Just a week removed from a thrilling appearance in the NCAA Tournament, Saint Francis (Pa.) has announced the decision to reclassify to Division III ahead of the 2026-27 academic year.
Saint Francis’ Decision Could Be a Sign of the Times
One week ago, the Saint Francis (Pa.) Red Flash was on top of the world.
After going 10-17 to start the 2024-25 men’s basketball season, coach Rob Krimmel’s team won six straight contests, including three straight games in the Northeast Conference Tournament by three points each, to advance to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in school history.
The team’s appearance, its first in 34 years, was short-lived, with a last-second loss on a layup in a 70-68 defeat to Alabama State in Dayton in one of four First Four matchups. It will be one of the last times the Red Flash experience the spotlight of major Division I athletics.
Today, in a university press release, the school “announced a decision by its Board of Trustees that directs the president and the leadership team to pursue a reclassification of its NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics program to Division III.”
In the age of conference monopolization, it is not uncommon for schools to move from one to another. And countless schools have reclassified up to Division I over the years. But a reclassification from Division I to Division III is far less common. That could be changing.
NEWS: Saint Francis will move from Division 1 to Division 3, the school announced.
The Red Flash fell to Alabama State in the NCAA Tournament last week. https://t.co/bnxnO6OiR6 pic.twitter.com/Oz8rIrDFL6
— On3 (@On3sports) March 25, 2025
According to The Athletic, with the recent House v NCAA settlement, college sports’ major programs are now able to share up to $20.5 million of their revenue with athletes. But for many schools like Saint Francis, the financial repercussions of that decision can be extreme.
The Red Flash can’t lay claim to a significant television contract like schools in the Big Ten and SEC. They don’t generate major funds from bowl appearances as the school’s football team competes in the Football Championship Subdivision and last made the playoffs in 2022.
“This was not an easy nor a quick decision for the Board of Trustees,” Chairman Rev. Joseph Lehman said. “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.”
The decisions related to NIL could certainly squeeze smaller schools and even conferences out of the picture altogether. For the Red Flash, the decision has been made. Now, it’s on to the reclassification process
What’s Next for the Saint Francis Athletic Programs?
Saint Francis fields 22 varsity athletic teams, including nine men’s and 13 women’s programs. The school will shift to Division III with the 2026-27 academic year, starting with the fall 2026 athletic competition, retaining its current affiliation with the Northeast Conference until June 30, 2026.
It will move from a league it helped found in 1988 to the now 13-member Presidents’ Athletic Conference.
That means that, instead of competing against the likes of Central Connecticut State, Fairleigh Dickinson, and Wagner College, the Red Flash will go up against schools like Bethany (Wv.) College, Case Western Reserve (Oh.) University, and Grove City (Pa.) College.
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According to a press release from the Presidents’ Athletic Conference, the transition process will take three years to complete.
The Red Flash will have full schedules in all applicable PAC sports but will not be eligible for PAC championships or Conference Championship Tournaments in basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, lacrosse, baseball, and softball until they are approved for active Division III membership by the NCAA.
Red Flash programs in sports such as cross country, golf, swimming and diving, and indoor and outdoor track and field will be able to compete at PAC Championships starting in 2026-27 but will not be eligible for all-conference recognition.
In lieu of All-PAC honors, Saint Francis athletes in all sports will be eligible for PAC Coaches Honors, an equivalent to All-PAC, until their transition to NCAA Division III status is complete.
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