Cedarville gains acceptance into NCAA Division II

Photo by Jim Clark: Athletics Director Alan Geist speaks to local media members thursday.

Provisional NCAA membership is a thing of the past for Cedarville. On Thursday, the school was informed by the NCAA that it has been granted status as a member of Division II.

“Obviously, we are excited about this announcement,” said athletics director Alan Geist in a press release. “It has been a long process, but we are better off for it. It is hard to believe that we have been working toward this day for almost four years.

“As we take this step, we are committed to maintaining Cedarville University’s mission as Division II members. We desire to be at the forefront in the NCAA as we continue our emphasis on glorifying God through excellence in education, individual growth, and leadership development.”

Cedarville began its NCAA candidacy three years ago and was a provisional member this past year. The athletic department functioned as a Division II program while meeting several requirements to earn full status.

The Yellow Jackets will begin play in the newly formed Great Midwest Athletic Conference alongside Central State, Urbana, Kentucky Wesleyan, Trevecca Nazarene and Ursuline. Provisional members are Georgetown (Ky.) and Virginia-Wise, both of which are seeking NCAA admittance.

Thursday's announcement took place in the Dixon Ministry Center board room.All three Dayton TV stations and the Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun and Xenia Daily Gazette were present.

More information and a video is also available on the CU sports website.