NCAA shortens St. Thomas’ wait; Tommies could be eligible for NCAA postseason play this fall

The NCAA approved a ruling change Wednesday that paves the way for St. Thomas to be eligible for postseason play by the start of the next school year: fall 2025.

The decision, prompted by a proposal from the Tommies, shortens the provisional period for schools transitioning from Division III to Division I from five years to four.

St. Thomas has been in the provisional period since jumping divisions in 2021, a status which prohibits teams from playing any NCAA postseason competitions outside of conference tournaments.

Wednesday’s vote, if upheld through a few final steps, means the Tommies men’s and women’s basketball teams, for example, would be eligible to compete in their respective 2026 NCAA tournaments.

The St. Thomas men’s team is 14-5 overall and 4-0 in Summit League play. The Tommies men have played in the Summit League tournament the past two years but have been ineligible for the automatic NCAA tournament bid that goes to the Summit League tournament champion.

St. Thomas athletic director Phil Esten thanked the NCAA in a statement and added: “This gives the Tommies a national stage on which we will continue our pursuit of comprehensive excellence while providing student-athletes with a transformative experience.”

St. Thomas’ now-approved proposal, created with support from the Summit League, is not just a one-time exception for the Tommies. Wednesday’s decision effectively shortens the provisional period by one year for all schools moving from Division III to Division I, making four years the new magic number.

The provisional period is a time for schools to build their athletic department’s infrastructure up to Division I standards in areas ranging from academics to financial support. Wednesday’s decision comes with a stipulation that the standards schools have to meet will become more intense.

The NCAA posted on the X platform that under the new reclassification rule, “schools must show they’ve met new criteria to be eligible for a shorter timeline.”

Even after the NCAA’s affirmative ruling, St. Thomas will not be considered officially eligible for next year’s postseason play until after it completes its own set of provisional period tasks by June.

The eligibility of the St. Thomas men’s basketball team for the 2026 NCAA tournament is one of the most anticipated changes to come from the new ruling.

Other Tommies programs can renew their NCAA tournament hopes, too. The women’s volleyball team, for example, went 18-10 last fall and finished tied for third in the Summit League. The men’s hockey team is 8-10-4 this season but is riding a four-game winning streak.

The men’s basketball squad recently cracked into the NET Top 100 rankings and squeezed into its first mid-major Top 25 poll this month. The Tommies look poised to be a Summit League title contender this season and beyond, a triumph that would grant them a bid in the NCAA tournament once they become eligible next season.

“Those things don’t mean anything on the scoreboard,” coach Johnny Tauer told the Minnesota Star Tribune last week. “But I do think they reflect where this program is headed, how committed this institution is to men’s basketball being really, really good.”