College basketball was split into divisions in 1974, creating Division I and Division II. Since then, 90 schools have made the jump into the top division of the NCAA.
The number increases by two this season, with West Georgia and Mercyhurst beginning their DI transition process.
Many teams have struggled in their first season, with teams like Buffalo and Longwood not even winning ten percent of their games in that season. These teams, however, defied the odds and won more that 60% of their games in that season.
One team that did not make the list was Seattle. They were a member of the DI ranks after the split. Budget issues forced the RedBirds to drop back down to the NAIA level. They rejoined DI in 2008-09 and went 21-8.
Alabama A&M
The only HBCU on this list, the Bulldogs joined the SWAC prior to the 1999-00 season. They opened the campaign with road games against Mississippi State and two Conference USA programs. Once they hit conference play, the Bulldogs hit the ground running with five straight wins. The program finished with a 14-4 conference record, one game out of first.
Bellarmine
The most recent team on this list, the Knights was in the most unfortunate of circumstances. Not only was Bellarmine a brand new DI program, they had to deal with scheduling restrictions due to the ongoing COVID pandemic. Their first game of the 2020-21 season was against No. 6 Duke, losing 76-54. After losing their first two Atlantic Sun games against Lipscomb, the Knights went 10-1. Finishing 14-8 got them a College Basketball Invitational berth, falling to eventual champion Pepperdine in the semifinals.
Charleston
The Cougars joined the DI ranks in 1991-92, when the Trans Atlantic Athletic Conference (now the Atlantic Sun) needed to replace two schools. In their first DI game, they defeated UNC-Charlotte 68-54. They then scheduled games against two power conference teams, losing to No. 20 Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt by a combined 13 points. An 11-game winning streak after their first loss helped the Cougars to a 19-8 record.
Incarnate Word
The Southland Conference added four schools in 2013-14, including two schools from the DII level. The Cardinals scheduled only one DI opponent in the non-conference slate, losing to North Texas by 17 points. The conference slate saw them play competitive games against the top two teams from the previous season. Incarnate Word finished their first campaign with a 21-6 record.
Merrimack
The Warriors joined the DI ranks in the 2019-20 season after three straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Merrimack registered their first victory by defeating Northwestern 71-61 in just their second game of the season. They went on to go 14-4 in NEC play, winning the regular season title by one game over St. Francis (PA) and Robert Morris.
South Dakota
Dave Boots was entering his 21st season as the head coach at South Dakota, never posting a losing record. The Coyotes scheduled two games against top competition, getting blown out by Notre Dame and Cincinnati. After the loss to the Irish, they won 15 straight games against primarily DII programs, finishing 20-9 in the 2008-09 season.
Utah Valley
This college basketball program is unique because it was a junior college the season before joining DI in 2003-04. The lack of a power conference program on their schedule helped the Wolverines go 23-5. They started their first campaign losing three straight games and four of their first five. Their schedule did include a team that made the 2003 NCAA Tournament, losing 84-65 to BYU
The journey from Division II to Division I is fraught with challenges, yet these teams proved that success is possible right out of the gate. As West Georgia and Mercyhurst prepare to make their mark, the stage is set for more captivating stories of triumph and resilience within the realm of college basketball. Is the next breakout team here, stay tuned and find out.