Simon Fraser University (SFU), the second largest university in BC, moves one step closer to full-member status in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), pending a final executive council vote in August. The membership will boost SFU’s profile in North America, making the university the first non-American institution to be a full-member competitor for the NCAA Championships, starting September 1st.
The SFU Clan (the athletic teams that represent the school) was initially approved as a provisional member of the NCAA back in 2009, but was unable to compete in the post-season because an accreditation was required through a U.S. regional accreditation agency before they could proceed. Upon pursuing and obtaining accreditation with the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities, the Clan should be able to compete for the championships this fall.
After a final season in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) in 2010-11 and 2011-12, SFU student-athletes are motivated to challenge their US counter-parts this upcoming season with strong contention in Men’s Soccer, Football, Track and Field and Women’s Basketball, in which the Clan gained its first-ever NCAA conference victory by beating Seattle Pacific University to claim a semi-final spot in the GNAC championship tournament. Brimming with pride and encouragement for the exciting sporting journey ahead, SFU is looking forward to their first season as a full-member competitor for the NCAA Championships.
For more details go to: http://www.sfu.ca/pamr/media-releases/2012/sfu-nears-full-member-status-in-the-ncaa.html
