Latest news with #JosephLehman
Washington Post
26-03-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
St. Francis, coming off rough NCAA tourney loss, announces Division III move
A week after suffering a last-second loss in the First Four of the men's NCAA tournament, St. Francis University (Pennsylvania) announced it will be moving its athletics from Division I to Division III. The decision, made by the university's board of trustees and revealed Tuesday, is set to take effect in the fall of 2026. Officials with the Catholic private school cited the dramatically altered landscape of college sports and travel demands posed by its current membership in the Northeast Conference. 'The governance associated with intercollegiate athletics has always been complicated,' the Very Rev. Joseph Lehman, the board's chairman, said in a statement, '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.' The 'pay-for-play' reference could be in regard to expectations that a settlement will soon be reached in a lawsuit against the NCAA, House v. NCAA, that may result in college athletics programs paying players directly. As it is, the implementation of name, image and likeness (NIL) deals for college athletes has caused some observers to suggest that at least some of them are already de facto 'pay-for-play' arrangements. The burgeoning financial realities of competing at the Division I level could prompt other schools, particularly ones sharing a relatively small, private profile, to move to a lower tier. Division III has the most schools of the NCAA's tiers and the lowest median undergraduate enrollments. Division III programs are barred from offering athletic scholarships, although many athletes receive academic grants or need-based assistance. In 2023, the University of Hartford began its move from Division I to Division III, a process that takes four years to complete. St. Francis, which has NIL clubs for several of its athletic programs, has an enrollment of around 2,000 students and competes at the intercollegiate level in eight men's sports: basketball, cross-country, football, golf, soccer, tennis, track and field and volleyball. It has women's teams in basketball, cross-country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball and water polo. Earlier this month, St. Francis won the NEC men's basketball tournament for the first time since 1991. The Red Flash received a No. 16 seed in the NCAA tournament and was selected to play in the First Four against Alabama State. With a berth in the main field at stake, St. Francis was on the verge of sending the game into overtime when the Hornets threw a lengthy inbounds pass that bounced off several hands and found an Alabama State player, who laid the ball in with less than a second to go. The stunning sequence set off jubilation among Hornets players and fans but provided a heartbreaking experience for the Red Flash. With Tuesday's announcement, the rough loss may also go down as the school's final moment on that prominent of a national stage. Located in the town of Loretto in the Allegheny Mountains east of Pittsburgh, St. Francis has been a charter member of the NEC since the league's establishment in 1981. Three fellow original members — Fairleigh Dickinson, Long Island University and Wagner — remain and have seen several other programs come and go. The NEC currently has nine schools, with the 2024 addition of Chicago State marking a notable expansion to the west. Saying Tuesday he and the board have been 'concerned about the student-athlete experience for many years,' the president of St. Francis noted that 'the geography of our conference is huge.' 'Our students travel either to Chicago or to Boston or to points in between,' the Very Rev. Malachi Van Tassell said in a statement. '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 Red Flash will join the Division III Presidents' Athletic Conference, whose members are clustered near the western edge of Pennsylvania or just across the border in Ohio and West Virginia. The league, founded in 1955, currently has 12 members. 'Based on the changes in athletics nationally,' Lehman said, '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.'
New York Times
25-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Saint Francis announces plans to reclassify from DI to DIII 1 week after NCAA Tournament loss
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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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.
Miami Herald
25-03-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
After NCAA Tournament appearance, Saint Francis (Pa.) moving to DIII
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. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved
Reuters
25-03-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
After NCAA Tournament appearance, Saint Francis (Pa.) moving to DIII
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.
