For young, aspiring female rugby players, the opportunity to combine a top-tier education with world-class rugby training has never been more accessible. The USA is fast becoming the go-to destination for those looking to elevate their game and their future.
With women's rugby now recognized as the fastest-growing collegiate sport in the States, the profile of the game has never been bigger. This is evident in the record crowds attending the current Women's Rugby World Cup in England, and the exciting news that the USA will host the Women's World Cup in 2033. This growth signifies a huge investment and a bright future for the sport, making the USA an ideal place for young players to be.
The benefits of playing college rugby in the States are immense. Players get the best of both worlds, pursuing a high-quality education at some of the world's top universities while honing their skills with world-class facilities and expert coaching. This unique blend of academic and athletic excellence opens up a world of opportunities both on and off the field.
Navigating the Landscape: Divisions and Competition
Unlike other sports, women's college rugby in the US is primarily governed two organizations - National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) and the College Rugby Association of America (CRAA). These bodies organize the competitive structure, which features different divisions to accommodate various levels of play, from varsity-level programs to highly competitive club teams. This multi-tiered system ensures there's a place for every dedicated player, from newcomers to seasoned veterans.
The top-tier of collegiate rugby features elite programs that consistently compete for national honors. In the most recent season, some of the sport's best programs were crowned champions. Dartmouth University have been national champions on three occasions, while Brown University have dominated the College Rugby 7s Championships, winning three titles in a row from 2023 to 2025. Meanwhile, the Wheeling University Cardinals secured the National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) Division I 15s National Championship in 2024 – incredibly, in the first year of the program - while in the CRAA, the Lindenwood Lions were victorious in the D1 Elite 15s championship in three of the last four seasons. These championship-winning programs are prime examples of the high level of competition and the quality of coaching available.
A prime example of a player who has leveraged this pathway is Ilona Maher. Starting her rugby journey at Quinnipiac University, she went on to become a bronze-medal winning Olympian and is now the most-followed rugby player in the world on social media, with 5.2m followers on Instagram. Her success story is a testament to the powerful platform that American collegiate rugby provides.
No fewer than 11 of the current USA Women’s Rugby squad have progressed through the collegiate rugby system, with the quartet of Cassidy Bargell; Cheta Emba; Maya Learned and Erica Jarrell-Searcy all having studied at Harvard University; Kathryn Treder at Stanford University and fly-half Gabby Cantorna, who was a Collegiate All-American and 4-time national champion at Penn State University.
Jamie Berrisford, FirstPoint's head of rugby, has seen this interest surge firsthand. "We are seeing an increasing interest from players in the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and Hong Kong," he says. "This is matched by an increased demand from college coaches who are eager to recruit international players to strengthen their teams and bring diverse talent to their programs."
FirstPoint USA has a proven track record of helping talented athletes achieve their dreams. We're proud to have placed players at some of the best institutions in the USA, including:
- Ellie-Jane Bowlder and Jordyn Hill-Jowett to Southern Nazarene University
- Isabelle Wood to McKendree University
- Olivia McQuhae and Keira Vickers to Siena College
- Daisy Cunningham and Jasmine Burley to Wheeling University
These players are just a few of the many who are now thriving, experiencing the incredible journey of being a student-athlete in the USA. If you're a female rugby player with big ambitions, a career in American collegiate rugby could be the perfect next step for you.
To register your interest in pursuing the college rugby pathway in the US, click here.
