Wheeling, W. Va. - With spring 7's season right around the corner, National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) has announced Wheeling University as one of six founding members of a new conference coming in the Fall of 2025. Wheeling University, Kutztown, Belmont Abbey, St. Bonaventure, Queens, and Walsh have been named the six founding members of the Atlantic Coast Rugby Conference (ACRC), which is set to begin play during the 2025 Fall 15's season. The conference will bring some of the best Rugby programs across the east coast together to form a "power conference" in NCR Division I Rugby.
"We are very happy to be joining the Atlantic Coast Rugby Conference next semester," said Wheeling University Head Men's Rugby Coach Mike Geibel." The competition in the ACRC represents a large number of the best teams in NCR, as evidenced by the numerous championships in both 15's and 7's over the past few years. It will be very toug competition week in and week out and we are excited for the challenge."
The new conference is explained by NCR tp be one of the most competitive conferences in all of collegiate rugby when they begin play in the fall. Between the six founding teams are five National Title game appearances during 15's season as well as three National Title wins, Walsh as Notre Dame College in 2023, Queens in 2024, and St. Bonaventure in 2021. The conference will align with National Collegiate Rugby's Division I competition and will begin a full Fall regular season and postseason schedule beginning with the 2025 15's season. Along with their success during the 15's season, the six founding teams have also made their may in spring 7's, with both Kutztown and Wheeling having won National Championships during that timespan.
"We are pleased that we could offer a new and competitive structure to these teams," said NCR Men's Director Brad Dufek in a statement. "The ACRC is poised to be one of the top conferences in the country, and we are excited to support it's inception."
Along with the six founding teams, the ACRC is also open to the opportunity for expansion before the official first season begins in the fall of 2025. The teams will play each other in a full regular season schedule, with the first-ever ACRC Conference Championship match scheduled for November 8th, 2025. The conference will also offer an advantage to its members, with five automatic bids to the NCR 2025 National Playoffs going to ACRC teams. The official conference branding, website, and social media will be unveiled in the coming weeks and there will be two Friday Night Rugby series in the Fall of 2025 featuring ACRC teams.
The Wheeling University Men's Rugby team will kick-off their Spring 7's season on Saturday, March 8th, when they head to the Peach 7's in Atlanta, Georgia.
