LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Four years after ambitiously moving its athletics programs to NCAA Division I, Bellarmine University has successfully completed its mandated reclassification period and is now a full Division I member, meaning that its teams are now eligible to compete in postseason NCAA tournaments.

With its future in Division I secure, and based on feedback from many season ticket holders and donors, Bellarmine plans to bring its basketball programs home to the Highlands by returning from Freedom Hall to Knights Hall.

Bellarmine is the only private Division I university in Kentucky and one of only a handful of D-I Catholic universities in the South. Its move to Division I was one of the first major accomplishments under the university's strategic plan, Tradition & Transformation. During the plan's development, a stakeholder committee determined that transitioning to Division I would extend the university's geographic reach, increase institutional awareness through increased exposure, support enrollment growth and improve diversity.

Notably, in 2022, Bellarmine's men's basketball team made national headlines for winning the Atlantic Sun Conference championship, becoming the first reclassifying men's basketball team to earn a place in the NCAA tournament; however, because of the transitional status the Knights were not allowed to participate.

Return to the Highlands: Basketball in Knights Hall
Beginning with the 2024-25 season, Bellarmine's women's and men's basketball teams will once again play in Knights Hall, which had been the home of the Knights since 1960 until a move to Freedom Hall at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when additional space for fans and personnel was invaluable.

"Freedom Hall has been a great home for Bellarmine's women's and men's basketball programs during our transition to NCAA Division I, and we're grateful to Kentucky Venues for delivering a first-class experience for our student-athletes and fans," said Scott Wiegandt, Bellarmine's Director of Athletics. "Bringing the Knights back to the Highlands will allow our students to fully experience the atmosphere of Division I basketball without leaving campus, satisfy fans who have missed the venue's rowdy experience, bring added convenience to our student-athletes, and provide additional game-day revenue to neighborhood businesses while offering basketball fans in the surrounding neighborhoods an excellent entertainment option at a comparatively affordable price point."

This year, Bellarmine will complete facility improvements that include a new entertainment space on the stage, a new center-hung scoreboard capable of showing video, a new scorer's table with video capability, and new television monitors in the lobby and terrace level. These improvements will also benefit the volleyball and wrestling teams that call Knights Hall home.

In September, Bellarmine Athletics will contact current season ticket holders with information about ticketing options for the 2024-25 season in Knights Hall. To sign up for season ticket information, please click here.

NCAA Reclassification Complete
The Knights completed a rigorous four-year reclassification process required by the NCAA to ensure that transitioning schools can meet Division I's higher academic and athletic standards while complying with NCAA rules. The NCAA Division I Board of Directors approved Bellarmine's full transition to Division I.

"I am proud to announce that, through the hard work and vision of many, Bellarmine has earned its place at the top level of intercollegiate athletics," said Dr. Susan M. Donovan, Bellarmine's president and chair of the ASUN Presidents' Council. "As we have seen repeatedly over the past four years, this move has allowed us to compete against the best in college sports, and it has given us the chance to share the Bellarmine story with a larger audience than ever before."

Continued Athletics Excellence
"We are pleased that our four-year reclassification phase now complete, and we are ready for the next phase of growth for Bellarmine Athletics, where our programs aim for conference titles and postseason play," said Russell F. Cox, president and CEO of Norton Healthcare and immediate past chair of Bellarmine's Board of Trustees. "We are grateful for the significant support we've received from donors and fans to make this move possible, for the benefit of our fans, our campus community, the city, and in particular our student-athletes, who make us proud on the field of competition and in the classroom."

For the past three years, 100% of student-athletes have secured a job or enrolled in a graduate program within six months of their graduation. Additionally, Bellarmine won the ASUN's academic trophy in its first year in the conference and has placed 84.4% of eligible student-athletes on the ASUN Honor Roll since the 2020-21 academic year.

In competition during the NCAA reclassification period, in addition to the men's basketball team's 2022 ASUN Championship, successes included the men's soccer team making the semifinals of the ASUN Championship during each of its four seasons, including a run to the championship game in 2023. The 2023 squad also boasted the ASUN Defensive Player of the Year, Brock Pope, and the ASUN Goalkeeper of the Year, Matthew Brozovich. Women's soccer reached the ASUN semifinals in 2021, as well. The men's and women's track and field teams have combined for 21 medals at ASUN indoor and outdoor championships. Baseball featured the ASUN Player of the Year and a D-I All-American in Matt Higgins in 2022. Other individual accolades include field hockey coach Devanny Boisvert being named MAC Coach of the Year in 2021; women's basketball player Gracie Merkle being tabbed as ASUN Freshman of the Year in 2023; and men's track and field's Jackson Gordon earning ASUN Outdoor Most Outstanding Freshman in 2023.

For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow the Knights on X, Instagram and Facebook.