(Image Source: Presidents’ Athletic Conference)
By: Jacob Walsh
Mar. 25, 2025: The Saint Francis Division 1 Athletic Program recently made headlines for its first FBS win, and March Madness play-in game appearance will now be moving to NCAA Division III and accepting an invitation to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.
Saint Francis University is located in Loretto, Pennsylvania. They are known athletically as the ‘Red Flash’ and currently have 22 men’s and women’s athletic programs. The Red Flash competes in the Northeast Conference (NEC) and has been an NCAA Division 1 member since roughly the 1980s.
However, today, the Saint Francis Board of Trustees and University President, Very Rev. Malachi Van Tassell, T.O.R., Ph.D. announced that the athletic program would be leaving the Division 1 Northeast Conference and accepting an invitation to join the Division III Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC), which is Thiel College’s current conference.
SFU stated that they will be making a move down to Division III for the Fall 2026 athletic season. The Red Flash will continue the Spring 2025-Spring 2026 competition in the NEC. This comes as a shock and surprise to the collegiate athletic world due to the unlikeliness of such a vast move, along with SFU’s recent Division I success.
In September 2024, Saint Francis Football achieved its first victory over an FBS school, beating Kent State 23-17. The Red Flash Football team would finish 4-7 and 2-4 in the NEC, competing against other local D1 FCS members such as Duquesne, Robert Morris, and Mercyhurst.
Then, in March of 2025, an under. 500 SFU Men’s Basketball team won the NEC championship and punched their ticket to the D1 Championship Tournament (March Madness). Their last and only other appearance came in 1991. SFU was selected as a ‘First Four In’ play-in game against Alabama State; they lost 70-68 on March 18th.
SFU Board of Trustees Chairman Very Rev. Joseph Lehman, T.O.R., Ph.D. made a statement on the decision, explaining, “The governance associated with intercollegiate athletics has always been complicated and is only growing in complexity based on realities like the transfer portal, pay-for-play, and other shifts that move athletics away from love of the game. For that reason, as a Board, we aim to best provide resources and support to our student-athletes in this changing environment that aligns with our mission, Catholic institution, and our community’s expectations.”
University President, Very Rev. Malachi Van Tassell, T.O.R., Ph.D. stated, “The Board and I have been concerned about the student-athlete experience for many years. The geography of our conference is huge. Our students travel either to Chicago or to Boston or to points in between. That’s a lot of time not spent on campus, developing friendships or in the classroom. This change allows our students to be present on campus and lets their friends attend more of their home and away games. This decision is about creating and maintaining community and allowing our student-athletes to thrive in the classroom and their chosen sport…I want to be clear—we are very proud of our Division I history and success, and our student-athletes. We know this transition may be stressful. We will do everything possible to support our student-athletes, their families, our coaches, and our staff and do right by you.”
From SFU’s ‘FAQ’ page on the move, the university explained that the move would “set the stage for Saint Francis to be a powerhouse in Division III, where student-athletes can compete in intercollegiate athletics, earn championships, immerse themselves in a faith and ethics-based campus community, and an immersive learning experience.”
In the fall of 2026, the Saint Francis Red Flash will join 12 other athletic programs, including Thiel College, as members of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference.
Sources: Saint Francis University, PAC, ESPN
