NCAA Division II independent schools are four-year institutions that compete in college athletics at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) 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
| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined[a] | Colors | Future conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón[b] | Bayamón, Puerto Rico | 1971 | Public[c] | 2,967 | Cowboys | ? | ||
| University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez[b] | Mayagüez, Puerto Rico | 1911 | Public[c] | 10,716 | Bulldogs | ? | ||
| University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras[b] | San Juan, Puerto Rico | 1903 | Public[c] | 11,493 | Gallitos & Jerezanas |
? | ||
| Salem University[d] | Salem, West Virginia | 1888 | Private (For-profit) |
894 | Tigers | 2010; 2016[e] |
- Notes
- Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
- Also competing as a full member of the Inter-university Athletic League of Puerto Rico (a.k.a. Liga Atlética Interuniversitaria de Puerto Rico or LAI).
- Part of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) System.
- For the 2023–24 and the 2024–25 school years, Salem entered into a non-conference scheduling agreement with the Mountain East Conference for baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, and women’s volleyball.[1]
- Salem left the Independent ranks after the 2012–13 school year; before re-joining in 2016–17.
Former members
- Notes
- Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
- Represents the calendar year when spring sports competition ends.
- Formerly known as Bluefield State College until 2023.
- Also a historically black college and university.
- Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
- Formerly an NCAA Division III school.
- Formerly known as Emory & Henry College until 2024.
- The Mount St. Mary's campus has an Emmitsburg mailing address, but is located in unincorporated Frederick County.
- Currently an NAIA athletic conference.
- The Wright State campus is physically located in Fairborn but has a Dayton mailing address.
Men's sponsored sports by school
Departing members in pink.
| School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross country |
Soccer | Tennis | Track & field outdoor |
Volleyball | Wrestling | Total IND sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPR Bayamón |  Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
5 | |||
| UPR Mayagüez | Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
5 | |||
| UPR Río Piedras | Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
5 | |||
| Salem | Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
MEC | 5 |
Women's sponsored sports by school
Departing members in pink.
| School | Basketball | Cross country |
Soccer | Softball | Tennis | Track & field outdoor |
Volleyball | Total IND sports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPR Bayamón | Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
5 | ||
| UPR Mayagüez | Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
5 | ||
| UPR Río Piedras | Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
5 | ||
| Salem | Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
PBC | 5 |
Other sponsored sports by school
| School | Men | Women | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swimming & diving |
Water polo ‡ |
Swimming & diving |
Water polo ‡ | ||||
| Salem | MEC | WWPA | MEC | WWPA | |||
- ‡ — D-I sport
Baseball independents
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (Salem), since they have been listed before.
Current members
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluefield State University | Bluefield, West Virginia | Big Blue | CIAA |
| Virginia State University | Ettrick, Virginia | Trojans | CIAA |
Football independents
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.
Current members
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern State University[2] | Tahlequah, Oklahoma | RiverHawks | MIAA |
Soccer independents
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (UPR Bayamón and Salem men's soccer and UPR Bayamón, UPR Río Piedras and Salem women's soccer), since they have been listed before. Salem men's soccer will join the Mountain East Conference beginning with the 2026 season.[3] Both Jamestown and Shaw men's soccer programs will join new conferences as affiliate members for men's soccer beginning with the 2027 season: Jamestown to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and Shaw to Conference Carolinas.[4][5]
Current members
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
(M) | (W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen University | Columbia, South Carolina | Yellow Jackets | SIAC | Y | |
| Bluefield State University | Bluefield, West Virginia | Big Blue | CIAA | Y | |
| Edward Waters University | Jacksonville, Florida | Lady Tigers | SIAC | Y | |
| University of Jamestown | Jamestown, North Dakota | Jimmies | NSIC | Y |
|
| Shaw University | Raleigh, North Carolina | Bears | CIAA | Y |
Y |
| Virginia State University | Ettrick, Virginia | Trojans | CIAA | Y |
Y |
Men's wrestling independents
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (UPR Mayagüez), since they have been listed before. Grand Valley State will join the Great Lakes Valley Conference as an associate member for men's wrestling in 2026. Simon Fraser will leave NCAA Division II to join the Canadian-based U Sports in 2027.
Current members
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Bridgeport | Bridgeport, Connecticut | Purple Knights | CACC |
| Felician University | Rutherford, New Jersey | Golden Falcons | CACC |
| Grand Valley State University | Allendale, Michigan | Lakers | GLIAC |
| Simon Fraser University | Burnaby, British Columbia | Red Leafs | GNAC |
Other sports
Golf
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
(M) | (W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluefield State University | Bluefield, West Virginia | Big Blue | CIAA | Y | |
| Daemen University | Amherst, New York | Wildcats | ECC | Y |
|
| Post University | Waterbury, Connecticut | Eagles | CACC | Y | |
| Roberts Wesleyan University | Chili, New York | Redhawks | ECC | Y |
|
| St. Thomas Aquinas College | Sparkill, New York | Spartans | ECC | Y |
Rowing
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assumption University | Worcester, Massachusetts | Greyhounds | Northeast-10 |
| University of Charleston | Charleston, West Virginia | Golden Eagles | MEC |
| Franklin Pierce University | Rindge, New Hampshire | Ravens | Northeast-10 |
| Thomas Jefferson University (Jefferson) | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Rams | CACC |
Swimming & diving
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
(M) | (W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roberts Wesleyan University | North Chili, New York | Redhawks | ECC | Y |
Y |
Tennis
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (all of them in men's & women's tennis), since they have been listed before.
| Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
(M) | (W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluefield State University | Bluefield, West Virginia | Big Blue | CIAA | Y |
|
| Colorado Mesa University | Grand Junction, Colorado | Mavericks | RMAC | Y |
Y |
| Colorado State University Pueblo | Pueblo, Colorado | ThunderWolves | RMAC | Y | |
| Johnson C. Smith University | Charlotte, North Carolina | Golden Bulls | CIAA | Y |
|
| Shaw University | Raleigh, North Carolina | Bears | CIAA | Y |
|
| Virginia State University | Petersburg, Virginia | Trojans | CIAA | Y |
Sports not sponsored by D-II
See also
References
- "MEC Adds Salem as Associate Member in Wrestling, Swimming". Mountain East Conference. November 1, 2024. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
- "MIAA makes changes to Football lineup" (Press release). Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. November 20, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
- "MEC Adds Salem University as Associate Member in Men's Soccer" (Press release). Mountain East Conference. March 25, 2026. Retrieved March 25, 2026.
- "Men's soccer to join GNAC as affiliate member in 2027" (Press release). University of Jamestown. March 13, 2026. Retrieved March 14, 2026.
- "Men's Soccer Joins Conference Carolinas as Associate Member" (Press release). Shaw University. May 7, 2026. Retrieved May 29, 2026.