Truett-McConnell accepted into NAIA

Truett-McConnell College gains acceptance into the four-year NAIA conference.

TRUETT-McCONNELL COLLEGE JOINS NAIA

            The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced on April 21, 2009, at its annual convention held in Kansas City that the application from Truett-McConnell College was approved by the NAIA Council of Presidents for membership in NAIA.

            Jim Carr, NAIA President and CEO, issued a statement that read in part:  “Truett-McConnell shares a dual commitment to academic and athletic excellence defined by the NAIA’s strategic plan…committed to high standards and to the principle that participation in athletics serves as an integral part of the total education process.  The NAIA looks forward to working with [Truett-McConnell] to advance character-driven intercollegiate athletics.”

The NAIA was founded in 1937 and is a leader in the development of student-athletes.  NAIA continues to be a pioneer in implementing exceptional standards for academics, diversity and character.  Those standards are evident not only on the campuses of member institutions but the competitive arena as well.

The Association provides exclusive opportunities for over 45,000 young men and women to achieve academically while competing for the love of the game.  NAIA member institutions award millions of dollars through athletic aid to eligible student-athletes and create an environment where competitive athletics, academic excellence and character walk hand in hand.

The purpose of the Truett-McConnell College athletic program is to foster scholarly inquiry and to deliver services in the areas of health promotion and education, physical fitness and athletics.  The academic and athletic experience, under the direction of Athletics Director Jim Waits, prepares Truett-McConnell student-athletes with the skills to meet the dynamic challenges of contemporary society. 

The TMC athletic program is dedicated to the encouragement of Christian values; the provision of an equitable, state-of-the-art and safe athletics program with regard to personnel, programs and facilities; and the provision of a viable connection between the campus and public community.  The college competes in 10 varsity sports:  baseball, fast pitch softball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s cross country, and men’s and women’s soccer.

Truett-McConnell College will begin competition in the NAIA in the fall of 2009 and will be eligible for post-season play in the fall of 2010. 

“We are excited about our new membership in the NAIA and the many possibilities that lie ahead for our athletes,” said Waits.  “The NAIA is a first-class Association that stands for character and integrity.  It is a perfect fit for Truett-McConnell College, whose mission is for all members of our institution to make a positive impact for Christ.”