Saint Francis announces plans to reclassify from DI to DIII 1 week after NCAA Tournament loss

New York Times

25-03-2025

Saint Francis plans to reclassify from Division I to Division III, the school announced Tuesday, just one week after its men's basketball team was bounced from the NCAA Tournament in a thrillingly narrow First Four loss.
Saint Francis lost to Alabama State 70-68 in a 16-seed play-in game on March 18 after winning the Northeast Conference to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991. The school will continue competing in the NEC through the summer of 2026, when it will then transition into the DIII Presidents' Athletic Conference for the 2026-27 school year.
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The university said it would file the necessary paperwork with the NCAA and already accepted an invitation from the PAC.
Board of Trustees Chairman Rev. Joseph Lehman said in a statement that the decision was not 'easy' or 'quick' and was made after a vote from the trustees earlier this month.
'The governance associated with intercollegiate athletics has always been complicated and is only growing in complexity based on realities like the transfer portal, pay-for-play and other shifts that move athletics away from love of the game,' Lehman said. 'For that reason, as a Board, we aim to best provide resources and support to our student-athletes in this changing environment that aligns with our mission, Catholic institution and our community's expectations.'
The university said the Board of Trustees participated in 'an extensive discussion and review of their options' for the school's athletics programs moving forward and said the move to Division III 'helps Saint Francis to achieve the institution's mission and strategic plan.'
Some students receiving scholarships will remain eligible to compete, but beginning in 2028-29, no students receiving financial aid will be eligible.
'All of the university's offerings that are a core part of the Saint Francis identity and student experience are reviewed by the Board on an ongoing basis, including intercollegiate athletics,' Lehman said. 'Based on the changes in athletics nationally, it would be a disservice to our student-athletes and athletic department staff not to review and assess how we can best provide the resources necessary for them to be competitive.'
The House v. NCAA settlement, which allows for athletes to share in the television revenue collected by universities, is expected to be finalized at an approval hearing on April 7. College sports' major programs can share up to $20.5 million of their revenue with athletes, but have been adjusting to those budget changes as the House settlement has inched closer to reality. For smaller schools like Saint Francis, the amount of money given to athletes can be far smaller, but can be a significant portion of a school's budget, forcing many schools to assess what that means for the future of their athletic programs.
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Saint Francis joined the NEC in 1988. In 2023, fellow longtime conference member St. Francis College in Brooklyn, N.Y., left the conference after electing to drop its athletic programs. At the time, St. Francis College was the smallest school in Division I.
The Red Flash football program has fielded a team since 1892 and competes in the Football Championship Subdivision. It has twice qualified for the FCS playoffs, most recently in 2022. It's scheduled to face Buffalo and Louisiana-Monroe next season.
It also has future games scheduled against FBS members Bowling Green, Ohio and West Virginia.