EVANSVILLE, Ind. —As much as Hannah Haithco*ck tried to escape the noise, she couldn't.
Wherever she went, the University of Southern Indiana women's basketball player kept hearing about the possibility her school would move to the NCAA's Division I level.
But when that speculation turned into adecision, Haithco*ck said it was time to look deeper into this subject.
It's a move she said sheis embracing.
More:University of Southern Indiana to join Ohio Valley Conference for Division I sports
"To be honest, in the beginning I didn't have much of an opinion. But now, I'm excited for new beginnings," Haithco*ck said. "Do I know what it's going to hold for our team in the bigger picture? No, but I know my coaches and teammates will remain determined to win games and make a difference."
USI's trusteesvoted Feb. 7 to apply for reclassification to Division I athletics. Two days later, the school said it would join the Ohio Valley Conference for the 2022-23 academic year. It's amove that will end a 40-plus-year relationship with the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
There will undoubtedly be more resources for the athletes— that's to be expected when a school's sports budget basically doubles in size, as USI's administrators have said it will need to do. That means more amenities, more coaches and more exposure on a larger stage.
Still, the move comes with hesitation in the USI community, including among athletes. A December survey showed athletes were split on the move— 45 percent of respondents saidthey supported the switch to Division I sports, while another 45 percent said said they were against it. The other10 percent were undecided.
One drawback: USI teams won't be eligible to compete in national championship tournaments in any sport for four yearsdue to NCAArules.
More:PICTOR Group consulting firm's payout from USI will grow as school moves to Division I
This means that not a single current student athlete, barring a redshirt season, will get that experience at the Division I level.
"I think it definitely stings a bit for some of the guys," said baseball player Garrett Welch. "But knowing that you can still compete for conference and other tournament championships, it's something at least."
There's also the question of how it will affect some of the athletic department's less visible programs.Those who play men's and women's basketball likely will have a differenttransition experiencethat those who run track or play golf or tennis.
Kelci Katterhenry, a Castle graduate and junior golfer at USI,said the women's golf program doesn't have an indoor practice facility or even — as of now — a home course. She believes that is a cause for concern.
"I love USI and will support this decision. However, I think this is premature for a variety of sports," Katterhenry said. "Especially the smaller ones."
Men's basketball player Michael Rogers espouses a different view: He believes the move will be a positive one.
Rogers thinks it will help put Evansville "on the map even more than it already is" and can also help spark a city rivalry between USI and the University of Evansville. He's hopeful it will bringmore exposure to athletes.
"I think it will put us on a bigger platform by playing game on TV and such," Rogers said. "It can also helped athletes get better (Name-Likeness-Image) deals because we will be able to play and show our talents on a bigger stage."
Othersseem mostly positive about the future.
"I think it gives us a lot of opportunities," said volleyball player Abby Bednar. "I think move will be very beneficial to USI. I am excited to compete in the OVC and I can't wait to see what the future has to offer."
Welch added: "There's a lot of buzz in the locker room. We're going to have to work a lot harder to compete but I think we can definitely do it."
While it's fun to look ahead to the future, many USI athletic teams are still hoping for a strong finish to their Division II life.The men's and women's basketball teams are nearing postseason play while baseball and softball have recently started their seasons.
"We have emphasized staying focused on the now," Haithco*ck said. "If we do that, I think we can continue to do big things."
Contact Courier & Press sports reporter Hendrix Magley via email at hendrix.magley@courierpress.com or via Twitter @TweetsOfHendrix.
