National Collegiate Athletic Association

Division I

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Division I schools reclassify, conferences added

By Michelle Brutlag Hosick
NCAA.org

The Division I Board of Directors elected three new schools to active Football Bowl Subdivision membership beginning with the 2013-14 academic year and recognized two new single-sport conferences, beginning immediately.

Massachusetts and South Alabama were approved but must meet minimum football attendance requirements this season, while Texas State moves into the FBS with no restrictions.

Both UMass and South Alabama failed to satisfy the actual or paid 15,000 attendance requirement over a rolling two-year period for FBS schools. Their move to the FBS will be contingent upon having 15,000 in actual average attendance in the 2013 football season. If the requirement is not met, the schools will receive a notice of noncompliance and enter a 10-year probationary period.

The board also chose to recognize the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (men’s ice hockey) and the Golden Coast Conference (women’s water polo) as active Division I single-sport member conferences, effective immediately. The Golden Coast Conference must also be approved by the Division II Membership Committee, because some members compete or will compete in Division II.

The board’s actions came at the recommendation of the Administration Cabinet, which oversees the review and advancement of provisional and reclassifying members within and into Division I.

In other business, the board also reappointed Britton Banowsky, commissioner of ConferenceUSA, to chair the Division I Committee on Infractions. Melissa Conboy, senior deputy athletics director at Notre Dame, will be vice chair.