Update 1/24/2025: In the original story, it stated that The University of Southern Indiana is currently in year three of their reclassification period, therefore, this announcement speeds up the athletic program’s timeline in progressing to a complete DI program. This currently not the case as the university has not made any decision to do so as of the writing of this story.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced Wednesday that it has approved new reclassification requirements for schools looking to transfer to Division I (DI) this week.
There are several academic conditions schools must abide by, such as “being about the 10th percentile of DI members in the Academic Progress Rate, Graduation Success Rate, or the difference between the federal graduation rates for student-athletes and for the general student body,” according to the NCAA.
This change also reduces the transition period to three years for Division II schools and four years for Division III schools.
The University of Southern Indiana is currently in year three of their reclassification period, therefore, this announcement creates a possible pathway to speed up the Athletic Program’s timeline in progressing to a complete DI program.
Jon Mark Hall, Vice President and Director of Athletics, said in a press statement, “We are pleased the NCAA has voted today to offer the potential for an abbreviated path to fully transition from DII to DI athletics. University of Southern Indiana Athletics is one of a handful of institutions currently in year three of the previously designated four-year transition timeline.”
This announcement also means that USI athletics could be eligible to compete in DI tournaments, such as March Madness, next year assuming that all of the requirements of the new reclassification are met by the university.