NCAA Division III independent schools

NCAA Division III independents are four-year institutions that compete in college athletics at the NCAA’s Division III level, but do so independently of an established athletic conference. These same institutions often compete as members of an intercollegiate athletic conference in some sports. The reason for independent status varies among institutions, but it is frequently because the primary athletic conference to which the institution belongs does not sponsor a particular sport. Independent programs for Division III:

Football-only independents

Institution Team Location Founded Type Enrollment Primary Conference Future Conference
Washington University in St. Louis Bears St. Louis, Missouri 1853 Private 14,117 UAA SAA
University of Chicago Maroons Chicago, Illinois 1890 Private 14,954 UAA SAA
Wesley College Wolverines Dover, Delaware 1873 Private 2,320 CAC NJAC

All-sport independents

Institution Team Location Founded Type Enrollment Football Future Conference
Alfred State College Pioneers Alfred, New York 1908 Public 3,500 Yes
Berea College Mountaineers Berea, Kentucky 1855 Private 1,613 No
University of California, Santa Cruz Banana Slugs Santa Cruz, California 1965 Public 15,825 No
Finlandia University Lions Hancock, Michigan 1896 Private 500 No GSAC1
Illinois Institute of Technology Scarlet Hawks Chicago, Illinois 1890 Private 7,787 No
University of Maine at Presque Isle Owls Presque Isle, Maine 1903 Public 1,600 No GSAC1
Maranatha Baptist University Sabercats Watertown, Wisconsin 1968 Private 1,169 Yes
Mount Mary University^ Blue Angels Milwaukee, Wisconsin 1913 Private 1,929 No
Nebraska Wesleyan University† Prairie Wolves Lincoln, Nebraska 1887 Private 2,100 Yes
College of New Rochelle^ Blue Angels New Rochelle, New York 1904 Private 6,800 No
State University of New York at Canton Roos Canton, New York 1906 Public 3,320 No
Rust College Bearcats Holly Springs, Mississippi 1866 Private 1,200 No
St. Joseph's College-Brooklyn Campus Bears Brooklyn, New York 1918 Private 1,261 No Skyline
University of Valley Forge Patriots Phoenixville, Pennsylvania 1939 Private 1,146 No

^ - Women's college
† - School holds dual membership with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
1 - Finlandia and Maine–Presque Isle (UMPI) are both co-educational colleges, but they will only be competing in the Great South Athletic Conference (GSAC) for women's sports, while the men's sports will still be competing as Independents, starting effectively in the 2013-14 season.

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