National Intercollegiate Rugby Association
The National Intercollegiate Rugby Association is a governing body of National Collegiate Athletic Association 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 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 was limited to NCAA institutions who sponsor women’s rugby at the varsity level. The foundation of the NCVWRA was in contrast to USA Rugby who sponsors collegiate competition for men’s and women’s rugby teams in a mix format of club, quasi varsity, and full-varsity programs. In 2016 the association became known as the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association.
Members
| Tier | Club | Location | Nickname | Type | Joined | Coach |
| Division 1 | Army West Point | West Point, New York | Black Knights | Federal Service Academy | 2018 | Bill LeClerc |
| Division 1 | Brown University | Providence, Rhode Island | Bears | Private | 2018 | Kathy Flores |
| Division 1 | Dartmouth College | Hanover, New Hampshire | Big Green | Private | 2018 | Katie Dowty |
| Division 1 | Harvard University | Cambridge, Massachusetts | Crimson | Private | 2018 | Mel Denham |
| Division 1 | Long Island University | Brooklyn, New York Brookville, New York | Sharks | Private | 2018 | Colleen Doherty |
| Division 1 | Mount St. Mary's University | Emmitsburg, Maryland | Mountaineers | Private | 2018 | Farrah Douglas |
| Division 1 | Quinnipiac University | Hamden, Connecticut | Bobcats | Private | 2018 | Becky Carlson |
| Division 1 | Sacred Heart University | Fairfield, Connecticut | Pioneers | Private | 2018 | Michelle Reed |
| Division 2 | American International College | Springfield, Massachusetts | Yellow Jackets | Private | 2018 | Tara Roberts |
| Division 2 | Molloy College | Rockville Centre, New York | Lions | Private | 2018 | Melissa Olman |
| Division 2 | Notre Dame College | South Euclid, Ohio | Falcons | Private | 2018 | Luke Markovich |
| Division 2 | Queens University of Charlotte | Charlotte, North Carolina | Royals | Private | 2019 | Katie Wurst |
| Division 2 | West Chester University | Chester County, Pennsylvania | Golden Rams | Public | 2018 | Tony Deremer |
| Division 3 | Bowdoin College | Brunswick, Maine | Polar Bears | Private | 2018 | MaryBeth Mathews |
| Division 3 | Castleton University | Castleton, Vermont | Spartans | Public | 2018 | Frank Graziano |
| Division 3 | Colby–Sawyer College | New London, New Hampshire | Chargers | Private | 2018 | Ken Pape |
| Division 3 | New England College | Henniker, New Hampshire | Pilgrims | Private | 2019 | Tom Campbell |
| Division 3 | Norwich University | Northfield, Vermont | Cadets | Private | 2018 | Austin Hall |
| Division 3 | University of New England | Biddeford, Maine | Nor'easters | Private | 2018 | Ashley Potvin-Fulford |
Championship finals
Division 1
- 2019 - Army 7-18 Harvard
- 2018 – Dartmouth 19–14 Harvard
- 2017 - Quinnipiac 29-20 Dartmouth
- 2016 - Quinnipiac 46-24 Central Washington
- 2015 - Quinnipiac 24-19 Army
Division 2
- 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 3
- 2019 - Bowdoin College 27-5 University of New England