NCAA Track & Field is bracing for a major blow. Simon Fraser University, the lone Canadian school competing in the NCAA Div. II since its 2010 jump from U Sports, has confirmed it is actively considering a return home. After over a decade inside the U.S. system, SFU’s potential re-entry into U Sports and Canada West signals a seismic shift that would directly impact its track and field program and several other sports.

The university’s athletics division announced on Wednesday that it has formally begun the process of rejoining U Sports and the Canada West Conference to secure the long-term stability of varsity athletics at SFU.

If approved, SFU teams will return to regular-season competition against programs such as the UBC Thunderbirds and Trinity Western Spartans starting in the 2027–28 season. The decision on whether they are granted entry could be announced as early as next spring.

Back in September, the university announced that it had hired McLaren Global Sports Solutions associate Bob Copeland to do a study on the feasibility of returning to Canada West. After carefully considering the pros and cons of shifting the league, Copeland’s 104-page report found that SFU might save approximately $858,798 annually off the athletics budget if it shifted to U Sports.

However, a big part of that approximately $575,695 will come from dropping the women’s softball team, as well as the men’s and women’s golf teams. That’s because those sports don’t have a national championship back in Canada. Wednesday’s announcement also stated that the men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams would be retired as well, with a move to Canada West.

“SFU is committed to building an athletics program that offers a high-quality competitive experience within an excellent academic setting. The decision to apply to U Sports was not made lightly, but in the long run, it will help support sustainability for the athletics program and the university at large, while deepening our sense of community for students and future student athletes,” said a representative from Wednesday’s announcement.

However, the decision to shift completely from NCAA Div II to U Sports was not a popular one among student athletes, despite the university’s attempt to soften the blow.

Simon Fraser University sends a letter to students amidst the unpopular NCAA exit

After the decision to switch leagues was announced, Executive Athletic Director Luc Simard sent letters to the students stating, “I want to acknowledge that this is not the outcome many of you hoped for. We heard clearly that staying in the NCAA is important to you—many of you chose SFU specifically because of the opportunity to compete in that environment. We also understand the uncertainty and disappointment that news like this can create.

“Unfortunately, we feel that competing in the U.S. is not sustainable due to financial, regulatory, and logistical constraints and other decision-making factors outlined in the independent report,” continued the letter.

However, the decision was a wildly unpopular one amongst student athletes even before the formal move to leave the NCAA was initiated. The SFU Student Society (SFSS) and Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) put out an open letter on social media, arguing that Copeland’s report missed the “full picture.”

“In several areas, the report highlights aspects of U Sports without offering a parallel examination of NCAA Division II, which leaves some comparisons incomplete. In many instances, the strengths of the NCAA or the challenges within the U Sports system are not explored in depth, limiting the ability to fully assess the relative merits of each pathway,” read the letter.

Their letter further stated that it would negatively impact the university as a whole, beyond athletics. It’s a sentiment that was captured in Copeland’s report as well, with one basketball player saying, “I would transfer, I came to SFU because it’s NCAA.”

Another basketball player added, “I would not be able to afford SFU without the scholarships the NCAA is able to provide,” while others cited the lack of high-level competition in U Sports vs. the ultra competitive NCAA as another deterrent.

Overall, the student athlete responses in the report were overwhelmingly against the proposed move. But with the university proceeding forward anyway, it remains to be seen whether the move will take place or whether student pressure or a rejection from U Sports will force them to change course.