Off-Topic: CWU Cutting Rugby

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

https://wildcatsports.com/news/2025/...emic-year.aspx
https://wildcatsports.com/sports/202...questions.aspx

CWU is cutting a tackle sport, just not football. Central announced both men's and women's programs will be discontinued, citing financial constraints. The men's competed in D1A and the women in D1 Elite, which are both the highest divisions of collegiate rugby. Life, Lindenwood (both genders) and Cal and Saint Marys (mens) are the most elite teams in the nation but CWU was right up there just below them.

CWU did compete at a high level as a club program (at least the men's team did) prior to becoming varsity, so we will see if the programs continue as club teams. However, funding will be more challenging and dependent on donors and travelling will be more limited to more regional/west coast competition aside from national playoffs.

[Goods]

CWU mentions finances a few times in its press release, which concerns me as our expenses as a GNAC school with a few flights a year (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Billings) who also plays in a Texas-based football league requiring 3-4 flights a year are already very high and I would expect higher than most schools/leagues. Already the social media chatter started on Wildcat Nation's posts went to Big Sky and WAC. C'mon now.

[CWU Wildcat Nation]

It seems like ever since rugby became varsity at Central other programs like women's soccer and softball have been going downhill ever since. Maybe rugby should have never became a varsity sport to begin with. Not many Division 1 NCAA teams have both football and rugby let alone division 2 teams like Central.

[tsull]

WOU has Rugby as a club sport and they've done quite well. I actually support them because they ask and they're super nice people. The schedule often reads Oregon, Oregon State, Gonzaga, etc. I don't think of it as club vs. NCAA, just that it's cool we play UO, OSU, and the Zags, and often win.

Regarding football travel to Texas, it's stupid. As noted for me -- not speaking for others -- WOU would be better as a D2 independent with a mixture of D2, NAIA, FCS, and D3 opponents. We're not going to nationals with 15 scholarships anyway, or whatever the amount current is -- it's not 36 or 30. I've been trashed for saying that, but I'd rather put the money into field turf and infrastructure than Southwest Airlines.

Rugby? Cool sport. CWU should keep it as a club sport.