North Georgia receives waiver for membership

After a long tradition in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), North Georgia College & State University received word late last week that it is now official members of Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The phone call ended speculation of whether the department of athletics would be given full membership after just two years as a provisional member.

It also means all ten intercollegiate teams at the University are now eligible for postseason play beginning in the Fall of 2007.

"I am just ecstatic," Director of Athletics Randy Dunn said. "I am just so proud we were able to make the transition after just two years as a provisional member. This is a tremendous opportunity for our university, coaches and student-athletes."

North Georgia went through two years of play without the possibility of postseason play, and was a member of NCAA Division II as a provisional member until a vote from other NCAA Division II institutions led to full-active membership in the association.

"I think two things helped in our transition," Dunn said. "I think the attitude that we took as a staff, and the commitment on everyone's part to meet the expectations set forth by the Peach Belt Conference and the NCAA helped ease us through the transition to our new status."

North Georgia will now become eligible to compete in all Peach Belt Conference championship tournaments that award an automatic bid to NCAA Tournament play. For the past two years, the Saints teams have been prohibited from competing in some of the league's biggest events such as the annual basketball, baseball and softball tournaments because of the automatic bids.

North Georgia will have the opportunity to earn their first automatic bid with the PBC women's soccer tournament in early November.