Latest news with #VanTassell
Forbes
31-03-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
'A Time For Choosing'-Saint Francis' Bold Shift To Division III
DAYTON, OHIO - MARCH 18: St. Francis (Pa) Red Flash celebrate during the second half in the First ... More Four game of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 18, 2025 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by) After advancing in the NCAA's 2025 Men's March Madness and facing Alabama State in a highly competitive 'First Four' match-up in mid-March, Saint Francis University caught many in the college sports world by surprise when they announced they were departing to Division III in 2026-27. In an exclusive podcast conversation for Trustees and Presidents: Managing Intercollegiate Athletics, Father Malachi Van Tassell told me about their decision, their process and offered advice to other leaders as the college athletics landscape shifts. Higher education leaders may benefit in learning more about his thinking. 'It's a 'time for choosing' in higher education,' Van Tassell told me. As Division I has changed dramatically in the last several years, it 'became clear that future successes were dependent upon NIL' deals for men's basketball. The school's location in Loretto, Pennsylvania, did not lend itself to the kinds of business opportunities and donors found in larger metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, Chicago and New York City. 'We've always been both D1 and a small school-have I've always been talking about how great it is to be a both/and institution. You can be a D1 softball player and be a nursing major,' he continued. 'But now we're saying, OK, there's a lot of factors here outside of our control. Life as a D1 institution is going to get more difficult, more expensive. So, we really started to do some soul searching.' Where does the 'typical' Saint Francis student come from? 'Our typical students, 70 % give or take, are from Western Pennsylvania. And the interesting piece though, as a D1 institution, it's the D1 that attracts 40 % of our undergraduate population who are student athletes.' Like some private universities during the economic recession of 2008-09, they weathered the enrollment declines by using the attraction of membership in Division I. They also began to attract international student-athletes, adding a different dimension to the campus culture. DAYTON, OHIO - MARCH 18: A detailed view of on-court signage before the game between the Alabama ... More State Hornets and the St. Francis (Pa) Red Flash in the First Four of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at University of Dayton Arena on March 18, 2025 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by) As Division I evolved financially with NIL, they began to think about 'market positioning' in other Divisions. Their conference, the NEC, had also experienced a membership evolution, expanding the footprint to include both Chicago and the Boston area. The average trip was six hours by bus, and with no commercial airports closer than 90 minutes away, athletes were spending an extraordinary amount of time on the road. Van Tassell and his Board of Trustees spent months in frank discussions about the mission of the school. 'The thing is two thirds of my board are alumni, which is great. Some of them had been student athletes…(recounting) memories of their own experiences in the 1970s, 80s, 90s. So we needed to start by educating our trustees of this is what it's like on ground in Saint Francis today. It started with board education, anything from the basics, like what is NIL, to the complexities of the economics of 'over-rostering'.' Once the group shared the same understandings of how much Division I college athletics had changed, the table was cleared of old perceptions and the team could start with a fresh perspective. 'Having been president going on 11 years, at this point, trustees are folks on the board that I've invited to join the board. I've had the opportunity to develop really strong relationships with. It's a luxury that I have versus an institution that's a state institution where political appointees are the trustees'. The board and his leadership team were unafraid to push back and challenge each other. "The Board really wrestled with this-they asked the tough questions and it was factual. There was emotion because it was people with their own ideas and their own expertise. And it really was a great mix of 'iron sharpening iron' with people coming to a good decision, together'. I asked Van Tassell to elaborate. "Part of one of the motivators in us making the switch is because of the NIL piece. Being a small school, you're typically on the losing end of that kind of stuff…then that's where it goes into philosophy and mission. I don't want to be in an arms race. The money is better spent on people.' When the announcement went public, the pushback from many athletes was fierce. Some told the Troubadour, the student newspaper, they were 'blindsided' by the news. Several talked about putting themselves into the transfer portal immediately. The athletics director had resigned. Despite leading the team to the NEC championship and a spot in the 2025 NCAA March Madness 'First Four' Round for the first time in 34 years, men's basketball coach Rob Krimmel announced his retirement. The department appeared to be floundering. Anticipating strong pushback, the leadership team planned ahead. Saint Francis will remain in Division I for one more year, Van Tassell said. He is hoping that many of the coaches and athletes will stay and not feel rushed to make a quick decision. There are more issues to work out, but they quickly found a conference home in the Division III President's Athletic Conference, where the longest bus trip will be three hours. When I asked him for a final piece of advice he might offer to other institutional leaders considering a move like this, he didn't flinch. 'Don't wait. But be smart about it….you don't want to be the last person to do this. You want to control your own destiny.' Important advice for all university leaders at a pivotal moment in higher education.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Saint Francis holds press conference announcing changing of conferences, shift from D1 to D3 sports
LORETTO, Pa. (WTAJ) — During a press conference Friday afternoon, Saint Francis officially joined the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC), days after the school announced it will be transitioning all of its sports programs from division 1 to division 3. Joe Onderko, the Commissioner of the PAC, defended division three athletics during his welcoming speech, pushing back against those who consider it a step above high school sports. 'If you have not seen division three athletics lately, I believe you will find watching our teams compete, the level of competition and the level of play is likely higher than you expect,' Onderko said. After the decision was made to move from division one to division three was announced on Tuesday, there has been strong feeling expressed from a number of current students and alumni. A petition has also been circulating online with over 2,700 signatures, urging the University to reconsider the change. 'As you can imagine my inbox is full right now,' Saint Francis President Father Malachi Van Tassell, said. 'From the alumni community, from the current campus community there's a lot of shock, a lot of disbelief, and a lot of can't believe we're doing this.' Van Tassell said that Saint Francis athletics have always competed above their means against schools with more resources and have had success. However he said that a changing college athletics landscape has made it increasingly difficult for one of the smallest division one schools in the country to compete. 'It was NIL, it was the transfer portal, it was uncertainties in D1, or as I like to say D1 changed around us,' Van Tassell said. The decision was announced one week after the Saint Francis men's basketball team was eliminated in the NCAA tournament. Since then multiple players now intend to enter the transfer portal, and longtime head coach Rob Krimmel has retired. No members of the athletic department were made available to speak during the press conference. 'I'm not asking student athletes or staff necessarily to agree with the decision, but I want them to know first and foremost that I'm here to help them to come to a good decision for their futures,' Van Tassell said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
26-03-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
St. Francis (PA) is moving from Division I to Division III in 2026
The first run to the NCAA Division I basketball tournament in more than 30 years by Saint Francis (Pa.) could also be its last. The school announced Tuesday it would move from Division I to Division III in the summer of 2026. The announcement comes a week after the Red Flash played in March Madness for the first time since 1990. The Northeastern Conference Tournament champions were edged by Alabama State in the First Four on a last-second layup. The school, which is located in the Allegheny Mountains about 80 miles east of Pittsburgh, has accepted an invitation to begin play in the Division III-level Presidents Athletic Conference during the 2026-27 academic year. The private Catholic school, with an enrollment of around 3,000 students, indicated that the shift in college athletics over the last few years — including the transfer portal and the ability for athletes to make money off their name, image and likeness — played a factor in the decision. The wide geographic footprint of the NEC was also an issue. "Our students travel either to Chicago or to Boston or to points in between," the school's president, the 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." Van Tassell added he knows the transition will be "stressful" for student-athletes and that the administration will do what it can to offer support to everyone involved. ___ AP March Madness bracket: and coverage: Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here .
Fox Sports
25-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
St. Francis University is moving from Division I to Division III in 2026
The first run to the NCAA Division I basketball tournament in more than 30 years by Saint Francis (Pa.) could also be its last. The school announced Tuesday it would move from Division I to Division III in the summer of 2026. The announcement comes a week after the Red Flash played in March Madness for the first time since 1990. The Northeastern Conference Tournament champions were edged by Alabama State in the First Four on a last-second layup. The school, which is located in the Allegheny Mountains about 80 miles east of Pittsburgh, has accepted an invitation to begin play in the Division III-level Presidents Athletic Conference during the 2026-27 academic year. The private Catholic school, with an enrollment of around 3,000 students, indicated that the shift in college athletics over the last few years — including the transfer portal and the ability for athletes to make money off their name, image and likeness — played a factor in the decision. The wide geographic footprint of the NEC was also an issue. "Our students travel either to Chicago or to Boston or to points in between," the school's president, the 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." Van Tassell added he knows the transition will be "stressful" for student-athletes and that the administration will do what it can to offer support to everyone involved. Reporting by The Associated Press. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from College Basketball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
NBC Sports
25-03-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
St. Francis (PA) is moving from Division I to Division III in 2026
LORETTO, Pa. — The first run to the NCAA Division I basketball tournament in more than 30 years by Saint Francis (Pa.) could also be its last. The school announced Tuesday it would move from Division I to Division III in the summer of 2026. The announcement comes a week after the Red Flash played in March Madness for the first time since 1990. The Northeastern Conference Tournament champions were edged by Alabama State in the First Four on a last-second layup. The school, which is located in the Allegheny Mountains about 80 miles east of Pittsburgh, has accepted an invitation to begin play in the Division III-level Presidents Athletic Conference during the 2026-27 academic year. The private Catholic school, with an enrollment of around 3,000 students, indicated that the shift in college athletics over the last few years — including the transfer portal and the ability for athletes to make money off their name, image and likeness — played a factor in the decision. The wide geographic footprint of the NEC was also an issue. 'Our students travel either to Chicago or to Boston or to points in between,' the school's president, the 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.' Van Tassell added he knows the transition will be 'stressful' for student-athletes and that the administration will do what it can to offer support to everyone involved.
