Women’s collegiate DI rugby continues on, but this weekend is a big one for the Midwest. It marks the territory’s first full-on Saturday in which 12 teams look to bank wins.

The Midwest’s Western league got rolling last weekend and saw Northern Iowa and Eastern Illinois start off on the right foot. UNI ran over Illinois 52-5, and the Panthers got by Minnesota 20-7 respectively. Both Illinois (0-5) and Minnesota (1-4) finished at the bottom of the conference last year. Illinois will have another tough battle this weekend as they square up against Eastern Illinois, while UNI will have a more even match-up in Iowa State, which finished second in the conference last year. The Minnesota vs Milwaukee game rounds out the Western conference’s lineup.

Everyone’s looking toward the Michigan v Notre Dame match in the Eastern conference. Michigan surprised Brown in the first round of nationals last year, and only a late-evolving comeback gave the now-Ivy League participant a three-point win. Several important Michigan veterans have graduated, and the rebuilding team will be tested Saturday by national DII finalist Notre Dame. USA Eagle Kate Daley guides the Irish’s way, and they look just as impressive as last year. It’s a shame this game isn’t occurring later in the season, when both sides have had time to find their grooves, but it’ll still be exciting nonetheless.

Grand Valley moved down to DII this year to appease the university administration, giving Indiana more breathing room to have a standout season. They’re missing Eagle Tyra McGrady, around which the entire team revolved, so who knows what the team will look like without her. We’ll find out in their opener against Ohio State, which had a 2-3 record last year.

Michigan State and Purdue round out the Eastern conference matches, and week one is most likely their best bet for banking a win this season. Both finished at the bottom of the group last year, with only one win between them.

On Sunday, there a several games of which to take note. The Ivy League gets into week two, and while Brown is decidedly favored over a weakened Yale side, and Dartmouth should have no problem downing Columbia, the Princeton v Radcliffe game should be a goody. The race for second place in the Ivies will be an exciting one this season, as Princeton, Radcliffe and Dartmouth are all equally solid teams backed by excellent coaching. This game will give some real perspective into the strengths of both sides.

In the New York Conference, Buffalo takes on Syracuse. Buffalo has been creaming teams early on, and unfortunately for the Orange, ‘Cuse is on the same level as Buffalo victims Cortland (55-10) and Cornell (51-5).

Some of the more interesting matches are occurring in friendly form. Air Force flies out to play Navy; a rematch of last year’s DI final between Army and Penn State goes down; the South stirs with a round robin at UNC, attracting Virginia Tech, Clemson and Ft. Bragg; Texas A&M plays women’s club Austin Valkyries; UVA and Appalachian State take on the DC Furies.

Here’s a full lineup:

Ivy League (Sunday)

Brown v Yale

Dartmouth v Columbia

Princeton v Radcliffe

Midwest

Eastern Illinois v Illinois

Ohio State v Indiana

Notre Dame v Michigan

Minnesota v Milwaukee

Iowa State v Northern Iowa

Michigan State v Purdue

New England (Sunday)

UMass v Boston University

UConn v Boston College

Army v Northeastern

New York State

Hamilton v Cortland

Brockport v Cornell

Syracuse v Buffalo (Sunday)

Friendlies

West Chester v Delaware

Penn State v Army

Air Force v Navy

UVA/AHO v DC Furies

UNC Round Robin: Va Tech, Ft Bragg, Clemson

Texas A&M v Austin (Sunday)