RICHARDSON, Texas - The University of Texas at Dallas has officially joined NCAA Division II, completing the required two-year provisional period and three-year process to change classification for intercollegiate sports.

The Comets' transition was approved on July 10 by the Division II Membership Committee and Division II Management Council. UT Dallas begins full D-II membership on September 1.

"This is a defining milestone for UT Dallas — one that reflects not only the steady evolution of our athletics program, but the continued strength of our university as a whole," said UT Dallas President Prabhas V. Moghe, who holds the Eugene McDermott Distinguished University Chair of Leadership. "Our transition to Division II positions us to compete at a higher level while staying true to our commitment to academic excellence and the success of our student athletes."



UT Dallas competed in Division III and the American Southwest Conference for the first 26 years of its athletic department's history. With the provisional period behind them, UT Dallas student-athletes can compete for D-II championships in all 15 sports that the University supports.

"This process has been both a sprint and a marathon," said Angela Marin, who has been UT Dallas director of athletics since 2022. "Every day required intense work — from rewriting policies and procedures to coordinating multiple NCAA visits and navigating extensive reporting. It's been a relentless three-year journey - from the day we decided to apply to Division II until today ."

UT Dallas accepted an invitation to join the Lone Star Conference (LSC) in 2023 and began full conference competition in 2025, with limited eligibility for qualification in postseason championships.

UT Dallas already has earned an NCAA Division II Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence, which recognizes student-athletes' Academic Success Rate. Last spring, the Comets celebrated their first LSC title when Brooke Yount captured individual medalist honors at the conference women's golf championship.

"To the student-athletes who stayed during our provisional period: Thank you. Your loyalty, commitment and belief in UT Dallas made a difference," Marin said. "You competed for the love of the game, without postseason opportunities, and never wavered. You excelled not only in competition but in the classroom. Your dedication and success are something you should always be proud of — and we certainly are."

Designated in 1973, NCAA D-II provides a level of competition bridging Division I and the scholarship-prohibited Division III. D-II is home to nearly 300 members across the United States and Canada.

"Reaching this point has required sustained effort across our campus community – from student athletes and coaches to university leadership who have embraced this vision," Moghe said. "This achievement belongs to all of them and it speaks to what we can accomplish together with shared purpose and ambition."
 
UT Dallas sponsors 15 men's and women's intercollegiate athletics programs:
Baseball
Basketball (men's and women's)
Cross Country (men's and women's)
Golf (men's and women's)
Outdoor Track & Feld (men's and women's)
Soccer (men's and women's)
Softball
Tennis (men's and women's)
Volleyball
 
For the latest Comet Sports schedules and news, go to athletics website or follow the Comets on Instagram and X.

NCAA release