Saint Francis Leaving FCS for NCAA Division III

The Saint Francis Red Flash will leave NCAA Division I and the FCS‘ Northeast Conference to join NCAA Division III after the 2025-26 academic year. Saint Francis will move to the NCAA Division III Presidents’ Athletic Conference beginning with the 2026-27 academic year.

Saint Francis joined the FCS in 1993 as an independent when the subdivision was still referred to as NCAA Division I-AA. The Red Flash joined the Northeast Conference in 1996, where it has continuously been a member. Saint Francis has won two NEC titles as an FCS member in 2016 and 2022. The Red Flash won the automatic qualifier bid both times and made an FCS Playoff appearance, losing on both occasions.

The Northeast Conference has seen its share of realignment in recent years. Long Island and Merrimack joined the NEC in 2019, Robert Morris moved its football team from the NEC to the Big South in 2020, and Bryant made the same NEC to Big South move in 2022. Stonehill joined the NEC in 2022 and Mercyhurst joined in 2024. Merrimack and Sacred Heart left the NEC before the 2024 season to become FCS independents, while Robert Morris returned to the NEC from the Big South at the same time.

The 2026 Northeast Confernece currently consists of 7 teams: Central Connecticut State, Duquesne, Long Island, Mercyhurst, Robert Morris, Stonehill, and Wagner. There is one potential future NEC football team with Chicago State hoping to play its first season in 2026 and a full NEC schedule in 2027. Saint Francis Director of Athletics alluded to the possibility of the NEC adding more members in a recent interview but did not expand on any specific teams or whether the possible schools sponsor football.

Photo Credit to Saint Francis University Athletics