If North Dakota State wants to pursue Division I athletics, it will have to wait five years before it sees a playoff game.
The Division I Management Council on Tuesday ratified a five-year reclassification period for Division II schools requesting a move to Division I.
It wasn't unexpected. The motion was tabled at the Council's October meeting for further discussion.
The proposal now goes to the Division I Board of Directors and the NCAA Executive Council. But both bodies are expected to follow the Management Council's decision.
"No surprise," NDSU athletic director Gene Taylor said. "It just confirms what was out there that we weren't sure of."
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NDSU is expected to decide in June if it will move from Division II to Division I. If it opts to move up and notifies the NCAA by Sept. 1, the clock would immediately start ticking.
The Bison would still be eligible for Division II post-season next season under the "exploratory year," which allows a school to reconsider it decision after one year. That was given an OK this week by the Division II Management Council.
NDSU was hoping to garner momentum for a three-year reclassification period for a school that showed it could attain an accelerated status. NDSU officials said they feel they can meet Division I requirements for scholarships, academics and scheduling within three years.
"I don't think that got done," Taylor said. "I think we'll have to forward our stuff to the Board of Directors. Hopefully, they'll consider it."
The reclassification period will remain eight years for men's basketball. Discussion on that sport, which differs from others because of the large contract the NCAA has with CBS for the Division I men's basketball tournament, was not expected at this Management Council meeting.
The Council also removed the two-year moratorium for schools moving between divisions. The NCAA wanted enough time to study the new Division I membership criteria.
One of those -- paid attendance of at least 15,000 for Division I teams, was passed and forwarded to the Board of Directors. It could cause some teams to move down to Division I-AA in football.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546
