University of Southern Indiana becomes official NCAA Division I member
Screaming Eagles earn full Division I status in accelerated transition, now eligible for NCAA championships
JUNE 25, 2025
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana (USI) has officially joined the top tier of intercollegiate athletics, effective August 1, 2025. The NCAA Division I Board of Directors confirmed USI’s move to full active Division I membership during a meeting on Monday, June 23. This completes an accelerated transition process that positions the Screaming Eagles to compete in NCAA Division I postseason championships in all 19 intercollegiate sports beginning in the 2025-26 season.
USI becomes the 11th official NCAA Division I athletic program (seventh public) in the state of Indiana and is a full member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), a historic step that elevates the University’s athletic profile and strategic vision.
“We are excited to be moving into full NCAA Division I membership a year early,” said Steven J. Bridges, USI President. “Our exceptional athletic programs are a fundamental way to achieve a core USI goal of elevating our University’s visibility and reputation. We have shown we are well positioned to compete at the highest level and appreciate the support of the NCAA.”
The Screaming Eagles announced in February their intent to pursue an expedited reclassification after the NCAA issued guidance allowing for the possibility of such transitions. Over the past three years, USI Athletics has demonstrated its readiness—competitively, administratively and academically—with championship wins in the Ohio Valley Conference and postseason and championship appearances in the Horizon and Summit Leagues. Beyond the field of play, USI continues to excel in the classroom. Student-athletes maintain an average GPA of 3.29 and have been awarded back-to-back OVC Institutional Achievement Awards for academic excellence.
“We are very excited that the transition process for Division I is now complete, and our student-athletes can earn the right to compete in NCAA Championships,” said Jon Mark Hall, USI Vice President and Director of Athletics. “It has been a heavy lift for everyone on campus, and I cannot thank our campus community enough for their efforts. Our alumni and the broader community have been extremely supportive during the process. Our student-athletes, coaches and staff are ready to embark on this new journey.”
USI Athletics has already made an impact at the Division I level. The 2024 Women’s Basketball team captured the OVC regular-season and tournament championships and earned WNIT postseason wins in the last two seasons. In the fall of 2024, USI claimed the OVC Men’s and Women’s Cross Country titles, and Cross Country/Track & Field runners garnered an additional 18 individual championships during the transition period.
“I am thrilled that our athletes who bought into our vision for the program will finally get their opportunity to compete for NCAA Division I championships,” said Mike Hillyard, USI Head Cross Country/Track & Field Coach. “It’s a privilege to get the first opportunity on our home course when the NCAA Division I Great Lakes Regional comes to Angel Mounds in November.”
USI accepted its invitation to join the OVC in 2022 and began competing in the 2022-23 academic year. The OVC, now in its 78th year, is the nation’s eighth-oldest NCAA Division I conference and boasts a strong tradition of competitive success and academic achievement.
“We commend the University of Southern Indiana for the vision, determination and hard work they have demonstrated over the past three years in completing the reclassification process to NCAA Division I,” said Beth DeBauche, OVC Commissioner. “USI has shown a commitment to excellence on and off the field, and we are excited to see them eligible to compete in NCAA postseason events. We look forward to what the future holds for their student athletes, coaches and community.”
USI’s first matchups of the 2025-26 season as official full members of NCAA Division I athletics include Women’s Soccer at the University of Nebraska on August 14, and the team’s first regular-season home match against Cleveland State University on August 17. Men’s Soccer opens on the road August 21 at the University of Louisville and hosts its first regular-season home match on August 26 against Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Volleyball will open at home with the USI Invitational August 29-30 against Valparaiso University, Saint Louis University and Northern Kentucky University before hosting Michigan State University on September 4.
