The National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) is a governing body of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) collegiate women's rugby programs in the United States founded in 2015.
History The NIRA traces roots back to 2015 when eight NCAA member institutions formed the National Collegiate Varsity Women's Rugby Association (NCVWRA) to organize collegiate competition and aid in the promotion of rugby at the varsity level in the NCAA after rugby was promoted to Emerging Sport status.
Inaugural members of the association included Army, Bowdoin, Brown, Central Washington, Harvard, Norwich, Quinnipiac, and West Chester. Membership in the organization is limited to NCAA institutions who sponsor women's rugby at the varsity level. In 2016 the association became known as the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA).
Members As of May, 2026:Teams at NIRA website, May 11, 2026
Division I ClubLocationNicknameTypeJoinedCoach Army West Point West Point, New York Black Knights Service Academy 2018 Jenn Salomon-Clayton Brown University Providence, Rhode Island Bears Private 2018 Rosalind Chou Dartmouth College Hanover, New Hampshire Big Green Private 2018 Katie Dowty Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts Crimson Private 2018 Mel Denham La Salle University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Explorers Private 2025 Kelsie McDowell Lindenwood University St. Charles, Missouri Lions Private 2024 Trevor Locke Long Island University Brooklyn / Brookville, NY Sharks Private 2018 Dee Nash Mount St. Mary's University Emmitsburg, Maryland Mountaineers Private 2018 Maggie Myles Navy Annapolis, Maryland Midshipmen Service Academy 2023 Murph McCarthy Princeton University Princeton, New Jersey Tigers Private 2022 Josie Ziluca Queens University of Charlotte Charlotte, North Carolina Royals Private 2023 Danny Harlow Quinnipiac University Hamden, Connecticut Bobcats Private 2018 Becky Carlson Sacred Heart University Fairfield, Connecticut Pioneers Private 2018 Michelle Reed
Division II ClubLocationNicknameTypeJoinedCoach American International College Springfield, Massachusetts Yellow Jackets Private 2018 Denver Divens Davenport University Michigan Panthers Private 2022 Greg Teliczan Emory and Henry University Emory, Virginia Wasps Private 2023 Tom O'Neill Frostburg State University Frostburg, Maryland Bobcats Public 2023 Jeff Horton University of New Haven West Haven, Connecticut Chargers Private 2021 Emily Record West Chester University Chester County, Pennsylvania Golden Rams Public 2018 Tony Deremer
Division III ClubLocationNicknameTypeJoinedCoachBowdoin College Brunswick, Maine Polar Bears Private 2018 Laura Miller Guilford College Greensboro, North Carolina Quakers Private 2020 Christine Newcomb Thomas College Waterville, Maine Terriers Private 2025 Farrah Douglas University of New England Biddeford, Maine Nor'easters Private 2018 Ashley Potvin-Fulford Warren Wilson College Swannanoa, NC Owls Private 2023 Angelica Rodriguez
Championship finals Division I Ed. Year Winner Score Runner-up Ref. 2015 Quinnipiac Army 2016 Quinnipiac Central Washington 2017 Quinnipiac Dartmouth 2018 Dartmouth Harvard 2019 Harvard Army 2020 2021 Dartmouth Army Hanover for Second Time By: Charlotte Brackett, 20 Nov 2021Women's Rugby to Host Two-Time Defending NIRA Champion Dartmouth at Goprincetontigers, 23 Sep 2023 2022 Dartmouth Harvard Big Green Repeat as Division I NIRA Champions at darthmouthsports.com, 19 Nov 2022 2023 Harvard Dartmouth Champions! #1 Women's Rugby Captures 2023 NCAA DI Championship With 20-12 Win Against #2 Dartmouth at Gocrimson.com 2024 Harvard Dartmouth 2025Harvard Lindenwood
Division II 2025 – American International 74–0 West Chester 2024 – American International 20–15 Davenport 2023 – Davenport 91–5 Lander 2022 – Queens 34–27 Davenport 2021 – American International 29–17 West Chester 2019 – West Chester 15–14 Brown 2018 – Mount St. Mary's 22–15 Sacred Heart 2017 – University of New England 57–14 Bowdoin 2016 – Bowdoin College 32–22 University of New England
Division III 2023 – Bowdoin 51–17 Adrian 2022 – Bowdoin 29–0 University of New England 2021 – Bowdoin 31–12 University of New England 2019 – Bowdoin College 27–5 University of New England
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