BIDDEFORD, Maine -- The University of New England announced last December it would be adding women's rugby to its varsity sport offerings, and plans continue to develop on the way to making that announcement a reality.

UNE will sponsor women's rugby as a varsity sport beginning in the Fall of 2016. The Nor'easters recently gained membership into the National Collegiate Women's Varsity Rugby Association (NCWVRA), which features such prestigious institutions as Harvard University, Brown University and Dartmouth College. UNE has an agreement in place to open its varsity schedule with a contest versus Dartmouth.

According to UNE Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Jack McDonald, UNE will be searching for a head coach in the upcoming months and is currently in the planning stages for facilities and infrastructure development.