“In a call today with the NCAA, we confirmed that we are meeting their academic and financial requirements, and USI is ready to be a full-fledged Division I member. Our campus community will work extremely hard this spring to fulfill the necessary criteria to be eligible for NCAA Championships beginning in 2025-2026. Under the previous path, USI Athletics would not have been eligible until 2026-2027. We will work hand in hand with the NCAA and OVC over the next several months to meet reporting deadlines and host site visits on campus. Our coaches and staff are excited about what lies ahead for USI Athletics!”
During the first two-and-a-half years of the transition process, USI has been successful in the Ohio Valley Conference, Horizon League (men’s tennis), and the Summit League (swimming and diving). The Screaming Eagles captured the OVC women’s basketball regular season and conference championships in 2024 before taking the league titles in men’s and women’s cross country last fall. USI cross country and track & field runners also have garnered 13 individual crowns.
Academically, USI Athletics earned the OVC Institutional Achievement Award during the first two years in the OVC.
