East Texas A&M University has officially reached NCAA Division I status. The NCAA Division I Board of Directors approved the university’s full membership during its meeting on June 23, 2025.
This means East Texas A&M is now fully eligible for NCAA postseason play in all sports. Located in Northeast Texas, the university is now the region’s only NCAA Division I school.
The move comes during a period of strong growth at the university. Recent milestones include reaching Research 2 (R2) status for academic research, enrolling a record number of students in Fall 2024, and graduating the largest class in school history this spring.
East Texas A&M began the transition to Division I on July 1, 2022, when it joined the Southland Conference. Since then, its athletics programs have seen major success. The Lions have earned 25 individual conference championships, four conference player of the year awards, and three All-America honors. The school has also produced three Olympians and one NFL Draft pick.
Student-athletes have also succeeded in the classroom. Several teams earned perfect Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores, and one student-athlete was named Academic All-America. Over the past three years, 609 Lions have made the Southland Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll, including a record number this academic year.
East Texas A&M President Mark Rudin called the achievement a major milestone. “Division I membership opens the door to an exciting new era of opportunity,” he said.
Athletics Director Jim Curry added, “This is a proud moment in our history and a sign of what we can achieve together. But it’s only the beginning of our next chapter.”
The Lions’ first official game as a full Division I school is August 14, when the soccer team hosts Little Rock. Volleyball, football, and cross country begin their seasons August 29–30.
