Men’s Division 1AA (D1AA) represents a highly competitive tier of collegiate rugby in the United States, featuring programs governed by both National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) and the College Rugby Association of America (CRAA). It serves as a bridge between elite Division I play and developing Division II or Small College levels, offering strong regional competition and a pathway to national championships under each organization’s structure. While NCR and CRAA operate independently, both use the D1AA designation for schools with established programs that may not have the depth or resources of top-tier D1A teams.
What Happened When NCR D1 Teams Played D1AA Opponents?
Six games this past weekend saw NCR D1 teams take on D1AA opponents and, really, it went as you'd expect.
Louisville Edges Tennessee in High-Profile Opener
A late try saw Louisville edge defending NCR D1AA champs Tennessee 29-27 Friday night just outside Nashville.
It was a game that was fairly typical of early-season matches—it wasn't perfect, it wasn't exact, but it was a good contest between two of the top teams in the division.
With the score 27-24 the Cardinals got over the line for the game-winner.
Crossover Chances as D1AA Teams Open September
Conference games aren't really happening yet in D1AA but teams are in action.
In the Lonestar, the Dust the Rust Tournament is a nice annual kickoff event among college teams in Texas. This year, they have split the event into a North event in Denton, Texas, and a South event in San Marcos, Texas.
Cross-Divisional Lessons in Opening Weekend
August went out with some fireworks in men's collegiate rugby as we saw some high-finishers clash over the weekend.
Is the SCRC The Toughest Conference in D1AA?
The SCRC has almost certainly become the toughest conference in D1AA.
That's a strong statement, because the MAC and the new Midwest D1AA both are pretty strong, too. However, with the slight realignment in the SCRC by having three teams play a lower tier schedule, the top six are all play-caliber teams. And some are championship-caliber teams.
