NAIA Information for Students

What is NAIA? National Association Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) – Is an athletic association that organizes

college and university athletic programs –Memberships are smaller colleges and

universities across the country

History of NAIA 1937 | Dr. James Naismith and local leaders form National College Basketball. Tournament staged at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, MO. 1938 | Basketball tournament expands to 32 teams 1940 | National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball (NAIB) formed; first convention held 1948 | John Wooden's Indiana State team brings first African-American student-athlete to the NAIB tournament 1952 | NAIB adopts new moniker - National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) - and introduces men's championships in golf, tennis and outdoor track and field 1953 | NAIA becomes first collegiate association to invite historically black institutions into membership 1957 | Tennessee State becomes the first historically black institution to win a collegiate basketball national championship

NAIA Continuation 1980 | NAIA becomes first collegiate athletics association to sponsor both men's and women's championships by adding women's basketball, cross country, gymnastics, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, softball, swimming and diving, tennis and volleyball championships 1986 | NAIA Council of Presidents moves from advisory to governance role 1988 | Strict academic eligibility standards for all participating student-athletes adopted 2000 | NAIA introduces Champions of Character program along with its new brand emphasizing character development among NAIA student-athletes 2001 | NAIA headquarters returns to metro Kansas City in partnership with the city of Olathe, KS. 2007 | NAIA opens new headquarters in downtown Kansas City, MO. 2010 | NAIA opens the NAIA Eligibility Center.

NAIA Eligibility Overview Student must meet two of the following three entry level requirements:

– Achieve a minimum of 18 on the ACT or 860 on the SAT. Tests must be taken on a national testing date (residual tests are not accepted). Scores must be achieved on a single test.

– Achieve a minimum overall high school grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

– Graduate in the top half of your high school graduating class.

How to register to NAIA Go to www.PlayNAIA.org to register for eligibility –Create a student Athlete Profile

Add Facts about – academic history and sports experience

High school students with at least a 3.0 GPA after junior year and the minimum required test scores (18 ACT or 860 SAT) qualify for an early decision on eligibility, and should have their counselors send their transcript after the completion of junior year.

NCAA and NAIA Differences NCAA – Division I, Division II

and Division III – is the governing body

for around 1200 schools – oversees 23 sports – Divisions I and II both

offer athletic scholarships

– Division III student-athletes can only receive academic or non-athletic scholarships – no athletic scholarships are allowed

NAIA – Division I and Division

II – Consists of 300 schools – More than 14 sports

both Male and Female – Smaller association

than the NCAA – Division I is comparable

to Division II NCAA – Do not have very

complex rules

NAIA College/Universities in Florida Ave Maria (Bonita Springs) Edward Waters (Jacksonville) Embry-Riddell (Daytona Beach) Florida Memorial (Miami Gardens) Johnson & Wales (North Miami)

Northwood (West Palm Beach) St. Thomas (Miami Gardens) Southeastern (Lakeland) Warner (lake Wales) Webber International (Babson Park)

NAIA Sports Cross Country - M Cross Country - W Football Soccer - M Soccer - W Volleyball Basketball - DI M Basketball - DI W Basketball - DII M Basketball - DII W Indoor Track & Field - M Indoor Track & Field – W Swimming & Diving - M

Swimming & Diving - W Wrestling Baseball Golf - M Golf - W Outdoor Track & Field - M Outdoor Track & Field - W Softball Tennis - M Tennis - W Cheer & Dance (Emerging) Volleyball - M (Emerging) Bowling (Emerging)

NAIA Conferences

American Midwest Conference Appalachian Athletic Conference Association of Independent Institutions California Pacific Conference Cascade Collegiate Conference Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Crossroads League Frontier Conference Golden State Athletic Conference Great Plains Athletic Conference Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Heart of America Athletic Conference

Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Mid-South Conference Midlands Collegiate Athletic Conference Midwest Collegiate Conference Red River Athletic Conference Sooner Athletic Conference Southern States Athletic Conference The Sun Conference TranSouth Athletic Conference Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference

Reference http://www.naia.org/ http://www.dynamitesports.com/