Amid the chaos in the college basketball world with the transfer portal officially opening today, Saint Francis (Pa.) announced it will reclassify to Division III, effective for the 2026-27 season, according to a statement on its athletics page.
The move comes as a shock, considering the team just ended a 34-year NCAA Tournament drought and lost on a heartbreaking buzzer-beater to Alabama State. It serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of college basketball.
Saint Francis (Pa.) is also the latest Saint Francis school to lose its Division I status. Saint Francis (N.Y.) discontinued its intercollegiate athletics program after the 2022-23 season, citing financial losses related to COVID-19.
Mid-major fans will have one more year to watch the Red Flash compete in the NEC before the team moves to Division III and joins the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.
