LOUISVILLE, Ky.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Bellarmine University’s president, Dr. Susan M. Donovan, announced today
that she has accepted an invitation for the university to join the ASUN
Conference. The move will elevate the university’s athletic programs to
NCAA Division I status beginning next summer.
Bellarmine will be the only private DI university in Kentucky, and one
of the few Division I Catholic universities in the South.
Donovan, joined on campus for the announcement by ASUN Commissioner Ted
Gumbart and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, said the move is the first
major achievement of an initiative contained in the university’s new
strategic plan, approved last month by Bellarmine’s Board of Trustees.
With the addition of the Bellarmine Knights in the 2020-21 season, the
ASUN Conference will have 10 members spread across 7 mostly southeastern
states, from Florida to New Jersey. The conference has been an ESPN
broadcast partner since 1989, with game coverage airing on ESPN+.
“The addition of Bellarmine University to the ASUN continues the rising
trend of our league,” said Gumbart. “We are extremely proud to become
teammates with a great university and the Louisville-area community.
Today, we celebrate a new beginning with students, coaches, faculty,
administration, alumni, boosters and Knights fans everywhere. We
appreciate the visionary leadership of President Donovan, the Board of
Trustees, Athletics Director Scott Wiegandt, and the entire leadership
and athletic department team at Bellarmine that made today possible. On
behalf of the ASUN family, we welcome our newest member and look forward
to growing this partnership as we work together in our goal of Building
Winners for Life. Swords Up!”
Bellarmine fields 17 sports sponsored by the ASUN Conference.
Additionally:
-
Men’s lacrosse, which has been a DI program since 2005, will continue
as a member of the Southern Conference. -
Men’s and women’s swimming will participate in the Coastal Collegiate
Sports Association. - Field hockey and wrestling will compete in DI with independent status.
“I’m happy to announce that one of the first initiatives in Bellarmine’s
new strategic plan is being realized today,” said Donovan. “Our
athletics program will move to NCAA Division I through an invitation
from the ASUN Conference. This move gives us the opportunity to compete
against the best rivals in college sports, and it allows us to share the
Bellarmine story with a larger audience than ever before. As we make the
move to DI, we will continue to maintain our academic rigor and pursue
ways to innovate and enhance the exceptional educational experience that
Bellarmine University has offered students since its founding.”
Donovan stressed that the move to DI is just one aspect of the
university’s new strategic plan, which has six priorities:
- Delivering a transformative student experience
- Becoming a model for academic innovation
- Expanding enrollment and geographic reach
- Committing to equity and inclusion
- Becoming a fully engaged partner in Louisville and the region
- Ensuring the university’s continued financial stability
“ASUN is a perfect fit for the Knights, because – like Bellarmine –
every school in the conference is committed to putting students first,”
said Scott Wiegandt, Bellarmine’s director of athletics. “Our
student-athletes already meet Division I academic standards, and our
players and coaches will be ready to compete when we join our new
conference next year. While our facilities generally meet DI standards,
we’re planning some upgrades that will enhance the experience for our
student-athletes, our opponents and our fans. The improved reach offered
through ASUN and ESPN will shine a brighter spotlight on Bellarmine,
drawing more regional and national attention.”
The Knights will compete for one more season in the Great Lakes Valley
Conference, a DII conference that Bellarmine helped launch in 1978.
“Joining NCAA Division I will help Bellarmine raise its regional and
national profile,” said Fischer. “That will help Bellarmine continue to
grow and Bellarmine’s growth is great news for Louisville because we
want to continue to attract talented, ambitious young people to come
here, get their degree and then stay here to start careers, businesses
and families. Bellarmine’s success fuels Louisville’s success.”
For more information about Bellarmine’s plans to transition to DI
athletics, visit https://www.bellarmine.edu/bellarmine-rising.
About Bellarmine
Bellarmine University (Louisville, Ky.) is an inclusive independent
Catholic university with a strong liberal arts focus that educates
students in mind, body, and spirit for meaningful lives, rewarding
careers, ethical leadership, and service to improve the human condition.
Founded in 1950, Bellarmine offers more than 60 majors with an
undergraduate and graduate enrollment of nearly 3,500 students and has
an alumni community of more than 25,000. The Bellarmine Knights field
teams in 22 sports, including an NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse program.
Bellarmine is listed as a top U.S. university by publications including
The Princeton Review, Forbes and U.S. News and World Report.
Contacts
Jason Cissell
502-272-8329
