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The Northern Kentucky Norse basketball team represents Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky, United States. The men's basketball team has been one of the country's premier NCAA Division II college basketball programs over the past 15 years, winning three Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) tournament championships. The women's basketball team became NKU's first national championship team in 2000, winning the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship. In 2011, NKU announced its transition to NCAA Division I, beginning in the 2012-13 season, and becoming a full Division I member in 2016. The Norse men's and women's basketball teams now compete in the Horizon League, with the men's team making three NCAA tournament appearances since the transition.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| University | Northern Kentucky University |
| Location | Highland Heights, Kentucky, United States |
| Division | I |
| Conference | Horizon League |
| Nickname | Norse |
| Colours | Gold, Black & White |
| Men's Basketball Team Coach | Darrin Horn |
| Women's Basketball Team Coach | Dawn Plitzuweit |
| Men's Basketball Team Arena | Truist Arena |
| Women's Basketball Team Arena | Truist Arena |
| Men's Basketball Team Arena Capacity | 9,200 |
| Women's Basketball Team Arena Capacity | 9,400 |
| Men's Basketball Team Past Divisions | NCAA Division II |
| Women's Basketball Team Past Divisions | NCAA Division II |
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What You'll Learn
NKU's basketball division history
The Northern Kentucky Norse are the athletic teams of Northern Kentucky University, located in Highland Heights, Kentucky, United States. The men's basketball team became one of the country's premier NCAA Division II college basketball programs over the past 15 years. The Norse won three Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) tournament championships in 1994–95, 2002–03, and 2008–09; and GLVC East Division regular-season championships in 2006–07, 2007–08, and 2008–09.
The women's basketball team also found success in Division II, winning the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship in 2000 and 2008.
In 2008, NKU began preparing to reclassify as an NCAA Division I institution. On December 8, 2011, the university officially announced it had accepted an invitation to join the Atlantic Sun Conference (now known as the ASUN Conference) and would begin a multi-year transition to Division I in 2012. The Norse began a full ASUN and Division I schedule in the 2012–13 season, but were not eligible for NCAA D-I postseason competition until they became a full Division I member in 2016. During the transition, the Norse made thirteen appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament, with a combined record of 17–14.
In the final season of their transition to Division I in 2015–16, the Norse joined the Horizon League, of which they remain a member today. As a Division I team, the Norse have made three NCAA tournament appearances, most recently in 2023.
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The Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team
The Norse began as an NCAA Division II college basketball program, winning three Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) tournament championships in 1994–95, 2002–03, and 2008–09. They made thirteen appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament, with a combined record of 17–14.
In 2011, NKU announced its transition to Division I, beginning with the 2012–13 season. They joined the Atlantic Sun Conference (now known as the ASUN Conference) and became a full Division I member in 2016. During the transition, the Norse made NCAA postseason appearances but were not eligible for the NCAA D-I postseason competition until their full Division I membership.
The Norse are currently a part of the Horizon League, which they joined in 2015 after leaving the Atlantic Sun Conference. Since joining Division I, they have made three NCAA tournament appearances, including one in 2023. The team has been coached by Darrin Horn since 2019, following the departure of previous coach John Brannen.
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The NKU women's basketball team
In recent years, the NKU athletic program as a whole has undergone a transition to NCAA Division I. Beginning in the 2012-13 season, the Norse started their journey towards the top division, initially competing in the Atlantic Sun Conference. During this period of transition, the women's basketball team continued to develop and establish themselves at the new level. After three years in the Atlantic Sun Conference, NKU made a change, joining the Horizon League in 2015, signaling their commitment to Division I competition.
Today, the NKU women's basketball team continues to represent Northern Kentucky University with pride and determination in the Horizon League. The program has a bright future ahead as it builds upon its foundation of success, attracting talented athletes and coaches alike. The team's rich history in Division II, coupled with its ongoing pursuit of excellence in Division I, showcases the dedication and resilience of the Norse women's basketball program.
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The Norse's home arena
The Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represents Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky, United States. The team's home arena is Truist Arena, which opened in 2008 as The Bank of Kentucky Center. The arena serves as the home court for both the men's and women's basketball teams.
Truist Arena is a 9,200-seat, multi-purpose arena located on the NKU campus. It replaced the previous home venue, Regents Hall, which had a capacity of 1,800 seats and had served as the home court for the men's and women's basketball teams since 1973. Regents Hall continues to be used as the practice facility for the basketball teams and as the home court for the women's volleyball team.
The name of the arena has changed multiple times over the years. It was first known as The Bank of Kentucky Center until 2015 when it was renamed after the arena's sponsor, BB&T. In 2022, the name changed again to Truist Arena following the merger of BB&T and SunTrust to form Truist Financial.
In addition to basketball games, Truist Arena hosts graduation ceremonies and other non-university entertainment and sporting events, including the Kentucky Monsters of the Ultimate Indoor Football League. Located next to Truist Arena is the Scuadmore Field, which is home to the Norse soccer teams.
The Northern Kentucky Norse athletic program began its transition to NCAA Division I in the 2012-2013 school year, joining the Horizon League in 2015. The Norse men's basketball team has represented NKU in NCAA Division I since the 2012-2013 season and has made three NCAA tournament appearances as of 2023.
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The Norse's transition to Division I
The Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represents Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky, United States. The school's athletic program began its transition to NCAA Division I in the 2012–13 school year.
Prior to its transition to Division I, Northern Kentucky University (NKU) was one of the country's premier NCAA Division II college basketball programs. The Norse won three Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) tournament championships in 1994–95, 2002–03, and 2008–09, and the GLVC East Division regular-season championship in 2006–07, 2007–08, and 2008–09. In NCAA Division II postseason play, NKU made 12 appearances, including back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship in the 1995–96 and 1996–97 seasons.
On December 8, 2011, NKU officially announced its acceptance of an invitation to join the Atlantic Sun Conference (now the ASUN Conference) and begin its transition to Division I. In the 2012–13 season, the Norse started a full ASUN and Division I schedule. However, they were not eligible for NCAA D-I postseason competition until they became a full Division I member in 2016. During the four-year transition, NKU was not eligible for Division I championships.
In the final season of the transition in 2015–16, the Norse joined the Horizon League. Since joining Division I, the Norse have made three NCAA tournament appearances, most recently in 2023. They qualified for their first NCAA tournament in 2017, becoming just the seventh school to make the tournament in their first year of eligibility.
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Frequently asked questions
NKU basketball is Division I.
The NKU basketball team plays in the Horizon League.
NKU basketball began its transition to Division I in the 2012-13 season.
NKU basketball joined the Horizon League on July 1, 2015.
Yes, the men's team made thirteen appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament, while the women's team won the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship in 2000 and 2008.
