The rugby program was started by David Palmer (grandson of the college's founder) in 1960. The men's team won multiple collegiate championships in the 1960s and 1970s. In the following decade, the team moved to the senior club division of USA Rugby, advancing to the national championships four times.[1]
Palmer added a women's program in 2004, established by Tracy Francis-Nguyen. The team reached the national playoffs for the first time in 2022.
