Midwest Announces 2025-26 League Schedules & Playoff Structures

UPDATED 7/3/2025 [CHICAGO, IL] – As per direction in the Midwest Rules of Competition, the Midwest Rugby Union Competition Committee is pleased to announce updated competition league schedules and playoff structures for the 2025-26 Competitive Season. After initially meeting earlier this spring and putting together an initial plan for the fall, the Competition Committee has worked diligently over the past several weeks with USA Club Rugby and Member Clubs to put together another robust and competitive season. The Midwest Rugby Union is widely considered the gold standard for amateur club rugby. It’s not only the largest but routinely produces National Champions across all competition levels. All league schedules and standings tables are located under the ‘Competitions’ tab – select ‘2025-26 Fall XV’s’ and then the relevant competition.

Men’s Premiership (D1)

• Manager/ Coordinator – Ryan Koenig
• Material Changes – Chicago Blaze and Indianapolis Impalas have both been promoted from Division 2, no relegations.
• League Format – The competition will split between two (2) conference-based leagues, the East and West.
  • The Eastern League will feature the Cincinnati Wolfhounds, CRC – Chicago Griffins, Detroit Tradesmen, Indianapolis Impalas, and Pittsburgh Forge.
  • The Western League will feature the Chicago Blaze, Chicago Lions, Kansas City Blues, Metropolis Rugby, and St. Louis Bombers.
  • Both conference/ leagues will play an 8-game home and away schedule.
• Playoff Structure– Top two (2) teams from each league will play crossover playoffs (West 2 at East 1, East 2 at West 1). Winners will play one another in the Midwest Championship.

Women’s Premiership (D1)

• Manager/ Coordinator – Brooke Schraffenberger
• Material Changes – Chicago North Shore and Twin Cities Amazons have entered sides into Women’s D1 with the dissolution of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), Grand Rapids Growlers promoted from Division 2, Milwaukee Scylla relegated to Division 2, CRC-Chicago Women have resigned from the competition.
• League Format – competition will split between two (2) conference-based leagues, the East and West.
  • The Eastern League will feature the Cincinnati Kelts, Columbus Squirrels, Detroit Rugby Club, Grand Rapids Growlers, and Pittsburgh Forge.
  • The Western League will feature the Chicago Lions, Chicago North Shore, Metropolis Valkyries, and Twin Cities Amazons.
  • Eastern League will play a home and away 8-game schedule; the Western League will play a home and away 6-game schedule.
• Playoff Structure – Top two (2) teams from each league will play crossover playoffs (West 2 at East 1, East 2 at West 1). Winners will play one another in the Midwest Championship.

Men’s Division D2

• Manager/ Coordinator – Dan Brinks
• Material Changes – Chicago Riot, Lake County Coyotes, and South Pittsburgh Hooligans all promoted from Division 3, Metropolis D2 relegated to Division 3, Grand Rapids moved from Central League to Eastern League.
• League Format – competition will split between three (3) leagues, the East, Central, and West.
  • The Eastern League features Akron Rugby Club, Cleveland Crusaders, Columbus/ Scioto Valley Rugby, Detroit Rugby Club, Fort Wayne Rugby, Grand Rapids Gazelles, and South Pittsburgh Hooligans.
  • The Central League will feature the Chicago Lions D2, Chicago Riot, CRC – Westside Condors, Fox Valley Māori, Lake County Coyotes, Lincoln Park Rugby, and Southside Irish.
  • Finally, the Western League will feature Des Moines Rugby, Eastside Banshees, Green Bay Celtics, Milwaukee Barbarians, Milwaukee Rugby, Palmer College, and Wisconsin Rugby Club.
  • All leagues will play a balanced 6-game league schedule.
• Playoff Structure – Top two (2) teams from each league will make the playoffs in addition to two overall wildcard teams. All teams will be ranked for overall seeding as follows – Highest 1 Seed, Middle 1 Seed, Lowest 1 Seed, Highest 2 Seed, Middle 2 Seed, Lowest 2 Seed, Top Wild Card, Lowest Wild Card.
• Notes – The Midwest reserves the right to modify playoff seeding during all rounds of playoffs to accommodate reasonable travel.

Women’s Division 2

• Manager/ East & North Coordinator: Claire Feneley
  • Central & West Coordinator: Teagan Hughes
• Material Changes – Leagues reconfigured from three (3) to four (4), Milwaukee Scylla relegated from D1, Grand Rapids Growlers promoted to D1, Toledo Women promoted from Festival League. Twin-Cities Amazons D2 side has resigned from the competition.
• League Format – competition will be split between four (4) leagues, the East, Central, North, and West Leagues.
  • The Northern League will feature Buffalo, North Buffalo Ninjas, Rochester Renegades, South Buffalo, and Uticuse Rugby.
  • The Eastern League will feature Akron, Cleveland Iron Maidens, Columbus Squirrels D2, Dayton Area, and Pittsburgh Forge D2.
  • The Central League will feature the County Will Morrigans, CRC – Chicago Sirens, Fort Wayne Rugby and Toledo Women.
  • Finally, the Western League will feature Milwaukee Scylla, Minneapolis Menagerie, Oconomowoc, Palmer College and Wisconsin.
  • Each team will play the other teams in their league once for a total of 3 – 4 matches. Teams are encouraged to schedule league crossover friendly matches or participate in Festival Events to fill vacancies in their schedules.
• Playoff Structure – Top two (2) teams from each league will make the playoffs. The number 2 team from each league will travel to the top seed of their sister league in the Quarterfinals and then the top seeds will host the Semifinals. (West 2 at Central 1, Central 2 at West 1, East 2 at North 1, North 2 at East 1).
• Notes – Palmer College is ineligible for D2 playoffs due to refusing promotion to D1. The Midwest reserves the right to modify playoff seeding during all rounds of playoffs to accommodate reasonable travel.

Men’s Division 3

• Manager – Dan Franklin
  • Eastern League Coordinator – Bill Battistone
  • Southern League Coordinator – TBD
  • Northern League Coordinator – Waylon Sanford
  • Central League Coordinator – Sam Difilippo
  • CARFU League Coordinator – Jeff Jewell
  • Iowa League Coordinator – Bryant Reynolds
  • Minnesota League Coordinator – Herb Jones
  • Wisconsin League Coordinator – Mike Good
• Material Changes – Metropolis Rugby relegated their second side to D3, Lake County Coyotes, Chicago Riot, and South Pittsburgh Hooligans promoted to D2, Ypsilanti Pretty Boys and Indianapolis Impalas D4 promoted from D4, league realignment in the Eastern Conference (see League Format below).
• League Formats – competition will be split between eight (8) leagues, four (4) leagues in each Conference.
  • Starting in the Eastern Conference, the Eastern League will feature the Canton Maddogs, Cleveland Crusaders D3, Cleveland Rovers, Greensburg Maulers, Pittsburgh Forge D3, and Presque Isle Scallywags. The league will play a balanced 5-game schedule.
  • The Southern League will feature the Cincinnati Kelts, Cincinnati Wolfhounds D3, Columbus Castaways, Dayton Area Rugby, Lexington Blackstones, Louisville Rugby, and Queen City Rugby. The league will play a balanced 6-game schedule.
  • The Northern League featured Capital Area Crisis, Detroit Rugby D3, Detroit Tradesmen D3, Flint Rogues, Michigan Rugby, Traverse Bay Blues, Tri-Cities Barbarians. The league will play a balanced 6-game schedule.
  • The Indiana League featured Fort Wayne Rugby D3, Indianapolis Impalas D3, Kalamazoo Dogs, Michiana Moose, Toledo Celtics, White River Rugby, Ypsilanti Pretty Boys. This league will play a balanced 6-game schedule. Ypsilanti will be eligible for D4 playoffs.
  • In the Western Conference, the CARFU League featured the Chicago Blaze D3, CRC Silverbacks, Northwest Woodsmen, NW Indiana Reapers, Peoria Pigs, and Rockford Ravens. This league will play a balanced 5-game schedule.
  • The Wisconsin League will feature the Fox Cities Gargoyles, Green Bay Celtics D3, Milwaukee Barbarians D3, Milwaukee Black & Blue, Oconomowoc Rugby, Oshkosh Rugby, and Wisconsin Rugby D3. This league will play a balanced 6-game schedule.
  • The Iowa League will feature the Bremer County Bucks, Dubuque Riverboat Gamblers, Iowa Falls Rugby, and the West Des Moines Wombats. These teams will play a 6-game home/ away schedule.
  • Finally, the Minnesota League will feature the Eastside Banshees D3, Metropolis Rugby D3, Red River Ruffians, Rochester Rogues, and St. Paul Jazz Pigs. This league will initially play a 4-game balanced schedule and then be re-seeded 1-5. The top four (4) teams will play a two-week intra-league playoff for their final two (2) matches of the league season for a total of 6 league matches. The fifth-place team will only receive four (4) league matches.
• Playoff Structure– As in previous years, the top two (2) teams from each league will earn a playoff bid. For the Play-In Round, the second seed from each league will travel to the top seed from their brother league. Should both top seeds win, the teams from the following leagues will host the Quarterfinal Round – Minnesota, Northern, Southern, Wisconsin. For the Semifinals, a neutral site will likely be selected by the Union.
• Notes – Leagues, particularly in the Eastern Conference, we re-aligned to allow more balance in the schedule. All teams across D3 are playing 6 games with one league playing 5 (Eastern).

Men’s Division 4

• Manager – Michael Shepherd
• Material Changes – Iowa D4 reinstated, Eastern Conference split into two leagues, White River added a new side, and the Pittsburgh Harlequins joined the league.
• League Formats– The competition has been split into five (5) leagues.
  • The Eastern League featured the Marysville Rhinos, Columbus Coyotes, Findlay Scars, Pittsburgh Forge D4, Pittsburgh Harlequins and South Pittsburgh Hooligans D4. The league will play a 5-game schedule.
  • The Central League will feature the Columbus Castaways D4, Columbus (IN) Rhinos, Dayton Area D4, Louisville Rugby D4, White River D4, and Westside Outcasts. This league will also play a 5-game league schedule.
  • The CARFU League featured the Chicago Dragons, Chicago Riot D4, Fox Valley Māori D4, Kenosha Mammoths, Lake County Coyotes D4, Lincoln Park D4, and Southside Irish D4. This league will play a balanced 6-game schedule.
  • The renewed Iowa League will feature Des Moines D4, Iowa City Ducks, Northeast Iowa Rugby, Quad City Irish, and River City Rugby. This league will play a balanced 4-game schedule with an intra-league playoff.
  • Finally, the Minnesota League will feature the Eau Claire Orcs, Mankato Marauders, Sioux Falls Crow, St. Cloud Bottom Feeds, and Twin Ports Ice Monkeys. This league will also play a balanced 4-game schedule with an intra-league playoff.
• Playoff Structures – In the East, the top 4 teams from both the East and Central will be seeded 1 through 4 with East 4 traveling to Central 1, East 3 traveling to Central 2 and vice versa for the Play-In. In the West, the top two seeds from each league will earn a playoff spot along with two (2) wild card sides. They will be seeded 1 – 8 with the 8th Seed traveling to the 1 seed, the 7th Seed traveling to the 2nd seed and so on. Higher seeds will host matches in the Quarterfinal Round, but the Midwest does reserve the right to modify seeds to accommodate reasonable travel. Semifinals will likely be held at a neutral site. In the West, the Iowa and Minnesota League Champions will play one another for the right to play against the CARFU Champion at a neutral site.
• Notes – Men’s D4 tends to be a bit fluid with teams being added and removed from the competition well into the summer. To grow the game, the Union will often accommodate reasonable changes. Teams should communicate with the Union regularly to confirm any changes to league and playoff structures.

All Member Clubs should have been notified by their League Coordinator of any material changes specific to their organization prior to this announcement. However, if that didn’t occur, Member Clubs may appeal any competition changes in writing by emailing admin@midwest.rugby by April 30, 2025. Additionally, any Member Clubs seeking schedule accommodations should have already been in contact with their Coordinator; however, schedule requests will not be accepted after May 1, 2025.  For planning purposes, below is the “general” Midwest Competition Schedule for Fall 2025. Please review your league’s format and understand that many teams will likely have only one bye week during league play.

• 8/16/2025 – NO COMPETITION – Rugby Xplorer likely not available for 2025-26 cycle
• 8/23/2025 – Week 1 of Competition
• 8/30/2025 – Week 2 of Competition (Labor Day Weekend)
• 9/6/2025 – Week 3 of Competition
• 9/13/2025 – Week 4 of Competition
• 9/20/2025 – Week 5 of Competition
• 9/27/2025 – Week 6 of Competition
• 10/4/2025 – Week 7 of Competition
• 10/11/2025 – Week 8 of Competition
• 10/18/2025 – Week 9 of Competition/ Play-In Round for Men’s D3 and D4
• 10/25/2025 – Week 10 of Competition/ Quarterfinal Round
• 11/1/2025 – NO COMPETITION – League-wide Bye for NZ v. IRE Match
• 11/8/2025 – Week 11 of Competition/ Semifinal Round
• 11/15/2025 – Week 12 of Competition/ Midwest Championships