St. Thomas gets approval to move to Division I

St. Thomas is officially off to NCAA Division I, becoming the first Division III institution allowed to skip over the transitional and reclassification stages in the modern era. The Tommies will begin their upward reclassification during the 2021-22 academic year.

UST, now the second DI institution in the state of Minnesota, joins the Summit League for most sports and will also compete in the Pioneer Football League and the Women’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association. UST’s men’s hockey program is still searching for a DI home.

The typical path from Division III to Division I requires a reclassification process of 12 years and a proving-ground stop in Division II along the way. With today’s unprecedented news, St. Thomas could become a full Division I member in just five years.

-Ricky Nelson