The Women’s Division I-AA national champion will be crowned Sunday at SaberCat Stadium in Houston, TX, when Northeastern faces Colorado at 2:30 p.m. CST, streamed live on tv.ncr.rugby.
With both teams averaging more than five tries a game in the postseason, Saturday figures to be a shootout between two programs who’ve long been competitive in their respective time zones, but never met on the pitch before.
The Huskies are the reigning 7s national champions, winning Northeastern’s first title in April. The Buffaloes have enjoyed deep playoff runs in years past, but a win Sunday would be the program’s first natty.
Northeastern comes in undefeated on the season, slaying top-ranked Notre Dame, 41-7, in the quarterfinals, and Virginia in the semifinals, 38-24. All-Americans Molly McAvaley and Kourtney Bichotte-Dunner have been carrying injuries in the postseason, but with 90-plus players on the roster, the Huskies are deep enough to overcome some changes.
Colorado played two nailbiters to advance from the West Region, beating Lander 38-31 on a Friday, and avenging a two-point loss to Northern Iowa from last year’s DI playoffs, 34-14, on Sunday. Scrumhalf Dani Michaels and No. 8 Lucia Hoffman lead a proud herd of Buffs determined to carry the flag for what they think is an underrated High Peaks Conference.
