The Harvard Women's Rugby team is the women's rugby union program that represents Harvard University in Division I tournaments organised by the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA). Harvard competes in the Ivy Rugby Conference.
The club began activities in 1982,[1] although the university's first involvement with the sport can be traced to 1874, when Harvard played a two-game series vs Canadian McGill University.[2][3]
History
The club was founded in 1982,[4] Harvard women have won two national championships (1998, 2011) as a club team.[5]
The team won its first collegiate national championship in 1998, also becoming the first champion team to be coached by an all-female staff. Harvard Radcliffe (as they were named by then) finished 15th at national level in 2005, and qualified for nationals at Penn State in 2006. The team captured the USA Rugby Collegiate Division II National Championship in 2011 after beating UW-LaCrosse, Norwich, Western Washington, and Notre Dame. Following that success, the team was promoted to Division I, joining the recently formed Ivy Rugby Conference.[6][7]
In 2013, the team became part of NCAA Emerging Sports for Women and Harvard University's 42nd varsity sport,[8] plays other rugby union NCAA teams. Notable honors include: 2019 National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) National Champions,[9] Ivy League Champions (2018, 2013),[10] Ivy League Sevens Champions (2016, 2017, 2019)[11]
The team won their 2nd. NIRA Division I Championship in 2023 after defeating Dartmouth 20–12 in the final. Harvard had previously won the competition in 2019.[12]
Facilities
Harvard play their home matches on Roberto A. Mignone Field, located at Harvard's Soldiers Field Park.
Titles
- NIRA Division I Championship (2): 2019, 2023
References
- ^ Harvard Women at Ivy Rugby
- ^ "THIS DATE IN HISTORY: First football game was May 14, 1874". mcgill.ca. 2012-05-14. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
- ^ "THIS DATE IN HISTORY: First football game was May 14, 1874". mcgill.ca. McGill University News. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
- ^ "Scrum's the Word" at Harvard Magazine, 1984
- ^ "Harvard Women". Ivy Rugby Conference. 2017-08-17. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
- ^ Welcome to Radcliffe Rugby
- ^ "The Ivy Rugby Conference is not affiliated with the Council of Ivy Group Presidents ("The Ivy League"), which organizes intercollegiate athletic competitions at the varsity level. The name "Ivy Rugby" is used with The Ivy League's permission.[1]
- ^ "Women's Rugby Becomes Harvard's 42nd Varsity Sport". Harvard Magazine. 2012-08-09. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
- ^ "It's Lonely at the Top: Women's Rugby, National Champs and Team of the Year | Sports | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
- ^ "Harvard Women Take Rugby Title". Harvard Magazine. 2013-11-06. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
- ^ "Women's Rugby Captures Ivy League 7s Title in Overtime Thriller | Sports | The Harvard Crimson". www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved 2021-10-10.
- ^ Champions! #1 Women's Rugby Captures 2023 NCAA DI Championship With 20-12 Win Against #2 Dartmouth at Gocrimson.com
External links
- Official website
- Harvard Women at Urugby.com
