Epic slate of contests on tap for

The Men's Division III playoffs are poised for an "epic slate" of contests, promising a wide-open race for the national title following last year's champion Wayne State's departure. In the Midwest, #5 Slippery Rock, preseason favorites and ARU champions after a 26-20 victory over Franciscan, are set to face Xavier after dominating them 33-0 earlier this month, while #4 Wisconsin Eau Claire, the 7s National Champions, eye a rematch with Slippery Rock, but must first overcome a talented Richmond side who famously upset #1 ranked Duke 26-19. Out West, #2 Cal Poly Humboldt will contend with #15 Colorado School of Mines in a thrilling rematch of last year's regional upset, with Mines, led by All-American Max Cisneros, having just defeated Lonestar Conference Champion St. Edwards 64-19 in a play-in game. Meanwhile, the South bracket features the #1 ranked VMI Keydets, fresh off a resounding 65-12 victory over Richmond, facing #7 Franciscan, who just bested #9 Susquehanna 24-19 in their own play-in, alongside a monumental rematch between #6 Catholic and #11 Duke, who previously battled in a 51-45 slugfest in last year’s regional final. With top talent like Humboldt's Logan Zampa and Duke's River Hanson set to ignite the pitches, these high-stakes matchups are crucial for collegiate rugby fans eager to witness who will emerge from this gauntlet en route to the DIII National Championship.