Seminoles Go Independent

June 20, 2011

After months of speculation and maneuvering by club leadership, the Seminoles of Florida State have announced that they will be competing in the South Independent Rugby Conference (SIRC) for the Spring 2012 competitive season. The SIRC is one of twelve new conferences that have emerged as a result of USA Rugby’s recent Collegiate Restructuring Plan. The plan was devised in the hopes that reorganizing college rugby to match traditional NCAA athletic conferences would spark interest in the game around the country. Interestingly, the plan leaves the logistics of conference formation to the teams themselves rather than developing and implementing a competition structure. To a considerable extent, the autonomy extended to teams to organize themselves has left FSU in the lurch because of Tallahassee's location in north Florida. With no plan coming down from above, the 'Noles have been forced to fend for themselves and weigh a series of options.

The Atlantic Coast Rugby League (ACRL), featuring the schools of the ACC conference that 'Noles fans are familiar with was one option for 2012 but would have involved the 'Noles traveling significant distances to play as far north as North Carolina and Virginia. Ultimately, the travel costs associated with competing in the ACRL was too much to place on FSU's student athletes, who's club fees still make up the majority of the club's operating budget. Rugby programs at schools of the SEC conference have also organized themselves for 2012, but opted not to allow FSU into the fold in what would have been a more viable competition for the 'Noles in terms of travel. Joining the SIRC was therefore the only viable option for the 'Noles. It will be the third different conference in as many years for the ‘Noles, who competed in a Florida-based Division 2 league in 2010 and a patchwork Division 1 South conference this past Spring. FSU will be joined by USF, UCF, FIU & FAU in a Florida-based "South Division", while Georgia Southern University, Life University (reserve grade), Kennesaw State University and Middle Tennessee State University will form the SIRC "North Division". Most of the schools involved, including all of FSU's opponents in the South Division will be moving up from Division 2. At the conclusion of the SIRC season, a playoff structure will take place between the top seeds of the South and North, with the winner advancing to the Division 1 National Playoffs. Life University will not be a part of the playoffs based on their primary affiliation with the College Premier Division.

“It is obvious that collegiate rugby is in a state of influx at the moment and that is our reality,” noted Assistant Coach Kirk Swanner. “But it is exciting to be a part of a brand new conference that we should be very competitive in, given our progress on the field over the past several years. Ourselves and the other SIRC rugby programs are starting with a blank slate and that gives us the ability to create something very dynamic.” Swanner went on to note that one additional advantage of moving back to a Florida-based schedule is that the 'Noles will have the opportunity to play in front of parents and other fans in Central and South Florida.

In addition to sorting through the conference situation, the 'Noles have been busy this off-season planning the fall exhibition season, liaising with an exciting incoming recruiting class and deciding who will serve as First XV Captain for the 2011-2012 season. News will be released shortly on all of these exciting developments.