Conference changes

[KnightSlappy]

Provisional Pipeline for 2025-26
Full Membership: Hartford, Lyon (expected)
3rd year provisional members: Carlow (expected)
2nd year provisional members: Penn State-Brandywine (expected)
1st year provisional members: Regent, Johnson and Wales (NC) (expected)
Applications expected: Azusa Pacific (reclassification from D2), St. Francis (PA) (reclassification from D1)

Provisional Pipeline for 2026-27
Exploratory: Azusa Pacific (reclassification from D2), St. Francis (PA) (reclassification from D1)

*Games against Year 3 provisional members count the same as games against full-members for NPI and tournament selection purposes (possibly changing to include provisionals that conform to all D3 bylaws but may be earlier in the pipeline)

Conference Changes Starting in 2025-2026
Anna Maria leaves GNAC for the MASCAC
Bryn Athyn (UEC) drops athletics
Ferrum leaves the ODAC for D2
Fontbonne (SLIAC) closes
Hendrix leaves the SAA for the SCAC
Hiram leaves the NCAC for the PAC
John Carroll leaves the OAC for the NCAC
Johnson & Wales (NC) joins the C2C
Johnson & Wales (RI) leaves the GNAC for the CNE
Keystone (UEC) is doing the limbo, but allowed to play
LeTourneau leaves the ASC for the SCAC
Northland closes
Regent joins the C2C
Southwestern leaves the SCAC for the SAA
St. Elizabeth leaves the UEC for the AEC
Trinity (Texas) leaves the SCAC for the SAA
Expecting 43 Pool A bids, 0 Pool B bids, 21 Pool C bids

Conference Changes Starting in 2026-2027
Asuza Pacific joins the SCIAC (full NCAA member 2028-29 academic year)
Luther leaves the ARC for the MWC
Maryville leaves the CCS for the SAA
McMurry leaves the SCAC for the ASC
Neumann leaves the AEC for the MAC(?CF?)
New Jersey City leaves the NJAC for the CUNYAC
Rosemont (UEC) ceases athletics (merging into Villanova)
St. Francis (PA) joins the PAC (full NCAA member 2028-29 academic year)
Schreiner leaves the SCAC for the ASC
SUNY New Paltz leaves the SUNYAC for the NJAC

[CNU85]

I've been following D3 athletics for about 25 years. I have seen so many conference changes over the years. Someone recently said to me that they wonder when, if ever, some conferences and schools will start to see a value in stability.

You see stability in some conferences. But just look at the list Knightslappy posted (Thanks for keeping us up to date!)

[Pat Coleman]

I've been following D3 athletics for about 25 years. I have seen so many conference changes over the years. Someone recently said to me that they wonder when, if ever, some conferences and schools will start to see a value in stability.

You see stability in some conferences. But just look at the list Knightslappy posted (Thanks for keeping us up to date!)

I think conferences are trying to provide stability for their members by getting larger and grabbing available schools when possible. This guards against losing championship access when schools close/drop athletics.

[CNU85]

I'm sure the dynamics are changing as well. 25 years ago, I do not believe the issue of institutions closing was as much of a factor as it is today.

Just for fun...I looked just at Region I men's basketball teams. I counted 44. If you remove the extremely stable NESCAC and MASCAC, that leaves 26 Institutions. Of those 26, I counted 14 changed conferences (incl going from IND into a conference - it changed the conference so I counted it). Of those 14, 6 changed conference twice and 1 changed 3 times since 2006.

Maybe if I have the desire for more fun, I will look at other regions. I have no idea what my brief research means. I just find it fascinating that there are so many changes. (Heck - look at the ASC/SCAC craziness!).

Division III should have a portal for entire athletic departments!   

[nescac1]

The combination of (1) a significantly declining pool of college applicants over the next 20 years (the pool peaked this year and will start going down), (2) changes in how a college education is viewed that are detrimental to a lot of the smaller, more liberal-arts oriented colleges in D3 (applicants increasingly want programs that are seen as tied to specific job opportunities post graduation), (3) many smaller colleges already on tenuous ground financially, (4) massive federal constraints being placed on higher ed including dissuading foreign students - the bulk of whom pay full fare - from attending U.S. colleges, huge endowment taxes on wealthier institutions, and the freeze of federal research grants that support a wide range of institutions, and (5) the impact of NILs across the collegiate landscape (albeit that will have a lower impact on D3) is going to accelerate what's already been happening in higher education. 

I expect that we will see a massive wave of smaller private (and some public) schools shutting down or merging over the next decade, or if not, radically changing their institutional priorities, which could include significant changes to athletic programming. 

[Ralph Turner]

CNU85, your portal comment for athletic departments is insightful.

[Ralph Turner]

I see three dynamics in the ASC/SCAC...

The panache of getting to be in the same conference as Trinity.

The futility of a conference-competitive football program in the ASC with the UMHB-HSU behemoth.

Faith-based issues aligning with its mission and vision.

[CNU85]

and millions of dollars

[gordonmann]

Bump with an update from the expanding SUNYAC

Provisional Pipeline for 2025-26
Full Membership: Hartford, Lyon (expected)
3rd year provisional members: Carlow (expected)
2nd year provisional members: Penn State-Brandywine (expected)
1st year provisional members: Regent, Johnson and Wales (NC) (expected)
Applications expected: Azusa Pacific (reclassification from D2), St. Francis (PA) (reclassification from D1)

Provisional Pipeline for 2026-27
Exploratory: Azusa Pacific (reclassification from D2), St. Francis (PA) (reclassification from D1)

*Games against Year 3 provisional members count the same as games against full-members for NPI and tournament selection purposes (possibly changing to include provisionals that conform to all D3 bylaws but may be earlier in the pipeline)

Conference Changes Starting in 2025-2026
Anna Maria leaves GNAC for the MASCAC
Bryn Athyn (UEC) drops athletics
Ferrum leaves the ODAC for D2
Fontbonne (SLIAC) closes
Hendrix leaves the SAA for the SCAC
Hiram leaves the NCAC for the PAC
John Carroll leaves the OAC for the NCAC
Johnson & Wales (NC) joins the C2C
Johnson & Wales (RI) leaves the GNAC for the CNE
Keystone (UEC) is doing the limbo, but allowed to play
LeTourneau leaves the ASC for the SCAC
Northland closes
Regent joins the C2C
Southwestern leaves the SCAC for the SAA
St. Elizabeth leaves the UEC for the AEC
Trinity (Texas) leaves the SCAC for the SAA
Expecting 43 Pool A bids, 0 Pool B bids, 21 Pool C bids

Conference Changes Starting in 2026-2027
Alfred State leaves the AMCC for the SUNYAC
Asuza Pacific joins the SCIAC (full NCAA member 2028-29 academic year)
Luther leaves the ARC for the MWC
Maryville leaves the CCS for the SAA
McMurry leaves the SCAC for the ASC
Neumann leaves the AEC for the MAC(?CF?)
New Jersey City leaves the NJAC for the CUNYAC
Rosemont (UEC) ceases athletics (merging into Villanova)
St. Francis (PA) joins the PAC (full NCAA member 2028-29 academic year)
Schreiner leaves the SCAC for the ASC
SUNY Cobleskill leaves the NAC for the SUNYAC
SUNY Delhi leaves the NAC for the SUNYAC
SUNY New Paltz leaves the SUNYAC for the NJAC

[Ralph Turner]

A genuine question asking for insight on the dynamics of the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) and Regions 1 and 2. Losing SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Delhi really hurts.

Does the NAC consolidate back to a "one division" conference with 8 teams?

(The conference will have a smaller footprint.)

[Caz Bombers]

A genuine question asking for insight on the dynamics of the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) and Regions 1 and 2. Losing SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Delhi really hurts.

Does the NAC consolidate back to a "one division" conference with 8 teams?

(The conference will have a smaller footprint.)

almost assuredly, yes. They're on track for grace period/AQ loss in a few sports too (men's lax, women's lax, women's tennis).