The Sul Ross State University Athletic Department has applied to move from NCAA Division III to Division II, the school announced Tuesday.
Currently, the Lobos compete in the American Southwest Conference and have been invited to join the Lone Star Conference.
The school will await word of acceptance from the NCAA this summer and then begin a three-year probationary period as it transitions to the higher classification.
The Lobos would continue to compete at the DIII level for the 2023-24 season before moving up for the 2024-25 season.
At the end of the third season, 2025-26, the school would become a full member of the Lone Star Conference.
Competing at the Division II level would allow the school to offer athletic scholarships.
“If we are admitted to Division II, we can start making scholarship offers, and I can’t think of a better investment in someone’s education,” Athletic Director Amanda Workman said in the release. “We’ll be attracting more students who will be able to continue to participate in sports after high school because, 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.”
$250,000 has been earmarked for athletic scholarships, which will be offset by savings on travel for the athletic programs, along with an expected increase in enrollment.
Fundraising efforts will also be undertaken to fill the coffers.
Many of the travel costs would be cut down for Sul Ross as much of the Lone Star Conference schedules features regional matchups and travel partners.
The Lobos are likely to find themselves in a division with UTPB, Angelo State, Western New Mexico, Eastern New Mexico, West Texas A&M and Lubbock Christian University.
Concordia (Austin), East Texas Baptist (Marshall), Howard Simmons University and McMurry University (Abilene), Howard Payne University (Brownwood), LeTourneau University (Longview), University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Belton), University of the Ozarks (Clarksville, Ark.) and UT Dallas are all members of the American Southwest Conference.
Sul Ross State 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.
