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VTHokie2000

Joined: 01/01/2005 Posts: 33818
Likes: 12458


Actually, the Patriot League was never DII, but always DI


or DI-AA (now DI-FCS) in football. Don't worry a lot of people think that DI-AA is DII. FWIW examples of DII schools include Virginia State, Virginia Union, Clarion, Indiana (PA), California (PA), Valdosta State in Georgia, Pittsburg State in Kansas, Colorado School of Mines, and Chaminade (doesn't sponsor football).

Here is a little history lesson for you and others on the creation of the division levels and DI subdivision levels. Prior to 1970 or 1971 (I forget the exact year), there were no subdivisions within the NCAA. For various reasons the NCAA (aka the schools) decided to create 3 division levels within the NCAA (DI, DII, and DIII). Then in 1976 or 1977 (I forget the exact year), the DI schools decided to create 3 subdivisions; 2 for football and 1 for administrative matters.

Football: DI-A (now DI-FBS) and DI-AA (now DI-FCS)
Administrative: DI-AAA (non-football schools) which could not vote on football-related matters

A large percentage of schools immediately started out in DI-AA (i.e. the Patriot League), but there were about 10-20 schools who didn't join DI-AA until the early/mid 1980s. At least I believe there was still movement between the subdivisions in 1983, 1984, maybe 1985, and maybe 1986. I don't think there was any activity going on in 1987-1989, but it is possible the dust wasn't settled until the 1990s. Then at some point (maybe the early 2000s) the NCAA decided to rebrand the subdivisions as DI-FBS and DI-FCS. Also, the NCAA chose to eliminate the DI-AAA subdivision even though non-football schools still can't vote on football-related matters.

In the late 1990s the NCAA placed a moratorium on DI-FCS schools switching to DI-FBS subdivision. It was lifted in the early 2000s (same year UMass joined the MAC as a football-only member). When the moratorium was lifted, a restriction was added that DI-FCS schools could only switch to the DI-FBS 1 or 2 ways:

Option 1 - invited to join an existing DI-FBS conference (i.e. Georgia Southern joining the Sun Belt Conference).

-or-

Option 2 - receive a hardship waiver from the NCAA (i.e. Liberty becoming a DI-FBS Independent).


(In response to this post by Riverguy)

Posted: 06/24/2019 at 1:09PM



+1

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