Wide Open Men's D2 College Season Just About to Start
Wide Open Men's D2 College Season Just About to Start
Men's D2 College rugby is kicking off, sort of, this weekend and it's going to be a very interesting season.
First of all, the varsity programs, for the most part, are now in NCR's D1. Even the newer school-supported programs that are in D2 conferences won't be able to pursue the postseason in D2 (Southern Nazarene, Rio Grande). There are one or two exceptions, and there are reasons for that, but the key message here is that the D2 Division is back to what it was always expected to be—for largely club rugby teams at slightly smaller colleges.
There are some large colleges that play other sports as D1 that are in D2—West Virginia, Virginia, NC State, and Auburn are some obvious examples, but there are actually at least 34 D2 college rugby teams whose college football teams are D1.
That just spells out how complicated the issue is.
All that aside, we've got almost 300 games on the slate for this season.
The first game is really more of a scrimmage between Principia—who have welcomed new Head Coach Phillip Kellerman to their campus—and Missouri S&T.
This game is to test out some players and shake off the summer rust. But it is also a clash between two Gateway Conference contenders.
Principia will also play the St. Louis Royals before the season really gets going on September 10. That weekend the MARC, Gateway, Great Lakes, and Cardinals all see their first conference games.
With the championship so wide open, many are eager for a good start.
The Great Midwest, Southern Conference, SCRC, Mid-East, and High Peaks all open their season on September 17.
Semifinalists from 2021, Northern Iowa and Norwich open up their seasons in September (sort of; Norwich did scrimmage with Colgate this past weekend and won that 33-12). Norwich opens up vs Bishop's University in Quebec September 4. Northern Iowa takes on Loyola of Chicago September 17.
Minnesota-Duluth, a quarterfinalist team in 2021, is in a revitalized Northern Lights Conference that welcomes back a full season for the likes of MSU Mankato, Winona State, North Dakota State, U. North Dakota, and South Dakota State. There's the All Minnesota tournament that crosses divisional lines, and then league play starts a week later on September 17.
Other quarterfinalists returning to D2 include Georgetown (hosting UMBC on September 17), and Illinois State (hosting Illinois-Chicago on the 17th). And Auburn, which won the CRAA D2 Challenge Match last fall over Montana State, hosts Ole Miss in their NCR D2 opener. And don't forget that 2021 Small College champs Christendom are playing a bit of a D2 schedule but are remaining in Small College is now in D2 playing in the Cardinals Conference.
Go here for the full list of games>>
See GRR's opening Men's D2 College Rankings of the season here>>
