logo
After NCAA Tournament appearance, Saint Francis (Pa.) moving to DIII

After NCAA Tournament appearance, Saint Francis (Pa.) moving to DIII

Reuters25-03-2025
March 25 - Saint Francis (Pa.) announced it is moving from NCAA Division I to Division III, just a week after the school's heartbreaking loss in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament.
The move, directed by the university board of trustees, is planned to take effect with the 2026-27 academic year.
The Red Flash, who participate in the Northeast Conference, will move to the Presidents' Athletic Conference. The switch impacts all school sports.
"This was not an easy nor a quick decision for the Board of Trustees," said the Very Rev. Joseph Lehman, the board chair. "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. 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."
Saint Francis lost to Alabama State 70-68 in the First Four contest of 16 seeds on March 18 in Dayton, Ohio. It was the second NCAA Tournament appearance for the Red Flash and first since it lost to Arizona 93-80 on March 14, 1991.
The Presidents' Athletic Conference currently consists of 13 schools in the Ohio-Pennsylvania-West Virginia footprint. That's a benefit for Saint Francis, said the Very Rev. Malachi Van Tassell, president of the board of trustees.
"The Board and I have been concerned about the student-athlete experience for many years," he said. "The geography of our conference is huge. Our students travel either to Chicago or to Boston or to points in between. That's a lot of time not spent on campus, developing friendships or in the classroom. This change allows our students to be present on campus and lets their friends attend more of their home and away games. This decision is about creating and maintaining community and allowing our student-athletes to thrive in the classroom and their chosen sport."
The move is not without precedence.
In 2021, less than two months after its first NCAA Tournament appearance, Hartford announced its move from Division I to Division III, which is expected to completed this fall.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Kansas coach Bill Self hospitalized, has 2 stents inserted
Kansas coach Bill Self hospitalized, has 2 stents inserted

Reuters

timea day ago

  • Reuters

Kansas coach Bill Self hospitalized, has 2 stents inserted

July 25 - Bill Self, the winningest men's basketball coach in Kansas Jayhawks history, was admitted to the hospital and had two stents inserted on Thursday, the university announced. The 62-year-old Self, who has guided the Jayhawks since 2003, led the team in its final summer practice on Thursday morning. According to Kansas officials, he was then escorted to Lawrence Memorial Hospital after he "felt unwell and experienced some concerning symptoms." Per the university, the procedure to insert two stents "went very well, and he is expected to make a full recovery. "He is in good spirits and expects to be released from the hospital soon." Self's health has caused concern in the past. He missed the Big 12 conference tournament and the NCAA Tournament in March 2023 due to a heart condition. He underwent a standard heart catheterization after experiencing chest tightness. Self also had two stents placed to treat blocked arteries. Self has won two national championships while at the Kansas helm, amassing a 609-156 record over 22 seasons with the program. Under Self, the Jayhawks have won 16 regular-season conference titles and eight conference tournament championships. --Field Level Media

Clifftop castle with Scottish history that amazed public at The Open at Royal Portrush
Clifftop castle with Scottish history that amazed public at The Open at Royal Portrush

Daily Record

time5 days ago

  • Daily Record

Clifftop castle with Scottish history that amazed public at The Open at Royal Portrush

The castle overlooks Royal Portrush Golf Club and featured in Game of Thrones. The wild, windswept coastline of County Antrim offered a spectacular setting for The Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club at the weekend. US golfer Scottie Scheffler took home the iconic Claret Jug after comfortably winning the sport's oldest tournament. ‌ But it wasn't just the action on the course that piqued the interest of sports fans, as the competition was played against a backdrop steeped in history and drama. ‌ Reporting live on BBC Radio 5 Live on the second morning of the tournament, presenter Kat Downes painted a vivid picture for listeners as she described the eighth hole. ‌ She said: 'On the eighth green, this par four that bends around a shelf in the sand dunes, it sits up above the seventh heading in the other direction back out towards the Giant's Causeway in the distance. 'You can see the ruins of Dunluce Castle, 13th century, perched up on the cliffs like something from the set of Game of Thrones.' Indeed, the iconic ruin has long captured imaginations and was even featured in the hit HBO fantasy drama as the stronghold of House Greyjoy in Pyke on the Iron Islands. ‌ Although digitally enhanced for the show with towering stacks, rope bridges and stone walkways, the real Dunluce Castle needs no visual effects to make an impression. Built in the 13th century atop a basalt outcrop with sheer cliffs plunging into the Atlantic on all sides, Dunluce is linked to the mainland by a narrow bridge. Its dramatic location and storied past rival any fictional setting. ‌ The castle was originally held by the McQuillan family, lords of a medieval territory known as 'the Route'. Later, it passed into the hands of the Lords of the Isles and eventually to the powerful Scottish clans MacDonald of Dunnyveg and MacDonnell of Antrim, descendants of John Mor MacDonald, great-grandson of Robert the Bruce. In 1584, the formidable Somhairle Buíodh MacDonnell, also known as Sorley Boy MacDonnell or Somerled of the Yellow Hair, seized the castle and surrounding lands. ‌ After pledging loyalty to Elizabeth I, he was confirmed as the first Earl of Antrim by King James I and VI. Sorley Boy remodelled the fortress in the Scottish style, establishing it as a seat of power. In 1588, one of the Spanish Armada's ships was wrecked nearby. The castle's gatehouse was later equipped with cannons salvaged from the vessel, and its cargo was sold to fund further restoration efforts. Throughout the turbulent 17th century, the Catholic MacDonnells played an active role in British and Irish conflicts. After the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, however, the family's fortunes declined, and Dunluce began its slow descent into ruin. ‌ Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Beneath its crumbling remains lies a darker history. In 2011, archaeologists uncovered the lost town of Dunluce, once a thriving settlement of streets and homes destroyed during the Irish uprising of 1641. It had remained buried for centuries. Over time, the castle has inspired artists, writers and musicians alike. It is widely believed to have influenced CS Lewis in his creation of Cair Paravel in The Chronicles of Narnia . In 1973, a panoramic image of the castle featured in the inner sleeve of Led Zeppelin's Houses of the Holy album, accompanied by the eerie cover shot of naked children climbing the nearby Giant's Causeway. More recently, Dunluce Castle returned to the international stage in July 2024 when it hosted the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. Athletes hurled themselves from the surrounding 20 metre cliffs into the chilly Atlantic waters below, adding another chapter to the site's ever-evolving legacy.

Grand Canyon University's move to the Mountain West has been accelerated. Lopes to compete this fall
Grand Canyon University's move to the Mountain West has been accelerated. Lopes to compete this fall

The Independent

time08-07-2025

  • The Independent

Grand Canyon University's move to the Mountain West has been accelerated. Lopes to compete this fall

Grand Canyon University announced Tuesday its move to the Mountain West Conference will begin immediately. The school in Phoenix was initially scheduled to transition from the Western Athletic Conference to its new league on July 1, 2026. The Mountain West offered an earlier transition, however, allowing the school to compete for conference championships this fall. "The addition of Grand Canyon for the 2025-26 academic year is a significant win for the student-athletes at GCU and in the Mountain West,' conference commissioner Gloria Nevarez said in a statement. Grand Canyon will be one of 14 schools competing in the conference next season. The accelerated transition comes after five Mountain West schools announced they intend to depart the conference and join the Pac-12 in 2026. Those schools are Utah State, Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Colorado State. 'Grand Canyon brings elite recruiting, a passionate fanbase, and state-of-the-art facilities, elevating the Mountain West's competitiveness and national profile," Nevarez said. "In a time when the student-athlete experience is of utmost importance, we felt it was in the best interest to allow them to compete for conference championships and the NCAA postseason immediately.' Seventeen varsity teams will compete in the Mountain West, including men's and women's basketball which have been in the national spotlight in recent years during the NCAA Tournament. Grand Canyon's historically successful men's volleyball team was cut in April. 'GCU is excited for this opportunity for our student-athletes, the Havocs and our fanbase,' GCU athletic director Jamie Boggs said. 'After winning 76 conference championships, this opportunity best positions GCU to be nationally competitive, and we are excited about the vision and future of the Mountain West." ___

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store