LAFAYETTE, Colo. - The schedule for the 2016 Women's Premier League (WPL) has been finalized, with the two-time defending Champion Glendale Raptors apart of a trio of matches to kick off the season Saturday, Sept. 10.
The same eight sides that have made up the elite competition since the 2014 season remain intact for the 2016 campaign, as the league has not relegated or promoted a team since Oregon Sports Union's promotion following its Division I National Championship in the spring of 2014.
"Entering its eighth season, the Women's Premier League remains the gold standard for competition in the United States,' USA Rugby Club Director Erik Geib said. "Not only is the league a home for past, present, and future Eagles, but it's a true showcase of the women's game that the entire rugby community should be embracing. It's vitally important that we all make an effort to show our support at WPL home matches this fall.'
The six-game regular season schedule will be played over nine weeks, with Berkeley All Blues, Oregon Rugby Sports Union, Raptors, and San Diego Surfers - each of which have qualified for the Aug. 13-14 USA Rugby Club 7s National Championships - battling out of the Blue Conference, while Atlanta Harlequins, DC Furies, New York Rugby, and Twin Cities Amazons, again, playing out of the Red Conference.
Following the completion of the regular season, the WPL Championships will be held Nov. 11-13 at Life University in Marietta, Ga. All eight teams will play two matches apiece during the Championship weekend. The league's top four squads will factor into a Nov. 11 Semifinal, with the winners meeting for a Championship fixture Nov. 13. Meanwhile, the bottom half of the competition will duke it out over the same dates in an attempt to better position themselves in the final standings, and jumpstart next year's season.
2016 Women's Premier League Schedule
| Date | Conference | Away | Home | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Sept. 10 | BLUE | San Diego | Glendale |
| Sept. 10 | BLUE | Berkeley | ORSU | |
| Sept. 10 | RED | New York | DC Furies | |
| Sept. 10 | RED | Atlanta | Twin Cities | |
| Week 2 | Sept. 17 | BLUE | San Diego | Berkeley |
| Sept. 18 | BLUE | Glendale | ORSU | |
| Sept. 18 | RED | Atlanta | New York | |
| Sept. 18 | RED | DC Furies | Twin Cities | |
| Week 3 | Sept. 24 | BLUE | Glendale | Berkeley |
| Sept. 24 | BLUE | ORSU | San Diego | |
| Sept. 24 | RED | DC Furies | Atlanta | |
| Sept. 25 | RED | New York | Twin Cities | |
| Week 4 | Oct. 8 | BLUE | ORSU | Glendale |
| Oct. 8 | BLUE | Berkeley | San Diego | |
| Oct. 9 | RED | New York | Atlanta | |
| Oct. 9 | RED | Twin Cities | DC Furies | |
| Week 5 | Oct. 15 | BLUE | Berkeley | Glendale |
| Oct. 16 | RED | Atlanta | DC Furies | |
| Oct. 16 | RED | Twin Cities | New York | |
| Oct. 22 | BLUE | San Diego | ORSU | |
| Week 6 | Oct. 29 | BLUE | ORSU | Berkeley |
| Oct. 29 | BLUE | Glendale | San Diego | |
| Oct. 30 | RED | Twin Cities | Atlanta | |
| Oct. 30 | RED | DC Furies | New York | |
| Championship | Nov. 11-13 | Atlanta |
