Higher Education / UWF Athletics

UWF Board of Trustees Unanimously Approves Move to NCAA Division I

In a special meeting lasting roughly 20 minutes, the University of West Florida’s governing board voted to join two new athletic conferences and launch a three-year reclassification process beginning this fall.

The University of West Florida Board of Trustees voted unanimously to elevate the school’s athletics program to NCAA Division I, a decision university leadership described as one of the most consequential in UWF’s history.

• The April 2, 2026, special meeting, called solely to address the athletics reclassification, lasted approximately 25 minutes. Board Chair Rebecca Matthews gaveled the session closed at 9:19 a.m. Central time after trustees voiced no opposition to the measure.

What the Board Approved

The motion, made by Trustee Chris Young, authorized UWF to:

• Join the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) for most sports
• Join the United Athletic Conference (UAC) for football, competing at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level
• Begin the NCAA’s three-year Division I reclassification process starting fall 2026
• Execute all conference membership and transition agreements required to effectuate the move

Full NCAA postseason eligibility—including national championship competition—is expected to begin in fall 2029, once the reclassification window closes.

“This is not an athletic move—this is a move for the entire university.”
— UWF President Manny Diaz Jr.

How UWF Got Here

President Manny Diaz Jr. opened his remarks by stressing that the shift was driven by institutional strategy, not athletics ambition alone. He told the board the university’s current Division II model had become “not sustainable” and that every available option—including remaining in Division II or exploring alternatives—had been studied before the Division I path was chosen.

• Diaz said the deliberation involved board members, donors, and community stakeholders at every stage, and acknowledged the process included “some tough conversations” and “sleepless nights.” He cited UWF’s enrollment growth, expanding research profile, and the construction of a new on-campus stadium—currently under construction with donor funding—as factors that made the timing viable.

Athletic Director Dave Scott provided a conference-level breakdown. Under the dual-conference structure, UWF’s non-football programs will compete alongside regional ASUN peers, including the University of North Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University, and Lipscomb University. The football program will compete in the UAC against programs such as North Alabama, Austin Peay, Eastern Kentucky, and West Georgia.

Faculty Concerns, Academic Safeguards

Trustee Heather Riddell, citing concerns raised by faculty, asked two pointed questions before casting her vote. She asked whether additional academic support staff—including advisors, tutors, and study hall resources—would be added to meet Division I demands, and whether a plan existed to improve faculty communication around student-athlete travel schedules, makeup exams, and proctoring requirements.

Scott noted that UWF’s student-athletes carried a 3.3 GPA across all sports in the past year. He said resources would be added progressively across the transition period, tied in part to the Division I requirement of maintaining an Academic Progress Rate (APR) to qualify for postseason competition.

• Diaz pledged that academic programming and university operations would not be reduced to fund the athletics transition, describing the financial model as built on philanthropy, athletics revenue, and dedicated funding sources.

What the Presentation Left Unanswered

The board’s presentation was polished and brief—roughly 10 minutes of remarks before trustees moved to a vote. But several significant questions went unasked and unanswered.

No financial figures were presented. Diaz described the funding model as built on “philanthropy, athletics revenue, and dedicated funding sources,” but offered no projected costs, no revenue forecasts, and no named donor commitments.

• Division I reclassification typically costs institutions tens of millions of dollars over a transition period, covering increased scholarships, facility upgrades, staffing, and conference fees. Trustees approved the move without a budget on the table.

The new stadium’s finances went unexamined. The on-campus stadium under construction was cited as a key enabling factor for the transition, yet no trustee asked about its completion timeline, total cost, or remaining funding gap.

• A major capital project actively underway is a material variable in any Division I financial model—it wasn’t treated as one.

No data backed the enrollment and visibility claims. Diaz argued the move would attract students and elevate UWF’s institutional profile.

• That may well prove true, but no supporting evidence was presented—no case studies from comparable D-II to D-I transitions, no enrollment modeling, no analysis of whether the anticipated visibility gains have materialized at peer institutions.

Non-revenue sports were not discussed. Division I athletics creates stark financial disparities between football and basketball programs and between them and every other sport on the roster.

• No one asked how cross-country, swimming, tennis, or other non-revenue programs would fare during and after the transition—or whether any sports are at risk of being cut to manage costs.

The pace of deliberation itself was notable. This was a special meeting called for a single item. The presentation contained no independent financial review, no findings from outside consultants, and no dissenting perspective. Trustees had been briefed in advance, and the vote followed with a single round of questions from one trustee.

• For a commitment that will shape the institution for decades, the public record of deliberation is thin.

The Vote

Young moved the action item; no trustee name was recorded as seconding on the transcript, though Chair Matthews acknowledged a second before opening discussion. Following Riddell’s exchange with Diaz and Scott, Matthews called for the vote. All trustees present responded “aye.” No nays or abstentions were recorded.

• “The motion carries,” Matthews said, “and this is exciting for UWF. Go Argos! I’m fired up.” The board adjourned at approximately 9:19 a.m. Diaz had scheduled a press conference for 11 a.m.

Background

UWF has competed in NCAA Division II since its athletics program was established and has built what Diaz called “one of the most successful programs in the country” at that level, accumulating national championships, conference titles, and All-American honors across multiple sports.

The new on-campus stadium, which Diaz cited as a major factor in the transition, is currently under construction with significant donor investment. Its completion timeline was not discussed during the meeting.

The board’s composition is also a relevant context for the unanimous vote. The majority of UWF’s trustees are gubernatorial appointees, named by Gov. Ron DeSantis. Diaz himself served as Florida’s Commissioner of Education under DeSantis before becoming UWF’s interim—and then permanent—president, a role that gave him significant influence over board appointments before he transitioned into the presidency he now holds.

The two exceptions are the student government association representative and the faculty senate representative, who hold seats by virtue of their elected positions.

• In practical terms, the board that unanimously approved Diaz’s signature initiative is composed largely of individuals appointed through a process in which Diaz was a direct participant. In other words, it was rigged.