San Francisco, CA – The Academy of Art University received notification today from the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), that it has been granted provisional status by the NCAA Division II Committee. The 2011-12 season will be the University's final year of membership candidacy should it continue to meet NCAA requirements. If so, the University will become the only art institution with official NCAA status beginning the 2012-13 academic year.
Dr. Jamie Williams, Director of Athletics, states, “My staff, coaches, and student-athletes have worked hard to achieve this giant next-step that brings the Academy closer to becoming fully active members of the NCAA. However, President Stephens, CFO, Martha Weeck, and EVP-Financial Aid/Compliance, Joe Vollaro are the keen enablers and supporters of this uncanny dream.”
After being accepted into NCAA membership Candidacy Year 1 in 2009, Academy of Art University had to successfully complete a three year candidacy phase in the membership process. The Urban Knights are now able to compete under the NCAA logo effective immediately.
The certification process, mandated in 1993, is carried out to ensure the integrity of an institution's athletic department, and to assist institutions in improving their athletic departments. Self studies are required in the areas of governance and commitment to rules compliance, academic integrity, gender equity and diversity, and student-athlete well-being.
In mid-April, the NCAA subcommittee visited Academy of Art University for an on-campus assessment. During the three-day assessment, President Elisa Stephens and Director of Athletics, Dr. Jamie Williams presented the athletic staff, student-athletes, coaches, athletic facilities, long term vision and annual report. The NCAA found that the University met all the required guidelines.
“Again, we are one year closer to having our teams be eligible for regional and national tournaments due to the efforts of many,” added Dr. Jamie Williams. “Thank you membership committee and for Division II opponents...Fear the Artists!!”
Academy of Art University currently sponsors 16 intercollegiate sports including: men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, baseball, softball, women's tennis, women's volleyball, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, men's and women's golf, and men's and women's cross country.
The Urban Knights are members of the Pacific West Conference, which after the potential addition of four new institutions this year, will become the largest Division II conference in the west. The nine original PacWest schools are Academy of Art University, BYU Hawaii, Chaminade University, Dixie State College, Dominican University, Grand Canyon University, Hawaii Pacific University, Notre Dame de Namur University, and the University of Hawaii-Hilo. The PacWest Conference added Cal Baptist University in 2010, and in 2011, the conference plans to add Azusa Pacific, Fresno Pacific, Holy Names University, and Point Loma Nazarene, pending the respective school's acceptance into the NCAA Division II. After the addition of the new institutions, the Pacific West Conference would be home to 14 west region institutions.
