The Ivy Rugby Conference was a rugby union conference consisting of the eight member schools of the Ivy League. As of the 2022 season the teams now compete in the Liberty Rugby conference, but an Ivy League champion will continue to be awarded. The Ivy conference was formed in 2009 to foster better competition among rugby teams from the Ivy League schools and to raise the quality of play.Ivy Rugby, http://www.ivyrugby.com/about-ivy-rugby Ivy Rugby formed committees to manage the league, independently of the LAUs and TUs. The conference took over the organization of the Ivy rugby championships that had been contested since 1969.
The Ivy Rugby Conference, and specifically its sevens tournament, has enabled the Ivy schools to tap into existing rivalries and fan bases.Gainline.us, 7s tournament points to resurgence of invitationals, Nov. 11, 2011, http://www.gainline.us/gainline/2011/11/7s-tournament-points-to-resurgence-of-invitationals.html
Ivy Rugby has had some past success in attracting commercial sponsors.Gainline.us, Cal superleague exit spurs conference gains, Dec. 31, 2011, http://www.gainline.us/gainline/2011/12/cal-superleague-exit-spurs-conference-gains.html Sponsors have included H2H, Royall Lyme and Boathouse Sports.Ivy Rugby Conference, H@H to Sponsor Ivy Sevens Championships, http://www.ivyrugby.com/news/h2h-sponsor-ivy-sevens-championshipsIvy League Signs Deal , Rugby Mag, May 7, 2014.
The Ivy League schools have a rich rugby tradition that pre-dates the formation of the Ivy conference. Teams in the Ivy League have played rugby games against each other since the mid-1870s and starting in 2024 will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of such rugby games.
The eight Ivy League schools competed in the Ivy Rugby Championship Tournament from 1969 until the Ivy Rugby Conference was formed in 2009.Ivy Rugby Conference, http://www.ivyrugby.com/about-ivy-rugby The Ivy Rugby logo was developed in 2005.4x3 LLC, Ivy Rugby Conference Branding, http://www.4x3.net/portfolio/ivy-rugby-conference-branding
In addition to the traditional 15-a-side rugby union competition, the teams play yearly for the Ivy Rugby 7s Championship.
Members
InstitutionLocationTeam NicknameUndergraduate enrollmentGraduate enrollmentBrownProvidence, Rhode IslandBearsColumbiaNew York City, New YorkLions. Columbia University Common Data Set. Retrieved on 2010-04-18.CornellIthaca, New YorkBig RedDartmouthHanover, New HampshireBig GreenHarvardCambridge, MassachusettsCrimson. Harvard University Factbook. Retrieved on 2010-04-18.PrincetonPrinceton, New JerseyTigers . Princeton University Common Data Set. Retrieved on 2010-04-18.PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaQuakersYaleNew Haven, ConnecticutBulldogs
Roll of Honor +CountyTitle(s)Runners-UpYears wonYears runners-up Dartmouth 24 11 1972, 1977, 1990, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 (Spring) , 2009 (Fall), 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 (Spring) , 2014 (Fall), 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 1976, 1984, 1992, 1995, 1996, 2007, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Brown 16 9 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1995, 1996, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 1969, 1971, 1973, 1979, 1989, 2013, 2014 (Fall), 2018, 2019, 2025 Harvard 8 12 1981, 1982, 1984, 1989, 1991, 1994, 2003, 2007 1970, 1983, 1985, 1986, 2006, 2008, 2009 (Spring), 2010, 2011, 2014 (Spring), 2015, 2017 Princeton 5 6 1969, 1971, 1973, 1979, 2004 1975, 1978, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 Yale 2 4 1970, 1978 1977, 1982, 2003, 2009 (Fall) Penn 1 1 1992 2016 Cornell 0 3 2002, 2004, 2005
Championship results Historic results of the Ivy Rugby Championship, organised by the Ivy Rugby Conference since 2009:Results 1969-2009 at Ivy Rugby Ivy Rugby Championship Ed. Year Champion Score Runner Up Ref. 1969 Princeton Brown 1970 Yale Harvard 1971 Princeton Brown 1972 Dartmouth ? 1973 Princeton Brown 1974 Brown ? 1975 Brown Princeton 1976 Brown Dartmouth 1977 Dartmouth Yale 1978 Yale Princeton 1979 Princeton Brown 1980 Brown ? 1981 Harvard ? 1982 Harvard Yale 1983 Brown Harvard 1984 Harvard Dartmouth 1985 Brown Harvard 1986 Brown Harvard 1987 Brown ? 1988 Brown ? 1989 Harvard Brown 1990 Dartmouth Columbia 1991 Harvard ? 1992 Penn Dartmouth 1993 Dartmouth 1994 Harvard ? 1995 Brown Dartmouth 1996 Brown Dartmouth 1997 1998 Dartmouth Princeton 1999 Dartmouth Princeton 2000 Dartmouth Princeton 2001 Dartmouth Princeton 2002 Dartmouth Cornell 2003 Harvard Yale 2004 Princeton Cornell 2005 Dartmouth Cornell 2006 Dartmouth Harvard 2007 Harvard Dartmouth 2008 Dartmouth Harvard 2009 (Spring) Dartmouth Harvard 2009 (Fall) Dartmouth Yale 2010 Dartmouth Harvard 2011 Dartmouth Harvard 2013* Dartmouth Brown 2014 (Spring) Dartmouth Harvard 2014 (Fall) Dartmouth Brown 2015 Dartmouth Harvard 2016 Dartmouth Penn 2017 Dartmouth Harvard 2018 Dartmouth Brown 2019 Dartmouth Brown 2020 2021 Brown Dartmouth Men’s rugby beats Dartmouth, wins Ivy title for first time in 25 years at The Brown Daily Herald, by Corey Gelb-Bicknell, 3 Dec 2021 2022 Brown Dartmouth 2023 Brown Dartmouth 2024 Brown Dartmouth 2025 Brown Dartmouth *2012 regular season played in the Fall and final played in Spring 2013
7s championship results
Year Champion Score Runner Up MVP Ref. Spring 2011 Brown 19–10 Columbia Daniel Levine-Spound Fall 2011 Dartmouth 40–14 Harvard 2012 Dartmouth 15–5 Penn 2013 Dartmouth* Will Chockley 2014 Dartmouth 46–0 Yale 2015 Dartmouth ?? 2016 Dartmouth* 2017 Dartmouth ?? 2018 Brown 22–0 Dartmouth 2019 Dartmouth 17–12 Harvard 2020–2021 Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic 2022 Brown 12–10 Dartmouth 2023 Dartmouth 14–7 Brown 2024 Brown 21–12 Dartmouth 2025 Brown 19–15 Dartmouth *Dartmouth A and B reached the final and shared title.
References
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