The USI athletic department has 19 varsity sports, including swimming and diving, added in Fall 2022. All teams can compete at the Division I level in 2026.
The university began transitioning from Division II to Division I in 2022 after a unanimous vote of 9-0 from the Board of Trustees. During the four-year transition, USI athletics are eligible for conference championships but not NCAA championships.
According to USIscreamingeagles.com, during a Spring 2022 Board of Trustees meeting, former President Ronald Rochon said the move aligned with the university’s goals to elevate the university’s visibility and reputation.
“This move will serve to elevate the university athletically and academically,” Rochon said. “This is a proud moment for this institution; for our students, faculty and staff; for our more than 47,000 alumni; and for this community and the State of Indiana.”
Jon Hall, vice president and director of athletics, said using athletics to bring “visibility” and “credibility” to the university was considered in the decision to move to Division I.
Hall said students also enjoy watching the games, and attendance has gradually increased with fall sports.
“I think our impression is that students are more engaged now,” Hall said. “They like us competing at the highest level, they like some of the teams [they’ve] seen us play.”
Additionally, the performance and academics of student-athletes have earned recognition this year.
The women’s basketball team won the Ohio Valley tournament championship, marking the university’s first team to earn their first OVC title during the Division I transition.
Since moving to Division I, both the men’s and women’s cross-country teams have earned their first OVC team title.
“We’ve had some really great success stories,” Hall said.
According to USIscreamingeagles.com, earlier this year, 32 student-athletes with a 4.0 grade point average were awarded an OVC Academic Medal of Honor, and 142 student-athletes with a 3.25 GPA or higher were named to an OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
Before moving to Division I, the university sent a survey to the campus community in Dec. 2021 and revealed many respondents were unsure or not in favor. Hall said the feedback was expected, and all questions were “valid and fair.”
One of the concerns with the university moving to D1 was the allocation of resources and funding. Hall mentioned that the university used “outside resources” with businesses and community members to build those resources to continue the program because the institution could not sustain it alone.
Hall said the $10 million gift will provide the resources to continue moving forward and for scholarships to student-athletes.
“I think the local community has always been super supportive, and I think if they’ve seen us make progress these last few years, it’s been all positive,” Hall said.
