NCAA Division II independent schools

NCAA Division II independent schools are four-year institutions that compete in college athletics at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division II level, but do not belong to an established college athletic conference for a particular sport. These schools may however still compete as members of an athletic conference in other sports. A school may also be fully independent, and not belong to any athletic conference for any sport at all. The reason for independent status varies among institutions, but it is frequently because the school's primary athletic conference does not sponsor a particular sport.

Full independents

Division II was created in 1973, at a time when the NCAA included dozens of independent members, plus members of conferences who played as independents in one or more sports. The trend toward consolidating the NCAA membership into conferences began in the late 1970s, and within a decade the number of independent programs declined dramatically. The lists below include only the small number of programs still functioning on an independent basis in recent years.

Current members
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Colors Future
conference
University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón[lower-alpha 1] Bayamón, Puerto Rico 1971 Public[lower-alpha 2] 3,022 Cowboys  ?      
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez[lower-alpha 1] Mayagüez, Puerto Rico 1911 Public[lower-alpha 2] 12,126 Bulldogs  ?    
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras[lower-alpha 1] San Juan, Puerto Rico 1903 Public[lower-alpha 2] 13,226 Gallitos &
Jerezanas		  ?    
Salem University[lower-alpha 3] Salem, West Virginia 1888 Private
(For-profit)		 991 Tigers 2010;
2016[lower-alpha 4]		    
Notes
  1. Also competing as a full member of the Inter-university Athletic League of Puerto Rico (a.k.a. Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria de Puerto Rico or LAI).
  2. Part of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) System.
  3. For the 2023–24 school year, Salem entered into a non-conference scheduling agreement with the Mountain East Conference for baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, and women’s volleyball.[1]
  4. Salem left the Independent ranks after the 2012–13 school year; before re-joining in the 2016–17 school year.

Former members
Institution Location Founded Affiliation Enrollment Nickname Joined Left Colors Current
conference
Bluefield State University[lower-alpha 1] Bluefield, West Virginia 1895 Public
(HBCU)		 1,246 Big Blue 2013 2023     Central (CIAA)
Emory & Henry College Emory, Virginia 1836 Private 1,250 Wasps 2021 2022     South Atlantic (SAC)
Oakland City University Oakland City, Indiana 1885 Private 2,350 Mighty Oaks 2006 2020       River States (RSC)[lower-alpha 2]
Notes
  1. Formerly known as Bluefield State College until 2023.
  2. Currently an NAIA athletic conference

Men's sponsored sports by school

Departing members in pink.

School Baseball Basketball Cross
country		 Soccer Tennis Track
& field
outdoor		 Volleyball Wrestling Total
IND
sports
UPR Bayamón Y Y Y Y Y 5
UPR Mayagüez Y Y Y Y Y Y 6
UPR Río Piedras Y Y Y Y Y 5
Salem Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 7

Women's sponsored sports by school

Departing members in pink.

School Basketball Cross
country		 Soccer Softball Tennis Track
& field
outdoor		 Volleyball Total
IND
sports
UPR Bayamón Y Y Y Y Y 5
UPR Mayagüez Y Y Y Y Y 5
UPR Río Piedras Y Y Y Y Y 5
Salem Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 7

Other sponsored sports by school
School Men Women
Swimming
& diving		 Water
polo ‡		 Swimming
& diving		 Water
polo ‡
Salem CC WWPA CC WWPA
  • ‡ — D-I sport

Baseball independents
See also: List of NCAA Division II baseball programs

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (Salem), since they have been listed before.

Current members
Institution Location Nickname Primary
conference
Bluefield State University Bluefield, West Virginia Big Blue CIAA
Virginia State University Ettrick, Virginia Trojans CIAA

Football independents
See also: List of NCAA Division II football programs

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before. Shorter will move its football program to its full-time home of Conference Carolinas once that league begins sponsoring football in 2025.

Current members
Institution Location Nickname Primary
conference
Northeastern State University[2] Tahlequah, Oklahoma RiverHawks MIAA
Shorter University Rome, Georgia Hawks Carolinas

      Soccer independents
      See also: List of NCAA Division II men's soccer programs and List of NCAA Division II women's soccer programs

      Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (UPR Bayamón and Salem men's soccer and UPR Bayamón, UPR Río Piedras and Salem women's soccer), since they have been listed before.

      Current members
      Institution Location Nickname Primary
      conference      		 (M) (W)
      Allen University Columbia, South Carolina Yellow Jackets SIAC Y
      Bluefield State University Bluefield, West Virginia Big Blue CIAA Y
      Edward Waters University Jacksonville, Florida Lady Tigers SIAC Y
      Shaw University Raleigh, North Carolina Bears CIAA Y Y
      Virginia State University Ettrick, Virginia Trojans CIAA Y Y

      Lacrosse independents
      See also: List of NCAA Division II lacrosse programs

      Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before. Dominican (CA) will move their men's lacrosse program to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference beginning in the 2025 season.[3]

      Current members
      Institution Location Nickname Primary
      conference      		 (M) (W)
      Dominican University of California San Rafael, California Penguins PacWest Y Y
      Virginia State University Ettrick, Virginia Trojans CIAA Y Y

      Wrestling independents
      See also: List of NCAA Division II wrestling programs

      Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (Salem and UPR Mayagüez), since they have been listed before.

      Current members
      Institution Location Nickname Primary
      conference
      American International College Springfield, Massachusetts Yellow Jackets Northeast-10
      Felician University Rutherford, New Jersey Golden Falcons CACC
      Grand Valley State University Allendale, Michigan Lakers GLIAC
      Menlo College Atherton, California Oaks PacWest
      Vanguard University Costa Mesa, California Lions PacWest

      Other sports

      Golf

      Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.

      Institution Location Nickname Primary
      conference      		 (M) (W)
      Bluefield State University Bluefield, West Virginia Big Blue CIAA Y
      Daemen University Amherst, New York Wildcats ECC Y
      Thomas Jefferson University
      (Jefferson)      		 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Rams CACC Y
      Post University Waterbury, Connecticut Eagles CACC Y
      Roberts Wesleyan University Chili, New York Redhawks ECC Y
      St. Thomas Aquinas College Sparkill, New York Spartans ECC Y

      Rowing

      Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.

      Institution Location Nickname Primary
      conference
      Assumption University Worcester, Massachusetts Greyhounds Northeast-10
      University of Charleston Charleston, West Virginia Golden Eagles MEC
      Franklin Pierce University Rindge, New Hampshire Ravens Northeast-10
      Thomas Jefferson University (Jefferson) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Rams CACC
      Mercyhurst University Erie, Pennsylvania Lakers PSAC

      Swimming & diving

      Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.

      Institution Location Nickname Primary
      conference      		 (M) (W)
      Roberts Wesleyan University North Chili, New York Redhawks ECC Y Y

      Tennis

      Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (all of them in men's & women's tennis), since they have been listed before.

      Institution Location Nickname Primary
      conference      		 (M) (W)
      Bluefield State University Bluefield, West Virginia Big Blue CIAA Y
      Colorado State University Pueblo Pueblo, Colorado ThunderWolves RMAC Y
      Johnson C. Smith University Charlotte, North Carolina Golden Bulls CIAA Y
      Shaw University Raleigh, North Carolina Bears CIAA Y
      Virginia State University Petersburg, Virginia Trojans CIAA Y

      Sports not sponsored by D-II
      See also: List of NCAA Division II institutions with sports not in D-II
      Institution Location Nickname Primary
      conference      		 Sport
      Barry University Miami Shores, Florida Buccaneers SSC[lower-alpha 1] Beach volleyball
      Bluefield State University Bluefield, West Virginia Big Blue CIAA Acrobatics & tumbling
      Women's wrestling
      California State University, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California Golden Eagles CCAA Beach volleyball
      Carson–Newman University Jefferson City, Tennessee Eagles SAC Beach volleyball
      Catawba College Salisbury, North Carolina Catawba Indians SAC Beach volleyball
      Chaminade University of Honolulu Honolulu, Hawaii Silverswords PacWest Beach volleyball
      Coker University Hartsville, South Carolina Cobras SAC Men's volleyball
      Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction, Colorado Mavericks RMAC Beach volleyball
      Concordia University–Irvine Irvine, California Eagles PacWest Beach volleyball
      Eckerd College St. Petersburg, Florida Tritons SSC[lower-alpha 1] Beach volleyball
      Erskine College Due West, South Carolina Flying Fleet Carolinas Beach volleyball
      Florida Southern College Lakeland, Florida Moccasins SSC[lower-alpha 1] Beach volleyball
      Hawaii Pacific University Honolulu, Hawaii Sharks PacWest Beach volleyball
      Lincoln Memorial University Harrogate, Tennessee Railsplitters SAC Beach volleyball
      Men's volleyball
      Maryville University Town and Country, Missouri Saints GLVC[lower-alpha 2] Men's volleyball
      McKendree University Lebanon, Illinois Bearcats GLVC Beach volleyball
      Missouri University of Science and Technology
      (Missouri S&T)      		 Rolla, Missouri Miners GLVC[lower-alpha 2] Men's volleyball
      Oklahoma Christian University Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Eagles & Lady Eagles LSC Women's bowling
      Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach, Florida Sailfish SSC[lower-alpha 1] Beach volleyball
      Saint Leo University St. Leo, Florida Lions SSC[lower-alpha 1] Beach volleyball
      Southwest Baptist University Bolivar, Missouri Bearcats GLVC Beach volleyball
      Spring Hill College Mobile, Alabama Badgers SIAC Beach volleyball
      University of Tampa Tampa, Florida Spartans SSC[lower-alpha 1] Beach volleyball
      Texas A&M University–Kingsville Kingsville, Texas Javelinas LSC Beach volleyball
      Thomas More University Crestview Hills, Kentucky Saints G-MAC Men's volleyball
      Tusculum University Tusculum, Tennessee Pioneers SAC Men's volleyball
      Vanguard University Costa Mesa, California Lions PacWest Beach volleyball
      Wayne State College Wayne, Nebraska Wildcats NSIC Beach volleyball
      1. The Sunshine State Conference adds beach volleyball in the 2024–25 school year.
      2. The Great Lakes Valley Conference adds men's volleyball in the 2025–26 school year.

      See also

      References
      1. "MEC Announces 2023-24 Non-Conference Scheduling Agreement with Salem". mountaineast.org. 2023-08-11. Retrieved 2023-09-19.
      2. "MIAA makes changes to Football lineup" (Press release). Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
      3. "Dominican University of California to Join RMAC Men's Lacrosse League" (Press release). Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. November 20, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
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