It's Official; USF Cougars are NCAA D-II Members

USF Director of Athletics Willie Sanchez received official word today that the University of Sioux Falls has been accepted for membership into the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II beginning in the 2012-13 school year. The Cougars’ athletics programs – which held NCAA D-II provisional status for the past year, will compete in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference with the exception of men’s soccer, which will compete in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC).

Sanchez was notified at 3 p.m. today via a phone call from the NCAA Membership Committee. 

USF will officially become a member of the NCAA D-II on September 1, but games that will be played in August including the football season opener at St. Cloud on August 30 will also be considered NCAA contests.

“We are delighted to have received notification of our acceptance into NCAA Division II,” Sanchez said. “I feel that our coaches and student-athletes have illustrated the leadership and drive to, not only meet the expectations of an NCAA Division II member school, but to far exceed them.”

USF will be immediately eligible to compete in NCAA D-II championship events in 2012-13, as well as for post-season academic and athletic awards from the NCAA, NSIC and the GNAC.

The NCAA Division-II transition process for an academic institution is a three-year one in which schools pass through year one candidacy, year two candidacy and provisional membership stages prior to becoming a full member at the beginning of the fourth year.

“I am very proud of the work our staff has accomplished the last four years to lay the foundation for NCAA membership,” Sanchez added. “The past four years has been extremely busy and I am so grateful for everyone at USF for their hard work and dedication.”