For decades, St Francis University (Loretto, Pennsylvania) was one of the smallest schools competing at the NCAA Division I level. Known as the “Red Flash,” the men’s and women’s basketball programs occasionally broke through on the national stage, including NCAA Tournament appearances that gave the school fleeting moments in March Madness glory.
Yet, in March 2025, the school announced a monumental decision: a complete transition from Division I to Division III athletics, effective beginning with the 2026–27 academic year. On the surface, the move shocked many in the college basketball world. After all, it’s rare for a Division I program with a tournament history to voluntarily step away from the spotlight.
So why did St. Francis make this move?
Behind the excitement of March Madness lies the escalating cost and complexity of running a Division I athletics program. For a small private school like St. Francis, the arms race of college sports was becoming unsustainable:
- Financial Pressures: Travel expenses, recruiting budgets, facility upgrades, and scholarships strain a university with limited resources. Competing against big-budget programs was an uphill battle.
- Transfer Portal & NIL Era: The rise of the transfer portal and the explosion of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities tilted the playing field even further toward larger institutions with deeper pockets. Smaller schools often became “stepping stones” for players looking to transfer up.
- Academic & Student Experience Concerns: Lengthy travel schedules meant missed classes and limited engagement with campus life. The administration expressed a desire to make athletics better complement academics and student development.
A Shift Toward Student-Centered Athletics
In its announcement, Saint Francis emphasized that the move wasn’t about abandoning athletics, but reimagining them. By joining Division III and the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC), the school will:
- Reduce travel and keep games within a more regional footprint.
- Ensure that student-athletes maintain a strong academic and social presence on campus.
- Refocus athletics as an extension of education, not as a commercial enterprise.
The transition also allows the university to continue supporting current student-athletes on scholarships during the changeover, ensuring they are not left behind. In other words, players who were recruited under Division I rules will keep their athletic scholarships until they graduate or their eligibility runs out. St. Francis has committed to honoring those agreements, so no athlete loses the financial aid they were promised. However, once the move to Division III is complete, new recruits will no longer receive athletic scholarships — they’ll instead rely on academic or need-based aid, in line with Division III rules.