At 11:19 a.m. on March 25, all current Saint Francis University student-athletes received an email from Father Malachi Van Tassell – president of the University – that triggered shockwaves across the institution and social media.
The SFU president shared the news that the University will transition from a Division I athletics program to one that competes at the Division III level. The Red Flash will compete for one more academic year as a member of the Division I Northeast Conference (2025-26) before transitioning into the Division III Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) in 2026-27.
Fr. Malachi noted that the decision was made by the University’s Board of Trustees and that it was a unanimous one.
“For years, unprecedented changes like NIL, pay-for-play and the transfer portal have reshaped the intercollegiate athletics environment, while costs have risen and revenues have decreased,” said Fr. Malachi in an email that was sent to SFU faculty and staff members shortly after the email to student-athletes.
“These changes have impacted programs across the country, including the Red Flash,” he said.
The announcement that Saint Francis will transition to Division III comes two weeks after the SFU men’s basketball team captured its first NEC championship since 1991. It comes one week after this team competed in the “First Four” round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Following the Division III announcement, sophomore basketball player Bobby Rosenberger entered his name into the transfer portal, as did several of his teammates.
“I would like to thank the coaching staff, faculty, teammates and supporters of the SFU program for the past two years,” he posted on X. “After hearing the news of the transfer to Division 3, I will be entering the transfer portal. All love to everybody in Loretto!”
The rosters of the Red Flash’s 22 sports teams will likely see major changes as other student-athletes who want to continue competing at the Division I level look to transfer.
Several members of the SFU swim team noted that the loss of international students is also a likely outcome because of decreased aid. Division I student-athletes are eligible for athletic aid. Division III programs do not offer athletic aid.
The 2024-25 Red Flash swim roster included five international student-athletes.
“In a few years, SFU will be completely different from what it is now,” said junior swimmer and Kraków, Poland native Oksana Horova. “For international athletes, coming here won’t make much sense since (athletic) scholarships will no longer be offered.”
Fr. Malachi believes that SFU will remain a destination for international student-athletes.
“Our international students help to diversify the campus, and they help to make this place really interesting,” said the University’s president. “I don’t see that changing.
“Maybe the type of student will change, but I still see a great place for international students here.”
Emotions remain raw following the announcement.
“It’s really disappointing,” said Fanta Daffe, a senior on the women’s basketball team. “I came to SFU to compete at the DI level, so hearing that we’re moving to DIII is tough.”
Daffe has one year of athletic eligibility remaining and plans to use it elsewhere.
“My teammates and I came here to play at the highest level, and since that’s no longer an option, we’ve made the decision to leave.”
Many students said that they felt betrayed upon receiving the news.
“I am hurt. It’s hard to come up with the words, especially with all the different emotions coming and going,” said Allie Braly, a sophomore on the softball team. “I feel like every athlete’s blood, sweat and tears to get to the DI level of their sports are being taken for granted.”
The softball team won the 2024 NEC championship and competed in the NCAA Division I Regional a season ago.
This year, the softball team is currently 6-0 in the NEC. Braly threw her first career no-hitter in the team’s most recent game against LeMoyne last Sunday.
“It really feels like SFU does not care about who we are as student-athletes and would rather us just be students,” said the Kansas City, Missouri native.
Camille Gagnon, a sophomore on the women’s golf team, said that she wished SFU’s student-athletes had known that moving to DIII was a possibility.
“I feel like the coaches and the students were blindsided,” said Gagnon. “This is going to change the school and the dynamic of our athletic program a lot.”
The members of the women’s golf team received Fr. Malachi’s email in the middle of a round of golf at an event in Ohio.
Many athletes noted that the announcement derails remaining competitions this spring.
“We were looking to build on our progress from the fall season, but this news makes it more challenging. It could also deter potential recruits and lead to current players leaving,” said freshman Patrick Kierzkowski, a sophomore on the men’s soccer team from Manalapan, New Jersey.
“It’s a bad situation to be caught in.”
Jackson Decker, a sophomore volleyball player from Meadville, Pennsylvania said that the announcement should have been handled differently.
“I wish we would have received the information before the rest of the world had,” said Decker.
Senior Associate Athletics Director Shane Tay told members of the football team in a meeting that those players who enter the transfer portal could potentially still receive scholarship money and have a spot on the SFU roster if they choose to return to Loretto in the fall.
“It feels like being betrayed and disrespected,” said sophomore football player Giuseppe Pennolino from Highland Mills, New York.
“I know a lot of people are going to transfer, if not this semester, then definitely next semester. I’ve seen a couple of (freshmen) commits who already confirmed for next year say they’re not coming.”
Sophomore Megan Marlin is a member of the SFU water polo team and a native of Flower Mound, Texas.
“This school is going to regret this decision because they quit on their student-athletes,” said Marlin. “They quit on what made this a great school, and they quit on the community around us.”
Freshman soccer player Jack Geist said he is focusing on moving forward and not looking back.
“It came as a shock, but the realization that my life is taking a 180-degree turn has set in,” said the Catonsville, Maryland native.
“I trust God’s plan 100 percent and know that everything happens for a reason. I am grateful for the opportunity here my freshman year.”
