117 Schools•Division I•Est. 1973
In NCAA Division I sports, "Independents" refers to programs that do not maintain membership in a specific sport-sponsored conference. For the 2025-26 academic year, this includes high-profile programs across various sports, such as Oregon State and Washington State in several disciplines following the realignment of the Pac-12, as well as established independents like Notre Dame in football (though it maintains ACC membership in other sports). These programs operate their own schedules, negotiate independent media rights deals, and must qualify for NCAA postseason play via at-large bids rather than earning an automatic conference champion berth. In the era of massive conference realignment and the House v. NCAA settlement, being an independent offers maximum scheduling flexibility but presents significant challenges in securing consistent television revenue and a guaranteed path to championships. Media coverage for independents is often a patchwork of regional networks or individual school-specific streaming platforms. NIL opportunities for independent athletes are driven entirely by the school's individual brand power and "collective" strength, rather than conference-wide partnerships. Without a conference tournament to rely on, every regular-season game carries immense weight for independent programs striving for national tournament selection.
Official Website
In NCAA Division I sports, "Independents" refers to programs that do not maintain membership in a specific sport-sponsored conference. For the 2025-26 academic year, this includes high-profile programs across various sports, such as Oregon State and Washington State in several disciplines following the realignment of the Pac-12, as well as established independents like Notre Dame in football (though it maintains ACC membership in other sports). These programs operate their own schedules, negotiate independent media rights deals, and must qualify for NCAA postseason play via at-large bids rather than earning an automatic conference champion berth. In the era of massive conference realignment and the House v. NCAA settlement, being an independent offers maximum scheduling flexibility but presents significant challenges in securing consistent television revenue and a guaranteed path to championships. Media coverage for independents is often a patchwork of regional networks or individual school-specific streaming platforms. NIL opportunities for independent athletes are driven entirely by the school's individual brand power and "collective" strength, rather than conference-wide partnerships. Without a conference tournament to rely on, every regular-season game carries immense weight for independent programs striving for national tournament selection.
Official Website