The club began activities in 1982,[1] although the university's first involvement with the sport can be traced to 1874, when Harvard played a two-game series vs Canadian McGill University.

The team captured the USA Rugby Collegiate Division II National Championship in 2011 after beating UW-LaCrosse, Norwich, Western Washington, and Notre Dame.

Following that success, the team was promoted to Division I, joining the recently formed Ivy Rugby Conference.

[6][7] In 2013, the team became part of NCAA Emerging Sports for Women and Harvard University's 42nd varsity sport,[8] plays other rugby union NCAA teams.

NIRA Division I Championship in 2023 after defeating Dartmouth 20–12 in the final.