Misplaced Pages

National Intercollegiate
Rugby Association

Abbreviation	NIRA
Formation	2015; 10 years ago (2015)
Legal status	Association
Region served	United States
Official language	English
Commissioner	Amy Rusert
Main organ	Board of Directors
Website	nira.rugby

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 November, 2023:

Division I

Division II

Division III

Championship finals

Division I

Division II

• 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

• 2019 – Bowdoin College 27–5 University of New England

References

1. "Emerging Sports for Women". www.ncaa.org. NCAA. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
2. ^ Young, Wendy (September 11, 2014). "National Collegiate Varsity Women's Rugby Association (NCVWRA) Formed". Your Scrumhalf Connection. Archived from the original on 14 January 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
3. "Women's Intercollegiate Season Starts with 2015 Final Rematch". Goff Rugby Report. Aug 31, 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-11-04. Retrieved 2016-11-02. What was the NCWVRA is now the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association.
4. Teams at NIRA website, November 27, 2023
5. "Women's Rugby". Princeton Tigers. Retrieved November 4, 2024.
6. Finlan, Jackie (November 22, 2015). "Quinnipiac, First Varsity Champion". The Goff Rugby Report. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2020.
7. "Dartmouth Claims Program's First NIRA Championship". USA Rugby. Archived from the original on 2019-02-09. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
8. "Women's Rugby Crowned NIRA National Champions After Victory Over Army West Point, 18–7". Harvard Athletics. Archived from the original on 2020-01-31. Retrieved 2021-10-15.
9. Hanover for Second Time By: Charlotte Brackett, 20 Nov 2021
10. ^ Women's Rugby to Host Two-Time Defending NIRA Champion Dartmouth at Goprincetontigers, 23 Sep 2023
11. Big Green Repeat as Division I NIRA Champions at darthmouthsports.com, 19 Nov 2022
12. Champions! #1 Women's Rugby Captures 2023 NCAA DI Championship With 20-12 Win Against #2 Dartmouth at Gocrimson.com
13. @NIRArugby (17 November 2019). "Brown in possession but it's not enough. Final WCU 15 Brown 14" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
14. "CHAMPIONS! Mount Women's Rugby Holds off Sacred Heart, 22-15, for the NIRA Tier II Championship - Mount St. Mary's". Archived from the original on 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2019-04-03.
15. "Women's Rugby Runs Away From UNE to Claim NIRA Division III Title". Bowdoin Athletics. Archived from the original on 2020-06-03. Retrieved 2021-10-15.

External links

• Official website

• College rugby union in the United States
• College rugby union competitions in the United States
• College sports governing bodies in the United States
• Rugby union governing bodies in the United States
• Sports organizations established in 2015
• 2015 establishments in the United States