Midwest Announces 2024-25 League Schedules and Playoff Formats

[CHICAGO, IL] – The Midwest Rugby Union is pleased to announce the fall league schedules for the 2024-25 Competitive Cycle. These schedules have already been distributed to Member Clubs by the various League Coordinators and Division Managers responsible for these competitions. While some modest changes can be expected, these schedules are largely final and are expected to be loaded into the Rugby Xplorer Competition Management System in mid-August. Teams with issues or potential changes to their schedule should direct their concerns to the Division Manager and League Coordinator. *Links to the schedules are in the title of each Division. As schedules are updated, please download the latest version. Men’s Premiership (D1) – Division Manager & League Coordinator: Ryan Koenig With the relegation of both the Wisconsin Rugby Club from the West and the Cleveland Crusaders from the East, only eight teams remain in the Union’s highest level of amateur competition, the Midwest Premiership. Those teams will be separated into two conference-based leagues playing the other teams within their leagues twice for a home and away series and a total of six (6) league matches. After an end-of-season league-wide bye, all teams will be seeded within their conference 1-4 with the top two seeds from each conference hosting the bottom two seeds from the opposite conference in the Quarterfinals.   Women’s Premiership (D1) – Division Manager & League Coordinator: Brooke Schraffenberger After the relegation of Buffalo, the Women’s Premiership also now contains eight (8) teams split between two conference-based leagues. Like their male counterparts, they too will complete in a 6-game league season competing in a home and away series with the other teams within their league. However, after the conclusion of the league, this competition will move directly into the Semifinals with the second seed from each league traveling to the top seed.   Men’s Division 2 – Division Manager & League Coordinator: Dan Brinks Due to some team promotions and relegations, there’s been a large-scale realignment for Men’s D2. The competition will now be split into three (3) leagues featuring seven (7) teams each playing one another once for a total of 6 league matches. The Eastern League will now feature recently promoted Detroit RFC and recently relegated Cleveland Crusaders. The Western League will contain the recently relegated Wisconsin RFC. Playoffs for Men’s D2 has been expanded. The top two (2) teams from each league will make the playoffs in addition to two (2) Wild Card sides. These eight (8) sides will be ranked based upon their finish within their league and then compared to one another using the Midwest Rugby Union’s Rules of Competition guidance on Inter-League Standing Tie Breaking Procedures. The seeding will be as follows:

1. Highest #1 Seed
2. Middle #1 Seed
3. Lowest #1 Seed
4. Highest #2 Seed
5. Middle #2 Seed
6. Lowest #2 Seed
7. Wild Card #1
8. Wild Card #2

This methodology will also be used for seeding Women’s D2 and Men’s D4 teams for playoffs (see below). Additionally, the Midwest Rugby Union does reserve the right to slightly modify seedings ad hoc for travel purposes only.   Women’s Division 2 – Division Manager, Eastern & Central League Coordinator: Clare Feneley, Western League Coordinator: Teagen Hughes The Women’s D2 Competition also required restructuring with new teams entering the competition from both relegation and creation resulting in a three (3) league organization as well. Both Eastern and Central leagues will feature six (6) teams playing five (5) league matches against the other opponents within their league while the Western League will feature seven (7) teams competing in six (6) league matches. This year, Palmer College will be eligible for playoffs after sitting out one year following their chosen relegation. Playoffs for the women’s side will reflect Men’s D2 as well with the top two (2) teams from each league making playoffs along with two (2) additional Wild Card sides. These eight (8) teams will be ranked based upon how they finish within their league and then compared to one another using the Union’s Rules of Competition. As mentioned above, the Union does reserve the right to slightly modify seedings ad hoc for travel purposes only.   Men’s Division 3 – Division Manager: Dan Franklin, Eastern League Coordinator: Bill Battistone, Southern League Coordinator: Joe Parrish, Northern and Central League Coordinator: Waylon Sanford, CARFU League Coordinator: Jeff Jewell, Wisconsin League Coordinator: Mike Good, Minnesota League Coordinator: Herb Jones, Iowa League Coordinator: Bryant Reynolds The Eastern, Southern, and Wisconsin leagues will all feature seven (7) teams playing each other once for a total of six (6) matches. The Northern, Central, and Iowa  leagues will six (6) teams playing each other once for a total of five (5) league matches. The Union’s largest D3 league, CARFU, features eight (8) teams that will play each other once for a total of seven (7) league matches while the Union’s smallest D3 league, Minnesota, features four (4) teams who will play a home/ away series against one another for a total of six (6) league matches. Playoffs will remain the same as they’ve been for the past two cycles, but will return to the Allegheny, Central, CARFU, and Iowa Quarterfinal hosting cycle, which was in place in 2022. The Semifinals will once again be held at a neutral site.   Men’s Division 4 – Division Manager: Michael Shepherd, Eastern and CARFU League Coordinator: Michael Shepherd, Iowa League Coordinator: Bryant Reynolds, Minnesota League Coordinator: Herb Jones The Eastern League will once again be comprised of thirteen (13) teams from the Eastern Conference grouped together in playing groups based upon region playing five (5) league matches for seeding. The CARFU League will feature six (6) teams playing each other once for a total of five (5) matches. The Minnesota League will feature six (6) teams playing each other once for a total of five (5) league matches. Finally, the Iowa League will feature three (3) teams playing each other in a home/ away series for a total of four (4) league matches. In both the Eastern and Western Conferences, teams will be seeded 1 – 8 using the Union’s Rules of Competition guidance on Inter-League Standing Tie Breaking Procedures. Quarterfinals will be hosted by the higher seeds while the Semifinals will be hosted at a neutral site along with the Men’s Division 3 Semifinals.