Thursday, July 28, 2005

NORTH GEORGIA MAKES ITS MOVE TO THE NCAA

Dahlonega, Ga. – North Georgia College & State University President Dr. David Potter announced today that the Saints intercollegiate athletic program will move into the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) this fall.

“We are pleased with our new affiliation with the NCAA,” said Potter.  “Division II athletics are a good fit with our mission and our reputation.  They offer challenging and competitive opportunities for our student-athletes and demand a level of academic excellence from these athletes that is consistent with our stature as an institution.”

As a Division II member, North Georgia will be a member of the Peach Belt Conference (PBC) and will once again renew old rivalries with Augusta State University, Armstrong Atlantic University, Clayton State University, Columbus State University, and Georgia College & State University. The Saints will also face some new out-of-state rivals in Francis Marion University, Lander University, UNC Pembroke, USC-Aiken, and USC Upstate.

“I am very excited about the move into the NCAA,” said North Georgia Athletic Director Randy Dunn. “It has been a goal that NGCSU has worked toward for many years and I see it as a dream come true. I am confident that the NCAA move will benefit our entire student body and university community. It will bring a new and more recognizable image for not only our athletic programs, but for the entire university.”

Over the next four years, North Georgia will be a provisional member of the NCAA. During this time the Saints athletic department will begin the process of complying with NCAA rules and regulations as well as upgrading the budgetary and staffing needs of a full NCAA Division II program. North Georgia will be unable to compete for NCAA Division II national championships during its provisional membership period, but will be eligible to compete for PBC regular season championships in each of its 10 intercollegiate sports.

Division II has a membership of 285 schools in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Division II schools average 4260 students with almost 75,000 student-athletes participating in athletics in Division II last year. Over 52% of student-athletes in Division II programs graduate with a four-year degree, six percent higher than the national average. Traditional rivalries with regional institutions dominate schedules of many Division II athletics programs.

The Saints athletic program has been continually at the top of conference, region, and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletic (NAIA) standings since reestablishing its athletic program in 1971. North Georgia has won a combined 32 conference titles and four region titles in 33 years. In 1987, the women's basketball program finished second in the nation and women's basketball, men's basketball, baseball, and softball were all ranked in the top 25 in the NAIA national polls this year.

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