EVANSVILLE — Nearly one month after the NCAA announced reductions for its reclassification periods, the University of Southern Indiana made news of its on Thursday.
The athletics department announced Thursday on social media it will accelerate its transition to full membership in Division I.
The news comes after athletics director Jon Mark Hall held a press conference advising the school will “100% pursue the shorter path if it knows it can hit the benchmarks.”
“After analyzing information provided to us by the NCAA on a recent ruling regarding transitioning from Division II to Division I athletics, and after discussing the information with our campus constituents, University of Southern Indiana Athletics has decided to pursue an expedited reclassification path to Division I which will affect all varsity sports,” Hall and Interim President Steve Bridges said in a joint statement.
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Under the previous path, USI athletics wouldn’t have been eligible for D-I tournaments until the 2026-27 school year. The program was confirmed to meet the academic and financial requirements with the NCAA. The Screaming Eagles are ready to be a full-fledged Division I member, and campus community will work “extremely hard” in the spring to fulfill the necessary criteria to be eligible for NCAA Championships beginning in 2025-2026.
“We will work hand in hand with the NCAA and OVC over the next several months to meet reporting deadlines and host site visits on campus,” the joint statement continued. “Our coaches and staff are excited about what lies ahead for USI Athletics!”
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: University of Southern Indiana to speed up Division 1 athletics move
