The University of Northern Iowa Women’s Rugby Club is headed to the highest stage in collegiate club rugby. After a strong postseason run that ended in the Final Four of the women’s Division IAA bracket, UNI has been invited to advance and compete for the national championship this weekend.

“It’s been a wild 24 hours!” said head coach Meghan Flanigan, who received a call from National Collegiate Rugby on Wednesday morning offering the opportunity after another team withdrew. After an emergency team meeting on Zoom, “it took all but three seconds for everyone to agree they wanted to do it.” 

With hotels booked, flights arranged, and professors and family alerted, the team will depart from Cedar Falls on Friday morning to face Southern Nazarene in the championship match Saturday in Houston. 

The Panthers will move up a level to compete in Division I.

“For the women's side of things, DI is considered the Varsity league,” explained Flanigan. “This is the first year collegiate rugby has created a separate division just for varsity programs to compete against each other while the other regular, club programs, like ourselves, compete in our own division.” 

The opportunity to play for a national championship caps off an outstanding year for UNI Women’s Rugby. The program had an undefeated fall season, earning victories over programs such as the University of Minnesota, the University of Iowa and other regional opponents. 

“Even though we are not a varsity team on campus, we treat ourselves and our environment as such, to the best of our ability,” Flanigan added. “We have a high standard, and we hold the players to expectations in their training that allow them to be ready, mentally and physically, for playing against high-caliber teams.”

The team’s success extends beyond competition, with seven Panthers earning Scholastic All-American honors in Spring 2025.

The national championship will be held in Houston on Saturday at 6 p.m. Fans who are unable to attend in person can watch the match live on the National Collegiate Rugby website. 

“Going into this match, as true underdogs, is right where we want to be,” Flanigan said.

UNI Women’s Rugby, founded in 1994, has built a national reputation. The program has earned two national championships, four Final Four appearances, five Elite 8 finishes, and more than a dozen Sweet 16 appearances. Several UNI players have gone on to compete on all-star teams, amateur professional squads and Team USA – including three UNI alumni who played in the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

“This program, and rugby in general, can take you around the world if you choose that path,” Flanigan said. “It also builds a community and a family that supports you in your academic life, social life, family life and career.”