This is part of an ongoing series covering various college realignment news for all three NCAA Divisions as well as the NAIA. The roundup below will cover news and reports since January 31, 2024, and provide updates on previously discussed topics. As a reminder, all official moves starting with the 2023-24 academic year can be found here while changes happening in 2024-25 or later can be found here.
We’ll break out the reports for each Division in the following order: Division 1, Division 2, Division 3, and NAIA. Clicking the links will bring you to that specific section. If a division is not highlighted, there has been no news in the preceding two weeks. We’ve also summarized the news items in a table below if you are more interested in a summary or specific news item rather than having to scroll to find it.
| School(s) | News Item | Realignment Change / Effective Year | Current Conference | New Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2Pac | Moving on from Commissioner Kliavkoff | No | N/A | N/A |
| Arizona | Could Cut Sports | No | N/A | N/A |
| Big Ten and SEC | Form Advisory Committee | No | N/A | N/A |
| Bloomfield | Dropping 6 Sports | Yes – 2024-25 | CACC (D2) | N/A |
| CCC and NEWMAC | Football Scheduling Alliance | No – 2025-26 | N/A | N/A |
| College Football Playoff | New TV Deal with ESPN | No – 2026-27 | N/A | N/A |
| Columbia College (SC) | Adding Men’s Basketball | Yes – 2024-25 | N/A | Appalachian (NAIA) |
| East Texas Baptist | May Join Coast-to-Coast Conference | TBD | N/A | N/A |
| Great Northwest Athletic Conference | Commish Retiring | No – 2024-25 | N/A | N/A |
| Hardin-Simmons | May Join Coast-to-Coast Conference | TBD | N/A | N/A |
| Howard Payne | May Join Coast-to-Coast Conference | TBD | N/A | N/A |
| Keene State | Joining LEC in Women’s Hockey | Yes – 2025-26 | Independent (D3) | LEC (D3) |
| La Sierra University | Plans to Add Sports | Yes – 2024 or 2025 | N/A | TBD (NAIA) |
| LeTourneau | May Join Coast-to-Coast Conference | TBD | N/A | N/A |
| Little East Conference | Will Sponsor Women’s Ice Hockey | Yes – 2025-26 | N/A | N/A |
| Mary Hardin-Baylor | May Join Coast-to-Coast Conference | TBD | N/A | N/A |
| Massachusetts-Boston | Joining LEC in Women’s Hockey | Yes – 2025-26 | NEHC (D3) | LEC (D3) |
| Mississippi University for Women | New Named Proposed | No – 2024-25 | N/A | N/A |
| NCAA | Athletes May Unionize | TBD | N/A | N/A |
| New England College | Hockey Teams Joining LEC | Yes – 2025-26 | NEHC (D3) | LEC (D3) |
| NEWMAC | New Streaming Deal | No | N/A | N/A |
| Northwestern (MN) | Dropping Lacrosse Programs | Yes – 2024-25 | MLC (D3) | N/A |
| Park University (MO) | Adding Cheer | Yes – 2024-25 | N/A | HAAC (NAIA) |
| Plymouth State | Women’s hockey joining MASCAC | Yes – 2024-25 | NEHC (D3) | MASCAC (D3) |
| Plymouth State | Joining LEC in Women’s Hockey | Yes – 2025-26 | NEHC (D3) | LEC (D3) |
| Providence Christian | Adding Men’s Volleyball | Yes – 2024-25 | N/A | Cal Pac (NAIA) |
| San Diego State | Men’s Soccer to Join WAC | Yes – 2024-25 | Pac-12 (D1) | WAC (D1) |
| Southern Maine | Joining LEC in Women’s Hockey | Yes – 2025-26 | NEHC (D3) | LEC (D3) |
| St. Joseph’s NY (Long Island) | Adding Men’s Swimming | Yes – 2024-25 | N/A | Skyline (D3) |
| Streaming News | Multiple Reports on Sports Streaming | No | N/A | N/A |
| Vermont State-Castleton | Joining LEC in Women’s Hockey | Yes – 2025-26 | NEHC (D3) | LEC (D3) |
| Women’s Wrestling (All Divisions) | Likely to have Championship Event | Yes – 2025-26 | N/A | N/A |
ESPN Finalizes College Football Playoff Rights Deal
As reported in mid-January, ESPN has acquired the rights to the College Football Playoff for six years beginning in 2026-27 worth $1.3 billion annually ($7.8 billion total). The new agreement is nearly triple what ESPN paid for the original four-team playoff. The deal is only valid if the CFP and the various conferences can agree to a format for the playoffs, which is currently in flux. As part of the deal, ESPN can sublicense certain games at its discretion.
Big Ten and SEC Form Advisory Group
The Big Ten and SEC – ostensibly not happy with the direction of the NCAA – have announced the creation of an advisory group. The two conferences hope to see a future within college athletics that is not marred by lawsuits, inconsistent state laws, and feckless leadership. The group has no authority to impose any of the findings or recommendations but the two conferences have been the spearhead of recent realignment changes giving this group a chance to shape the future of college athletics. Some are speculating the Power 2 breakaway may soon be on its way but it is too early to tell how things will shake out. There is also the possibility that the way NCAA Championships are structured will change – including the beloved March Madness tournament.
NLRB Rules Dartmouth Athletes are Employees
The National Labor Relations Board’s Region 01 determined that Dartmouth College athletes can be considered university employees potentially causing another seismic shift and further increasing the uncertainty of the NCAA’s future. The decision is likely to be appealed but the NCAA’s mounting legal challenges continue to be a harbinger of bad news. It’s tough to tell how this – combined with all the other issues – will ultimately impact college athletics but change is on the way.
Multiple Streaming Deal Reports
There were a couple of reports involving future streaming options. The first was the joint venture between ESPN, FOX, and Warner Bros. Discovery that will combine the sports inventory of the three companies into one bundle. The combined bundle will go live in the Fall of 2024 and will be available on Disney+, Hulu, and Max along with a standalone app. There are concerns that the trio joining together runs afoul of antitrust regulations.
The other news was ESPN will roll out a direct-to-consumer service in the fall of 2025, which has been a long-expected move but raises more questions with the competition it brings alongside the joint venture. The price for the joint venture bundle nor the ESPN direct app has been provided. It will be interesting to see how long these bundles stay at the introductory offer before seeing a price hike and how long they will stay bundled if they cannibalize other streaming subscriptions.
Pac-12 Moving On From George Kliavkoff
The Pac-12 – currently consisting of Oregon State and Washington State and colloquially referred to as the 2Pac on this website – is starting the process of removing George Kliavkoff as commissioner. Kliavkoff has overseen the destruction of the Pac-12 when he failed to secure a TV rights deal in the summer of 2023. That led to Colorado leaving for the Big 12 and another 7 schools followed them over the next week. Kliavkoff’s final day with the Pac-12 will be on February 29, 2024.
Possible Cuts to Sports Programs Back on the Table for Arizona
Just weeks after declaring that no sports would be cut, Arizona has reversed course and will consider discontinuing sports as the school faces a financial shortfall caused by a miscalculation. Arizona President Robert Robbins addressed the school’s faculty and made it known that deep cuts were coming with every corner being considered including athletics. No additional information was provided nor was a possible timeline of when the cuts would be announced although the school will work with an outside company to restructure the athletic department. Arizona is joining the Big 12 in 2024-25 after the collapse of the Pac-12 in July and August 2023.
NCAA Division 1 Sports Changes
San Diego State’s men’s soccer program will leave the Pac-12 at the conclusion of the 2023-24 academic year and will join the Western Athletic Conference beginning in 2024-25. The Aztecs will join current WAC members California Baptist, Grand Canyon, Seattle, UT Rio Grande Valley, Utah Tech, and Utah Valley. SDSU will become the 4th associate member in soccer alongside Air Force, San Jose State, and UNLV, which will put the WAC at 10 members for men’s soccer.
Women’s wrestling is likely to have its first NCAA Championship beginning with the 2025-26 academic year. The NCAA will vote at the January 2025 Convention on whether or not to approve the sport for a championship, which would take place the following year. Women’s wrestling would be the latest sport to receive an NCAA Championship as part of the Emerging Sports for Women Program. The others were Rowing (1996), Ice Hockey (2000), Water Polo (2000), Bowling (2003), and Beach Volleyball (2015). Five additional sports are currently classified as part of the Emerging Sports For Women Program: Acrobatics and Tumbling, Equestrian, Rugby, STUNT, and Triathlon.
NCAA Division 2 Sports Changes
Bloomfield College (Bloomfield, New Jersey) is dropping 6 sports after the current academic year. The six sports that will not return in 2024-24 are men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s track & field, women’s bowling, and women’s soccer. Bloomfield merged with Montclair State beginning with the 2023-24 academic year but the two campuses maintained separate sports programs. Athletes impacted by the cuts can try out for Montclair State in 2024-25. Bloomfield is a member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference and will have 7 varsity sports (plus an Esports team) next academic year.
Women’s wrestling is likely to have its first NCAA Championship beginning with the 2025-26 academic year. The NCAA will vote at the January 2025 Convention on whether or not to approve the sport for a championship, which would take place the following year. Women’s wrestling would be the latest sport to receive an NCAA Championship as part of the Emerging Sports for Women Program. The others were Rowing (1996), Ice Hockey (2000), Water Polo (2000), Bowling (2003), and Beach Volleyball (2015). Five additional sports are currently classified as part of the Emerging Sports For Women Program: Acrobatics and Tumbling, Equestrian, Rugby, STUNT, and Triathlon.
Great Northwest Commissioner Retiring
Great Northwest Athletic Conference commissioner Dave Haglund will retire in June 2024. He has overseen the GNAC since 2012 with only one full member departing during his tenure (Concordia University-Portland, which closed in 2020). Various changes have been made to affiliate members leaving and joining but the biggest loss has been football, which the GNAC no longer sponsors. A dearth of Division 2 college football programs in the Pacific Northwest combined with numerous realignment changes led to GNAC’s football demise. The GNAC currently has 10 full members from Alaska, British Columbia in Canada, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.
NCAA Division 3 Sports Changes
The Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) and New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) have agreed to a football scheduling alliance beginning with the 2025 season. The alliance will only impact the non-conference schedules. In addition, the two conferences will organize a bowl game starting with the 2024 season that will feature the best team from each conference that is not selected for the D3 Football Playoffs.
The Little East Conference will sponsor women’s ice hockey beginning with the 2025-26 academic year after adding New England College as an affiliate member (the men’s team will also join the LEC). The six women’s hockey teams that will compete are Keene State, Massachusetts-Boston, New England College, Plymouth State, Southern Maine, and Vermont State-Castleton. The Little East announced in July 2023 that it would sponsor men’s ice hockey beginning with the 2025-26 academic year.
The University of Northwestern (St. Paul, Minnesota) is discontinuing both its lacrosse programs effective with the 2024-25 academic year. The school cited travel costs as the main reason for discontinuing the programs. Both teams play in the Midwest Lacrosse Conference.
Plymouth State (Plymouth, New Hampshire) will join the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) in women’s hockey beginning with the 2024-25 academic year. The Panthers are leaving the New England Hockey Conference. Beginning in 2025-26, the MASCAC will have enough members to start the process of obtaining an Automatic Qualifying bid to the D3 Championship. The MASCAC would receive its first AQ bid beginning with the 2027-28 academic year.
St. Joseph’s University-Long Island (Patchogue, New York) is adding men’s swimming beginning with the 2024-25 academic year. The Golden Eagles will compete in the Skyline Conference, which is the school’s primary conference. Men’s swimming will push the school’s sponsored sport count to 17.
Women’s wrestling is likely to have its first NCAA Championship beginning with the 2025-26 academic year. The NCAA will vote at the January 2025 Convention on whether or not to approve the sport for a championship, which would take place the following year. Women’s wrestling would be the latest sport to receive an NCAA Championship as part of the Emerging Sports for Women Program. The others were Rowing (1996), Ice Hockey (2000), Water Polo (2000), Bowling (2003), and Beach Volleyball (2015). Five additional sports are currently classified as part of the Emerging Sports For Women Program: Acrobatics and Tumbling, Equestrian, Rugby, STUNT, and Triathlon.
American Southwest Conference on the Verge of Collapse
Noted Division 3 basketball reporter Bob Quillman is reporting that current American Southwest Conference members East Texas Baptist, Hardin-Simmons, Howard Payne, LeTourneau, and Mary Hardin-Baylor are close to joining the Coast-to-Coast Conference in all sports except football. The ASC has been decimated by realignment news over the last year and the clock is close to running out. Of those five schools, only LeTourneau doesn’t sponsor football meaning at least two more teams will need to join the ASC to keep its automatic bid to the Division 3 football championship (assuming the bracket isn’t expanded to 40 teams, which appears likely to happen over the next couple years).
Mississippi University for Women Has New Name Proposal
The Mississippi University for Women (Columbus, Mississippi) is proposing a new name: Wynbridge State University of Mississippi. The school had to come up with a new name after the previous selection – Mississippi Brightwell University – was poorly received by alumni. The school will still be referred to as the W. The new name will need to be approved by the Mississippi Legislature later this year.
NEWMAC Agrees to FloSports Streaming Deal
The New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) is set to become the second NCAA Division 3 conference to sign a broadcast agreement with FloSports. NEWMAC will join the Landmark Conference, which announced the first streaming deal back in July 2023. The exact amount that NEWMAC schools will receive is unknown but each school in the Landmark Conference receives about $25,000 per year in its deal. Ryan Scott of D3Hoops.com has a fantastic piece diving into the thoughts and discussions conferences have about moving to a paid streaming model.
NAIA Sports Changes
Columbia College (Columbia, South Carolina) is adding men’s basketball and will begin competition in 2024-25. The Koalas are a full member of the Appalachian Athletic Conference, which is where the men’s team will reside.
La Sierra University (Riverside, California) plans to add 4 sports over the next two years. The school will add golf, men’s volleyball, women’s flag football, and women’s beach volleyball. La Sierra is a full member of the California Pacific Conference and the Cal-Pac sensors those sports except for women’s flag football. Official confirmation and a timeline of these new additions will be provided at a later date.
Park University (Parkville, Missouri) is bringing back competitive cheer beginning with the 2024-25 academic year. The most recently had a cheer team in 2014-15. Park will compete in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC), which is the school’s primary conference. Park is the latest NAIA school to add cheer in recent months following Carroll College (MT), Defiance, Hope International, and Texas A&M-Texarkana.
Providence Christian College (Pasadena, California) is adding men’s volleyball beginning with the 2024-25 academic year. While the school did not provide the conference the new program would compete in, it is likely to be the California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac). PCC is a primary member of the Cal Pac, which is losing quite a few men’s volleyball members in 2024-25.
Photo courtesy of John McGillen / Rose Bowl