A couple months after playing eventual national champion Baylor in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, the University of Hartford announced it will reclassify all sports to Division III.

The Board of Regents for the University of Hartford voted to begin the long process to reclassify its athletics program from Division I to Division III.

"As a result of careful consideration and due diligence, the Board determined that Division III’s approach to intercollegiate athletics better aligns with the University’s mission and goals of creating exceptional academic, co-curricular, and wellness experiences for all students," reads a statement on the University's webpage explaining the move.

• From the archive: The case for Centenary (La.) to move to D-III (June 2009)
• From the archive: Birmingham-Southern President explains move to D-III (May 2006)

Last month the University released a study by consulting firm CarrSports concluding that remaining in Division I was "not realistic or sustainable options for UHart" for financial reasons. The study projected that remaining in Division I would create a $13 million deficit in the athletics department budget with the cost of scholarships, staff compensation and operations far surpassing the fees and program revenues generated at that level. The study also projected that UHart athletics will operate at a nearly $4 million deficit as a Division III program, but the budget would be less than a third of the size in Division I.

While the University's statement notes "this decision isn’t based in savings and instead is focused on opportunities for more athletic and wellness opportunities for all students," the study cites the University's goals to reduce athletics costs and "maintain financial stability" as factors in its recommendation for the reclassification.

The study was commissioned by University President Gregory Woodward who was previously the president at Division III member Carthage College for five seasons. Woodward also worked as the dean of the School of Music at Division III member Ithaca College, where he completed his graduate studies.

Thursday's announcement is the first step in a long process. Next the University will have to submit a formal request to the NCAA to reclassify to Division III. The request and the NCAA's response would take place in early 2022. UHart would remain a Division I program during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons and then pursue provisional membership in Division III in 2023-24. The process outlined on the University's website projects active membership in Division III "no later than September 1, 2025."

It is very rare for athletics programs to reclassify from Division I to Division III. The last to do so was Centenary College in Shreveport, La. which started its reclasification process in 2009 and gained full Division III membership in 2014. Birmingham-Southern announced it was leaving Division I in 2006 and became a full member of Division III in 2011. The University of New Orleans started the reclassification process in 2009 following Hurricane Katrina and the resulting enrollment loss. UNO was accepted into Division III membership in 2010, pivoted to Division II instead, and then ultimately remained in Division I.

The NCAA recently adopted a process by which the opposite could happen, where Division III schools transition to Division I without spending any time at the Division II level. The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. will make that jump starting next season. 

UHart has 17 varsity programs that compete primarily in the American East Conference. The Hawks' men's basketball team won the American East Conference tournament and reached its first NCAA Division I tournament in March. The Hawks' women's basketball team is led by interim head coach Melissa Hodgdon who was the head coach at Division III Wheaton (Mass.) for 16 seasons.

The University noted that its conference membership plans in Division III are unknown at this time. With an undergraduate enrollment around 5,000, UHart would be similarly sized to members of the Little East Conference, though the LEC has only public schools as members. UHart would be the largest school in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference whose largest member currently is MIT at a little over 4,000 undergraduate students.

UHart would be the second Division III program in West Hartford, Conn, joining St. Joseph's (Conn.) which is a member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.