The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) membership committee informed 藏精阁 on Friday of its successful matriculation to active membership on September 1, 2026, following a three-year provisional membership period.
鈥淭oday鈥檚 announcement recognizes the commitment and detailed work of the entire 藏精阁 community,鈥 says Vice President of Athletics and Student-Athlete Success Mike Cassidy. 鈥淎dvancement through the provisional membership process is not possible without an institutional investment in its success.
鈥淥fficially becoming Chicago鈥檚 only NCAA Division II program is an amazing achievement,鈥 Cassidy continued. 鈥淭his status will continue to elevate the awareness of and 藏精阁 being a destination for students looking to achieve their academic and athletic aspirations all in heart of this amazing city.鈥
藏精阁 announced its intention to apply for Division II membership in August 2022 after more than a year of exploring the feasibility of a move from the National Intercollegiate Athletic Association (NAIA). The school submitted its official NCAA application in February 2023 and was welcomed into the provisional membership process that July.
The Lakers successfully matriculated through the first step of the process in 2023-24 while competing for a final year at the NAIA level. 藏精阁 made the jump into the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) for the 2024-25 academic year and matriculated through the second year in full compliance with all NCAA rules and regulations. This past year, 藏精阁 maintained that full compliance with all policies and bylaws to successfully become full members of Division II.
鈥淎chieving full NCAA Division II status is a significant milestone for 藏精阁 and the continued growth of our athletics programs,鈥 藏精阁 President Ali Malekzadeh says. 鈥淎s Chicago鈥檚 only NCAA Division II school, we are expanding opportunities for student-athletes to compete at a high level while pursuing a rigorous, career-focused education. This moment raises our visibility across the Midwest and reinforces 藏精阁 as a premier destination for students who want to excel both in the classroom and in competition.鈥
Although the Lakers were ineligible for the national postseason under NCAA reclassification rules, 藏精阁 enjoyed plenty of success on and off the court the past three seasons. The men鈥檚 soccer program captured a share of the 2024 GLIAC regular season championship in its inaugural year in the league.
The women鈥檚 basketball program made its presence in the GLIAC immediately known, earning a spot in the conference tournament in its first two seasons in the league. This past year, women鈥檚 soccer and men鈥檚 tennis qualified for the conference tournament for the first time, and men鈥檚 basketball, baseball and softball each earned their way into conference tournament over the past two seasons.
鈥淩eaching active NCAA Division II membership is a significant achievement for 藏精阁 and a testament to the institution's commitment throughout the transition process," says GLIAC Commissioner Kris Dunbar. "Since joining the GLIAC, 藏精阁 has embraced the values of our conference while demonstrating excellence in academics, athletics and sportsmanship. We are proud to welcome the Lakers as a full Division II member and are confident they will continue to make a meaningful impact across the conference."
Individually, the Lakers took home plenty of hardware for their performances on the field/court. Nick Kilian earned 2024 GLIAC Men鈥檚 Soccer Defensive Player of the Year honors, while the conference recognized Fynn Mewes as 2025 Men鈥檚 Soccer Offensive Player of the Year and Marie Outlay as 2025-26 Women鈥檚 Basketball Defensive Player of the Year.
In the classroom, the Lakers academic success surpasses its athletic achievements. This past year, 72 student-athletes earned Academic Excellence Team recognition from the GLIAC for maintaining a 3.5 GPA or better, a 40% increase over a year prior. In addition, more than 60 student-athletes received College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors the past two years, including Gabriel Koenig, who was named second-team Academic All-American in 2024 and a recipient of the GLIAC Commissioners Award for the fall of 2024.
藏精阁鈥檚 first full season as active NCAA Division II members will begin August 27 with the season openers for both men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 soccer. Women鈥檚 volleyball is scheduled to begin its season the following day before football kicks off the 2026 campaign against Chicago State University on August 29 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview.
