St. Thomas Announces Intentions to Go Division I After Getting Removed from MIAC

The University of St. Thomas (MN) made clear Friday that it intends to turn Division I in athletics, less than five months after being involuntarily removed from the Division III MIAC. St. Thomas announced that the school has been invited to join the D-I Summit League, pending NCAA approval of the school’s waiver claim to jump directly from Division III to D-I. NCAA rules specify that a D-III school must first stop at Division II before climbing to D-I, a process that normally takes 12 years. St. Thomas said if its waiver is approved, it will join the Summit League in 2021, which is exactly when the Tommies must exit the MIAC.