Proposed Expedited Transition Process for D2?

[MooseLodge]

There are numerous private D2 schools that are using athletics to prop them up.

No doubt. And a bunch of D3s too. Most will be out of business in the next decade. That model won't work anymore.

[zimmy21]

I believe a school from the NSIC did a while ago. I forget the actual school though. Off the top of my head that is the only 1.

Morningside was NCC before dropping to the the NAIA, they were never in the NSIC. However maybe you are confusing them with Minnesota-Morris that was in the NSIC and dropped to NCAA D3 at the same time!

[Finchwidget]

Decided to do a deep dive and answer my own question. As far as I can tell, the schools that have moved from D2 to NAIA from 2004 to now are:

West Virginia Tech in 2006
St. Andrews in 2012
Stillman in 2016
Oklahoma Panhandle State in 2017
Ohio Valley in 2021

Of those 5, Ohio Valley didn't even last a full season before closing, and I believe I've heard from the MEC contingent here that WVU Tech moved at least in part to try to dodge some sanctions that the NCAA was about to impose on them, and have since tried and failed to move back to D2. So that's 3 schools in the past 2 decades who have made the move and had it turn out ok for them. And to their credit, it seems to have worked very well for those 3 schools as far as I can tell! But the fact that that number is so low seems to indicate that it's not something a lot of schools are jumping at the chance to do. Things can certainly change, especially given the uncertainty surrounding college athletics and the NCAA as a whole right now, but for now, I'm skeptical that this NAIA recruitment push will go anywhere.

[WVIAC-F-EVER]

NAIA has advantages

less sports requirements

academics are actually harder

if you are going to grow a school enrollment - you can actually offer more athletic aid to get the kids

they have playing redshirt rule for all sports

All documents for eligibility are reviewed by outside person before participation - eligibility chair

they have allowed multiple transfers 4-4–4-4 for years

the NAIA eligibility center certifies freshman and transfers

NCAA championships don’t cover all the costs anymore unless a school shaves does the travel party

ncaa pays more than naia - but the old days of no cost are gone


there are plenty of public schools using athletics to keep the doors open

[ESU Warrior]

I can't think of any NSIC teams that went NAIA. Morningside moved from the NCC to the NAIA a couple decades ago. The NCC has since folded and the remaining D2 teams merged into the NSIC, so maybe that's what you're remembering?

That who is I was thinking of, and thanks for clarifying that it was the NCC and not the NSIC.

[UCObluejay]

Currently, schools are not required to pay athletes, nor can they, below the D1 level. The Dartmouth ruling is simply that the players are in fact employees, and they can unionize and collectively bargain. Whether Dartmouth is governed by the NCAA, NAIA, or some other organization is moot; the law applies regardless. In all probability, that ruling will end up in the US Supreme Court at some point. If the SC upholds the Dartmouth ruling - a 50/50 chance - then all of college sports will have a reset.

If the SC upholds the Dartmouth ruling, I anticipate them carving out non-athletic scholarship programs from the ruling, with the idea that non-scholarship is strictly voluntary, extracurricular, and that there is no renumeration for services rendered by the athlete: "Paying to play". Perhaps the school is entitled to provide equipment and a few other things, but not much more.

At that point, the bulk of college programs would convert to non-athletic scholarship almost overnight. Most, though not all, of the Power 4 programs would stay put; programs below generally would not have the financial means nor infrastructure, to pay hundreds of athletes. For many schools, the number of school employees would double or triple.

Interesting times.

As a footnote, any school using athletics to keep their doors open probably needs to close.

I don't know how that separation would hold up in court?

Some elitist professors will have a cow that a football player earns more more money from the university than they do.

[MooseLodge]

I don't know how that separation would hold up in court?

Some elitist professors will have a cow that a football player earns more more money from the university than they do.

The courts won't involve themselves in setting salaries. Professors are already miffed that the coaches are making more than them. I'm upset that Warren Buffett makes more than me. Oh well.

[Buffalo/Islander Alum]

Decided to do a deep dive and answer my own question. As far as I can tell, the schools that have moved from D2 to NAIA from 2004 to now are:

West Virginia Tech in 2006
St. Andrews in 2012
Stillman in 2016
Oklahoma Panhandle State in 2017
Ohio Valley in 2021

Of those 5, Ohio Valley didn't even last a full season before closing, and I believe I've heard from the MEC contingent here that WVU Tech moved at least in part to try to dodge some sanctions that the NCAA was about to impose on them, and have since tried and failed to move back to D2. So that's 3 schools in the past 2 decades who have made the move and had it turn out ok for them. And to their credit, it seems to have worked very well for those 3 schools as far as I can tell! But the fact that that number is so low seems to indicate that it's not something a lot of schools are jumping at the chance to do. Things can certainly change, especially given the uncertainty surrounding college athletics and the NCAA as a whole right now, but for now, I'm skeptical that this NAIA recruitment push will go anywhere.

McMurry University in Abilene, Texas played a couple of years in the LSC from 2014-2015 before dropping down to D3.

[Tech Boys]

Oakland City and Washington Adventist also went D2 to Naia.

[Finchwidget]

Oakland City and Washington Adventist also went D2 to Naia.

Dang! Can't believe I forgot to check the former independents... Thanks for that. I guess 5 schools that have made the move in the past 20 years AND stuck the landing is slightly better, but not enough to change my mind

[OICfootball]

Dang! Can't believe I forgot to check the former independents... Thanks for that. I guess 5 schools that have made the move in the past 20 years AND stuck the landing is slightly better, but not enough to change my mind

Langston did one year of NCAA Division II provisional status before aborting its move in 2006.

[UCObluejay]

There is no way the courts will mandate that some colleges have to play players and not mandate that others don't have to.

They couldn't care less about the NCAA/NAIA structure.

[MooseLodge]

There is no way the courts will mandate that some colleges have to play players and not mandate that others don't have to.

They couldn't care less about the NCAA/NAIA structure.

Agree, except that in a non-scholarship environment, there is literally no remuneration for participation. Meals, books, tuition, nothing. Participation is strictly voluntary by the student athlete, not unlike intramurals.

I can see a path where the courts decide the athletes are employees only upon accepting remuneration from the school. If that is the ruling, 95 percent of universities will go to a non-athletic scholarship model virtually overnight.

[Bballfan]

I can see a path where the courts decide the athletes are employees only upon accepting remuneration from the school. If that is the ruling, 95 percent of universities will go to a non-athletic scholarship model virtually overnight.

They would have to. There are very few schools that can even afford to pay athletes, and there is not enough money to support all the sports. And then whatever they do pay athletes, to some it won't be enough (when is it ever enough...lol).

[Eagle74]

They would have to. There are very few schools that can even afford to pay athletes, and there is not enough money to support all the sports. And then whatever they do pay athletes, to some it won't be enough (when is it ever enough...lol).

You're 100% right!! Simple greed will quickly cause the cards to tumble.