The National Small College Rugby Organization, soon to be renamed the National College Rugby Organization, has announced that the Great Midwest Rugby Conference has joined.

The GMW is a Men's D2 competition, and arguably the toughest in the country. It has seen past champions UW-Whitewater win multiple national championships, and their top teams are always in the national championship conversaiton.

In NSCRO's statement about the move, GMW Commissioner Todd Streeter said: “We are excited for the opportunity to compete against the best in D2, under an organization whose ethos more closely aligns with our conference mission to support collegiate rugby players and teams.” 

The Great Midwest currently has 14 men’s teams spread across Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, and Minnesota.

DePaul University

Illinois State University

Loyola University Chicago

Marquette University

Northern Illinois University

Northern Michigan University

Northwestern University

University of Illinois-Chicago

University of Minnesota-Duluth

University of Northern Iowa

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

University of Wisconsin-Platteville

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Western Illinois University

“NSCRO agreed to provide a home for D2 Collegiate Men’s rugby that mirrored and even expanded on the historical success that has been built since the first Fall National Championship in 2013," added Streeter. "We’re really looking forward to engaging all the additional benefits in NSCRO student and club leadership support, National Club Rankings, All-American recognition, Heart and Soul Awards, coaches’ polls, robust playoff venues, a National All-Star competition and partnerships with [sponsors]."

In the final Men's D2 rankings on the Goff Rugby Report rankings, Great Midwest teams were ranked #2, #6, #10, #16, #34, and #35.