Junior Circuit: How Long Before Ex-Juco Dixie is Forced to Change Name?
A couple of questions surfaced when NCAA Division I newcomer Dixie State opposed top-ranked Gonzaga just before the end of the calendar year. First, how long will self-righteous know-it-alls allow Dixie to retain its name in their oppressive politically-correct cancel culture? Also, how many other major universities originally were two-year junior colleges like Dixie?
In the mid-1970s, Robert Morris (Pa.) became the only school to make move from junior-college ranks to NCAA Division I in the span of one year. Dixie State joined the following alphabetical list of current NCAA DI schools that previously were junior colleges (including four institutions in both Louisiana and Utah):
Former Junior College Inaugural DI Season Arkansas-Little Rock 1978-79 Boise State (Idaho) 1971-72 Campbell (N.C.) 1977-78 *Charlotte 1972-73 Dixie State (Utah) 2020-21 Gardner-Webb (N.C.) 2002-03 **Idaho State 1947-48 Jacksonville (Fla.) 1966-67 ***Lamar (Tex.) 1969-70 Lipscomb (Tenn.) 2001-02 ****Louisiana-Monroe 1973-74 *****McNeese State (La.) 1973-74 ******Nicholls State (La.) 1980-81 UNC Wilmington 1976-77 *******Portland State (Ore.) 1972-73 Robert Morris (Pa.) 1976-77 San Diego State (Calif.) 1970-71 ********South Carolina Upstate 2007-08 Southeastern Louisiana 1980-81 Southern Utah 1988-89 Tennessee-Martin 1992-93 Texas-Arlington 1968-69 Utah Valley State 2004-05 Weber State (Utah) 1963-64 *Founded in 1946 as Charlotte College.
**Known as Idaho-Southern Branch.
***Founded in 1923 as South Park Junior College.
****Originally known as Northeast Junior College.
*****Founded in 1939 as Lake Charles Junior College before changing name to John McNeese Junior College the next year.
******Founded in 1948 as Francis T. Nicholls Junior College.
*******Previously known as Vanport Extension Center.
********Originally known as Spartanburg Regional Campus.