USCB is moving up to NCAA Division II for athletic competitions

The University of South Carolina Beaufort is joining the NCAA Division II.

USCB will join the D-II Peach Belt Conference as provisional members this upcoming season.

The move was announced July 14. The move will be formally announced Wednesday during a press conference on campus.

“The marriage of academic and athletic achievement — is as old as USCB itself,” the university said in a press release. “We are so excited now for the opportunity to bring this full vision to life. We are thrilled and look forward to making our mark in the Peach Belt Conference and in the NCAA.”

The Sand Sharks are currently members of the Continental Athletic Conference in the NAIA, and while USCB will playing a Division II schedule, it will still be part of the CAC league during the 2022-2023 season.

USCB’s move to the NCAA will also not be immediate. The Sand Sharks will begin a three-year interim period starting with this season, but could be eligible for full membership starting with the 2025-26 season.

Ben Morse

The Island Packet

Ben Morse is the Retail and Leisure Reporter for The Sun News. Morse covers local business, Coastal Carolina University and high school sports. Morse previously worked as an intern for The Island Packet covering local government. Morse graduated from American University in 2023 with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism and economics, and he is originally from Prospect, Kentucky.