DeKALB | NIU’s Men Rugby received its highest ranking in the programs 43 year history recently.

The Huskies ranked No. 24 in the nation after last season, but they’ve trumped that placement.

NIU rugby vice president Ryan Dertinger said the team moved up to No. 15 in USA Rugby Division II rankings.

The Huskies are 3-0 in Chicago Area Rugby Football Union (CARFU) play this season, with three regular-season matchups remaining.

Danny Matuz, CARFU College Coordinator, explained how the USA Rugby College Rankings work.

“It appears in fall,” Matuz said. “They start re-ranking them every couple weeks, but they do a main ranking at the end of the season. After their great performance starting off 3-0 in divisional play, they got bumped up to 15.”

Dertinger said he feels this is a step toward NIU competing at a higher level and a major turning point for the club.

“It means a lot for the program,” Dertinger said. “It shows that the continuity of the club is definitely strong. There’s a real deep passion for continued growth and success to be a contender for national championship.”

NIU rugby president Pat Kathan said credit for the program’s success should not just go to the members of this year’s team, but also to members of past rugby teams.

“We’ve been working hard for the past couple years,” Kathan said. “You know it’s been years in the making. I think it’s not just us [but] it’s the teams before us that build the foundation and put this team together.”

Kathan said he feels that if NIU moves up to the Division I level, which is what the team is hoping to do next season, it can compete.

“I think that our past games and our big wins in the past games and our national ranking,” Kathan said. “We feel we’re ready to move up to D-I.”