The slate of teams that make up the final four of this year’s men’s Division III National Championship bracket might be a surprise to some, but each of the semifinalists has earned their place in this competition with huge wins over conference and non-conference foes alike so far this postseason.

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No conference has more bragging rights than the Allegheny Rugby Union, which boasts two of the four finalists heading to Houston. #5 Slippery Rock and #7 Franciscan spent the year beating up on each other, before turning around and beating up on the rest of the Division once playoff time rolled around. With both teams on opposite sides of the bracket, the potential exists for an all-ARU final. But first, both teams will have to make it past powerhouse programs from the east and the west in Holy Cross and New Mexico Tech respectively.

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After not even qualifying for regionals in 2024, the Franciscan Barons came into 2025 with a huge chip on their shoulder determined to destroy anyone who stood in their way. A big early-season win over the always-competitive Christendom College got some people talking, but the Barons really announced themselves with their 15-7 October win over Slippery Rock, who were ranked number one in the country at the time. Unfortunately, injuries and attrition took their toll in the ARU playoffs, and Franciscan lost their rematch against Slippery Rock 20-26 in the conference championship. 

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That loss sent the Barons into the incredibly competitive South Regional bracket, setting them up to play a murderer's row of ranked teams in Susquehanna, VMI, and Duke. But the demotion was only a chance for Franciscan to prove their quality, as they went 3 for 3 against some of the top teams in the country, winning the matchups 24-19, 29-19, and 36-10 respectively.

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Christopher Ascough has led the team so far through this postseason scoring 27 points in the regional round with three tries and six conversions made. And the return to form of perhaps one of the best DIII players in the country in Joseph Moleski is welcome news for Franciscan, who missed his all-around contributions late in the season. Sam King, Dom Grecol, and Paul Leerkes have also been solid contributors for the Barons. The latest test for Franciscan, however, might be the toughest one yet. They will face off against the second-best team in the country in 2024, Holy Cross. 

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The Crusaders, by all accounts, had no right to be back here in Houston. After losing two superstars in Jackson Evarts and Matthew Schwab from last year’s side, along with a solid senior supporting cast, Holy Cross finished second in the NERFU conference behind surprise contender Nichols. But nobody told the Crusaders that this wasn’t their year, apparently, as they seized their opportunity as the second seed in the East, beating SUNY Brockport 43-7, Springfield College 45-34, and finally beating Nichols when it mattered most, upsetting the Bison 36-28 in the Regional final to prevent the three game sweep. 

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Holy Cross trailed by multiple scores in both the Springfield and Nichols matches, but they never gave up and gritted out incredible last-minute victories thanks to their unrelenting physicality. Captain John Cox is the physical and emotional leader of the team, scoring three tries from his outside center spot at regionals. But hooker Christopher Dalton has been the standout player for HC in the postseason, scoring four tries in clutch moments and making his presence felt all over the pitch. Prop James Flaherty has also put on a masterclass off the tee, going 10 of 11 on conversions – the most kicks made across all of DIII so far during the playoffs.

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On the other side of the bracket, Slippery Rock has responded well after dropping that early game to Franciscan, besting the Barons in the conference championship and securing a much easier playoff pathway for themselves. They easily dispatched the third ARU contender that qualified for regionals, Xavier, 48-0. But their biggest win on the season has to have been their demolition of a red hot Wisconsin Eau Claire team 31-12 in the regional final. The Blugolds rode the momentum of a CRC 7s championship in the Spring all the way through a dominant fall season, but the wave crashed and broke against the barrel-chested back line of Rock Rugby.

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Superstars Zach Herrington, Aidan O’Shea and Chase Nething are incredibly fit and incredibly physical on both sides of the ball, driving Slippery Rock’s trademark style of play. But second-row Roman Police has emerged as a force in the forward pack as well, leading the field in DIII in tries this postseason with five. Rock Rugby were the prohibitive favorites entering into the season and seem to have regained their footing when it matters most heading into Houston.

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Standing in their way of a National Championship, however, is another physical side in New Mexico Tech. The champions of the High Peaks conference have emerged from an incredibly competitive West region after falling a game short of their goal in 2024. Tech hasn’t had it easy so far this postseason, winning both their games by a one-point margin. They were surprised by a Montana team in its first year of competitive rugby, but they managed to ride that bucking bronco through the final whistle of a 32-31 win. Then, Tech gutted out an extremely contentious match against conference rival Colorado School of Mines, who ended their season last fall with an upset victory. This time NMT took the 15-14 win and will get their shot at a championship in Houston.

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New Mexico is led by winger Akongnwi Chungong who is always a threat to score. Forward Adrian Sanchez and Jaime Terrazas Lozano have also been strong contributors for Tech this year.

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Don’t miss a second of these incredibly semifinal matchups that will be streamed live, along with pregame, postgame, and halftime analysis from the cast of The College Rugby Show, at tv.ncr.rugby

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