Sul Ross athletics officially moving up to NCAA D2

ALPINE, Texas (KOSA) - The Sul Ross State University Athletic Department was approved for NCAA Division II athletic competition, the school announced Thursday.

The university will enter a three-year provisional period that will include one more academic year in Division III. SRSU will join Division II competition as part of the Lone Star Conference in Fall 2024.

As long as all membership criteria are met after the three years, the Lobos will become full members of Division II

“Our primary goal is to improve enrollment and retention by creating an unforgettable student experience. We know that athletic competition is a driver in the choice students make about higher education,” said President Carlos Hernandez. “It’s a great day to be a Lobo!”

Athletic Director Amanda Workman completed the application in January 2023, calling the student-athlete experience at SRSU the rationale for exploring the change.

“We’ll be attracting more students who will be able to continue to participate in sports after high school, and there will be a value add at Sul Ross State. It makes us more competitive on the field and we believe it will increase enrollment and augment retention efforts. Ultimately, our goal is to have all student-athletes graduate with a degree from SRSU,” she said.

These changes will allow SRSU to award athletic scholarships, increase regional exposure and improve the travel schedule, which will improve the academic experience for student-athletes.

SRSU currently competes in the DIII American Southwest Conference and has been invited to join the DII Lone Star Conference.

SRSU was a member of the LSC from 1950-1976, when the university joined the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association. The university left the TIAA for the ASC in 1996.