Jun 6, 2017 3 min read

Thomas More College will sever its 12-year relationship with the Presidents’ Athletic Conference at the conclusion of the 2017-18 school year.

Thomas More president David A. Armstrong did not indicate why the school was leaving or whether there are plans to join another conference. The Saints were an NCAA Division III independent for nine years before joining the PAC.

“Thomas More College has appreciated its time in the PAC and its member institutions. We look forward to competing in the conference during the 2017-18 academic year while establishing a path for the future of our athletic programs that fits our mission as a Catholic liberal arts college that has a reputation for excellence in the classroom and on the field. With record enrollment growth and plans for campus revitalization, we feel it is the best time for TMC to seek new partnerships which will enhance our strategic goals,” Armstrong said in a release.

“As a former coach and director of athletics, I’ve had the opportunity to represent the PAC in various capacities and certainly cherish my time serving as chair of the PAC’s Presidents’ Council throughout the 60th Anniversary celebration during the 2014-15 academic year. The PAC has been and will continue to be a nationally respected conference. We are excited to compete in our final seasons this academic year with the PAC and wish our colleagues well in the future.”

When Thomas More joined the PAC in 2005, it became the seventh member of the conference and made the PAC eligible for an automatic qualifier into the Division III football playoffs. The conference expanded again with the addition of two former NAIA members Saint Vincent and Geneva over the next two years. Chatham became the 10th member and in 2012, Carnegie Mellon and Case Western Reserve were added.

“We have valued our partnership with Thomas More (College) since 2005 and appreciate all of its efforts to support our institutions, our student-athletes and our conference. We have all benefited from Thomas More’s presence in our league over the last 12 years and we certainly wish them the best moving forward,” said PAC Commissioner Joe Onderko said in a release.

Thomas More, which is located in Crestview Hills, Ky., fields teams in 22 varsity sports and has sent 71 teams to NCAA Championships since joining the NCAA in 1990. The football program has finished first or tied for first eight times since joining the PAC. The women’s basketball program has won the conference title for 10 of the last 11 seasons. The Saints were forced to vacate the PAC and NCAA titles in the 2014-15 season because of an NCAA violation.