Tommies fans and athletes will be waiting months longer to learn their Division I fate, but St. Thomas officials are encouraged to be "one step closer" in determining where they will play for the 2021-22 season.
The NCAA announced Wednesday it will vote on a potential model for schools going straight from Division III to Division I before April 2021.
The Division I council said it would be "receptive to a formal waiver request from Division III St. Thomas (Minnesota) and the Summit League that would allow the school to begin the reclassification process."
A news release from the university called it "encouraging news" and the athletics department will immediate begin the waiver application. Here's the statement in full, including comment from athletic director Phil Esten:
St. Thomas heard encouraging news today in its bid to reclassify directly from Division III intercollegiate athletics to Division I.
The NCAA Division I Council advanced support for legislation that clears a path for D-III athletics programs to reclassify to D-I, provided those programs meet certain criteria. Additionally, the council supported receiving a formal waiver request from St. Thomas and the Summit League athletic conference that would allow the school to begin the reclassification process sooner. This brings St. Thomas a step closer to becoming the first D-III program to make this jump in the modern NCAA era.
“We will immediately begin work with Commissioner Tom Douple and the NCAA to formally submit our waiver request,” said Phil Esten, St. Thomas vice president and director of athletics. “While I know all of us are anxiously awaiting definitive word on where we will be competing starting with the 2021-22 season, we must remain patient for just a little while longer. As always, I remain optimistic about the future of Tommie athletics, and we look forward to continuing to work with the NCAA on the reclassification process.”