The Heart of America Rugby Football Union is a college rugby conference playing in Division I-AA, with membership composed mostly of Big 12, Big Ten and SEC schools (and many of these schools enjoying longstanding rivalries from the former Big Eight Conference). HOA organizes a league competition with the winner qualifying for the national playoffs, and every fall hosts a rugby sevens tournament with the winner qualifying for the national sevens championships.
Heart of America was a Division 2 conference until 2011, with Arkansas and Missouri ranked among the top teams in Division 2.Rugby Mag, Men's DII College Top 25, Dec. 7, 2010, In summer 2011, however, with the creation of the Premier College Division (Division I-A), several conferences including HOA decided to move up to Division I-AA.
The HOA conference is led by Conference Commissioner Bill Sexton of Truman State University.Rugby Mag, USA Rugby Certifies College Conferences, June 21, 2011, http://www.rugbymag.com/college-news/1271-usa-rugby-certifies-college-conferences.html
The Conference is separated in a North - South Division split with each division having 6 schools.
Current members The current member schools (and the date they joined the conference) are:
InstitutionNicknameCityStateFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentJoined HOAIowa State UniversityCyclonesAmesIA1858Big 1229,8872012University of ArkansasRazorbacksFayettevilleAR1871SEC27,5491980, 2021University of KansasJayhawksLawrenceKS1865Big 1230,0041980University of IowaHawkeyesIowa CityIA1847Big Ten32,9482019Kansas State UniversityWildcatsManhattanKS1863Big 1223,5881980University of MissouriTigersColumbiaMO1839SEC34,2551980Oklahoma State UniversityCowboysStillwaterOK1890Big 1223,3071980University of Minnesota Golden GophersMinneapolisMN1851Big Ten49,1482021University of Nebraska–LincolnCornhuskersLincolnNE1869Big Ten25,8202015University Of OklahomaWayne State CollegeUniversity of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis
Member notes: University Of Oklahoma, Wayne State College and University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis (UHSP) all joined in the summer before the 2025-26 season Truman State Rugby Now Defunct University of Minnesota joined during the summer of 2021 after leaving the Big Ten Rugby Conference. University of Arkansas left the summer of 2016 for the Red River Rugby Conference, and then rejoined in the summer of 2021. Washington University in St. Louis joined briefly in 2016 from the Division 2 Gateway Conference, then went back to the Gateway following year. University of Nebraska–Lincoln joined 2015 after leaving the Big Ten Rugby Conference. Former member Lindenwood left the HOA conference during the summer of 2013 to play in the Division I-A Mid/South conference. Lindenwood joined HOA summer of 2012. Lindenwood was the Division 2 champion in 2011–12, and was promoted to Division I-AA for the 2012-13 year. Iowa State joined HOA summer of 2012. Iowa State played in the D1-AA Midwest conference until summer 2012, and joined HOA when the majority of the Midwest conference teams joined the newly formed Big Ten rugby conference. Former member Central Missouri left the conference in summer 2012 to play in the Division 2 Gateway Collegiate Rugby Conference.Rugby Mag, Gateway Collegiate Rugby Conference Launched, April 26, 2012, http://www.rugbymag.com/men's-dii-college-/4307-gateway-collegiate-conference-launched.html
League results
Year Champion Runner up 2009-10 Arkansas Central Missouri 2010-11 Arkansas Central Missouri 2011-12 Missouri Arkansas 2012-13 Lindenwood Arkansas 2013-14 Missouri Iowa State2014-15MissouriArkansas2015-16ArkansasMissouri2016-17ArkansasMissouri2017-18MissouriKansas2018-19Iowa StateKansas 2021-22 Kansas Minnesota 2022-23 Iowa State Minnesota2023-24Iowa StateKansas2024-25Iowa StateIowa
Heart of America Sevens The HOA sevens tournament is played every fall among the eight members of the HOA conference and a limited number of additional Division 1 schools. The winner of the HOA sevens tournament qualifies for the annual USA Rugby sevens national championship.
The HOA sevens tournament is one of a number of college rugby tournaments that are tapping into the increased interest of rugby sevens while also targeting traditional collegiate conference rivalries. The HOA developed this competition due to the increasing popularity of rugby sevens throughout the United States, particularly since the 2009 announcement adding rugby sevens to the Summer Olympics, and in the wake of the success of the Collegiate Rugby Championship rugby sevens tournament broadcast live on NBC every year.
Date Location Champion Score Runner up Third Sep 24, 2011 Lawrence, KS Oklahoma ??? Kansas State Arkansas Sep 22, 2012 Lawrence, KS Lindenwood 21-5 Arkansas Missouri Spring 2019SeriesIowa StateNANebraskaKansas April 16, 2022 Iowa City, IA Iowa State 21-19 Nebraska Missouri April 22, 2023 Columbia, MO Iowa State 27-20 Nebraska Minnesota April 20, 2024 Iowa City, IA Nebraska 41-0 Iowa State MinnesotaApril 19th, 2025Colombia, MOIowa State24-5MinnesotaNebraska
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