Thomas More University announces that they have been granted provisional membership to NCAA Division II, making it the only Division II University in the Northern Kentucky/greater Cincinnati region. Thomas More will be the newest member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, beginning competition as a provisional member in 2023-24. Thomas More will be eligibile for NCAA Championships in 2025-26.
"The Great Midwest congratulates Thomas More on securing NCAA Division II provisional membership status and thanks the DII Membership Committee for the decision," conference commissioner Tom Daeger said. "President Chillo and his entire administration have done a terrific job in preparing for this moment and will be an outstanding NCAA Division II member. We look forward to working with them as they begin the provisional process and are excited to see the impact the Saints will have within the Great Midwest and NCAA Division II."
“The transition to the NCAA is significant as we continue to enhance our regional position as the premier Catholic Liberal Arts University,” says Thomas More University President Joseph L. Chillo, LP.D. “The experience that we create for our student-athletes is intentional and designed for success in the classroom and on the field of competition. As we invest in our athletics program by adding new sports, full-time coaches, and renovations and expansions in facilities, this opportunity to elevate the position of Thomas More Athletics with the reputation and brand of the NCAA is a significant and transformational endeavor.”
In preparation for applying to return to the NCAA, the Thomas More approached and was unanimously approved in summer 2021 for provisional membership to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. With the successful bid in 2022 to rejoin the NCAA as a Division II competitor, the Thomas More looks forward to competing in the Great Midwest and being eligible for conference championships and tournaments beginning in the 2023-24 academic year.
“I’m very excited for the new opportunities and challenges that this transition will have for our student athletes and our athletic department as a whole,” says Terry Connor, Thomas More athletic director. “I think that it will be a great step in the right direction for our community and all the growth it has to offer.”
Thomas More, based in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, currently competes in the Mid-South Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The Saints have been in the NAIA for the past two academic years and will retain NAIA membership until completion of the 2022-23 academic year.