Mother’s Rugby will be moving to USA Rugby D1A in the Rugby East for the fall 2019 season. It represents a large step up in competition and travel. Check out the map below. In addition, we’ve reached out to all the teams in the conference, UMW athletics, & USA Rugby for comment. UMW will play a b-side match following the first XV with all the teams except Wheeling Jesuit.
This is an updating article, check back consistently as we get more information.
Wheeling Jesuit’s head coach Jake Fautley on UMW joining the conference.
“I am very excited for UMW to join the Rugby East Conference for the Fall 2019 season. They are an extremely strong program that has shown huge developments over the past few years culminating in a D1AA National Championship in 2017. The Rugby East Conference is hugely competitive with some great rugby being played by all participants. With UMW joining the conference they are going to continue to push the standard of rugby on an upward curve to becoming one of the toughest conferences in the country.”
Notre Dame College’s head coach Jason Fox:
“I am very excited to have UMW join our conference as they will add a very competitive team to an already strong Rugby East conference. “
West Point’s head coach Matt Sherman:
‘All the teams of Rugby East are thrilled to add a very strong program in UMW to the most competitive conference in the country. Rugby East will grow stronger with UMW’s addition.’
Kutztown head coach Dr. Gregg Jones
“All of the coaches in Rugby East are very excited about Mart Washington entering the conference. Their club will be very competitive from the start, bringing even more credibility to the conference. They have certainly earned the respect and the right to challenge themselves and the conference for top honors in Rugby East. I wish them only the best going forward. “
Mary Washington has sent an email out announcing the move to D1A to the Friends on Men’s Rugby (The School Foundation Account, not The Mother’s Rugby Alumni Foundation). Click here to see the annoucement.
