# Division 1-A Rugby

Division 1-A Rugby (formerly known as the College Premier Division) is the highest level of college rugby within the United States and is administered by USA Rugby. Division 1-A rugby is modeled after NCAA athletic competitions, with the 40 D1-A rugby schools divided into seven conferences: East, Midwest, Rocky Mountain, California, Big Ten, Lonestar River, and Independent.
The regular season sees all teams in the conference play one another, with the two top seeds qualifying for the playoffs. Playoffs are a single-elimination format, occurring each year in April and May, with the winner of D1-A declared the National Champion. Regular seasons for most conferences are played in the spring, although some cold-weather conferences, such as the Big Ten Universities, play their regular season in the fall.
The competition's first season was played during 2011 and consisted of teams from 31 schools from across the United States. The first ever match of the competition was played on Friday March 4, the Arizona State Sun Devils hosted the Colorado Buffaloes at the Arizona State University Soccer Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The 2011 final was played at Rio Tinto Stadium, in Sandy, Utah, on the 21 May 2011.
D1-A Rugby secured sponsorships in 2012 with World Rugby Shop and Veloce.
Several players who have excelled in the top level competitions in college rugby have also represented their country as part of the United States national under-20 rugby union team or the All Americans rugby union team.

## Formation
### History of college rugby in the U.S.

A group of British Army officers organized a game of rugby against the students of McGill University (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) in 1865; the Canadians were so enamored of the game that they decided to continue to play football by the Rugby code. In 1874 McGill organized two games of football against Harvard, one was played under Harvard's rules, the other under "McGill" rugby rules. In late 1874, the Harvard team traveled to Montreal to play McGill in rugby, and won by three tries in front of 2,000 spectators. In 1875 Harvard athlete Nathaniel Curtis challenged Yale's captain, William Arnold to a rugby-style game. Columbia, Princeton and Yale were persuaded by Harvard to play football according to the Rugby School code in 1876. These four colleges formed the Intercollegiate Football Association (IFA), an organization that eventually expanded to become the "Ivy League." In fact, the governing body of all American intercollegiate varsity sports, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) traces its roots to the IFA and is thus a product of rugby rather than any of the sports it now governs.
By 1886 the Yale coach Walter Camp had modified rugby's rules in order to solve the problem of tackled players lying on the ball by introducing a series of four downs to gain ten yards; ironically in the same year the Rugby Football Union in England solved the same problem by requiring that tackled players release the ball. This is still one of the most fundamental differences between Rugby Union and American Football but one further modification, that of allowing one forward pass per down, was suggested by the Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne which, when accepted in 1905, gave rise to that distinctly American form of football.
Around the turn of the century American football was being frowned upon for its violence. Publication of graphic photographs of a harsh game between Swarthmore College and the University of Pennsylvania caused a stir; President Theodore Roosevelt was forced to insist upon reform or abolition of the game. During this period of uncertainty, rugby made a brief but important reappearance in many colleges, most notably at the University of California and at Stanford. It was Stanford that supplied most of the players to the two US Olympic rugby teams (1920 and 1924), along with Santa Clara University and the University of California, who claimed fame by winning both gold medals. As 1924 was the last time the Olympic Games staged a rugby competition, this made the USA the defending Olympic champions when rugby was re-introduced after almost a century at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
In 1934, there was only one official rugby body in the United States, the Eastern Rugby Union, with a total of 9 member teams. By 1950, there were 30 clubs in the US, existing only in small pockets on the East and West Coasts.
It was not until the mid-1960s that rugby began to re-appear with regular fixtures and competitions; the game suited the mildly anarchistic temperament of American College students of the period; it required minimal costs for the individual, the style of the game provided constant action, there was an emphasis on enjoyment rather than winning because rugby was not part of the now rigidly institutionalized athletic system that American Universities had developed. The formation of the United States of America Rugby Football Union (USARFU, now USA Rugby) in 1976 was a major organizational milestone for the sport in the US, and by 1980 there were over 1,000 clubs nationwide.
In 2011, there were 2,433 clubs in the United States with more than 88,000 registered players, approximately 40% of which are college players (about three-quarters being male and one quarter female).

### Formation of Division 1-A

Prior to the formation of Division 1-A, there had been some difficulty in determining how many teams each territory would send to the Sweet 16 tournament, as the relative strengths of the rugby teams in each territory fluctuated over time, and despite the disparity in the levels of rugby, it was politically difficult to deny a union any playoff bids, even though the team that came third or fourth in a more powerful territory might be a better side. Further problems occurred because of the different competitive seasons across the continent; in the East the league season is played in the fall while in the South and West spring is the primary season, so this structure was frequently open to criticism.
Because of these issues, and to raise the level of rugby in the consciousness of the American public, USA Rugby restructured Division 1 college rugby. In 2010, several of the top college teams agreed to form the College Premier League to begin play in spring 2011. USA Rugby and the top colleges believed that an elite level college rugby competition would make it easier to get college rugby onto TV and attract sponsors. USA Rugby also believed that a higher level college competition would develop players to potentially play for the U.S. national team.
The governance of collegiate rugby was split and diverged in 2021. National Collegiate Rugby (NCR), formerly NSCRO, emerged as a rival by expanding beyond small colleges to include the higher divisions. The umbrella of the USA Rugby Collegiate Council includes College Rugby Association of America (CRAA), among several other organizations. In 2021, there were five men's DIA conferences plus independents under USA Rugby/CRAA. Two men's conferences that played DIA in 2019 joined NCR in 2021.

## D1-A Championships results

| Ed. | Year | Champion | Score | Runners-up | Venue | City | Att. | TV Coverage | Semi-finalists |
| 1 | 2011 | California | 21–14 | BYU | Rio Tinto Stadium | Sandy | 11,000 | ESPN3 / ESPNU | Arkansas St. / Utah |
| 2 | 2012 | BYU | 49–42 | Arkansas St. | Rio Tinto Stadium | Sandy | 8,733 | ESPN3 | Life University / St. Mary's |
| 3 | 2013 | Life University | 16–14 | St. Mary's | UNCG Soccer Stadium | Greensboro | 4,000 | ESPN3 / ESPNU | Arkansas St. / Cal Poly |
| 4 | 2014 | Saint Mary's | 21–6 | Life University | Steuber Rugby Stadium | Palo Alto | 4,000 | USA Rugby TV | Arkansas St. / Lindenwood |
| 5 | 2015 | Saint Mary's | 30–24 | Life University | Fifth Third Bank | Atlanta | 3,100 | ESPN3 | Lindenwood / Davenport |
| 6 | 2016 | Life University | 24–20 | St. Mary's | St. Mary's Stadium | Moraga | 2,000 | Rugby Channel | Lindenwood / Utah |
| 7 | 2017 | Saint Mary's | 30–24 | Life University | St. Mary's Stadium | Moraga | 2,000 | CBSSN | BYU / Arizona |
| 8 | 2018 | Life University | 60–5 | California | Stevens Stadium | Santa Clara | 4,000 | CBSSN | Penn State / Lindenwood |
| 9 | 2019 | Life University | 29–26 | California | Stevens Stadium | Santa Clara | 4,000 | CBSSN | St. Mary's / Lindenwood |
| 10 | 2022 | Army | 20–8 | St. Mary's | Aveva Stadium | Houston | – | Rugby Network | Lindenwood / California |
| 11 | 2023 | Navy | 28–22 | California | Aveva Stadium | Houston | – | Rugby Network | Lindenwood / BYU |
| 12 | 2024 | Saint Mary's | 26–22 | Navy | Aveva Stadium | Houston | – | Rugby Network | BYU / Life University |

## Collegiate Championship results prior to D1-A Formation

The earliest claims to a national title go back to the mid-1960s when Sports Illustrated Magazine started demonstrating an interest in Collegiate rugby. During the 1965-1966 season, the University of Notre Dame won several cups and tournaments and, in the absence of a bona fide national championship, Sports Illustrated named them unofficial Collegiate Rugby Champions. The next year, under the authority of USARFU, Notre Dame played a match on April 8, 1967 against California at Memorial Stadium for the unofficial national championship, again as a result of both teams being highly rated by Sports Illustrated; Cal won 37-3.

### National Invitational Championship

| Year | Champion | Match Score | Runner-up | Ref. |
| 1972 | Palmer College of Chiropractic | 28–17 | Navy | |
| 1973 | Palmer College of Chiropractic | 13–4 | Illinois | |
| 1974 | Texas A&M | 12–0 | LSU | |
| 1975 | not held | not held | not held | |
| 1976 | LSU | 21–3 | Palmer College of Chiropractic | |
| 1977 | moved from fall to following spring | moved from fall to following spring | moved from fall to following spring | moved from fall to following spring |
| 1978 | Palmer College of Chiropractic | 19–4 | LSU | |
| 1979 | Palmer College of Chiropractic | 24–6 | Navy | |

### National Collegiate Rugby Championship

The first official National Collegiate Championship series began in 1980. Rugby in the United States is divided into territorial unions (the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Coast, the South, Southern California, and the West). Each of these unions organized collegiate rugby into "Division One" and "Division Two" league competitions, generally with promotion and relegation between the divisions. Between 1980 and 2010 each Territory qualified Division One and Two teams for the Sweet 16 of a D1 and D2 National championship.
California was dominant in Division One for the 31 years that the competition was run in this format, winning 25 titles. Air Force won three titles; Harvard, San Diego State, and Brigham Young University each won one D1 national championship.
| Year | Location | Champion | Score | Runner-up | 3rd Place | 4th Place |
| 1980 | Davenport, IA | California | 15–9 | Air Force | Illinois | Navy |
| 1981 | Dayton, OH | California | 6–3 OT | Harvard | Miami (OH) | Kansas St. |
| 1982 | Greeley, CO | California | 15–14 | Life College | Michigan | New Mexico St. |
| 1983 | Athens, GA | California | 13–3 | Air Force | Navy | Illinois |
| 1984 | Pebble Beach, CA | Harvard | 12–4 | Colorado | Long Beach St. | Miami (OH) |
| 1985 | Pebble Beach, CA | California | 31–6 | Maryland | Colorado | Illinois |
| 1986 | Pebble Beach, CA | California | 6–4 | Dartmouth | Air Force | Bowling Green |
| 1987 | Pebble Beach, CA | San Diego State | 10–9 | Air Force | Bowling Green | Dartmouth |
| 1988 | Pebble Beach, CA | California | 9–3 | Dartmouth | Air Force | Bowling Green |
| 1989 | Colorado Springs, CO | Air Force | 25–7 | Penn State | Army | Long Beach St. |
| 1990 | Pebble Beach, CA | Air Force | 18–12 | Army | Ohio State | Long Beach St. |
| 1991 | Houston, TX | California | 20–14 | Army | Ohio State | Wyoming |
| 1992 | Colorado Springs, CO | California | 27–17 | Army | Air Force | Penn State |
| 1993 | Houston, TX | California | 36–6 | Air Force | Harvard | Wisconsin |
| 1994 | Washington, DC | California | 27–13 | Navy | Air Force | Penn State |
| 1995 | Berkeley, CA | California | 48–16 | Air Force | Penn State | Army |
| 1996 | Colorado Springs, CO | California | 47–6 | Penn State | Stanford | Navy |
| 1997 | Berkeley, CA | California | 41–15 | Penn State | UC Davis | Stanford |
| 1998 | San Francisco, CA | California | 34–15 | Stanford | Navy | Indiana Univ. |
| 1999 | San Francisco, CA | California | 36–5 | Penn State | Navy | Army |
| 2000 | Tampa Bay, FL | California | 62–16 | Wyoming | Army | Indiana Univ. of PA (IUP) |
| 2001 | Virginia Beach, VA | California | 86–11 | Penn State | Navy | Army |
| 2002 | Virginia Beach, VA | California | 43–22 | Utah | Army | Wyoming |
| 2003 | Stanford, CA | Air Force | 45–37 | Harvard | California | Army |
| 2004 | Stanford, CA | California | 46–24 | Cal Poly, SLO | Navy / Air Force | Navy / Air Force |
| 2005 | Stanford, CA | California | 44–7 | Utah | BYU / Navy | BYU / Navy |
| 2006 | Stanford, CA | California | 29–26 | BYU | Utah / Penn State | Utah / Penn State |
| 2007 | Stanford, CA | California | 37–7 | BYU | Navy / Penn State | Navy / Penn State |
| 2008 | Stanford, CA | California | 59–7 | BYU | St. Mary's / Colorado | St. Mary's / Colorado |
| 2009 | Stanford, CA | BYU | 25–22 | California | Army / San Diego State | Army / San Diego State |
| 2010 | Stanford, CA | California | 19–7 | BYU | Arkansas State / Army | Arkansas State / Army |

## Participants

Below is the list of Division 1A conference participants for the 2024–2025 season.

### East

East Conference :
| School | NCAA Conference | City | Coach | Stadium | Founded | Joined D1-A |
| Life | (NAIA - SSAC) | Marietta, Georgia | Colton Cariaga | Lupo Family Field | 1980 | 2011 |
| Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers | MAAC | Emmitsburg, Maryland | Jay Miles | | 1973 | 2023 |
| Army | Patriot League | West Point, NY | Matt Sherman | Anderson Complex, Warrior Field | 1961 | 2011 |
| Penn State | Big Ten | State College, PA | Zac Mizell | PSU West Campus Pitch | 1962 | 2011 |
| Southern Virginia | USA South | Buena Vista, Virginia | Aidyn Ferris Marshall Ferris | | 2019 | 2023 |
| Navy | Patriot League and AAC | Annapolis, Maryland | Gavin Hickie | Prusmack Rugby Complex | 1963 | 2011 |
| Mary Washington (Mothers Rugby) | C2C | Fredericksburg, Virginia | Charbel Medlej | Doc Warner Field | 1977 | 2019 |
| Belmont Abbey College | Rugby East Conference | Belmont, North Carolina | Genaro Fessia | Alumni Field | 2019 | 2024 |

### Mid-West

Mid-South Conference :
| School | NCAA Conference | City | Coach | Stadium | Founded | Joined D1-A |
| Arkansas State | Sun Belt Conference | Jonesboro, Arkansas | Dominic Shaw | Curt Huckaby Field | | 2011 |
| Lindenwood | Ohio Valley Conference | St. Charles, Missouri | Josh Macy | Harlen C. Hunter Stadium | 2011 | 2013 |
| Davenport | GLIAC | Caledonia, Michigan | Dustin Steedman | DU Turf Field | 2009 | 2012 |
| Adrian College | MIAA | Adrian, Michigan | | | | 2023 |
| McKendree University | GLVC | Lebanon, Illinois | Cameron Wyper | | | 2023 |

### California

California Conference :
| School | NCAA Conference | City | Coach | Stadium | Founded | Joined D1-A |
| Cal Poly | BWC | San Luis Obispo, CA | Chris O'Brien | Cal Poly Lower Sports Complex | 1965 | 2011 |
| Saint Mary's | WCC | Moraga, CA | Tim O'Brien | St. Mary's Stadium | 1888 | 2011 |
| San Diego State | MW | San Diego, CA | Jason Merrill | ENS 700 Field | 1958 | 2012 |
| UC Santa Barbara | BWC | Santa Barbara, CA | Neil Foote | | | 2012 |
| Santa Clara | WCC | Santa Clara, CA | Paul Keeler | Bellomy Field | 1961 | 2012 |
| Santa Cruz | C2C | Santa Cruz, CA | | | 1967 | 2023 |
| UC Davis | BWC | Davis, CA | Andy Malpass | Russell Field | | 2016 |
| Long Beach | BWC | Long Beach, California | Jason Reynolds | Peter Sio | 1974 | 2023 |
| Sacramento | BSC | Sacramento, California | | | 1964 | 2023 |

### Rocky Mountain

Rocky Mountain Conference :
| School | NCAA Conference | City | Coach | Stadium | Founded | Joined D1-A |
| BYU | Big 12 | Provo, Utah | Steve St. Pierre | South Field | 1962 | 2011 |
| Air Force | MW | Colorado Springs, CO | Denny Merideth | | 1968 | 2011 |
| Colorado | Big 12 | Boulder, Colorado | Chris Hanson | Kittredge Field | 1967 | 2011 |
| Colorado State | MW | Fort Collins, Colorado | Jone Naqica | | 1970 | 2011 |
| Wyoming | MW | Laramie, Wyoming | David Finnoff | | 1972 | 2011 |
| Utah | Big 12 | Salt Lake City, UT | Adam Griffee | Zions Bank Stadium | 1972 | 2011 |
| Utah State | MW | Logan, Utah | Morgan Smith | USU Legacy Field | 1967 | 2016 |
| Utah Valley University | WAC | Orem, Utah | | | | 2023 |

### Big Ten

Big Ten Conference :
| School | NCAA Conference | City | Coach | Stadium | Founded | Joined D1-A |
| Illinois | Big Ten | Champaign, Illinois | Martin Russell | | 1963 | 2013 |
| Michigan State | Big Ten | East Lansing, Michigan | Jim Rogers | Service Road Fields | 1964 | 2013 |
| Ohio State | Big Ten | Columbus, Ohio | Tom Rooney | | 1966 | 2011 |

### Lonestar Conference

Lonestar Conference :
| School | NCAA Conference | City | Coach | Stadium | Founded | Joined D1-A |
| Texas | SEC | Austin, TX | Brian Hannon | | 1985 | 2013 |

### Independent

Independent Teams :
| School | NCAA Conference | City | Coach | Stadium | Founded | Joined D1-A |
| Arizona | Big 12 | Tucson, AZ | Sean Duffy | William David Sitton Field | 1969 | 2011 |
| Central Washington | GNAC | Ellensburg, Washington | Todd Thornley | Tomlinson Stadium | | 2011 |
| Grand Canyon University | WAC | Phoenix, Arizona | Sean O'Leary | GCU Track/Practice Soccer Field | | |
| UCLA | Big Ten | Westwood, CA | Harry Bennett | Wallis Annenberg Stadium | 1934 | 2011 |
| California | ACC | Berkeley, CA | Jack Clark | Witter Field | 1882 | 2011 |
| University of Texas at El Paso | CUSA | El Paso, Texas | | | | 2024 |
| Texas A&M University | SEC | College Station, Texas | | | | 2024 |

### Former Conferences

* PAC Rugby Conference
* Red River Conference

## Rankings

Final 2011 (CPD) :
| Rank | College | CPD |
| 1 | California | 10-0 |
| 2 | BYU | 9-1 |
| 3 | Arkansas State | 8-1 |
| 4 | Life University | 5-2 |
| 5 | St. Mary's | 6-2 |
| 6 | Utah | 7-2 |
| 7 | Cent. Washington | 5-2 |
| 8 | Army | 7-1 |
| 9 | Navy | 6-2 |
| 10 | Arizona State | 5-2 |
| 11 | Penn State | 5-2 |
| 12 | Arizona | 4-3 |
| 13 | Air Force | 3-4 |
| 14 | Kutztown | 4-4 |
| 15 | San Diego State | 5-5 |
| 16 | Dartmouth | 3-4 |
| 17 | Delaware | 2-5 |
| 18 | Cal Poly | 3-4 |
| 19 | Notre Dame | 2-3 |
| 20 | LSU | 3-3 |
Final 2012 (D1A) :
| Rank | College |
| 1 | BYU |
| 2 | Life University |
| 3 | Arkansas State |
| 4 | St. Mary's |
| 5 | Utah |
| 6 | Army |
| 7 | Penn State |
| 8 | Air Force |
| 9 | Kutztown |
| 10 | Navy |
| 11 | UCLA |
| 12 | Central Washington |
| 13 | Delaware |
| 14 | Colorado |
| 15 | Cal Poly |
| 16 | Texas A&M |
| 17 | Wyoming |
| 18 | Arizona |
| 19 | Arizona State |
| 20 | Ohio State |
Final 2013 (All College) :
| Rank | College |
| 1 | BYU |
| 2 | California |
| 3 | Life University |
| 4 | Arkansas St. |
| 5 | St. Mary's |
| 6 | Central Washington |
| 7 | UCLA |
| 8 | Army |
| 9 | Kutztown |
| 10 | Cal Poly |
| 11 | Navy |
| 12 | Davenport |
| 13 | Central Florida |
| 14 | Penn State |
| 15 | Lindenwood |
| 16 | Dartmouth |
| 17 | Western Washington |
| 18 | Clemson |
| 19 | Tennessee |
| 20 | Bowling Green |
Final 2014 (All College) :
| Rank | College |
| 1 | St. Mary's |
| 2 | BYU |
| 3 | Life University |
| 4 | California |
| 5 | Arkansas State |
| 6 | UCLA |
| 7 | Central Florida |
| 8 | Navy |
| 9 | Central Washington |
| 10 | Utah |
| 11 | Kutztown |
| 12 | Lindenwood |
| 13 | Davenport |
| 14 | Arizona |
| 15 | Arizona State |
| 16 | Bowling Green |
| 17 | Santa Clara |
| 18 | Cal Poly |
| 19 | Dartmouth |
| 20 | Army |
Final 2015 (All College) :
| Rank | College |
| 1 | BYU |
| 2 | California |
| 3 | St. Mary's |
| 4 | Life University |
| 5 | Central Washington |
| 6 | Davenport |
| 7 | Lindenwood |
| 8 | Utah |
| 9 | Army |
| 10 | Navy |
| 11 | Clemson |
| 12 | UCLA |
| 13 | Arkansas State |
| 14 | Kutztown |
| 15 | Dartmouth |
| 16 | Cal Poly |
| 17 | Penn State |
| 18 | Wheeling Jesuit |
| 19 | Colorado State |
| 20 | Air Force |
Final 2016 (All College) :
| Rank | College |
| 1 | California |
| 2 | Life University |
| 3 | BYU |
| 4 | Central Washington |
| 5 | St. Mary's |
| 6 | Lindenwood |
| 7 | Arkansas State |
| 8 | Indiana |
| 9 | Army |
| 10 | Navy |
| 11 | Dartmouth |
| 12 | Penn State |
| 13 | Kutztown |
| 14 | UCLA |
| 15 | Utah |
| 16 | UC Davis |
| 17 | Notre Dame College |
| 18 | Davenport |
| 19 | AIC |
| 20 | Arizona |
Final 2017 (All College) :
| Rank | College |
| 1 | Saint Mary's |
| 2 | Life University |
| 3 | BYU |
| 4 | California |
| 5 | Arkansas State |
| 6 | Indiana |
| 7 | Penn State |
| 8 | Lindenwood |
| 9 | Army |
| 10 | Navy |
| 11 | Central Washington |
| 12 | Notre Dame College |
| 13 | San Diego State |
| 14 | Utah |
| 15 | Arizona |
| 16 | UC-Davis |
| 17 | Davenport |
| 18 | Wisconsin |
| 19 | Ohio State |
| 20 | Chico State |
Final 2018 :
| Rank | College |
| 1 | Life |
| 2 | California |
| 3 | Lindenwood |
| 4 | Saint Mary's |
| 5 | Penn State |
| 6 | BYU |
| 7 | Army |
| 8 | Navy |
| 9 | Notre Dame College |
| 10 | Arkansas State |
| 11 | Arizona |
| 12 | Grand Canyon |
| 13 | Kutztown |
| 14 | Iona |
| 15 | Cal Poly |
| 16 | San Diego State |
| 17 | Davenport |
| 18 | Central Washington |
| 19 | Indiana |
| 20 | Texas A&M |
Final 2019 :
| Rank | College |
| 1 | Life |
| 2 | California |
| 3 | Saint Mary's |
| 4 | Lindenwood |
| 5 | Navy |
| 6 | Arkansas State |
| 7 | Army |
| 8 | BYU |
| 9 | Arizona |
| 10 | Penn State |
| 11 | Central Washington |
| 12 | UCLA |
| 13 | Kutztown |
| 14 | St. Bonaventure |
| 15 | Grand Canyon |
| 16 | Davenport |
| 17 | Iona |
| 18 | Wisconsin |
| 19 | Notre Dame College |
| 20 | UC Davis |
Final 2022 :
| Rank | College |
| 1 | Army |
| 2 | Saint Mary's |
| 3 | California |
| 4 | Lindenwood |
| 5 | BYU |
| 6 | Central Washington |
| 7 | Life |
| 8 | Navy |
| 9 | St. Bonaventure |
| 10 | Penn State |
| 11 | Ohio State |
| 12 | Indiana |
| 13 | Arkansas State |
| 14 | Davenport |
| 15 | Arizona |
| 16 | Grand Canyon |
| 17 | UCLA |
| 18 | Cal Poly |
| 19 | Texas A&M |
| 20 | Kutztown |
Final 2023 :
| Rank | College |
| 1 | Navy |
| 2 | California |
| 3 | Lindenwood |
| 4 | Life |
| 5 | Saint Mary's |
| 6 | BYU |
| 7 | Central Washington |
| 8 | Army |
| 9 | Davenport |
| 10 | Arizona |
| 11 | Cal Poly |
| 12 | Penn State |
| 13 | Grand Canyon |
| 14 | UCLA |
| 15 | Mary Washington |
| 16 | Arkansas State |
| 17 | Texas A&M |
| 18 | Mount St. Mary's |
| 19 | Colorado |
| 20 | Ohio State |
Final 2024 :
| Rank | College |
| 1 | Saint Mary's |
| 2 | Navy |
| 3 | Life |
| 4 | Lindenwood |
| 5 | BYU |
| 6 | Central Washington |
| 7 | Army |
| 8 | California |
| 9 | Arkansas State |
| 10 | Cal Poly |
| 11 | Arizona |
| 12 | Davenport |
| 13 | UCLA |
| 14 | Mary Washington |
| 15 | Mount St. Mary's |
| 16 | Grand Canyon |
| 17 | Colorado State |
| 18 | CSU, Long Beach |
| 19 | Penn State |
| 20 | Texas A&M |
Notes:
* 2012: Cal was not included in the D1A rankings because it withdrew from D1A mid-season.
* 2013: Utah was not ranked because its rugby program was suspended by the school. Central Florida, and Bowling Green were new to the rankings; they had been ranked #17 and #19 respectively in D1-AA during the previous 2012 season.
* 2014: Army was ranked low, due in large part to the team's suspension during the season.
* 2023: No final D1A rankings were released so rankings listed above of week 1 from the 2023–24 season
Key :
* Green shading indicates the highest-ranked team to debut in the rankings that year.
* Silver shading indicates the team that increased the largest number of places in the rankings that year.

## Seasons
### 2011 season
#### Notable events

* First Season of the College Premier Division
* Funding for Cal Rugby, which previously was announced would be dropped, was restored after additional funding was raised by donors, alumni and fans.
* Life University participated in its first playoff game in school history
* BYU hosted its first rugby playoff game in club history.
* BYU and California played for the national championship for the 6th consecutive year (2006-10 in USA Rugby Collegiate Tournament, 2011 USA Rugby College Premier Division)

#### Regular season

Records and final standings for 2011.
Pacific Conference :
| # | School | Conf. record | +/- |
| 1 | x-California | 7-0 | +344 |
| 2 | y-St. Mary's | 6-1 | +143 |
| 3 | Cent. Washington | 5-2 | +55 |
| 4 | San Diego State | 4-3 | -8 |
| 5 | Cal Poly | 3-4 | -66 |
| 6 | UCLA | 2-5 | -107 |
| 7 | UC-Davis | 2-5 | -169 |
| 8 | Claremont | 0-7 | -192 |
Western Conference :
| # | School | Conf. record | +/- |
| 1 | x-BYU | 7-0 | +376 |
| 2 | y-Utah | 6-1 | +176 |
| 3 | Arizona State | 5-2 | +49 |
| 4 | Arizona | 4-3 | 34 |
| 5 | Air Force | 3-4 | -9 |
| 6 | Colorado | 2-4 | -48 |
| 7 | Colorado State | 1-7 | -251 |
| 8 | Wyoming | 0-7 | -307 |
Mid-South Conference :
| # | School | Conf. record | +/- |
| 1 | x-Arkansas St. | 6-0 | +227 |
| 2 | y-Life University | 5-1 | +243 |
| 3 | LSU | 3-3 | -56 |
| 4 | Texas A&M | 2-4 | -48 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 2-3 | -115 |
| 6 | Notre Dame | 2-3 | -85 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | 0-6 | -166 |
East Conference :
| # | School | Conf. record | +/- |
| 1 | x-Army | 7-0 | +158 |
| 2 | y-Navy | 6-1 | +103 |
| 3 | Penn State | 5-2 | -20 |
| 4 | Kutztown | 3-4 | +60 |
| 5 | Dartmouth | 3-4 | -9 |
| 6 | Delaware | 2-5 | -21 |
| 7 | Rutgers | 2-5 | -133 |
| 8 | Ohio State | 1-6 | -138 |

#### Playoffs and final

| Quarterfinals (May 7–8) @Higher Seed | Quarterfinals (May 7–8) @Higher Seed | Quarterfinals (May 7–8) @Higher Seed | Semi-Finals (May 14) Infinity Park, Glendale, CO ESPN3 | Semi-Finals (May 14) Infinity Park, Glendale, CO ESPN3 | Semi-Finals (May 14) Infinity Park, Glendale, CO ESPN3 | Championship (May 21) Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT ESPN3/ESPNU | Championship (May 21) Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT ESPN3/ESPNU | Championship (May 21) Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT ESPN3/ESPNU |
| W1 | Brigham Young | 64 | | | | | | |
| E2 | Navy | 12 | | | | | | |
| E2 | Navy | 12 | W1 | Brigham Young | 36 | | | |
| | | | MS1 | Arkansas State | 15 | | | |
| MS1 | Arkansas State | 30 | MS1 | Arkansas State | 15 | | | |
| PC2 | St. Mary's (CA) | 17 | | | | | | |
| PC2 | St. Mary's (CA) | 17 | | | | W1 | Brigham Young | 14 |
| | | | | | | PC1 | California | 21 |
| PC1 | California | 43 | | | | | | | PC1 | California | 21 |
| MS2 | Life University | 10 | | | | | | |
| MS2 | Life University | 10 | PC1 | California | 62 | | | |
| | | | W2 | Utah | 14 | | | |
| E1 | Army | 26 | W2 | Utah | 14 | | | |
| W2 | Utah | 32 | | | | | | |

#### After the season

* Tennessee and LSU moved from D1-A to join other SEC schools in the newly formed D1-AA Southeastern Collegiate Rugby Conference.
* Dartmouth moved from D1-A to join other Ivy League schools in the newly formed D1-AA Ivy Rugby Conference.

### 2012 season
#### Regular season

Records and final standings for 2012.
Pacific Coast Conference :
| # | School | Conf. record | +/- |
| 1 | x-Saint Mary's | 4-0 | +154 |
| 2 | y-UCLA | 3-1 | -32 |
| 3 | Cent. Washington | 2-2 | -6 |
| 4 | Cal Poly | 1-3 | -27 |
| 5 | UC Davis | 0-4 | -89 |
Western Conference :
| # | School | Conf. record | +/- |
| 1 | x-BYU | 7-0 | +293 |
| 2 | y-Utah | 6-1 | +201 |
| 3 | Air Force | 5-2 | +127 |
| 4 | Colorado | 3-4 | +54 |
| 5 | Arizona | 3-4 | -75 |
| 6 | Wyoming | 3-4 | -149 |
| 7 | Arizona State | 2-5 | -186 |
| 8 | Colorado State | 0-7 | -205 |
Mid-South Conference :
| # | School | Conf. record | +/- |
| 1 | x-Life University | 8-0 | +360 |
| 2 | y-Arkansas St. | 5-2 | +252 |
| 3 | Texas A&M | 3-3 | -47 |
| 4 | Notre Dame | 1-6 | -216 |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 1-7 | -349 |
East Conference :
| # | School | Conf. record | +/- |
| 1 | x-Army | 6-0 | +115 |
| 2 | y-Penn State | 5-1 | +88 |
| 3 | Kutztown | 4-2 | +67 |
| 4 | Navy | 3-3 | +55 |
| 5 | Ohio State | 1-4 | -74 |
| 6 | Delaware | 0-4 | -61 |
| 7 | Rutgers | 0-5 | -190 |
x-Conference champion
y-Qualified for playoffs

#### Playoffs and final

| Quarterfinals (May 5) @Higher Seed | Quarterfinals (May 5) @Higher Seed | Quarterfinals (May 5) @Higher Seed | Semi-Finals (May 12) Location determined by Quarterfinal results | Semi-Finals (May 12) Location determined by Quarterfinal results | Semi-Finals (May 12) Location determined by Quarterfinal results | Championship (May 19) Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, UT ESPN3 | Championship (May 19) Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, UT ESPN3 | Championship (May 19) Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, UT ESPN3 |
| W1 | Brigham Young | 103 | | | | | | |
| PC2 | UCLA | 24 | | | | | | |
| PC2 | UCLA | 24 | W1 | Brigham Young | 26 | | | |
| | | | MS1 | Life University | 20 | | | |
| MS1 | Life University | 75 | MS1 | Life University | 20 | | | |
| E2 | Penn State | 3 | | | | | | |
| E2 | Penn State | 3 | | | | W1 | Brigham Young | 49 |
| | | | | | | MS2 | Arkansas State | 42 |
| E1 | Army | 20 | | | | | | | MS2 | Arkansas State | 42 |
| MS2 | Arkansas State | 36 | | | | | | |
| MS2 | Arkansas State | 36 | MS2 | Arkansas State | 31 | | | |
| | | | PC1 | Saint Mary's | 17 | | | |
| PC1 | Saint Mary's | 24 | PC1 | Saint Mary's | 17 | | | |
| W2 | Utah | 15 | | | | | | |

#### After the season

* Nine schools from the Big-10 joined Ohio State in D1-A and formed the Big Ten Universities conference.
* Texas A&M and Oklahoma were joined by several other Texas schools to form the Allied Rugby Conference, composed mostly of Big-12 South schools.
* The Pacific Coast Conference was renamed the California Conference, several former D1-AA California schools were promoted to this conference, and Central Washington became an independent D1-A school.
* D1-AA champion Davenport was promoted to D1-A and joined the Mid-South Conference.
* UCLA, Utah, Arizona and Arizona State moved from their respective past conferences to the newly formed D1-A PAC Rugby Conference.
* BYU moved from Division 1A to the D1-AA Mountain States Conference; Navy moved from D1-A to the Atlantic Coast Rugby League; and Rutgers moved from D1-A to the Empire Rugby Conference.

### 2013 season

California Conference :
| # | School | Conf. W/L |
| 1 | x-Saint Mary's | 7-0 |
| 2 | y-Cal Poly | 6-1 |
| 3 | San Diego St. | 5-2 |
| 4 | UC Davis | 4-3 |
| 5 | UC S. Barbara | 2-5 |
| 6 | Sacramento St. | 2-5 |
| 7 | Santa Clara | 2-5 |
| 8 | Stanford | 0-7 |
West Conference :
| # | School | Conf. W/L |
| 1 | x-Colorado St. | 4-0 |
| 2 | y-Colorado | 3-1 |
| 3 | Wyoming | 1-2 |
| 4 | North. Colorado | 0-3 |
Mid-South Conf. :
| # | School | Conf. W/L |
| 1 | x-Arkansas St. | 3-1 |
| 2 | y-Life Univ. | 3-1 |
| 3 | Davenport | 0-4 |
East Conference :
| # | School | Conf. W/L |
| 1 | x-Army | 3-0 |
| 2 | y-Kutztown | 2-1 |
| 3 | Penn State | 1-2 |
| 4 | Delaware | 0-3 |
Big Ten Univ. :
| # | School | Conf. W/L |
| 1 | z-Wisconsin | 5-0 |
| 2 | Ohio State | 3-1-1 |
| 3 | Illinois | 4-1 |
| 4 | Indiana | 3-2 |
| 5 | Michigan | 3-2 |
| 6 | Michigan St. | 2-2-1 |
| 7 | Iowa | 2-3 |
| 8 | Minnesota | 2-3 |
| 9 | Purdue | 0-5 |
| 10 | Nebraska | 0-5 |
Allied Conference :
| # | School | Conf. W/L |
| 1 | z-Texas A&M | 5-0 |
| 2 | Texas | 4-1 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 3-2 |
| 4 | Texas Tech | 2-3 |
| 5 | Sam Houston | 1-4 |
| 6 | Baylor | 0-5 |
x = conference champion and automatic quarterfinal berth
y = conference runner-up and eligible for playoffs
z = conference champion and eligible for playoffs

#### Playoffs and final

| Quarterfinals (April 27) @ Higher Seed | Quarterfinals (April 27) @ Higher Seed | Quarterfinals (April 27) @ Higher Seed | Semi-Finals (May 4) @ Higher Seed | Semi-Finals (May 4) @ Higher Seed | Semi-Finals (May 4) @ Higher Seed | Final (May 18) Greensboro, NC ESPN3/ESPNU | Final (May 18) Greensboro, NC ESPN3/ESPNU | Final (May 18) Greensboro, NC ESPN3/ESPNU |
| Cal1 | St. Mary's | 65 | | | | | | |
| W2 | Colorado | 25 | | | | | | |
| W2 | Colorado | 25 | Cal1 | St. Mary's | 58 | | | |
| | | | Cal2 | Cal Poly | 24 | | | |
| W1 | Colorado State | 19 | Cal2 | Cal Poly | 24 | | | |
| Cal2 | Cal Poly | 40 | | | | | | |
| Cal2 | Cal Poly | 40 | | | | Cal1 | St. Mary's | 14 |
| | | | | | | M/S2 | Life University | 16 |
| M/S1 | Arkansas State | 31 | | | | | | | M/S2 | Life University | 16 |
| East2 | Kutztown | 10 | | | | | | |
| East2 | Kutztown | 10 | M/S1 | Arkansas State | 13 | | | |
| | | | M/S2 | Life University | 18 | | | |
| East1 | Army | 29 | M/S2 | Life University | 18 | | | |
| M/S2 | Life University | 55 | | | | | | |

#### After the season

* The following schools, either late during the spring 2013 season or after the season, left D1A and moved to the Varsity Cup: Central Washington, Texas, Oklahoma.
* The following schools joined D1A: Wheeling Jesuit, Lindenwood.

### 2014 season
#### Playoffs and final

| Quarterfinals (April 26) @ Higher Seed | Quarterfinals (April 26) @ Higher Seed | Quarterfinals (April 26) @ Higher Seed | Semifinals (May 3) @ Higher Seed | Semifinals (May 3) @ Higher Seed | Semifinals (May 3) @ Higher Seed | Final (May 10) Stanford, CA USA Rugby TV | Final (May 10) Stanford, CA USA Rugby TV | Final (May 10) Stanford, CA USA Rugby TV |
| St. Mary's | St. Mary's | 103 | | | | | | |
| Santa Clara | Santa Clara | 10 | | | | | | |
| Santa Clara | Santa Clara | 10 | St. Mary's | St. Mary's | 72 | | | |
| | | | Lindenwood | Lindenwood | 7 | | | |
| Lindenwood | Lindenwood | 64 | Lindenwood | Lindenwood | 7 | | | |
| Davenport | Davenport | 32 | | | | | | |
| Davenport | Davenport | 32 | | | | St. Mary's | St. Mary's | 21 |
| | | | | | | Life University | Life University | 6 |
| Arkansas State | Arkansas State | 43 | | | | | | | Life University | Life University | 6 |
| Cal Poly SLO | Cal Poly SLO | 12 | | | | | | |
| Cal Poly SLO | Cal Poly SLO | 12 | Arkansas State | Arkansas State | 27 | | | |
| | | | Life University | Life University | 34 | | | |
| Life University | Life University | 57 | Life University | Life University | 34 | | | |
| Colorado | Colorado | 3 | | | | | | |

#### After the season

* The Allied Rugby Conference folded. Many of the schools went and formed the Red River Conference.

### 2015 season

For the 2014–2015 school year, a number of conferences — particularly those in the colder northeast and upper midwest — played their regular seasons in the fall.
California Conference :
| # | School | Conf. W/L |
| 1 | Saint Mary's | 4–0 |
| 2 | Cal Poly | 3–1 |
| 3 | San Diego St. | 2–2 |
| 4 | Santa Clara | 1–3 |
| 5 | UC S. Barbara | 0–4 |
West Conference :
| # | School | Conf. W/L |
| 1 | Air Force | 6–1 |
| 2 | Colorado St. | 6–1 |
| 3 | Wyoming | 2-4-2 |
| 4 | y-Colorado | 2-4-2 |
| 5 | New Mexico | 0–6 |
Mid-South Conf. :
| # | School | Conf. W/L |
| 1 | Life Univ. | 4–0 |
| 2 | Davenport | 1–3 |
| 3 | Lindenwood | 1–3 |
Rugby East :
| # | School | Conf. W/L |
| 1 | Army | 6–0 |
| 2 | Kutztown | 5–1 |
| 3 | Penn State | 4–2 |
| 4 | Wheeling Jesuit | 3–3 |
| 5 | Iona | 2–4 |
| 6 | St. Bonaventure | 1–5 |
| 7 | Buffalo | 0–6 |

#### Playoffs and final

| Quarterfinals (April 25) | Quarterfinals (April 25) | Quarterfinals (April 25) | Semifinals (May 2) | Semifinals (May 2) | Semifinals (May 2) | Final (May 9) | Final (May 9) | Final (May 9) |
| M1 | Life | 64 | | | | | | |
| E2 | Penn State | 3 | | | | | | |
| E2 | Penn State | 3 | M1 | Life | 43 | | | |
| | | | M3 | Lindenwood | 14 | | | |
| W1 | Air Force | 12 | M3 | Lindenwood | 14 | | | |
| M3 | Lindenwood | 59 | | | | | | |
| M3 | Lindenwood | 59 | | | | M1 | Life | 24 |
| | | | | | | C1 | St. Mary's | 30 |
| E1 | Army | 24 | | | | | | | C1 | St. Mary's | 30 |
| M2 | Davenport | 50 | | | | | | |
| M2 | Davenport | 50 | M2 | Davenport | 32 | | | |
| | | | C1 | St. Mary's | 48 | | | |
| C1 | St. Mary's | 72 | C1 | St. Mary's | 48 | | | |
| | Utah | 26 | | | | | | |

### 2016 season
#### Playoffs

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | St. Mary's (CA) | 77 | | | | | | |
| | Air Force | 17 | | | | | | |
| | Air Force | 17 | St. Mary's (CA) | St. Mary's (CA) | 81 | | | |
| | | | Utah | Utah | 32 | | | |
| 4 | Utah | 36 | Utah | Utah | 32 | | | |
| | Arizona | 14 | | | | | | |
| | Arizona | 14 | | | | St. Mary's (CA) | St. Mary's (CA) | 20 |
| | | | | | | Life Univ | Life Univ | 24 |
| 2 | Life Univ | 44 | | | | | | | Life Univ | Life Univ | 24 |
| | Davenport | 0 | | | | | | |
| | Davenport | 0 | Life Univ. | Life Univ. | 41 | | | |
| | | | Lindenwood | Lindenwood | 7 | | | |
| 3 | Lindenwood | 36 | Lindenwood | Lindenwood | 7 | | | |
| | Indiana | 28 | | | | | | |

### 2017 season
#### Playoffs

| Quarterfinals April 22 | Quarterfinals April 22 | Quarterfinals April 22 | Semifinals April 29 | Semifinals April 29 | Semifinals April 29 | Final May 6 | Final May 6 | Final May 6 |
| 1 | St. Mary's (CA) | 72 | | | | | | |
| 9 | San Diego State | 5 | | | | | | |
| 9 | San Diego State | 5 | 1 | St. Mary's (CA) | 43 | | | |
| | | | 14 | Arizona | 7 | | | |
| 14 | Arizona | 48 | 14 | Arizona | 7 | | | |
| 16 | Baylor | 5 | | | | | | |
| 16 | Baylor | 5 | | | | 1 | St. Mary's (CA) | 30 |
| | | | | | | 2 | Life Univ | 24 |
| | Lindenwood | 20 | | | | | | | 2 | Life Univ | 24 |
| 2 | Life Univ. | 37 | | | | | | |
| 2 | Life Univ. | 37 | 2 | Life Univ. | 36 | | | |
| | | | 3 | BYU | 26 | | | |
| 3 | BYU | 44 | 3 | BYU | 26 | | | |
| 7 | Indiana | 17 | | | | | | |

#### After the season

The Varsity Cup folded in November 2017 when the organizer, broadcast partner and a major sponsor, Penn Mutual, withdrew their support.

### 2018 season
#### Standings

Big Ten :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Indiana | 7–0 | +150 | 7 | 35 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | 5–3 | +159 | 5 | 25 |
| 3 | Michigan State | 5–2 | +81 | 5 | 25 |
| 4 | Illinois | 5–2 | +13 | 5 | 25 |
| 5 | Ohio State | 3–4 | +111 | 10 | 22 |
| 6 | Purdue | 3–4 | –16 | 5 | 17 |
| 7 | Michigan | 2–5 | –139 | 1 | 9 |
| 8 | Minnesota | 1–6 | –99 | 4 | 8 |
| 9 | Iowa | 0–5 | –260 | 0 | 0 |
California :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Saint Mary's | 5–0 | +303 | 5 | 25 |
| 2 | Cal Poly | 3–2 | +81 | 4 | 16 |
| 3 | San Diego State | 3–2 | +44 | 4 | 16 |
| 4 | UC Davis | 3–2 | +8 | 3 | 15 |
| 5 | Santa Clara | 1–4 | –213 | 1 | 5 |
| 6 | UC Santa Barbara | 0–5 | –223 | 0 | 0 |
East :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Penn State | 7–0 | +207 | 7 | 35 |
| 2 | Army | 4–3 | +152 | 9 | 25 |
| 3 | Kutztown | 3–2 | +90 | 5 | 17 |
| 4 | Notre Dame College | 3–2 | +54 | 5 | 17 |
| 5 | Wheeling Jesuit | 2–4 | –61 | 5 | 13 |
| 6 | St. Bonaventure | 2–4 | –126 | 3 | 11 |
| 7 | Buffalo | 0–6 | –316 | 0 | 0 |
Liberty (New York) – Empire :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Binghamton | 7–1 | +248 | 7 | 35 |
| 2 | Cortland | 6–2 | +46 | 6 | 30 |
| 3 | Syracuse | 4–3 | +31 | 4 | 20 |
| 4 | Albany | 4–4 | +94 | 2 | 18 |
| 5 | Colgate | 1–5 | –160 | 1 | 5 |
| 6 | Brockport | 0–5 | –142 | 0 | 0 |
Liberty (New York, Jersey) – I-95 :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Iona | 6–0 | +281 | 6 | 30 |
| 2 | Fordham | 5–2 | +3 | 4 | 24 |
| 3 | Delaware | 2–3 | –53 | 3 | 11 |
| 4 | Stony Brook | 1–7 | –139 | 4 | 8 |
| 5 | Rutgers | 1–7 | –118 | 2 | 5 |
Liberty – New England :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Northeastern | 6–0 | +182 | 6 | 30 |
| 2 | Uconn | 4–2 | +38 | 6 | 22 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | 4–4 | +59 | 5 | 21 |
| 4 | Umass | 3–4 | +3 | 5 | 17 |
| 5 | Tufts | 3–3 | –56 | 4 | 16 |
| 6 | Fairfield | 1–6 | –129 | 4 | 8 |
Mid-South :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Life | 8–0 | +421 | 7 | 39 |
| 2 | Lindenwood | 6–2 | +199 | 6 | 31 |
| 3 | Arkansas State | 4–4 | –120 | 3 | 19 |
| 4 | Davenport | 2–6 | –180 | 4 | 11 |
| 5 | Clemson | 0–8 | –320 | 1 | 1 |
Pac :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | California | 5–0 | +378 | 5 | 25 |
| 2 | Arizona | 4–1 | +163 | 4 | 20 |
| 3 | UCLA | 2–2–1 | +22 | 3 | 13 |
| 4 | Utah | 2–2–1 | –59 | 3 | 13 |
| 5 | Arizona State | 1–4 | –197 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | USC | 0–5 | –307 | 1 | 1 |
Red River :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Texas A&M | 8–1 | +232 | 8 | 40 |
| 2 | Baylor | 7–2 | +182 | 8 | 36 |
| 3 | LSU | 7–1 | +277 | 6 | 34 |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 5–4 | –57 | 5 | 25 |
| 5 | Texas | 4–4 | +29 | 4 | 20 |
| 6 | Texas Tech | 3–6 | –68 | 7 | 19 |
| 7 | Arkansas | 2–5 | –86 | 4 | 12 |
| 8 | TCU | 1–5 | –149 | 1 | 4 |
| 9 | Houston | 0–9 | –360 | 0 | 0 |
Rocky Mountain :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Colorado State | 5–0 | +260 | 5 | 25 |
| 2 | Air Force | 3–2 | +108 | 5 | 17 |
| 3 | Colorado | 3–2 | +38 | 4 | 16 |
| 4 | Utah State | 3–2 | +17 | 4 | 16 |
| 5 | Wyoming | 1–4 | –171 | 1 | 5 |
| 6 | New Mexico | 0–5 | –252 | 1 | 1 |
Independent :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | BYU | 5–2 | | | |
Source:

#### Playoffs

| Sweet 16 (April 14) | Sweet 16 (April 14) | Sweet 16 (April 14) | Elite Eight (April 21) | Elite Eight (April 21) | Elite Eight (April 21) | Final Four (April 28) | Final Four (April 28) | Final Four (April 28) | | National Championship Game (May 5) | National Championship Game (May 5) | National Championship Game (May 5) |
| 1 | Saint Mary's | 58 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Cal Poly | 22 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Cal Poly | 22 | 1 | Saint Mary's | 22 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 9 | Lindenwood | 43 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Texas A&M | 12 | 9 | Lindenwood | 43 | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Lindenwood | 83 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Lindenwood | 83 | | | | 9 | Lindenwood | 22 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3 | California | 43 | | | | |
| 6 | Indiana | 0 | | | | | | | 3 | California | 43 | | | | |
| 11 | Navy | 47 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Navy | 47 | 11 | Navy | 27 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 3 | California | 33 | | | | | | | |
| 3 | California | 85 | 3 | California | 33 | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Grand Canyon | 14 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Grand Canyon | 14 | | | | | | | | 3 | California | 5 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Life | 60 |
| 2 | Life | 87 | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Life | 60 |
| 15 | Central Washington | 7 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Central Washington | 7 | 2 | Life | 44 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 10 | Army | 10 | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Colorado State | 15 | 10 | Army | 10 | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Army | 52 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Army | 52 | | | | 2 | Life | 69 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 5 | Penn State | 14 | | | | |
| 5 | Penn State | 51 | | | | | | | 5 | Penn State | 14 | | | | |
| 12 | Arizona | 34 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Arizona | 34 | 5 | Penn State | 48 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | BYU | 46 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | BYU | 34 | 4 | BYU | 46 | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Arkansas State | 23 | | | | | | | | | | |

### 2019 season
#### Playoffs

| Sweet 16 (April 13) | Sweet 16 (April 13) | Sweet 16 (April 13) | | | Elite Eight (April 20) | Elite Eight (April 20) | Elite Eight (April 20) | Final Four (April 27) | Final Four (April 27) | Final Four (April 27) | | National Championship Game (May 4) | National Championship Game (May 4) | National Championship Game (May 4) |
| 1 | California | 141 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | UC Davis | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | UC Davis | 3 | | | 1 | California | 61 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | Arizona | 16 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Arizona | 28 | | | 4 | Arizona | 16 | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Central Washington | 19 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Central Washington | 19 | | | | | | 1 | California | 28 | | | | |
| WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | 1 | California | 28 | | | | |
| WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | 2 | Saint Mary's | 24 | | | | |
| 3 | BYU | 50 | | | | | | | | | 2 | Saint Mary's | 24 | | | | |
| 6 | UCLA | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | UCLA | 12 | | | 3 | BYU | 12 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Saint Mary's | 71 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Saint Mary's | 74 | | | 2 | Saint Mary's | 71 | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Grand Canyon | 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Grand Canyon | 12 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | California | 26 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Life | 29 |
| 1 | Life | 34 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Life | 29 |
| 8 | Penn State | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Penn State | 3 | | | 1 | Life | 40 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 5 | Navy | 25 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Oklahoma | 0 | | | 5 | Navy | 25 | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Navy | 71 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Navy | 71 | | | | | | 1 | Life | 27 | | | | |
| EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | 1 | Life | 27 | | | | |
| EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | 6 | Lindenwood | 19 | | | | |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 0 | | | | | | | | | 6 | Lindenwood | 19 | | | | |
| 6 | Lindenwood | 97 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Lindenwood | 97 | | | 6 | Lindenwood | 22 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 7 | Arkansas State | 18 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Army | 24 | | | 7 | Arkansas State | 18 | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Arkansas State | 31 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Source:

### 2022 season
#### Standings

Big Ten :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Ohio State | 5–1 | +208 | 7 | 27 |
| 2 | Indiana | 5–1 | +142 | 4 | 24 |
| 3 | Michigan State | 4–2 | +43 | 4 | 20 |
| 4 | Illinois | 3–3 | -23 | 4 | 16 |
| 5 | Michigan | 3–3 | -30 | 2 | 14 |
| 6 | Purdue | 1–5 | –108 | 2 | 6 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | 0–6 | –232 | 1 | 1 |
California :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Saint Mary's | 4–0 | +243 | 4 | 20 |
| 2 | Cal Poly | 4–1 | +166 | 4 | 20 |
| 3 | Grand Canyon University | 3–0 | +80 | 3 | 15 |
| 4 | Santa Clara | 2–3 | -111 | 3 | 11 |
| 5 | UC Santa Barbara | 1–4 | -139 | 2 | 6 |
| 6 | UC Davis | 1–3 | –80 | 1 | 5 |
| 7 | San Diego State | 0–4 | –159 | 2 | 2 |
Mid-South :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Lindenwood | 6–0 | +142 | 4 | 28 |
| 2 | Life | 4–2 | +17 | 1 | 17 |
| 3 | Arkansas State | 2–4 | –59 | 2 | 10 |
| 4 | Davenport | 0–6 | –100 | 3 | 3 |
Red River :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Texas A&M | 6–0 | +190 | 5 | 29 |
| 2 | Oklahoma | 5–2 | +69 | 3 | 23 |
| 3 | Baylor | 3–4 | +20 | 6 | 18 |
| 4 | Texas | 3–4 | –50 | 4 | 16 |
| 5 | North Texas | 0–7 | -229 | 1 | 1 |
Rocky Mountain West :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | BYU | 4–0 | +142 | 4 | 20 |
| 2 | Utah Valley | 2–2 | -58 | 2 | 10 |
| 3 | Utah State | 0–4 | -205 | 0 | 0 |

#### Playoffs

| Round 1 (April 9) | Round 1 (April 9) | Round 1 (April 9) | Elite Eight (April 16) | Elite Eight (April 16) | Elite Eight (April 16) | Final Four (April 23) | Final Four (April 23) | Final Four (April 23) | National Championship Game (April 30) | National Championship Game (April 30) | National Championship Game (April 30) |
| | | | 1 | California | 43 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Central Washington | 62 | 4 | Central Washington | 26 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Cal Poly | 17 | WEST | WEST | WEST | 1 | California | 26 | | | |
| | | | WEST | WEST | WEST | 2 | Saint Mary's | 35 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Saint Mary's | 24 | | | | | | |
| 3 | BYU | 59 | 3 | BYU | 22 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Arizona | 13 | | | | | | | 2 | Saint Mary's | 8 |
| | | | | | | | | | 1 | Army | 20 |
| | | | 1 | Army | 39 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Life | 26 | 4 | Life | 18 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Navy | 13 | EAST | EAST | EAST | 1 | Army | 19 | | | |
| | | | EAST | EAST | EAST | 2 | Lindenwood | 14 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Lindenwood | 41 | | | | | | |
| 3 | Texas A&M | w/o | 6 | Arkansas State | 10 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Arkansas State | w/o | | | | | | | | | |
Sources:

### 2023 season
#### Standings

Independent :
| Team | Record | PD |
| Central Washington | 8–1 | +174 |
Mid-South :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Lindenwood | 5–1 | +181 | 3 | 23 |
| 2 | Life | 4–2 | +61 | 3 | 19 |
| 3 | Davenport | 3–3 | –41 | 0 | 12 |
| 4 | Arkansas State | 0–6 | –101 | 1 | 1 |
Pac Rugby Conference :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | California | 3–0 | +169 | 3 | 15 |
| 2 | Arizona | 2–1 | +76 | 2 | 10 |
| 3 | UCLA | 1–2 | –5 | 3 | 7 |
| 4 | Utah | 0–3 | –240 | 0 | 0 |
Rugby East (North) :
| Pos. | Team | Record | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Navy | 5–0 | 3 | 23 |
| 2 | Army | 4–1 | 5 | 20 |
| 3 | St. Bonaventure | 3–2 | 2 | 14 |
| 4 | Notre Dame College | 2–3 | 2 | 10 |
| 5 | Kutztown | 1–4 | 3 | 7 |
| 6 | Penn State | 0–5 | 1 | 1 |
Big Ten :
| Pos. | Team | Record |
| 1 | Indiana (W) | 5 — 0 |
| 2 | Ohio State (E) | 4 — 1 |
| 3 | Notre Dame | 4 — 1 |
| 4 | Illinois | 3 — 2 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | 3 — 2 |
| 6 | Michigan State | 2 — 3 |
| 7 | Michigan | 1 — 4 |
| 8 | Purdue | 0 — 5 |
Red River :
| Pos. | Team | Record | Pts | Pts Diff |
| 1 | Texas A&M | 6–0 | 30 | +493 |
| 2 | Texas | 4–2 | 20 | +30 |
| 3 | Baylor | 3–2 | 15 | -22 |
| 4 | North Texas | 2–3 | 10 | -172 |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 1–4 | 7 | -79 |
| 6 | Texas Tech | 0–5 | 1 | -250 |

#### Playoffs

| Round 1 (April 8) | Round 1 (April 8) | Round 1 (April 8) | Elite Eight (April 15) | Elite Eight (April 15) | Elite Eight (April 15) | Final Four (April 22) | Final Four (April 22) | Final Four (April 22) | National Championship Game (May 6) | National Championship Game (May 6) | National Championship Game (May 6) |
| | | | 1 | Central Washington | 31 | | | | | | |
| 4 | BYU | 71 | 4 | BYU | 62 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Arizona | 33 | WEST | WEST | WEST | 4 | BYU | 31 | | | |
| | | | WEST | WEST | WEST | 3 | California | 55 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Saint Mary's | 28 | | | | | | |
| 3 | California | 82 | 3 | California | 29 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Cal Poly | 15 | | | | | | | 3 | California | 22 |
| | | | | | | | | | 1 | Navy | 28 |
| | | | 1 | Navy | 30 | | | | | | |
| 4 | Army | 36 | 4 | Army | 6 | | | | | | |
| 5 | Davenport | 34 | EAST | EAST | EAST | 1 | Navy | 12 | | | |
| | | | EAST | EAST | EAST | 2 | Lindenwood | 10 | | | |
| | | | 2 | Lindenwood | 29 | | | | | | |
| 3 | Life | 82 | 3 | Life | 8 | | | | | | |
| 6 | Texas A&M | 0 | | | | | | | | | |
Sources:

### 2024 season
#### Standings

Rugby East (North) :
| Pos. | Team | Record | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Navy | 7–0 | 4 | 32 |
| 2 | Life | 5–1–0 | 6 | 26 |
| 3 | Notre Dame College | 4–1–1 | 3 | 21 |
| 4 | Mount St. Mary's | 4–2 | 2 | 18 |
| 5 | St. Bonaventure | 4–3 | 2 | 18 |
| 6 | University of Mary Washington | 3–3 | 4 | 16 |
| 7 | Army | 2–4–1 | 4 | 14 |
| 6 | Kutztown | 2–5 | 6 | 14 |
| 9 | Queens | 2–4 | 3 | 11 |
| 10 | Southern Virginia | 1–5 | 3 | 7 |
| 11 | Penn State | 0–6 | 3 | 3 |
Big Ten :
| Big Ten East ||||
| Pos. | Team | Record | Points |
| 1 | Ohio State | 3–1 | 12 |
| 2 | Michigan State | 2–0 | 8 |
| 3 | Michigan | 1–4 | 5 |
| 4 | Notre Dame | 0–3 | 2 |
| Big Ten West ||||
| Pos. | Team | Record | Points |
| 1 | Indiana | 4–0 | 16 |
| 2 | Illinois | 1–1 | 4 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 1–1 | 4 |
| 4 | Purdue | 1–2 | 4 |
Mid-West :
| Pos. | Team | Record | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Lindenwood | 3–0 | 2 | 14 |
| 2 | Davenport | 2–1 | 3 | 11 |
| 3 | Adrian | 0–2 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | McKendree | 0–2 | 0 | 0 |
California :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | Cal Poly | 7–1 | +422 | 8 | 36 |
| 2 | Saint Mary's | 7–0 | +525 | 7 | 35 |
| 3 | UC Santa Barbara | 5–3 | +118 | 5 | 25 |
| 4 | Long Beach | 5–2 | +66 | 5 | 25 |
| 5 | UC Davis | 4–4 | –144 | 4 | 20 |
| 6 | San Diego State | 3–5 | –132 | 6 | 18 |
| 7 | Santa Cruz | 1–5–1 | –291 | 2 | 8 |
| 6 | Santa Clara | 1–7 | –266 | 3 | 7 |
| 9 | Sacramento | 0–1–6 | –298 | 1 | 3 |
Independent :
| Team | Record | PD |
| Central Washington | 8–3 | +79 |
| Grand Canyon University | 4–4 | +63 |
Pac Rugby Conference :
| Pos. | Team | Record | PD | BP | Pts |
| 1 | California | 3–0 | +176 | 3 | 15 |
| 2 | UCLA | 2–1 | +29 | 2 | 10 |
| 3 | Arizona | 1–2 | –38 | 2 | 7 |
| 4 | Utah | 0–3 | –170 | 1 | 1 |
Rocky Mountain :
| Team | Record | PD |
| BYU | 5–0 | +339 |

#### Playoffs

| Sweet 16 (April 6) | Sweet 16 (April 6) | Sweet 16 (April 6) | | | Elite Eight (April 13) | Elite Eight (April 13) | Elite Eight (April 13) | Final Four (April 20) | Final Four (April 20) | Final Four (April 20) | | National Championship Game (May 4) | National Championship Game (May 4) | National Championship Game (May 4) |
| 1 | Saint Mary's | 78 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Grand Canyon | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Grand Canyon | 7 | | | 1 | Saint Mary's | 34 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | California | 16 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | California | 70 | | | 4 | California | 16 | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Cal Poly | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Cal Poly | 13 | | | | | | 1 | Saint Mary's | 46 | | | | |
| WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | 1 | Saint Mary's | 46 | | | | |
| WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | WEST | 3 | BYU | 31 | | | | |
| 3 | BYU | 48 | | | | | | | | | 3 | BYU | 31 | | | | |
| 6 | UCLA | 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | UCLA | 15 | | | 3 | BYU | 40 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Central Washington | 26 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Central Washington | 23 | | | 2 | Central Washington | 26 | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Arizona | 17 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Arizona | 17 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Saint Mary's | 26 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Navy | 22 |
| 1 | Navy | 41 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1 | Navy | 22 |
| 8 | University of Mary Washington | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | University of Mary Washington | 7 | | | 1 | Navy | 57 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 4 | Arkansas State | 5 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Arkansas State | 23 | | | 4 | Arkansas State | 5 | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Davenport | 17 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Davenport | 17 | | | | | | 1 | Navy | 27 | | | | |
| EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | 1 | Navy | 27 | | | | |
| EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | EAST | 2 | Life | 17 | | | | |
| 3 | Lindenwood | 26 | | | | | | | | | 2 | Life | 17 | | | | |
| 6 | Mount St. Mary's | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Mount St. Mary's | 0 | | | 3 | Lindenwood | 10 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | 2 | Life | 25 | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Life | 24 | | | 2 | Life | 25 | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Army | 17 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Sources:

## Rudy Scholz Award Winners

The Rudy Scholz award goes to the best male Division 1-A rugby player in the country. Below is a list of all prior recipients:
* 2016: Dylan Audsley, Saint Mary's
* 2017: Bryce Campbell, Indiana
* 2018: Connor McNerney, Navy
* 2019: Harley Wheeler, Life University
* 2020: Payton Telea-Ilalio, Saint Mary's
* 2021: Emmanuel Albert, Lindenwood
* 2022: Larry Williams, West Point
* 2023: Lewis Gray, Navy
* 2024: Wyatt Parry, BYU