There will be a new Division I NCAA wrestling program next season, as Long Island University will combine their two separate athletic departments and elevate their wrestling team from DII to DI.

Long Island University currently operates five separate campuses. Two of them, LIU Post and LIU Brooklyn, feature student residences that have their own athletic departments. The LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds compete at the Division I level while LIU Post teams, which includes a wrestling team that finished 23rd at the NCAAs last season, compete in Division II.

Newsday reported that LIU officials held a press conference today at the New York Athletic Club where school announced that they would be combining teams that exist on both campuses and elevating the teams fielded only at LIU Post from DII to DI. 

It was also announced that Long Island University will also be adding two new women's teams, ice hockey and water polo, while eliminating no programs in the transition. 

The combined athletic department has new colors picked out — blue and gold — but will wait to allow the student body to weigh in before picking out a new nickname. All sports are scheduled to begin DI competition in the 2019-2020 school year. 

Wrestling events will continue to be held on the Post campus in Greenvale, New York, less than 30 miles away from the Brooklyn campus. The LIU Post Pioneers had an All-American last season at the 2018 NCAA DII Tournament in Joseph Calderone at 149 pounds.

A video of the press conference can be found below. More on the #ONELIU transition can be found on the school's website here. 

For on the topic of potential new DI Programs, check out the video below:

Unlock this video, live events, and more with a subscription!

Sign Up

Already a subscriber? Log In