National Collegiate Rugby


National Collegiate Rugby formerly the National Small College Rugby Organization was created in 2007 by Chip Auscavitch and Steve Cohen to support and encourage the development and organization of small college rugby in the United States. In 2020, NSCRO re-branded as National Collegiate Rugby as the organization saw massive growth in competition with teams leaving their USA Rugby based leagues for the NCR.

Championships

The NCR runs the following national championship events for both men's and women's college rugby clubs in both 15s and 7s rugby:
Open DivisionSmall College Division
Men's XVs Grand CupMen's 15s Champions Cup
Men's 7s National ChampionshipMen's 15s Challenge Cup
Women's XVs Cup National Championship Women's XVs National Championship
Women's 7s National ChamponshipMen's 7s National Championship
Women's 7s National Championship

Prior to 2007, the men's Small College XVs national championship was known as the East Coast Division III Collegiate Rugby Championships, and Men’s Division III National Championship until 2012.

History

The National Small College Rugby Organization has its beginnings in 2002 to organize the first-ever small college men's and women's college rugby national playoff system, the East Coast D3 Championship. In 2008 was approved by USA Rugby. In August 2012, NSCRO reclassified Division 3 as Small College Rugby, and since 2015 Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company is the main sponsor. Men's Challenge Cup was introduced in 2014 for colleges with developing clubs. In May of 2020, NSCRO was renamed as NCR or National Collegiate Rugby with the goal to serve and work with all collegiate rugby programs of all sizes.

Conferences

Small College DivisionOpen Division
Allegheny Rugby UnionAllegheny Rugby Union
Carolinas ConferenceGreat Waters Women's Conference
Captial Rugby UnionIllinois Women's Rugby Conference
Cascades ConferenceMidwest Women's Rugby Conference
Colonial Coast ConferenceNorthern Lights Conference
East Penn Rugby UnionUpstate New York Conference
Great Waters Women's Conference
Illinois Conference
Independents
Northern Lights Conference
Ohio Valley
Pacific Desert
Prairie States
Rugby Northeast
Texas Rugby Union
Tri State Conference
Upstate New York Conference