Stonehill College Skyhawks: Elevating Athletics to Division I
Stonehill College, located in Easton, Massachusetts, has a rich history of intercollegiate athletics. Known as the Stonehill Skyhawks, formerly the Stonehill Chieftains, the college's athletic teams represent the institution with pride and determination. This article explores the evolution of Stonehill athletics, its transition to NCAA Division I, and the impact on the college community.
A New Era: Transition to Division I
In a transformational moment in its history, Stonehill College accepted an invitation from the Northeast Conference (NEC) and began its transition to NCAA Division I athletics in the fall of 2022. This move represents the culmination of many deliberate steps and evaluations to determine the College’s readiness. Stonehill will compete in the Northeast-10 Conference, remaining eligible for NE10 and NCAA Division II postseason play, for the remainder of the 2021-22 season. Effective July 1, 2022, Stonehill formally began its reclassification process to become a Division I institution. As of Fall 2022, student-athletes will begin competition in the Northeast Conference.
President Fr. John Denning, C.S.C., stated that the move to the Northeast Conference and NCAA Division I athletics signals that Stonehill is prepared to achieve its fullest potential-both athletically and academically in the years to come.
Stonehill's athletic director, Dean O'Keefe '94, emphasized that this move provides the opportunity for student-athletes to compete at the highest level of collegiate athletics.
The Northeast Conference (NEC) expressed interest in Stonehill College and conducted their own evaluation process to determine if the institution shared the academic and athletic attributes of the NEC membership. Stonehill's move to Division I and membership in the Northeast Conference is a transformational moment in our history. The NEC's mission has remained remarkably consistent over its 41 years as a NCAA Division I athletic entity: to provide opportunities for student-athletes to achieve their fullest potential in the classroom, in athletic competition and in the community.
Read also: Stonehill College Guide
The Skyhawks: A New Identity
The decision to transition to Division I was not the only significant change for Stonehill athletics. In the early 2000s, the college recognized that its previous mascot, the chieftain, was disrespectful to Native Americans. In late 2002, The Strategic Planning Committee determined that the previous Stonehill College mascot, the chieftain, was disrespectful to Native Americans and decided that it would be changed. The committee ruled that a new mascot be named as the institution's athletic identity. Therefore, in the following year the college held open forums in which students, alumni, and faculty were asked to submit ideas for the new identity, vote on suggestions, and gauge popularity.
During the fall semester of the 2005 academic year Stonehill College officially changed the name of its athletic teams to the "Stonehill Skyhawks". The actual name 'Skyhawks' is not a reference to either a bird or animal. A brand new mascot known as 'Ace', an anthropomorphic purple hawk wearing a scarf, goggles, bomber jacket, and an aviator cap, was introduced to represent the Skyhawks.
Conference Affiliations and Varsity Sports
Stonehill currently sponsors 23 varsity sports. One reason Stonehill accepted the invitation to join the Northeast Conference is that such a move provides the largest overall match for the College’s current offering of 23 intercollegiate athletic programs.
Most of our athletic programs will compete in the NEC, a few teams will continue competing in their current conference as a Division I program. Most current Skyhawk athletic teams compete at the Division I level, with most being members of the Northeast Conference (NEC). The College fields nine men’s and 14 women’s athletic programs, with all except equestrian and men’s and women’s ice hockey set to compete among the NEC’s 25 championship sports.
Women’s ice hockey previously accepted an invitation to join the Division I New England Women’s Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) in 2019 and will field its first team in 2022-23. Equestrian will continue to compete in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA). Most recently, the school has added women's swimming and diving and women's ice hockey as varsity sports. Swimming and diving began in 2020-21 and women's ice hockey will begin in 2022-23.
Read also: A Look Back at Stonehill Basketball
The Stonehill Skyhawks men's basketball team, known previously as the Stonehill Chieftains, represents Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts, United States. The Skyhawks currently compete in the Division I Northeast Conference as of July 1, 2022. The Skyhawks appeared in the NCAA Division II tournament fifteen times.
Reclassification and Eligibility
Stonehill will begin competition in the NEC in the fall of 2022 and become a full member of the conference in 2026-27 upon completion of its four-year NCAA Division I reclassification period.
Due to the NCAA's policy on reclassifying programs, the Skyhawks will not be eligible to compete in the NCAA tournament or the NIT until the 2026-27 season.
EASTON, Mass. (April 5, 2022) - Stonehill College has accepted an invitation from the Northeast Conference’s (NEC) Council of Presidents and will begin a transition to offer NCAA Division I athletics starting with the 2022-23 academic year, it was announced today by Stonehill College President Fr. John Denning, C.S.C.
By Maddi Achtyl Father John Denning announced this week that the school has completed the accelerated NCAA Division I reclassification process, making 22 of the 23 teams eligible for NCAA postseason competition. Stonehill made the jump to compete at the Division I level on July 1, 2022. Since then, the college has been following the NCAA reclassification guidelines. The reclassification process typically takes four years. However, the College was able to accelerate the process due to updated NCAA legislation passed earlier this year. Under the new legislation, institutions transitioning from Division II to Division I can now complete the reclassification process within three years. Institutions transitioning from Division III to Division I can now complete the reclassification process within four years, rather than the previous five years.
Read also: Stonehill College Overview
To accelerate this process, institutions must meet updated higher academic, financial, and operational benchmarks. These benchmarks focus on the student-athlete experience and ensuring they have the support they need to make this transition successfully. Stonehill successfully achieved the updated requirements. Academically, the College met the standard of being above the 10th percentile of Division I members in the Academic Progress Rate (APR) and graduation rate. Financially, Stonehill adjusted its budget and scholarship offerings to align with those of other Division I programs. These requirements are in place to ensure that schools are fully ready to make the jump to the highest division in college sports.
By meeting all these requirements, the College has demonstrated its readiness to have its varsity sports fully compete at the Division I level and that the school is committed to supporting its student-athletes and coaches in making the transition. Stonehill has 23 Varsity teams on campus, and with the completion of the reclassification process, 22 of the 23 teams can compete in postseason competition. 20 of the teams compete in the NEC and will now be eligible to reach NCAA postseason play.
The Women’s Ice Hockey team has been eligible for NCAA postseason play since their inaugural season during the 2022-2023 season in the New England Women’s Hockey Alliance (NEWHA) conference and made the school’s first NCAA tournament appearance during the 2023-2024 season. The Men’s Ice Hockey team is in the hunt for a conference to compete in, but for now, they will remain a Division I independent program.
Athletic Facilities
Stonehill College boasts several notable athletic facilities that support its varsity programs.
W.B. Mason Stadium is a 2,400-seat, multipurpose sports stadium. Opened in 2005 at a cost of $4 million, it is the home of Skyhawk football, lacrosse, field hockey, and track & field. The stadium was dedicated on September 10, 2005. The playing field is named Timothy J. W.B. Mason Stadium is a 2,400-seat, multipurpose sports stadium. Opened in 2005 at a cost of $4 million, it is the home of Skyhawk football, lacrosse, field hockey, and track & field. The stadium was dedicated on September 10, 2005. The playing field is named Timothy J.
Other athletic facilities include:
- Merkert Gymnasium (Basketball arena)
- Bridgewater Ice Arena (Ice hockey arena)
- Lou Gorman Field (Baseball stadium)
- Fr. Gartland, C.S.C. (Softball stadium)
In 2015, the Sally Blair Ames Sports Complex was renovated with a 50,000-square-foot addition including weight and fitness facilities overlooking the W.B. Mason Stadium.
This announcement comes just weeks after the college announced its commitment to investing in athletics, following a $15 million donation from Tom ‘72 and Kathleen Bogan for a new ice hockey and basketball facility, which will be named the Tom & Kathleen Bogan Arena.
Benefits of Division I Transition
The transition to Division I is expected to bring numerous benefits to the Stonehill community. The Stonehill community will benefit in many ways from the move to a Division I conference. Stonehill College student-athletes are ready to face off against Division I competition, including the other schools in the Northeast Conference. These institutions include Central Connecticut State University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Long Island University Brooklyn, Merrimack College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Sacred Heart University, St.
The transition to Division I will enrich the value of a Stonehill degree for all graduates as Stonehill Athletics increases media coverage and brand awareness for the College. There are some differences from an eligibility standpoint from Division II to Division I. While there will be travel involved for Northeast Conference play, some of it will be more convenient. While many aspects of our current facilities are Division I ready, there are some improvements necessary to keep them competitive and improve their revenue-generating potential regardless of competing in Division I or Division II conferences.
Academic excellence has always been a pillar of Stonehill College’s reputation. The move to Division I will positively impact Stonehill’s academic profile and enrollment. We have consulted information from several schools indicating that they experienced measurable growth following the transition from Division II to Division I. The move to a Division I athletic program represents a four-year transition process with incremental financial commitments invested over that period.
Morris stated that Stonehill will be a tremendous fit for the NEC from an academic, athletic and mission perspective and that the Skyhawks have a strong history of success in all three realms, and they are well positioned to elevate to the Division I ranks and strengthen the NEC.
Stonehill is one of just ten institutions nationwide to receive the NCAA Division II Presidents’ Award for Academic Excellence, recognizing athletic departments with an Academic Success rating of 90-percent or better, each of the first ten years of the program’s existence. The College ranks No. News & World Report and No. 94 for the Best Value category.
A Legacy of Success
Prior to its Division I transition, Stonehill had a remarkable record in NCAA Division II. Stonehill has won the NE10 Conference Presidents’ Cup six times, finishing in the top three in the final standings 15 of the last 16 years. Stonehill teams have earned 118 NCAA Tournament bids over its history, also regularly sending student-athletes to compete at the NCAA Championships in men’s and women’s track & field. Stonehill won 129 NE10 Championships over the Conference’s 41-year history and 189 student-athletes have earned All-America honors. Over the last ten years, 51 teams have qualified for the NCAA Tournament, with men’s basketball capturing two East Region Championships with trips to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight, reaching the National Semifinals in 2012, while the women’s basketball program won its third regional title in 2018 to make a third trip to the Elite Eight in program history.
The Stonehill Skyhawks men's basketball team appeared in the NCAA Division II tournament fifteen times.
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