The Midwest College Rugby Conference has announced that it has joined NSCRO's new Open Division competition beginning Fall 2020. 

The MCRC was created in 2017 to foster competition among regionally competitive programs and extend participating programs into national playoffs.  

Being a hybrid conference has benefited both our teams in the D2 and Small College divisions to date. Participating teams have performed well in their prospective division postseasons, and we are looking forward to strengthening that in the 2020 competition fully under the NSCRO umbrella.

“The leadership and communication from the NSCRO has been excellent," said MCRC commissioner Barry Burkett. "The MCRC aligns with their point of view on teams wanting to compete in a national pathway, opportunities to highlight select sides, and the collegiate student-athlete. Steve Cohen, among others, is dedicated to the collegiate game and it shows in the infrastructure of the organization. We are excited to be a part of this evolution of US collegiate rugby.”

The MCRC currently has 7 men’s teams spread across Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. The teams, in alphabetical order:
Eastern Kentucky University - Richmond, Kentucky
Marian University - Indianapolis, Indiana
Marshall University - Huntington, West Virginia
Thomas More College - Crestview Hills, Kentucky
University of Southern Indiana - Evansville, Indiana
Western Kentucky University - Bowling Green, Kentucky
Xavier University - Cincinnati, Ohio

Now NSCRO has announced that seven men's DII conferences are now part of NSCRO: Great Midwest, Cardinals, Great Lakes, Gateway, Southern, Allegheny, and now MCRC.

Still to announce: Tri-State, Deep South, Northern Lights, Rocky Mountain, NEWCRC, MARC, and SCRC.