For much of Thomas More University’s time in Division III of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the university had the College of Mount St. Joseph as a local DIII rival, and nearby rival Northern Kentucky University as a Division II school. And the Saints spent a long time on their own island as part of a conference with only western Pennsylvania schools.
Thomas More will be on an island again as the only NCAA Division II school in a large geographic radius when the university’s sports teams begin playing at that level beginning with the 2023-24 school year.
TMU announced Thursday that move will officially be happening. The school is now a provisional member of Division II and accepted into the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
Beginning now, Thomas More is a provisional member of Division II and will have to follow DII rules while the Saints spend their final year in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
TMU will remain in the Mid-South Conference for the 2022-23 school year. Upon making the move to the GMAC next year, the Saints will be ineligible to play in the NCAA DII Tournament in any sport, but will be allowed to compete for regular-season and tournament championships in their new conference.
“We get to compete for conference championships, regular season awards,” Athletic Director Terry Connor said. “How much that will affect us, I don’t know, but I don’t think it will affect us very much. These kids will get to compete in Division II and compete for conference championships.”
