NCAA Division II independent schools are four-year institutions that compete in college athletics at the NCAA Division II level, but do not belong to an established athletic conference for a particular sport. These schools may however still compete as members of an athletic conference in other sports. A school may also be fully independent, and not belong to any athletic conference for any sport at all. The reason for independent status varies among institutions, but it is frequently because the school's primary athletic conference does not sponsor a particular sport.
Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Colors | Future conference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón[a] | Bayamón, Puerto Rico | 1971 | Public | 5,014 | Cowboys | ? | ||
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez[a] | Mayagüez, Puerto Rico | 1911 | Public | 12,079 | Bulldogs | ? | ||
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras[a] | San Juan, Puerto Rico | 1903 | Public | 15,186 | Gallitos & Jerezanas |
? | ||
Salem University[b] | Salem, West Virginia | 1888 | Private (For-profit) |
835 | Tigers | 2010; 2016[c] |
Institution | Location | Founded | Affiliation | Enrollment | Nickname | Joined | Left | Colors | Current conference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bluefield State University[a] | Bluefield, West Virginia | 1895 | Public (HBCU) |
1,246 | Big Blue | 2013 | 2023 | Central (CIAA) | |
Emory & Henry College | Emory, Virginia | 1836 | Private | 1,250 | Wasps | 2021 | 2022 | South Atlantic (SAC) |
Departing members in pink.
School | Baseball | Basketball | Cross country |
Soccer | Tennis | Track & field outdoor |
Volleyball | Wrestling | Total IND sports |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UPR Bayamón | ![]() |
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5 | |||
UPR Mayagüez | ![]() |
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6 | ||
UPR Río Piedras | ![]() |
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5 | |||
Salem | ![]() |
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6 |
Departing members in pink.
School | Basketball | Cross country |
Soccer | Softball | Tennis | Track & field outdoor |
Volleyball | Total IND sports |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UPR Bayamón | ![]() |
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5 | ||
UPR Mayagüez | ![]() |
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5 | ||
UPR Río Piedras | ![]() |
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5 | ||
Salem | ![]() |
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7 |
School | Men | Women | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Swimming & diving |
Water polo ‡ |
Swimming & diving |
Water polo ‡ | ||||
Salem | CC | WWPA | CC | WWPA |
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (Salem), since they have been listed before.
Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
---|---|---|---|
Bluefield State University | Bluefield, West Virginia | Big Blue | CIAA |
Virginia State University | Ettrick, Virginia | Trojans | CIAA |
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before. Post will join the Northeast-10 Conference as an affiliate for football and Lincoln will join the Great Lakes Valley Conference, both effective for the 2024 season.
Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
---|---|---|---|
Lincoln University[a] | Jefferson City, Missouri | Blue Tigers | MIAA |
Post University | Waterbury, Connecticut | Eagles | CACC |
Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
---|---|---|---|
Shorter University | Rome, Georgia | Hawks | Carolinas (2024) |
See also: List of NCAA Division II men's soccer programs and List of NCAA Division II women's soccer programs |
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (UPR Bayamón and Salem men's soccer and UPR Bayamón, UPR Río Piedras and Salem women's soccer), since they have been listed before.
Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
(M) | (W) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Allen University | Columbia, South Carolina | Yellow Jackets | SIAC | ![]() | |
Bluefield State University | Bluefield, West Virginia | Big Blue | CIAA | ![]() | |
Edward Waters University | Jacksonville, Florida | Lady Tigers | SIAC | ![]() | |
Shaw University | Raleigh, North Carolina | Bears | CIAA | ![]() |
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Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.
Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
(M) | (W) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dominican University of California | San Rafael, California | Penguins | PacWest | ![]() |
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Virginia State University | Ettrick, Virginia | Trojans | CIAA | ![]() |
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Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (UPR Mayagüez), since they have been listed before.
Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
---|---|---|---|
American International College | Springfield, Massachusetts | Yellow Jackets | Northeast-10 |
Grand Valley State University | Allendale, Michigan | Lakers | GLIAC |
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.
Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
(M) | (W) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bluefield State University | Bluefield, West Virginia | Big Blue | CIAA | ![]() | |
Daemen University | Amherst, New York | Wildcats | ECC | ![]() |
|
Thomas Jefferson University (Jefferson) |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Rams | CACC | ![]() | |
Post University | Waterbury, Connecticut | Eagles | CACC | ![]() | |
Roberts Wesleyan University | Chili, New York | Redhawks | ECC | ![]() |
|
St. Thomas Aquinas College | Sparkill, New York | Spartans | ECC | ![]() |
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.
Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
---|---|---|---|
Assumption University | Worcester, Massachusetts | Greyhounds | Northeast-10 |
University of Charleston | Charleston, West Virginia | Golden Eagles | MEC |
Franklin Pierce University | Rindge, New Hampshire | Ravens | Northeast-10 |
Thomas Jefferson University (Jefferson) | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Rams | CACC |
Mercyhurst University | Erie, Pennsylvania | Lakers | PSAC |
Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport, since they have been listed before.
Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
(M) | (W) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Roberts Wesleyan University | North Chili, New York | Redhawks | ECC | ![]() |
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Does not include all-sports independent teams that sponsor the sport (all of them in men's & women's tennis), since they have been listed before.
Institution | Location | Nickname | Primary conference |
(M) | (W) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bluefield State University | Bluefield, West Virginia | Big Blue | CIAA | ![]() |
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Colorado State University Pueblo | Pueblo, Colorado | ThunderWolves | RMAC | ![]() | |
Johnson C. Smith University | Charlotte, North Carolina | Golden Bulls | CIAA | ![]() |
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Shaw University | Raleigh, North Carolina | Bears | CIAA | ![]() |
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Virginia State University | Petersburg, Virginia | Trojans | CIAA | ![]() |
See also: List of NCAA Division II institutions with sports not in D-II |