# NCAA Division II independent schools

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 |
| University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón | Bayamón, Puerto Rico | 1971 | Public | 3,022 | Cowboys | ? |
| University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez | Mayagüez, Puerto Rico | 1911 | Public | 12,126 | Bulldogs | ? |
| University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras | San Juan, Puerto Rico | 1903 | Public | 13,226 | Gallitos & Jerezanas | ? |
| Salem University | Salem, West Virginia | 1888 | Private (For-profit) | 991 | Tigers | 2010; 2016 |

#### Notes

* ↑ Represents the calendar year when fall sports competition begins.
* 1 2 3 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).
* 1 2 3 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.
* ↑ Salem left the Independent ranks after the 2012–13 school year; before re-joining in the 2016–17 school year.

### Former members

| Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | Current conference |
| Bluefield State University | Bluefield, West Virginia | 1895 | Public (HBCU) | 1,246 | Big Blue | 2013 | 2023 | Central (CIAA) |
| Emory & Henry University | Emory, Virginia | 1836 | Private | 1,250 | Wasps | 2021 | 2022 | South Atlantic (SAC) |
| Oakland City University | Oakland City, Indiana | 1885 | Private | 2,350 | Mighty Oaks | 2006 | 2020 | River States (RSC) |

#### 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.
* ↑ Formerly an NCAA Division III school.
* ↑ Formerly known as Emory & Henry College until 2024.
* ↑ Currently an NAIA athletic conference.

### 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 | Y | 6 |
| 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 | | Y | 5 |

### Other sponsored sports by school

| School | Men | Men | Women | Women | Women |
| School | 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. Shorter will move its football program to its full-time home of Conference Carolinas once that league begins sponsoring football in 2025.

### Current members

| Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
| Northeastern State University | Tahlequah, Oklahoma | RiverHawks | MIAA |
| Shorter University | Rome, Georgia | Hawks | Carolinas |

## 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.

### 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 |
| Shaw University | Raleigh, North Carolina | Bears | CIAA | Y | Y |
| Virginia State University | Ettrick, Virginia | Trojans | CIAA | Y | Y |

## Lacrosse 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 | (M) | (W) |
| Virginia State University | Ettrick, Virginia | Trojans | CIAA | Y | Y |

## Wrestling independents

Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (UPR Mayagüez), since they have been listed before.

### Current members

| Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
| American International College | Springfield, Massachusetts | Yellow Jackets | Northeast-10 |
| Felician University | Rutherford, New Jersey | Golden Falcons | CACC |
| Grand Valley State University | Allendale, Michigan | Lakers | GLIAC |

## 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 | |
| Thomas Jefferson University (Jefferson) | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Rams | CACC | | 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 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

| Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference | Sport |
| Bluefield State University | Bluefield, West Virginia | Big Blue | CIAA | Acrobatics & tumbling |
| California State University, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, California | Golden Eagles | CCAA | Beach volleyball |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu | Honolulu, Hawaii | Silverswords | PacWest | Beach volleyball |
| Coker University | Hartsville, South Carolina | Cobras | SAC | Men's volleyball |
| Colorado Mesa University | Grand Junction, Colorado | Mavericks | RMAC | Beach volleyball |
| Concordia University–Irvine | Irvine, California | Eagles | PacWest | Beach volleyball |
| Hawaii Pacific University | Honolulu, Hawaii | Sharks | PacWest | Beach volleyball |
| Lincoln Memorial University | Harrogate, Tennessee | Railsplitters | SAC | Men's volleyball |
| Maryville University | Town and Country, Missouri | Saints | GLVC | Men's volleyball |
| McKendree University | Lebanon, Illinois | Bearcats | GLVC | Beach volleyball |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | Rolla, Missouri | Miners | GLVC | Men's volleyball |
| Rockhurst University | Kansas City, Missouri | Hawks | GLVC | Men's volleyball |
| Roosevelt University | Chicago, Illinois | Lakers | GLIAC | Men's volleyball |
| Southwest Baptist University | Bolivar, Missouri | Bearcats | GLVC | Beach volleyball |
| Spring Hill College | Mobile, Alabama | Badgers | SIAC | Beach volleyball |
| Texas A&M University–Kingsville | Kingsville, Texas | Javelinas | LSC | Beach volleyball |
| Thomas More University | Crestview Hills, Kentucky | Saints | G-MAC | Men's volleyball |
| Tusculum University | Tusculum, Tennessee | Pioneers | SAC | Men's volleyball |
| Vanguard University | Costa Mesa, California | Lions | PacWest | Beach volleyball |
| Wayne State College | Wayne, Nebraska | Wildcats | NSIC | Beach volleyball |
* 1 2 3 The Great Lakes Valley Conference adds men's volleyball in the 2025–26 school year.
* 1 2 Roosevelt and Thomas More will become affiliates of the Great Lakes Valley Conference for that conference's first men's volleyball season in the 2025–26 school year.