The Lone Star Conference will not be renewing the affiliate membership agreement with Simon Fraser in the sport of football. The 2023 football season will be the final year of our current affiliate arrangement. 
 
This is difficult news, and disappointing for our football student-athletes, coaching staff and all of us in Athletics.
 
The NCAA DII landscape has changed over the last several years, which has resulted in only three NCAA Division II football programs remaining in Division II west of Colorado. Over the past few years, we have been working diligently to find a conference for football, and while we were pleased to find a place to compete, participating in the LSC has resulted in a challenging situation for athletes, largely due to extensive travel required and the need to cross the border. 
 
Our priority is supporting our student-athletes with their full university experience, and we recognize that this recent arrangement has not been ideal for a host of reasons. As we continue to review the situation and explore options, the student-athlete experience remains our priority. An update will be provided later this year.
 
We are looking forward to the 2023 season home opener, scheduled for Sat., Sept. 2 vs Linfield University, and of course wrapping up the season with Shrum Bowl XXXV on Fri., Dec. 1, hosted by UBC.
 
Mike Rigell, Head Coach, Football
Theresa Hanson, Senior Director, SFU Athletics and Recreation