NCAA Division III independent schools are four-year institutions that compete in college athletics at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III level, but do not belong to an established intercollegiate athletic conference for a particular sport. These schools may however still compete as members of an athletic conference in other sports. A school may also be fully independent, and not belong to any athletic conference for any sport at all. The reason for independent status varies among institutions, but it is frequently because the school's primary athletic conference does not sponsor a particular sport.
Full independents
Departing members are highlighted in pink.
Current members
- Notes
- ^ This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not compete in men's sports.
- ^ Trinity Washington left the Independent ranks after the 2011–12 school year; before re-joining, effective in the 2015–16 school year.
Former members
- Notes
- ^ a b c d e f Part of the State University of New York system.
- ^ a b c d e f This institution is a women's college, therefore it does not compete in men's sports.
- ^ a b Currently an NCAA Division I athletic conference.
- ^ Cairn was known as Philadelphia Biblical University during its stint as a member. It adopted its current name in 2012.
- ^ a b c Part of the Vermont State Colleges System.
- ^ Castleton was merged into Vermont State University in 2023, assuming the former's membership in the Little East Conference.
- ^ a b c Currently an NCAA Division II athletic conference.
- ^ Clarks Summit was known as Baptist Bible College & Seminary during its stint as a member. The school name was changed to Summit University of Pennsylvania in 2015, and to Clarks Summit University in 2016.
- ^ Dallas initially left the independents after the 2007–08 school year to join the North Eastern Athletic Conference in some sports, including basketball. However, they rejoined after two years.
- ^ a b c d e Currently an NAIA athletic conference.
- ^ Finlandia participated in the Great South Athletic Conference from the 2013–14 to 2015–16 school years, but only in women's sports. Men's sports remained independent during those school years.
- ^ a b Part of the University of Maine System.
- ^ Maine–Presque Isle was also a dual member with the NAIA and the Sunrise Athletic Conference from 2005 to its folding in 2011.
- ^ Mills initially left the independents after the 2012–13 school year to join the Great South Athletic Conference, however, they rejoined after three years due to the GSAC folding.
- ^ Mills was acquired by Northeastern University in 2023, becoming part of that university's extended operations in the San Francisco Bay Area. In advance of this, Mills dropped athletics after the 2021–22 school year.
- ^ MUW initially discontinued its athletics program after the 2002–03 school year, however, they restored it before the 2017–18 school year.
- ^ Mount Mary initially left the independents after the 2014–15 school year to join the Great South Athletic Conference, however, they rejoined after one year due to the GSAC folding.
- ^ The campus mailing address is Cincinnati.
- ^ a b Nebraska Wesleyan was also a member of the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) from 1969–70 to 2015–16, therefore it held dual membership with the NAIA and the NCAA.
- ^ New Rochelle was also a dual member with the USCAA and the Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC) from 2005 to 2019.
- ^ New Rochelle merged into Mercy College after the 2018–19 school year.
- ^ a b The NYU engineering school was the standalone Polytechnic University while in the NEAC. Polytechnic became affiliated with New York University (NYU) in 2008 as the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (athletically known as NYU Poly), and merged completely into NYU in 2014. And as part of the final merger of NYU Poly with NYU, Poly's athletics program was merged into that of NYU.
- ^ a b Northern Vermont was merged into Vermont State University in 2023, assuming the former's membership in the North Atlantic Conference.
- ^ a b c This institution is a former women's college, which has eventually turned into a co-educational college (William Peace since 2012–13, Pine Manor since 2014–15 and Saint Elizabeth since 2016–17).
- ^ Pine Manor initially left the independents after the 2014–15 school year to join the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, however, they later rejoined after the 2015–16 school year.
- ^ Pine Manor was acquired by Boston College in 2021.
- ^ Saint Elizabeth (N.J.) was known as The College of Saint Elizabeth during its stint as a member.
- ^ St. Joseph's Brooklyn was known as St. Joseph's College during its stint as a member.
- ^ St. Joseph's Brooklyn was also a dual member with the USCAA and the Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC) from 2004 to 2015.
- ^ Stevenson was known as Villa Julie College during its stint as a member. It adopted its current name in 2007.
- ^ Part of the University of California system.
- ^ UC Santa Cruz participated in the Great South Athletic Conference during the 2015–16 school year, but only in women's sports. Men's sports remained independent during that school year.
- ^ William Peace was known as Peace College during its stint as a member. It adopted its current name in 2011.
Football
Departing members are highlighted in pink.
Field hockey
† - Women's college, therefore not competing in men's sports.
Golf
Men
Women
† - Women's college, therefore not competing in men's sports.
Ice hockey
Women
- Notes
- ^ Joining UCHC starting in 2025.
Lacrosse
Men
Rowing
Men
Women
† - Women's college, therefore not competing in men's sports.
- Notes
Tennis
Men
Men
Women
Men
- Notes
Volleyball (indoor)
Men
Wrestling
- ^ Fontbonne will close at the end of the 2024–25 school year.
Emerging sports for women
Rugby
Triathlon
See also
References
