St. Thomas Can Go DI After School Ousted from DIII League

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The NCAA has given the University of St. Thomas permission to move its sports teams directly from Division III to Division I.

The Tommies were granted a waiver to bypass the current reclassification rules that require a stop first in Division II.

St. Thomas will join the Summit League with all but three of the Minnesota private school's 22 varsity programs.

The football team has been invited to join the Pioneer League, a non-scholarship FCS conference.

The 2020-21 school year will be the final season for the Tommies in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. They've been ousted for competitive reasons.