University Of St. Thomas Invited To Join Division I Conference

SAINT PAUL, MN — The University of St. Thomas announced Friday that it has been invited to join the Summit League, a Division I athletics conference. St. Thomas is currently a Division III school.

"Four months ago, it was announced that St. Thomas would be involuntarily removed from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), which we have called home for nearly 100 years," St. Thomas President Julie Sullivan said in a statement.

"I am pleased to update you that late yesterday, following a decision by our Board of Trustees to submit an application, St. Thomas officially received an invitation to join the Summit League, a Division I athletics conference."

St. Thomas would be Minnesota's second school with a Division I athletics program. Currently, the only school with all Division I athletics is the University of Minnesota.

"If the NCAA ultimately grants the waiver request, St. Thomas will begin competing in the Summit League in fall 2021, after two full final years in the MIAC," Sullivan added.

The following nine schools are currently full members of the Summit League.

• University of Denver
• University of North Dakota
• North Dakota State University
• University of Omaha
• Oral Roberts University
• Purdue University Fort Wayne
• University of South Dakota
• South Dakota State University
• Western Illinois University