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 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

;Notes:

Former members

InstitutionLocationFoundedAffiliationEnrollmentNicknameJoinedLeftColorsCurrent
conference
Bluefield State UniversityBluefield, West Virginia1895Public
1,246Big Blue20132023 Central (CIAA)
Denver, Colorado1864Nonsectarian14,130Pioneers19901998Summit
(West Coast (WCC)
Emory & Henry UniversityEmory, Virginia1836Private1,250Wasps20212022 South Atlantic (SAC)
Oakland City UniversityOakland City, Indiana1885Private2,350Mighty Oaks20062020 River States (RSC)
Green Bay, Wisconsin1965Public11,188Phoenix19731981Horizon
Milwaukee, Wisconsin1956Public22,481Panthers1964;
1987
1973;
1990
Horizon
Wright State UniversityFairborn, Ohio1964Public17,074Raiders19701987Horizon
Youngstown State UniversityYoungstown, Ohio1908Public15,058Penguins19601981Horizon

;Notes:

Men's sponsored sports by school

Departing members in pink.
SchoolBaseballBasketballCross
country
SoccerTennisTrack
& field
outdoor
VolleyballWrestlingTotal
IND
sports
UPR Bayamón5
UPR Mayagüez5
UPR Río Piedras5
SalemMEC5

Women's sponsored sports by school

Departing members in pink.
SchoolBasketballCross
country
SoccerSoftballTennisTrack
& field
outdoor
VolleyballTotal
IND
sports
UPR Bayamón5
UPR Mayagüez5
UPR Río Piedras5
SalemPBC5

Other sponsored sports by school

  • — D-I sport

Baseball independents

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

Football independents

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

Soccer independents

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

Wrestling independents

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

Other sports

Golf

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.
InstitutionLocationNicknamePrimary
conference
Bluefield State UniversityBluefield, West VirginiaBig BlueCIAA
Daemen UniversityAmherst, New YorkWildcatsECC
Post UniversityWaterbury, ConnecticutEaglesCACC
Roberts Wesleyan UniversityChili, New YorkRedhawksECC
Sparkill, New YorkSpartansECC

Rowing

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.
InstitutionLocationNicknamePrimary
conference
Assumption UniversityWorcester, MassachusettsGreyhoundsNortheast-10
Charleston, West VirginiaGolden EaglesMEC
Franklin Pierce UniversityRindge, New HampshireRavensNortheast-10
Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaRamsCACC

Swimming &; diving

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.
InstitutionLocationNicknamePrimary
conference
Roberts Wesleyan UniversityNorth Chili, New YorkRedhawksECC

Tennis

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.
InstitutionLocationNicknamePrimary
conference
Bluefield State UniversityBluefield, West VirginiaBig BlueCIAA
Colorado Mesa UniversityGrand Junction, ColoradoMavericksRMAC
Colorado State University PuebloPueblo, ColoradoThunderWolvesRMAC
Johnson C. Smith UniversityCharlotte, North CarolinaGolden BullsCIAA
Shaw UniversityRaleigh, North CarolinaBearsCIAA
Virginia State UniversityPetersburg, VirginiaTrojansCIAA

Sports not sponsored by D-II

InstitutionLocationNicknamePrimary
conference
Sport
Bluefield State UniversityBluefield, West VirginiaBig BlueCIAA
California State University, Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaGolden EaglesCCAABeach volleyball
Chaminade University of HonoluluHonolulu, HawaiiSilverswordsPacWestBeach volleyball
Coker UniversityHartsville, South CarolinaCobrasSAC
Colorado Mesa UniversityGrand Junction, ColoradoMavericksRMACBeach volleyball
Concordia University–IrvineIrvine, CaliforniaEaglesPacWestBeach volleyball
Hawaii Pacific UniversityHonolulu, HawaiiSharksPacWestBeach volleyball
Lincoln Memorial UniversityHarrogate, TennesseeRailsplittersSAC
McKendree UniversityLebanon, IllinoisBearcatsGLVCBeach volleyball
Southwest Baptist UniversityBolivar, MissouriBearcatsGLVCBeach volleyball
Spring Hill CollegeMobile, AlabamaBadgersSIACBeach volleyball
Texas A&M University–KingsvilleKingsville, TexasJavelinasLSCBeach volleyball
Tusculum UniversityTusculum, TennesseePioneersSACMen's volleyball
Vanguard UniversityCosta Mesa, CaliforniaLionsPacWestBeach volleyball
Wayne State CollegeWayne, NebraskaWildcatsNSICBeach volleyball