List_of_NCAA_Division_II_football_programs

List of NCAA Division II football programs

List of NCAA Division II football programs

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This is a list of the schools in Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States that have football as a varsity sport. In the 2024 season,[1] there are a total of 162 Division II football programs – one less than 2023. Changes from last season were:

Map of NCAA Division II football programs, 2023

NCAA Division II football programs

  • Reclassifying institutions in yellow.
More information School, Nickname ...
  1. [D 1]
    Adams State was previously a Division II member during the 1983 season.
  2. [D 2]
    Transitioning from the NAIA.
  3. [D 3]
    Barton – SAC affiliate member / Primary: Conference Carolinas.[7]
  4. [D 4]
    Joining football in its full-time home of the Conference Carolinas, which adds football in 2025.
  5. [D 5]
    Institutional name changed from California University of Pennsylvania in July 2022. The athletic program continues to be known as California, typically referred to by media as "California (PA)" to distinguish from the D-I program of the University of California, Berkeley, known simply as "California".
  6. [D 6]
    Central Oklahoma, known then as Central State, was previously a Division II member between 1976 and 1978.
  7. [D 7]
    Central State was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1986.
  8. [D 8]
    Central Washington was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1975 and then again between 1982 and 1983.
  9. [D 9]
    Central Washington – LSC affiliate member / Primary: Great Northwest Athletic Conference.[8]
  10. [D 10]
    Chowan – Primary affiliation: Conference Carolinas. GSC football-only affiliate in 2023 and 2024 seasons.
  11. [D 11]
    Institutional name changed from Clarion University of Pennsylvania in July 2022. The athletic program continues to be known as Clarion.
  12. [D 12]
    Colorado Mesa, known then as Mesa State, was previously a Division II member between 1982 and 1983.
  13. [D 13]
    CSU Pueblo, known then as Southern Colorado, was previously a Division II member between 1974 and 1984.
  14. [D 14]
    Institutional name changed from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in July 2022. The athletic program continues to be known as Edinboro.
  15. [D 15]
    Transitioning from Division III.
  16. [D 16]
    Erskine – GSC affiliate member / Primary: Conference Carolinas.[9]
  17. [D 17]
    Fairmont State was previously a Division II member between 1978 and 1979.
  18. [D 18]
    Fort Lewis was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1984.
  19. [D 19]
    Hillsdale was previously a Division II member between 1976 and 1978.
  20. [D 20]
    Minnesota State, then known as Mankato State, was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1976.
  21. [D 21]
    Moorhead State was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1982.
  22. [D 22]
    Mississippi College was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1996.
  23. [D 23]
    New Haven was previously a Division II member between 1975 and 1976 and then again between 1981 and 2003.
  24. [D 24]
    New Mexico Highlands was previously a Division II member between 1982 and 1984.
  25. [D 25]
    UNC Pembroke – MEC affiliate member / Primary: Conference Carolinas.
  26. [D 26]
    North Greenville – GSC affiliate member / Primary: Conference Carolinas.
  27. [D 27]
    Northeastern State – Independent / Primary: MIAA.[11]
  28. [D 28]
    Northern State was previously a Division II member between 1980 and 1981.
  29. [D 29]
    Northwood was previously a Division II member between 1981 and 1987.
  30. [D 30]
    Post – NE-10 affiliate member / Primary: Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference.
  31. [D 31]
    Quincy was previously a Division II member between 1993 and 1994 and then again between 1996 and 2003.
  32. [D 32]
    Savannah State was previously a Division II member between 1981 and 2000.
  33. [D 33]
    Shorter – Independent / Primary: Conference Carolinas.
  34. [D 34]
    Southwest Minnesota State, known then as Southwest State, was previously a Division II member between 1978 and 1983.
  35. [D 35]
    West Texas A&M, then known as West Texas State, was previously a Division II member between 1986 and 1990.
  36. [D 36]
    West Virginia Wesleyan was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1980.
  37. [D 37]
    Western Colorado, then known as Western State, was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 1978 and then again between 1982 and 1985.
  38. [D 38]
    Western New Mexico was previously a Division II member in 1983.
  39. [D 39]
    Western Oregon – LSC affiliate member / Primary: Great Northwest Athletic Conference.[8]
  40. [D 40]
    Winston-Salem State was previously a Division II member between 1973 and 2005.

Future Division II football programs

More information School, Nickname ...
  1. [F 1]
    Transitioning from Division III.
  2. [F 2]
    Transitioning from the NAIA.
  3. [F 3]
    Jamestown was previously a Division II member from 1982 to 1983.

Former Division II football programs

School names and nicknames reflect those last in use while each institution played D-II football. Name changes that do not reflect a complete change of identity (e.g., "College" to "University") are not included.

More information School, Nickname ...
  1. 16 states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming) and Washington, D.C., do not currently have Division II football programs.
  2. According to conferences in football, not necessarily a team's primary conference.
  3. Nickname changed to Red Wolves in 2008.
  4. California State University, East Bay since 2005.
  5. Now athletically branded and academically marketed as UCF, although the legal name has not changed.
  6. Nickname changed to Knights in 2007.
  7. Now athletically branded and academically marketed as UConn, although the legal name has not changed.
  8. UConn's campus is in Storrs, and the Huskies played football on campus until their current home venue, Pratt & Whitney Stadium, opened in East Hartford in 2003.
  9. Utah Tech University since July 1, 2022. The nickname of Trailblazers did not change.
  10. Nickname changed to Eagles in 1991.
  11. Nickname changed to Phoenix in 2000.
  12. Usually referred to in print as "Georgetown (KY)" to distinguish from the Division I FCS Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
  13. California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt (Cal Poly Humboldt) since 2022.
  14. Nickname changed to Mountain Hawks in 1996.
  15. As the LIU Sharks. Long Island University merged the Post athletic program with the Division I non-football program of its other main campus, LIU Brooklyn, in 2019 to create the current LIU Sharks.
  16. Mansfield currently plays sprint football, a variant played under standard college rules but with a strictly enforced player weight limit of 178 pounds (81 kg).
  17. Now athletically branded as "Omaha", though the university's legal name has not changed.
  18. The UNLV campus is not within the City of Las Vegas, but is instead in the unincorporated community of Paradise.
  19. Nickname changed to Fighting Hawks during the 2015 football season.
  20. University of Louisiana at Monroe since 1999.
  21. Nickname changed to Warhawks in 2006.
  22. Missouri State University since 2005.
  23. Texas State University since 2013.
  24. Now athletically branded as "Chattanooga", though the legal name has not changed.
  25. Nickname changed to Skyhawks in 1995.
  26. Towson University since 1997.
  27. Troy University since 2004.
  28. Nickname changed to Beacons in 2021.
  29. WVU Tech did not start its move to its current campus in Beckley until 2016. The athletic program did not relocate to Beckley until the campus move was completed in 2017.
  30. The athletic program is now branded as "Milwaukee", though the university's legal name has not changed.

Notes

    See also

    References

    1. [1]
      "Division II Football Institutions". NCAA Directory.
    2. [2]
      McCray, Vanessa. "University of West Georgia to move to NCAA Division I". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
    3. [3]
      "Mercyhurst University marks new era in athletics with move to Division I". Mercyhurst University. April 4, 2024.
    4. [4]
      Morris, Conor. "Notre Dame College to close its doors at end of spring semester". Ideastream Public Media. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
    5. [5]
      Gaither, Steven (2024-04-04). "HBCU football program suspended as school fights for survival". HBCU Gameday. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
    6. [6]
      Smith III, Kennington Lloyd (October 4, 2019). "Anderson University announces football program to start in 2024". Independent Mail. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
    7. [7]
      "NCAA DII Collegiate Football Is Coming to Barton". Barton.edu. Barton College. January 30, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
    8. [8]
      "Central Washington, GNAC football members to join Lone Star Conference". Yakima Herald-Republic. November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
    9. [9]
      "Erskine Bringing Back Football for 2020 Season". Erskine College. August 24, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
    10. [10]
      University of Mary Athletics Department. "MDU Resources Community Bowl". goumary.com.
    11. [11]
      "MIAA makes changes to Football lineup" (Press release). Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
    12. [12]
      "Wheeling Jesuit University to Launch Football Program". Wheeling (Jesuit) University. June 20, 2017. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
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