The Saint Francis University Red Flash will depart the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to join NCAA Division III beginning with the 2026-27 academic year, the school announced Tuesday.
Saint Francis, currently a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC), will play its final season of NEC football in 2025 before moving to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) in Division III in 2026. The transition includes all 22 varsity athletic teams at SFU.
“Saint Francis University is honored to announce our transition to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference and our reclassification as a Division III institution,” said Father Malachi Van Tassell T.O.R, Ph.D, President of Saint Francis University. “This strategic and mission-aligned decision reflects our enduring commitment to the holistic development of our student-athletes — supporting their academic pursuits, athletic excellence, and personal growth within a values-based educational environment.
Saint Francis’ move from Division I to Division III comes just ahead of the House settlement expected to be approved next month that will enable college athletes to share in their schools’ revenue.
“This was not an easy nor a quick decision for the Board of Trustees,” stated Chairman and the Very Rev. Joseph Lehman, T.O.R., Ph.D. “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.
“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. 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.”
With Saint Francis departing after the 2025 season, the NEC will drop down to seven teams — Central Connecticut, Duquesne, Long Island, Mercyhurst, Robert Morris, Stonehill, and Wagner.
Chicago State may add a football team so they could replace Saint Francis. Nothing has been confirmed yet though.
Anything is possible Andrew.
Wasn’t a football team a requirement to move to the NEC?
Fairwell, Saint Francis. They should pack up the entire NEC and take them along for the ride.
Yeah, I’d say 5 of the 9 NEC schools are extremely small private schools that could very well join St. Francis in the transition down. CCSU and Chicago State are public schools that could probably stay at D1, and LIU, and FDU have big enough enrollment to weather the storm.
@Evan FDU already moved football to d3, a move for the rest of their sports doesn’t seem as outlandish anymore.
FDU doesn’t have football.
@Evan Yes they do, FDU plays D3 in the MAC Freedom conference: https://fdudevils.com/sports/football/schedule
SFU previously played D3 football from 1978-92 back when D1 and D2 schools could play in a lower division for football.
At least I like to hear your history buddy.
This is just the beginning. Once the House case settled, the divide between schools like saint Francis and Ohio State will be “beyond canyon like.” Many will drop down and remember, it was Univ Hartford who made the NCAA Tournament in 2019 and then announced they were moving to Division III.
If a basketball player goes to Saint Francis and does well, they’re transferring, that’s the cold reality. So why keep playing that game. I am excited for them to move to D3; now the athletes will have to pay to go to school there, a potential win for the university.
Being from Buffalo, I could see Canisius University doing something similar. The school is frugal when it comes to athletics spending and overall, there are other financial concerns.
Somebody had to be first—kudos to Saint Francis for being bold.
I hinted at this on my blog—–here is the link.
https://johnny228.wordpress.com/2025/03/26/this-year-its-march-calmness/
Good article John. We’re definitely seeing the thinning out of D2. In California, the state I grew up in, Sonoma State (a D2 school) is dropping ALL sports, and Azusa Pacific is dropping from D2 to D3 so they can bring back football.
It’s reflective of society today, where the middle class is thinning out. You’re either rich or you’re poor, no middle ground.
John I heard you are from Buffalo Home of Bills Dan’s top five NFL teams along with Bears, Eagles, Colts & 49ers.
Evan if Larry Allen was still alive, he would be devastated by news of his alma mater Sonoma State dropping all Sports.
It’s tough these days. Sports used to do a few things. One, it brought attention to the community and moreover, brought in more students. If you had football, you had an additional 95 more students, regardless of what division you played out. For schools like Alfred University in NY, 120 freshman football players meant 120 kids paying tuition. Most of the kids realized that they weren’t good enough to play football, but they stayed at the schools because they liked the school.
Now, you have to pay these players, first with NIL and going forward with a salary or some type of inducement. For smaller schools like Saint Francis, the cost just doesn’t add up.
We shouldn’t lament this or be sad. We should applaud institutions for making solid, financial based decisions. I’m sure SFU costs at least 60k for one year (45k tuition plus 15k Room and Board). Schools will say that funding athletics doesn’t increase the cost of attendance, but no one believes that.
I would think D2 could benefit here, but Evan points out that that might might not be the case with several schools in CA making moves in athletics.
In D2, you have more fixed costs—you’re not sharing revenues, and you’re likely not doing a ton with NIL. I would think some schools would embrace moving down to D2, but maybe D3–with no athletic scholarships, might be the biggest benefactor.
For SFU, there has to be fear of closing too–the school is mall (probably by design) with 1650 undergrads, and their endowment is “only” $56.6 million. That’s not great for a private school.
That had to be on their minds when they made their decision. If they keep sports, they’ll still get kids who want to run, play soccer, basketball and football. It’s just a different athlete. Those that come are paying, getting merit, or financial aid.
Overall, it’s the right move.
John Furgele,
Dittos. Infinity Sign
@ John Furgele The one caveat about schools dropping to D2 is you rarely see high academically”ranked” schools or those with such research aspirations to remain in D2 for long. Not exactly sure of the stigma but just from hard observation and the reality that schools are very snobbish? who they associate with, even in athletics.
D3 also while on paper doesn’t offer athletics scholarships most certainly has a small percentage of athletes on “academic” scholarships to participate in athletics programs. This would further explain why you’d likely see more private schools just move down altogether skipping d2.
My great uncles charitable trust gives an annual award to the male and/or senior athlete of the year who demonstrates the following criteria: Sportsmanship on and off the field of play, Positive attitude, Community service, Leadership, Serving as a role model for younger student-athletes. It’s sad to see them drop down not one but two divisions just to stay competitive in todays college sports landscape
I wonder if Merrimack and Sacred Heart will re-join the NEC as football-only members. It would bring the NEC up to 10 FB members including Chicago State.
I hope the NCAA and Big Boy schools are proud, all this free-moving, seven-figure NIL deals have ruined college sports. Players changing schools just more for money than playing time OR the education. My Alma Mater still has only in-person learning.
Where is that?