Last week, Saint Francis was on the wrong end of a thriller when Alabama State's Amarr Knox's game winner knocked the Red Flash out of the NCAA tournament.
That First Four game might have been Saint Francis' last as a Division I program.
More than a week after that loss, Saint Francis announced Tuesday that it will move its athletics programs to the Division III level in 2026.
"This was not an easy nor a quick decision for the Board of Trustees," Rev. Joseph Lehman, the school's chairman, said in a statement. "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."
Saint Francis men's basketball made history in March. The team hadn't reached the NCAA tournament since 1991. Coach Rob Krimmel played for the team in the late 1990s and then served as assistant on staff for more than a decade before becoming the program's leader.
This season, the Red Flash were picked to finish last in the NEC preseason poll but the team won the conference tournament and automatic bid.
They were on the verge of victory before a wild finish and late bucket sealed the win for Alabama State.
The school will move all sports to Division III next year. Its statement cited "changes" in the national landscape. The NIL demands and forthcoming revenue-share model could prompt more schools to make the same decision.
Hartford reached the NCAA tournament in 2021 but then later announced that it would reclassify to Division III.
