Collegiate Consulting Feasibility Study
Assists Mercyhurst with Move to Division I & NEC
ERIE, PA (April 4, 2024) – Following a comprehensive feasibility study completed by Collegiate Consulting, Mercyhurst University accepted an invitation to join the Northeast Conference and begin its reclassification to NCAA Division I, beginning the four-year process on July 1, 2024.
Originally retained in September 2021, Collegiate Consulting completed and presented a comprehensive Division I Feasibility Study in February 2022. The 285-page report included interviews with student-athletes, coaches, alumni, and institutional leadership. The report provided an inclusive comparison to the Northeast Conference, America East Conference and Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. This past December, Collegiate Consulting was brought back to update the Feasibility Study and assist with securing an invitation from a Division I conference.
Collegiate Consulting projected Mercyhurst’s current $17 million athletic budget would witness a 33% increase by FY2030. Student-athlete financial aid increases from 182 scholarships to 211. Collegiate Consulting recommended a $1.6 million increase across Mercyhurst’s 25 varsity programs sports operating budgets, which includes two existing Division I sports – men’s and women’s ice hockey. For athletic staffing, it was proposed to add three full-time and three part-time administrative positions with four new assistant coach positions and transition three part-time coaching positions to full-time.
In the past five years, Collegiate Consulting has assisted LeMoyne College, Merrimack College, Stonehill College and now Mercyhurst in their reclassification to Northeast Conference and Division I. Overall, Collegiate Consulting has completed 24 Division I Feasibility Studies in the past 48 months, including West Georgia, Bellarmine, Tarleton State, North Alabama, Utah Tech and Queens at Charlotte, who are in the reclassification process. Currently, Collegiate Consulting is engaged in four Division I Feasibility Studies.