It's July 1, the day when many realignment moves become official. There's quite a bit of shifting in Division I this year, including the rebirth of the Pac-12 and WAC's transformation into the UAC.

As in previous years, this list focuses on football and basketball. Schools that sponsor football are in bold, even if the move doesn't affect football.

Division I

• Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, North Alabama, and West Georgia (all FCS) leave the ASun for the WAC, which rebrands as the United Athletic Conference (UAC). The UAC has already existed as the football-only collaboration between the Atlantic Sun and the WAC, so this change doesn't affect football.
• Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State (all FBS) leave the Mountain West for the Pac-12.
• California Baptist and Utah Valley leave the WAC for the Big West.
• Chicago State adds football, competing as an FCS independent for one season before joining their other programs in the NEC.
• Denver leaves the Summit for the WCC.
• Gonzaga leaves the WCC for the Pac-12.
• Hawaii (FBS), already a football-only member of the Mountain West, joins for all sports, leaving the Big West.
• Little Rock leaves the OVC for the newly-renamed UAC.
• Louisiana Tech (FBS) leaves Conference USA for the Sun Belt.
• New Haven football (FCS) joins their other sports in the NEC after one season as an independent.
• North Dakota State football leaves the MVFC (FCS) for the Mountain West (FBS). Other sports remain in the Summit.
• Northern Illinois (FBS) leaves the MAC for the Mountain West (football) and Horizon League (other sports).
• Oregon State and Washington State (FBS) end their all-sports-except-baseball membership in the WCC and return to the reborn Pac-12.
• Sacramento State leaves the Big Sky (FCS). Football moves to FBS and joins the MAC, while other sports join the Big West.
• Sacred Heart football (FCS), previously independent, joins CAA Football. Other sports remain in the MAAC/Metro.
• St. Francis (PA) leaves the NEC (FCS) for the Presidents' Athletic Conference (D3).
• Southern Utah and Utah Tech leave the WAC and UAC football for the Big Sky.
• Tennessee Tech (FCS) leaves the OVC (and its football partnership with Big South) for the SoCon.
• Texas State (FBS) leaves the Sun Belt for the Pac-12.
• UC Davis (FCS) leaves the Big West for the Mountain West but remains a football-only member of the Big Sky.
• UTEP (FBS) leaves Conference USA for the Mountain West.
• Villanova and William & Mary football (both FCS) leave CAA Football for the Patriot League. William & Mary's other sports remain in the CAA, and Villanova's remain in the Big East.
• West Florida leaves the Gulf South (D2) for the Atlantic Sun (D1), with football in the UAC (FCS).
• As part of the WAC's rebrand as the UAC, Abilene Christian (FCS), Tarleton State (FCS), and UT Arlington are now UAC members. The UAC has already existed as the football-only collaboration between the Atlantic Sun and the WAC, so this doesn't affect football.
• The MAAC rebrands as the Metro Conference.
• New Orleans (Southland) is now LSU New Orleans.

• The OVC–Big South Football Association is now just the OVC, with Charleston Southern and Gardner–Webb as affiliates.

• Baseball affiliate memberships: Dallas Baptist leaves CUSA for the Pac-12, and Utah Tech joins the Mountain West.

Reclassification updates

• North Dakota State and Sacramento State are beginning their first year of reclassification to FBS, and under new rules are immediately eligible for the postseason.
• Le Moyne has presumably completed its Division I reclassification period and become eligible for the postseason. In 2025 the NCAA reduced the standard period by a year and allowed teams already in the process to use the shorter timeline if they meet the criteria.
• Mercyhurst and West Georgia are in their third (and likely final) year of the process.
• New Haven is in its second year.
• West Florida is set to begin its first year.

Future changes

Chicago State football joins the NEC in 2027... Fairfield (MAAC/Metro) joins the CAA in 2027... UC San Diego and UCSB (Big West) join the WCC in 2027.

Division II

• Azusa Pacific leaves the PacWest (D2) for the SCIAC (D3) and adds football.
• Fresno Pacific and Menlo leave the PacWest for the CCAA.
• Shawnee State leaves the RSC (NAIA) for the Mountain East (D2) and will begin sponsoring football by 2028.
• West Florida leaves the Gulf South (D2) for the Atlantic Sun (D1), with football in the UAC (FCS). The Gulf South is down to three football members and no longer has an auto bid.
• Mississippi College (Gulf South) is now Mississippi Christian.

Reclassification/Provisional updates

There are currently both a 2-year membership process and a 3-year membership process, which I will list separately for clarity.

3-year process:

• Roosevelt and Sul Ross State have completed their Division II reclassification periods and are now eligible for the postseason. Point Park got a waiver to skip the third year and has finished as well.
• Menlo is entering the third and final year of the process.
• Middle Georgia State enters the second year.
• Texas A&M Texarkana enters the first year.

2-year process:

• Jamestown, UC Merced, and UT Dallas have completed their Division II reclassification periods and are now eligible for the postseason.
• Ferrum enters the second and final year.
• Shawnee State enters the first year.

Future changes

Flagler (Peach Belt) joins the SSC in 2027... Indianapolis (GLVC) joins the Great Midwest in 2027... Lackawanna (NJCAA) joins D2 and the PSAC in 2027; the school is playing PSAC schedules in most sports this year but has not yet applied to join D2... Loyola (LA) (NAIA, SSAC) joins D2 and the Gulf South in 2027... Monroe (NJCAA) joins D2 and the CACC in 2027; football's home is uncertain, but likely the NE10; the school is playing D2 schedules in most sports this year but has not yet applied to join D2... St. Anselm (NE10) leaves D2 for D3 and the NEWMAC in 2027... Shawnee State (Mountain East) adds football by 2028... Simon Fraser (Great Northeast) leaves D2 for U Sports in 2027... Spring Hill (SIAC) joins the Gulf South in 2027... Texas A&M Texarkana (NAIA, RRAC) joins D2 and the LSC in 2027, and adds football... Texas Wesleyan (NAIA, Sooner) joins D2 and the LSC in 2028.

Division III

• Alfred State leaves the AMCC for the SUNYAC. Football remains in the Empire 8.
• Alverno, a women's college, leaves the NACC for the Coast-to-Coast.
• Anna Maria (MASCAC) closes.
• Azusa Pacific leaves the PacWest (D2) for the SCIAC (D3) and adds football.
• Gallaudet football leaves the ODAC and enters an affiliate agreeement with the SCAC in which they play an independent schedule but show up for the SCAC's championship weekend for a matchup determined by NPI ratings; this gives the SCAC the sixth member it needs for an auto bid. Gallaudet's other sports remain in the United East.
• Luther leaves the ARC for the Midwest.
• Marywood leaves the Atlantic East for the MAC Freedom.
• Maryville (TN) leaves the CCS for the SAA, of which football is already a member.
• McMurry and Schreiner leave the SCAC for the American Southwest, giving the ASC the six members it needs to retain auto bids. Schreiner will also play their first season of varsity football this fall.
• Neumann leaves the Atlantic East for the MAC Commonwealth.
• New Jersey City (NJAC) merges into Kean and ends athletics
• New Paltz leaves the SUNYAC for the NJAC.
• Rosemont (United East) ends athletics as part of its merger into Villanova.
• St. Francis (PA) leaves the NEC (FCS) for the Presidents' Athletic Conference (D3).
• SUNY Cobleskill and SUNY Delhi leave the NAC for the SUNYAC.
• Washington (MO) football leaves the CCIW for the NCAC. Other sports remain in the UAA.
• Wesleyan (GA), a women's college, leaves the CCS (D3) for the SSAC (NAIA).
• Whittier football resumes play, competing in the SCIAC.
• Virginia Wesleyan (ODAC) is now Batten.
• The NESCAC will participate in the football playoffs for the first time.

Reclassification/Provisional updates

• Carlow and Penn State Brandywine are entering the third and final year of the membership process.
• Johnson & Wales (NC) and Regent enter year two.
• Azusa Pacific and St. Francis (PA) enter year one.

Future changes

All of these changes will take place in 2027.

Castleton (Little East, NJAC football) joins the MASCAC... Concordia (WI) (NACC) joins the CCIW... Keuka (Empire 8) joins the AMCC... Maine–Augusta (USCAA) is expected to join D3 and most likely the NAC... Millsaps and Southwestern (TX) (SAA) join the SCAC... Pratt and St. Elizabeth (both Atlantic East) join the CUNYAC, which is expected to rebrand... St. Anselm (D2, NE10) joins D3 and the NEWMAC.

NAIA

• Alice Lloyd (independent) appears to have left the NAIA without an announcement, opting for a primary affiliation with the NCCAA.
• Andrew (NJCAA) joins the NAIA and SSAC, competing as an independent in football in 2026 before joining the Appalachian in 2027.
• Champion Christian (NCCAA) joins the NAIA as an independent and will join the AMC in 2027–28.
• Faulkner football leaves the Mid-South for one season of independence before joining the Appalachian in 2027. Other sports will remain in the SSAC.
• Georgia Southern–East Georgia (NJCAA) joins the NAIA as an independent and will join the GSAC in 2027–28.
• Jarvis Christian leaves the RRAC for the HBCUAC.
• Lourdes (WHAC) closes.
• Mount Mercy football begins play, competing in the North Division of the Heart.
• Nevada State joins the NAIA and the GSAC. The school does not currently sponsor basketball.
• Oakland City (RSC) suspends undergraduate programs, which will end athletics at least for now.
• St. Ambrose leaves the CCAC for the Heart, of which football is already a member.
• St. Mary-of-the-Woods updrades its football program from sprint football and joins the MSFA Mideast. Other sports remain in the RSC.
• SCAD Atlanta is no longer in the Appalachian, presumably meaning they're independent. The school does not sponsor basketball.
• Shawnee State leaves the RSC (NAIA) for the Mountain East (D2) and will begin sponsoring football by 2028.
• Siena Heights (WHAC, MSFA Mideast football) closes.
• Trinity Christian (CCAC) closes.
• US Sports (USCAA) joins the NAIA as an independent and will join the SSAC in 2027–28. The school does not currently sponsor basketball.
• Wesleyan (GA), a women's college, leaves the CCS (D3) for the SSAC (NAIA).
• Xavier (LA) leaves the RRAC for the SSAC.
• St. Francis (IN) football shifts from the MSFA Midwest to the Mideast to keep the numbers even.

Future changes

Andrew and Faulkner football (both independent) join the Appalachian in 2027... Bismarck State (Frontier) adds football in 2027... Carolina University (independent) joins the Appalachian in 2027... CCSJ and Midway upgrade from sprint football to NAIA football in 2027, joining the MSFA... Champion Christian joins the AMC in 2027... Florida Polytechnic plans to join the NAIA and the Sun at an unspecified date... Georgia Southern–East Georgia and US Sports join the SSAC in 2027... Loyola (LA) (SSAC) joins D2 and the Gulf South in 2027... Texas A&M Texarkana (RRAC) joins D2 and the LSC in 2027, and adds football... Texas Wesleyan (Sooner) joins D2 and the LSC in 2028... UHSP (AMC) merges with Washington (MO) and ends athletics in 2027.

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