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The Saint Francis athletic department announced a plan to move down from Division I to the Division III level on Tuesday. The news comes just days after the basketball made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
The Red Flash proved it could compete at the highest level with that invite to the Big Dance. Despite the success, they’re being punished with a demotion.
The university released a statement on the move this week. The decision was approved by its Board of Trustees as a result of the changing landscape in college sports.
“This was not an easy nor a quick decision for the Board of Trustees. The governance associated with intercollegiate athletics has always been complicated and is only growing in complexity based on realities like the transfer portal, pay-for-play, and other shifts that move athletics away from love of the game. For that reason, as a Board, we aim to best provide resources and support to our student-athletes in this changing environment that aligns with our mission, Catholic institution, and our community’s expectations.”
–Chairman and the Very Rev. Joseph Lehman, T.O.R., Ph.D.
The transfer portal and NIL were each noted in the reasoning for moving down a level in competition. The school wants the athletic focus to return to playing for the “love of the game.” The move will go into effect in the 2026-27 academic year. It involves all of the school’s D1 programs.
The Red Flash will compete in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference a few years down the road. They’ll have one last season in the Northeast Conference.
Saint Francis hit with D3 demotion.
The Saint Francis basketball team happened to win that conference tournament this past year as a three-seed. That championship booked them a bid to the Big Dance.
The squad nearly pulled out a win in the play-in round to advance into a matchup against top overall seed Auburn. The Red Flash took an early 12-10 lead six minutes into the contest. The led for the next 30 minutes of play.
Saint Francis eventually lost that advantage late but seemed destined for overtime with the game tied at 68-68 in the final seconds. Disaster struck in the form of a buzzer beater to end the Red Flash’s season.
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The Saint Francis basketball season came to a heartbreaking end last week. It very well could be the team’s last game in the Division I NCAA Tournament. It will have one more opportunity before the demotion goes into effect.
Unfortunately, this could become a trend given the changes sweeping through college sports. Mid-major programs are finding it harder to compete as they become feeder schools for the Power 4.
Norfolk State’s head men’s basketball coach has some powerful words about the transfer portal and mid-majors:
“We basically a glorified juco”
“It’s easy to get them, hard to retain them”
pic.twitter.com/nhCC2rU8m6— Blake Levine (@blake_levine) March 25, 2025
Teams are forced to start fresh each season due to college athletics’ unlimited free agency. Top players bolt for the highest bidders. Coaches aren’t immune to the tampering, either.
Some schools have been able to successfully fend off the vultures. It’s not the norm, though. The Red Flash admitted defeat with the move to Division III. It simply can’t compete with the Power 4 bankrolls.
For the basketball team, it means their final March Madness memory could be a buzzer beating loss to Alabama State, and that’s a shame.