Women's Rugby Surges Toward NCAA Championship Status

Jara Emtage-Cave started playing rugby at 13 in Barbados, never imagining she'd be part of a movement changing American women's sports forever.

This weekend, the 24-year-old Stanford grad student competed alongside more than two dozen college teams in Indianapolis, not just for a national championship but for something bigger. Women's rugby is just 10 varsity programs away from becoming a full NCAA championship sport, joining the ranks of women's wrestling and potentially flag football.

"I like the physicality because I think it's one of the few contact sports and full contact sports for women," Emtage-Cave said. "The physicality is something I find you just don't get anywhere else."

The sport is experiencing explosive growth that experts compare to soccer's rise in America. Rugby returned to the Olympics in 2016, and the U.S. will host both the men's and women's Rugby World Cups in 2031 and 2033, creating a golden opportunity for momentum.

Olympic bronze medalist Ilona Maher has become rugby's breakout star, finishing as runner-up on "Dancing with the Stars" while building a massive social media following. Her celebrity status has given the sport a platform it never had before, inspiring thousands of young women to pick up a rugby ball.

USA Rugby CEO Bill Goren sees striking parallels to soccer's transformation. "Back then, I knew a small handful of people that played soccer, but I didn't," he said. "Today every kid across the country seems to play soccer as an entry-level sport."

Currently, 30 women's college teams have varsity-sanctioned programs. The growth extends beyond traditional athletes too, with recent NFL draft picks like Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu and Bears tight end Sam Roush both playing rugby in high school.

The Ripple Effect

The surge in women's rugby is creating opportunities that didn't exist five years ago. An American professional league launched recently, giving college players a career path beyond graduation.

At the grassroots level, more youth and prep programs are introducing girls to the sport earlier than ever. NCAA executive Gretchen Miron notes that many players discover rugby for the first time on campus and fall in love with it immediately.

Safety improvements have addressed parental concerns, with new rules lowering the tackle zone from shoulders to sternum height. Without helmets and shoulder pads, players are less likely to launch themselves dangerously, potentially reducing injury rates compared to American football.

The growth spans diverse backgrounds and experiences. Bryce Campbell switched from football to rugby in middle school and won the Rudy Scholz Award as the nation's top college men's player, later competing on America's 2019 World Cup team.

As more young women discover the physicality and camaraderie of rugby, the sport is building a foundation that could rival any traditional American sport within a generation.