Sullivan said the university will cover initial Division I costs from a special endowment fund for start-up programs. Then comes fund-raising. St. Thomas needs a bigger hockey arena (the current one seats 1,400), and possibly expanded facilities for football (5,025) and basketball (2,000). Attendance for St. Thomas football games is modest, except for Tommie-Johnnie football games. Last season, when the football game was held at St. John’s, U.S.T.’s on-campus attendance averaged 2,673 for football and 701 for men’s basketball.

“Let’s demonstrate we can sell out our basketball arena or our football stadium,” Esten said. “When we get to the point that we’ve got demand for that, then we’ll think about the next step.”

There is one big drawback if U.S.T. ultimately moves to Division I: The end of the Tommie-Johnnie rivalry. It could be salvaged for a few years if the N.C.A.A. makes U.S.T. take the traditional path through Division II; games between Division II and III opponents are not unheard of. But if St. Thomas jumps to Division I, next year’s game at St. John’s could be the last.

“There are many things that are disappointing and sad about this,” said the Tommies’ football coach, Glenn Caruso. “That’s certainly one of them.”