Jessup University to join NCAA Division 2 in 2024

Jessup University announced its acceptance into the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) on Thursday, with the Warriors expected to join the Division II PacWest Conference in the fall of 2024. "The NCAA is the gold standard of collegiate athletics," Jessup Vice President for Athletics Lance Von Vogt said. "For us to join and be a member of not only the NCAA but the esteemed PacWest Conference speaks volumes to what our university and our department have been able to accomplish over the past decade." University President Dr. John Jackson echoed Von Vogt's statement, noting, "Jessup is a place where dreams become reality. We celebrate the accomplishments of our student-athletes and believe that joining NCAA Division II is another step towards establishing the premier Northern California university we are called to build." Jessup becomes the latest school to move to NCAA D-II from the NAIA's Golden State Athletic Conference, joining rivals Westmont, Menlo and Vanguard. Westmont is joining the PacWest in 2023, followed by Jessup, Menlo and Vanguard in 2024. "There's not a premier Division II program in Sacramento, and I just think there's just a tremendous opportunity to become that," said first-year men's basketball coach Mark Darnall, who comes to Jessup after assistant coaching stints at Chico State and Eastern Washington. "We're gonna have brand recognition across the country now, even more enhanced than what it was." Darnall said the move to NCAA is a testament to what Jessup has built over the last decade, and he feels the sky is the limit for the future of Jessup athletics. "To see how this athletic program has grown in the last 10 years is amazing," Darnall said. "I am just super excited about what it can look like in another 10 years. I just can't stop thinking about that. I just think the NCAA is going to allow our brand to really be pushed forward, especially in Sacramento and all of Northern California." The Warriors will compete in the GSAC and NAIA for the 2023-24 school year and will be focused on not only competing for national championships but building to hit the ground running with the NCAA. For coaches, that provides a new challenge in building their programs. With the transition to D-II, Jessup is not eligible for NCAA postseason play until the 2026-27 school year. In a recruiting landscape dominated by the transfer portal, coaches will have to find a way to recruit top-tier talent that knows they will not be able to compete for a national championship for their first two years. "I am normally a transfer recruiter, and so I think I'll be shifting my focus towards getting players that want to be here four years," said Jessup softball coach and Senior Woman Administrator Brie Campbell. "It's an opportunity to grow the athletes together. So the minute that we can compete in that postseason, I would love for us to be there." Campbell, whose softball program has been a regular in the NAIA Coaches Poll for the last two years, is encouraged knowing there are multiple schools that have made the jump to D-II and fielded a competitive team right away. "Most of the teams that we're going to be competing against, such as Biola and Concordia, were in our spot not that long ago," Campbell said. "So we know we can compete." "The top half of the GSAC has been so good in men's basketball that the talent level will be very similar," Darnall added. "I would say consistently across the board it'll be a little bit higher level of competition, but we're obviously trying to plan to compete right away and find guys that are gonna buy into our vision and understand that it's a process, especially with us transitioning." Von Vogt said he feels the transition to NCAA athletics will help Jessup's recruitment and draw toward local athletes, keeping more of the top talent in the Sacramento area. Asked what this means for the 2023-24 season, Campbell said, "We just want to continue to grow and continue to be able to make an impact with our talent, our academics, our faith, everything. Just be able to have that championship mindset so that we know that we're ready for the next level." Jessup tickets for its final fall season in the NAIA are available online at www.jessupathletics.com. Visit the website for more information on the transition to NCAA Division II.