Login
Login

NCAA Division II independent schools#Football schools

{{Short description|Four-year institutions}}

File:DII-indiesstates.png

NCAA Division II independent schools are four-year institutions that compete in college athletics at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, but do not belong to an established college athletic conference for a particular sport. These schools may however still compete as members of an athletic conference in other sports. A school may also be fully independent, and not belong to any athletic conference for any sport at all. The reason for independent status varies among institutions, but it is frequently because the school's primary athletic conference does not sponsor a particular sport.

{{toclimit|2}}

Full independents

Division II was created in 1973, at a time when the NCAA included dozens of independent members, plus members of conferences who played as independents in one or more sports. The trend toward consolidating the NCAA membership into conferences began in the late 1970s, and within a decade the number of independent programs declined dramatically. The lists below include only the small number of programs still functioning on an independent basis in recent years.

=Current members=

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! Institution

! Location

! Founded

! Affiliation

! Enrollment

! Nickname

! Joined{{efn|group=full|Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.}}

! class="unsortable" | Colors

! Future
conference

{{sort|Puerto Rico–Bayamón|University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón}}{{efn|group=full|name=LAI|Also competing as a full member of the Inter-university Athletic League of Puerto Rico (a.k.a. Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria de Puerto Rico or LAI).}}

| Bayamón, Puerto Rico

| 1971

| Public{{efn|group=full|name=UPR|Part of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) System.}}

| 3,022

| Cowboys

| ?

| {{color box|#99ccff|border=darkgray}} {{color box|#006699|border=darkgray}} {{color box|white|border=darkgray}}

|

{{sort|Puerto Rico–Mayagüez|University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez}}{{efn|group=full|name=LAI}}

| Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

| 1911

| Public{{efn|group=full|name=UPR}}

| 12,126

| Bulldogs

| ?

| {{color box|green|border=darkgray}} {{color box|white|border=darkgray}}

|

{{sort|Puerto Rico–Río Piedras|University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras}}{{efn|group=full|name=LAI}}

| San Juan, Puerto Rico

| 1903

| Public{{efn|group=full|name=UPR}}

| 13,226

| Gallitos &
Jerezanas

| ?

| {{Color box|red|border=darkgray}} {{Color box|white|border=darkgray}}

|

Salem University{{efn|group=full|For the 2023–24 and the 2024–25 school years, Salem entered into a non-conference scheduling agreement with the Mountain East Conference for baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, and women’s volleyball.{{cite web|url=https://mountaineast.org/news/2024/11/1/mec-adds-salem-as-associate-member-in-wrestling-swimming.aspx|title=MEC Adds Salem as Associate Member in Wrestling, Swimming|publisher=Mountain East Conference|date=November 1, 2024|access-date=November 1, 2024}}}}

| Salem, West Virginia

| 1888

| Private
(For-profit)

| 991

| Tigers

| 2010;
2016{{efn|group=full|Salem left the Independent ranks after the 2012–13 school year; before re-joining in the 2016–17 school year.}}

| {{color box|#00703c|border=darkgray}} {{color box|white|border=darkgray}}

|

;Notes:

{{notelist|group=full}}

=Former members=

{{expand list|date=February 2024}}

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"

! Institution

! Location

! Founded

! Affiliation

! Enrollment

! Nickname

! Joined{{efn|group=former|Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.}}

! Left{{efn|group=former|Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.}}

! class="unsortable" | Colors

! Current
conference

Bluefield State University{{efn|group=former|Formerly known as Bluefield State College until 2023.}}

| Bluefield, West Virginia

| 1895

| Public
{{small|(HBCU)}}

| 1,246

| Big Blue

| 2013

| 2023

| {{color box|#092769|border=darkgray}} {{color box|#c1a458|border=darkgray}}

| Central (CIAA)

Emory & Henry University{{efn|group=former|Formerly an NCAA Division III school.}}{{efn|group=former|Formerly known as Emory & Henry College until 2024.}}

| Emory, Virginia

| 1836

| Private

| 1,250

| Wasps

| 2021

| 2022

| {{color box|#1b3d75|border=darkgray}} {{color box|#d5ad28|border=darkgray}}

| South Atlantic (SAC)

Oakland City University

| Oakland City, Indiana

| 1885

| Private

| 2,350

| Mighty Oaks

| 2006

| 2020

| {{color box|#6baddf|border=darkgray}} {{color box|#063479|border=darkgray}} {{color box|white|border=darkgray}}

| River States (RSC){{efn|group=former|name=NAIA|Currently an NAIA athletic conference.}}

;Notes:

{{notelist|group=former}}

=Men's sponsored sports by school=

Departing members in pink.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
School

!Baseball

!Basketball

!Cross
country

!Soccer

!Tennis

!Track
& field
outdoor

!Volleyball

!Wrestling

!Total
IND
sports

{{left}}UPR Bayamón

|

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|

|{{Y}}

|

!5

{{left}}UPR Mayagüez

|

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

!6

{{left}}UPR Río Piedras

|

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|

!5

{{left}}Salem

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|

|

|MEC

!5

=Women's sponsored sports by school=

Departing members in pink.

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
School

!Basketball

!Cross
country

!Soccer

!Softball

!Tennis

!Track
& field
outdoor

!Volleyball

!Total
IND
sports

{{left}}UPR Bayamón

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|

|{{Y}}

|

|{{Y}}

!5

{{left}}UPR Mayagüez

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|

|

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

!5

{{left}}UPR Río Piedras

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|

|{{Y}}

|

|{{Y}}

!5

{{left}}Salem

|{{Y}}

|

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

|

|{{Y}}

!5

=Other sponsored sports by school=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
rowspan=2|School

!rowspan=3 width=1 style="padding:0"|

!colspan=2|Men

!rowspan=3 width=1 style="padding:0"|

!colspan=3|Women

Swimming
& diving

!Water
polo ‡

!Swimming
& diving

!Water
polo ‡

{{left}}Salem

|MEC

|WWPA

|MEC

|WWPA

  • ‡ — D-I sport

Baseball independents

{{see also|List of NCAA Division II baseball programs}}

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (Salem), since they have been listed before.

=Current members=

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Institution

!Location

!Nickname

!Primary
conference

Bluefield State University

|Bluefield, West Virginia

|Big Blue

|CIAA

Virginia State University

|Ettrick, Virginia

|Trojans

|CIAA

Football independents

{{see also|List of NCAA Division II football programs}}

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before. Shorter will move its football program to its full-time home of Conference Carolinas once that league begins sponsoring football in 2025.

=Current members=

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Institution

!Location

!Nickname

!Primary
conference

Northeastern State University{{cite press release|url=https://ruralradio.com/krvn/news/miaa-makes-changes-to-football-lineup/ |title=MIAA makes changes to Football lineup|publisher=Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association |date=November 20, 2023 |access-date=November 20, 2023}}

|Tahlequah, Oklahoma

|RiverHawks

|MIAA

bgcolor=pink

|Shorter University

|Rome, Georgia

|Hawks

|Carolinas

{{notelist|group=full}}

{{notelist|group=future}}

Soccer independents

{{See also|List of NCAA Division II men's soccer programs|List of NCAA Division II women's soccer programs}}

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (UPR Bayamón and Salem men's soccer and UPR Bayamón, UPR Río Piedras and Salem women's soccer), since they have been listed before.

=Current members=

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Institution

!Location

!Nickname

!Primary
conference

!class="unsortable"|(M)

!class="unsortable"|(W)

Allen University

|Columbia, South Carolina

|Yellow Jackets

|SIAC

|

|{{Y}}

Bluefield State University

|Bluefield, West Virginia

|Big Blue

|CIAA

|

|{{Y}}

Edward Waters University

|Jacksonville, Florida

|Lady Tigers

|SIAC

|

|{{y}}

Shaw University

|Raleigh, North Carolina

|Bears

|CIAA

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

Virginia State University

|Ettrick, Virginia

|Trojans

|CIAA

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

Lacrosse independents

{{See also|List of NCAA Division II lacrosse programs}}

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.

=Current members=

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Institution

!Location

!Nickname

!Primary
conference

!class="unsortable"|(M)

!class="unsortable"|(W)

Virginia State University

|Ettrick, Virginia

|Trojans

|CIAA

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

Wrestling independents

{{See also|List of NCAA Division II wrestling programs}}

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (UPR Mayagüez), since they have been listed before.

=Current members=

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Institution

!Location

!Nickname

!Primary
conference

American International College

|Springfield, Massachusetts

|Yellow Jackets

|Northeast-10

Felician University

|Rutherford, New Jersey

|Golden Falcons

|CACC

Grand Valley State University

|Allendale, Michigan

|Lakers

|GLIAC

Other sports

=Golf=

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Institution

!Location

!Nickname

!Primary
conference

!class="unsortable"|(M)

!class="unsortable"|(W)

Bluefield State University

|Bluefield, West Virginia

|Big Blue

|CIAA

|

|{{Y}}

Daemen University

|Amherst, New York

|Wildcats

|ECC

|{{Y}}

|

{{sort|Jefferson|Thomas Jefferson University}}
(Jefferson)

|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

|Rams

|CACC

|

|{{Y}}

Post University

|Waterbury, Connecticut

|Eagles

|CACC

|

|{{Y}}

Roberts Wesleyan University

|Chili, New York

|Redhawks

|ECC

|{{Y}}

|

{{sort|Saint Thomas|St. Thomas Aquinas College}}

|Sparkill, New York

|Spartans

|ECC

|{{Y}}

|

=Rowing=

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Institution

!Location

!Nickname

!Primary
conference

Assumption University

|Worcester, Massachusetts

|Greyhounds

|Northeast-10

{{sort|Charleston|University of Charleston}}

|Charleston, West Virginia

|Golden Eagles

|MEC

Franklin Pierce University

|Rindge, New Hampshire

|Ravens

|Northeast-10

{{sort|Jefferson|Thomas Jefferson University}} (Jefferson)

|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

|Rams

|CACC

=Swimming & diving=

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Institution

!Location

!Nickname

!Primary
conference

!class="unsortable"|(M)

!class="unsortable"|(W)

Roberts Wesleyan University

|North Chili, New York

|Redhawks

|ECC

|{{Y}}

|{{Y}}

=Tennis=

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (all of them in men's & women's tennis), since they have been listed before.

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Institution

!Location

!Nickname

!Primary
conference

!class="unsortable"|(M)

!class="unsortable"|(W)

Bluefield State University

|Bluefield, West Virginia

|Big Blue

|CIAA

|{{Y}}

|

Colorado State University Pueblo

|Pueblo, Colorado

|ThunderWolves

|RMAC

|

|{{Y}}

Johnson C. Smith University

|Charlotte, North Carolina

|Golden Bulls

|CIAA

|{{Y}}

|

Shaw University

|Raleigh, North Carolina

|Bears

|CIAA

|{{Y}}

|

Virginia State University

|Petersburg, Virginia

|Trojans

|CIAA

|{{Y}}

|

Sports not sponsored by D-II

{{See also|List of NCAA Division II institutions#Sports not in D-II|l1=List of NCAA Division II institutions with sports not in D-II}}

class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Institution

!Location

!Nickname

!Primary
conference

!Sport

Bluefield State University

| Bluefield, West Virginia

| Big Blue

| CIAA

| {{sortname|Acrobatics &|tumbling|nolink=y}}

California State University, Los Angeles

|Los Angeles, California

|Golden Eagles

|CCAA

|Beach volleyball

Chaminade University of Honolulu

|Honolulu, Hawaii

|Silverswords

|PacWest

|Beach volleyball

Coker University

|Hartsville, South Carolina

|Cobras

|SAC

|{{sortname|Men's|volleyball|nolink=1}}

Colorado Mesa University

|Grand Junction, Colorado

|Mavericks

|RMAC

|Beach volleyball

Concordia University–Irvine

|Irvine, California

|Eagles

|PacWest

|Beach volleyball

Hawaii Pacific University

|Honolulu, Hawaii

|Sharks

|PacWest

|Beach volleyball

Lincoln Memorial University

| Harrogate, Tennessee

| Railsplitters

| SAC

| {{sortname|Men's|volleyball|nolink=y}}

bgcolor=pink

| Maryville University

| Town and Country, Missouri

| Saints

| GLVC{{efn|group=NonDII|name=GLVC|The Great Lakes Valley Conference adds men's volleyball in the 2025–26 school year.}}

| {{sortname|Men's|volleyball|nolink=y}}

McKendree University

| Lebanon, Illinois

| Bearcats

| GLVC

| Beach volleyball

bgcolor=pink

| Missouri University of Science and Technology

| Rolla, Missouri

| Miners

| GLVC{{efn|group=NonDII|name=GLVC}}

| {{sortname|Men's|volleyball|nolink=y}}

bgcolor=pink

| Rockhurst University

| Kansas City, Missouri

| Hawks

| GLVC{{efn|group=NonDII|name=GLVC}}

| {{sortname|Men's|volleyball|nolink=y}}

bgcolor=pink

| Roosevelt University

| Chicago, Illinois

| Lakers

| GLIAC{{efn|group=NonDII|name=GLVCMVBaff|Roosevelt and Thomas More will become affiliates of the Great Lakes Valley Conference for that conference's first men's volleyball season in the 2025–26 school year.}}

| {{sortname|Men's|volleyball|nolink=y}}

Southwest Baptist University

|Bolivar, Missouri

|Bearcats

|GLVC

|Beach volleyball

Spring Hill College

|Mobile, Alabama

|Badgers

|SIAC

|Beach volleyball

Texas A&M University–Kingsville

|Kingsville, Texas

|Javelinas

|LSC

|Beach volleyball

bgcolor=pink

| Thomas More University

| Crestview Hills, Kentucky

| Saints

| G-MAC{{efn|group=NonDII|name=GLVCMVBaff}}

| {{sortname|Men's|volleyball|nolink=y}}

Tusculum University

|Tusculum, Tennessee

|Pioneers

|SAC

|Men's volleyball

Vanguard University

|Costa Mesa, California

|Lions

|PacWest

|Beach volleyball

Wayne State College

|Wayne, Nebraska

|Wildcats

|NSIC

|Beach volleyball

{{notelist|group=NonDII}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

{{NCAA Division II independents navbox}}

{{NCAA Division II navbox}}

{{NCAA Division II football conference navbox}}

Independents