| 3 | Lindenwood | 1–3 |
|---|
|
| Rugby East |
|---|
| School | Conf.
W/L |
|---|
| 1 | Army | 6–0 |
|---|
| 2 | Kutztown | 5–1 |
|---|
| 3 | Penn State | 4–2 |
|---|
| 4 | Wheeling Jesuit | 3–3 |
|---|
| 5 | Iona | 2–4 |
|---|
| 6 | St. Bonaventure | 1–5 |
|---|
| 7 | Buffalo | 0–6 |
|---|
|
- Playoffs and final
2016 season
- Playoffs
2017 season
- Playoffs
- After the seasonThe Varsity Cup folded in November 2017 when the organizer, broadcast partner and a major sponsor, Penn Mutual, withdrew their support.[59]
2018 season
- Standings
- Playoffs
2019 season
- Playoffs
2022 season
- Standings
- Playoffs
2023 season
See main article: 2023 Division 1-A Rugby Championship.
- Standings
- Playoffs
2024 season
See main article: 2024 Division 1-A Rugby Championship.
- Standings
- Playoffs
Rudy Scholz Award Winners
The Rudy Scholz award goes to the best male Division 1-A rugby player in the country. Below is a list of all prior recipients:[70] [71]
- 2016: Dylan Audsley, Saint Mary's
- 2017: Bryce Campbell, Indiana
- 2018: Connor McNerney, Navy
- 2019: Harley Wheeler, Life University
- 2020: Payton Telea-Ilalio, Saint Mary's
- 2021: Emmanuel Albert, Lindenwood
- 2022: Larry Williams, West Point
- 2023: Lewis Gray, Navy
- 2024: Wyatt Parry, BYU
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Men's leadership. CRAA . 18 April 2023.
- Web site: College Rugby Association of America Releases First Slate of 2022 Championship Playoff Brackets . USA Rugby . April 2022 . 18 April 2023.
- Web site: College Premier Division Set to Launch | Royall Rugby . 2011-06-01 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120324203642/http://www.royallrugby.com/rugby-news/college-premier-division-set-to-launch/ . 2012-03-24 .
- http://www.rugbyfootballhistory.com/USA.html Rugby in USA
- News: Foot Ball . Boston Post . May 16, 1874 . 3 . March 29, 2015 . Newspapers.com.
- Web site: THIS WEEK IN HISTORY (Oct. 23, 1874): First intercollegiate rugby-style football game in Canada was played at McGill . McGill Athletics . October 23, 2023 . 12 December 2023.
- Web site: Montreal's Cup Float recalls how McGill started grid mania. The Montreal Gazette. November 27, 1970. August 22, 2014. D.A.L.. MacDonald.
- Web site: Early Football. San Jose Evening News. November 13, 1915. August 22, 2014.
- Web site: McGill and Harvard Have Been Rivals for 59 Years. The Montreal Gazette. December 22, 1933. August 22, 2014. D.A.L.. MacDonald.
- Web site: First Harvard versus Yale Football Game Program, 1875 - lot - Sotheby's. sothebys.com. January 14, 2024. January 11, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210111203156/http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/lot.171.html/2005/important-sports-memorabilia-and-cards-n08155. dead.
- Web site: Year by Year 1875. theunbalancedline.com.
- Web site: When a President Threatened to Abolish Football in the United States. 10 October 2010.
- Web site: International Rugby Board - USA . 2012-06-10 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120511135815/http://www.irb.com/unions/union%3D11000012/index.html . 2012-05-11 .
- http://www.theroar.com.au/2010/03/17/usa-rugby-college-premier-league-kick-off-in-2011/ USA Rugby forms a College Premier League
- https://texasrugbyunion.com/2010/08/23/1332/ USA Rugby College D1 Premier Schedules
- Web site: Who Plays Where and How? Our College Rugby Update. 14 July 2021. Alex. Goff. Goff Rugby Report. 2021-12-14.
- Web site: History. Rugby ND. April 17, 2023.
- Web site: Cal Rugby at Inaugural CCI Sevens Friday-Sunday - the University of California Official Athletic Site . April 17, 2023 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110917134505/http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-rugby/spec-rel/051710aaa.html . 2011-09-17 .
- Web site: May 22, 1972. Faces in the crowd. Sports Illustrated. May 2, 2024.
- Web site: May 3, 1972 . Palmer succeeds in first title try . Quad City Times. Newspapers.com. Larry. Weindruch. May 3, 2024.
- Web site: May 7, 1973 . Palmer captures rugby meet title . Quad City Times. May 2, 2024. Newspapers.com.
- News: Clifford. Broyles. LSU looking for revenge in rugby match . 15. 3 March 1974. 98. 62. The Eagle. Bryan-College Station. December 28, 2022. Newspapers.com.
- Web site: Rugby team national champs. February 27, 1974. May 2, 2024. The Battalion. 8. Tony. Gallucci.
- Web site: Club sports. January 30, 1976. May 2, 2024. The Battalion. 6. Dana. McNabb.
- News: Sports Notes . 12. 28 October 1976. 62. 44. L'Observateur. LaPlace, Louisiana. 28 Dec 2022. Newspapers.com.
- News: Palmer Wins Rugby Crown. February 8, 1978. The Daily Dispatch. 37 col 2. Moline, Illinois. May 2, 2024. Newspapers.com.
- Web site: Palmer College is collegiate soccer (sic) champ. Rock Island Argus. February 8, 1978. 27. May 2, 2024. Newspapers.com.
- Web site: History. Palmer Rugby Football Club. April 17, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20150709074638/http://blogs.palmer.edu/rugby/about-palmer-rugby/palmer-rugby-football-club-history/. 2015-07-09. dead.
- Web site: PCC took Navy 24-6 in the finals for the championship.. Palmer College Rugby Champions. YouTube (at 2:58). May 2, 2024.
- Web site: CONFERENCES . CRAA . 23 August 2023.
- Web site: History - Penn State Rugby . 2011-05-07 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718151337/http://rugby.psu.edu/history.html . 2011-07-18 .
- Web site: ZACHARY MIZELL . Adrian Bulldogs . 24 August 2023.
- Web site: CAMERON WYPER . MCK bear cats . 24 August 2023.
- Web site: HISTORY . Cal Poly Rugby . 18 April 2023.
- Web site: Welcome to Men's Rugby Club! . UC Santa Cruz . 18 April 2023.
- Web site: Sports & Recreation Clubs . CSUS . 24 August 2023.
- Web site: BYU MEN'S RUGBY HISTORY . BYU Rugby . 18 April 2023.
- Web site: About Our Club . Illinois RFC . 18 April 2023.
- Web site: Our History . OSU . 18 April 2023.
- Web site: ABOUT OKLAHOMA RUGBY . Oklahoma Rugby . 18 April 2023.
- Web site: IBRAHIM AKDILEK . TTU men's rugby . 24 August 2023.
- Web site: History of University of California Varsity Rugby . Cal Bears . 18 April 2023.
- Web site: UCLA Rugby Est. 1934 - Present . UCLA Club Sports . 18 April 2023.
- Web site: UNIVERSITY OF UTAH RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB ANTHOLOGY . UU Rugby . 18 April 2023.
- http://www.rugbytoday.com/rankings/final-2012-d1-college-rankings "Final 2012 D1-A College Rankings"
- http://www.rugbytoday.com/rankings/all-divisions-college-top-25-may-22-2013-presented-selective-service "All Divisions College Top 25 May 22, 2013, presented by Selective Service"
- http://www.rugbytoday.com/rankings/mens-di-college-top-25-may-15-2014 "Men's DI College Top 25, May 15, 2014"
- http://www.rugbytoday.com/rankings/college-top-25-may-14-2015 "College Top 25, May 14, 2015"
- http://www.goffrugbyreport.com/news/men-di-college-rankings-spring-2016-15-final-one "Men DI College Rankings Spring 2016 #15 - Final One!"
- https://www.florugby.com/articles/5065084-final-di-college-rankings-who-gets-to-be-1 "Final DI College Rankings: Who Gets To Be #1?"
- Web site: D1A-Only Rankings. www.florugby.com.
- Web site: Final rankings of 2019 season. d1arugby.com.
- Web site: GRR's Final D1A Rankings for 2021-22 . Goff Rugby Report . 2 May 2022 . 6 May 2022.
- Web site: GRR D1A Rankings 2023-24 Week 1 . Goff Rugby Report . 10 May 2024.
- Web site: Final Week of GRR D1A Rankings . Goff Rugby Report . 10 May 2024.
- News: California to cut five varsity sports, including baseball . USA Today . Steve . Berkowitz . September 29, 2010.
- News: Donations Preserve 3 Varsity Teams at Cal, But Can't Save Baseball . The New York Times . Katie . Thomas . February 11, 2011.
- Web site: Life Clinches Mid-South . Goff Rugby Report . 28 March 2015 . 27 April 2023.
- http://www.rugbytoday.com/college/varsity-cups-death-d1as-rebirth "Varsity Cup's Death D1As Rebirth"
- Web site: Central Washington University 2023 Men's Rugby Schedule . CWU . 18 April 2023.
- Web site: Around D1A: Confirmations, Cancelations, and Surprises . Goff Rugby Report . 26 March 2023 . 17 April 2023.
- Web site: UCLA Gets PAC Conference Win on the Road . Goff Rugby Report . 11 March 2023 . 18 April 2023.
- Web site: Fall 2022 Standings . Rugby East . 18 April 2023.
- Web site: Fall 2023 Standings . Rugby East . 12 December 2023.
- Web site: California D1A Conference Wraps Up With Positives For Many . Goff Rugby Report . 22 March 2024.
- Web site: Central Washington University 2024 Men's Rugby Schedule . CWU . 26 March 2024.
- Web site: Grand Canyon University Club Sports 2023-24 Men's Rugby Schedule. GCU club sports . 26 March 2024.
- Web site: Bears Handle Utes On The Road . Cal Bears . 27 March 2024.
- Web site: SCHEDULE . BYU Rugby . 29 March 2024.
- Web site: Laughs and Smiles As Sagapolu, Gray Accept their Sorensen and Scholz Trophies . Goff Rugby Report . 13 June 2023 . 15 June 2023.
- Web site: Wyatt Parry Wins 2024 Scholz Award . Goff Rugby Report . 30 April 2024.
