St. Francis (PA) is moving from Division I to Division III in 2026
Saint Francis' Daemar Kelly (5) celebrates with teammate Riley Parker (11) during the second half of a First Four college basketball game against Alabama State in the NCAA Tournament, Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in Dayton, Ohio. Credit: AP/Jeff Dean
LORETTO, Pa. — The first run to the NCAA Division I basketball tournament in more than 30 years by Saint Francis (Pa.) could also be its last.
The school announced Tuesday it would move from Division I to Division III in the summer of 2026.
The announcement comes a week after the Red Flash played in March Madness for the first time since 1990. The Northeastern Conference Tournament champions were edged by Alabama State in the First Four on a last-second layup.
The school, which is located in the Allegheny Mountains about 80 miles east of Pittsburgh, has accepted an invitation to begin play in the Division III-level Presidents Athletic Conference during the 2026-27 academic year.
The private Catholic school, with an enrollment of around 3,000 students, indicated that the shift in college athletics over the last few years — including the transfer portal and the ability for athletes to make money off their name, image and likeness — played a factor in the decision.
The wide geographic footprint of the NEC was also an issue.
“Our students travel either to Chicago or to Boston or to points in between,” the school's president, the Rev. Malachi Van Tassell, said in a statement. “That’s a lot of time not spent on campus, developing friendships or in the classroom. This change allows our students to be present on campus and lets their friends attend more of their home and away games.”
Saint Francis' Daemar Kelly reacts during the second half of a First Four college basketball game against the Alabama State in the NCAA Tournament, Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in Dayton, Ohio. Credit: AP/Jeff Dean
Van Tassell added he knows the transition will be “stressful” for student-athletes and that the administration will do what it can to offer support to everyone involved.
