Southern Wesleyan wins appeal, off to year two of NCAA process
Southern Wesleyan University is moving to the second year in the membership process to become a full NCAA Division II institution after all.
SWU President Dr. Todd Voss made the announcement after receiving word from the NCAA after SWU appealed the initial decision from July to remain as a first year candidate. The appeal was sent to the membership committee who overturned their decision from July.
“This is a monumental day for Southern Wesleyan University,” said Director of Athletics Chris Williams. “We are excited to continue to strengthen our relationship with the NCAA and Conference Carolinas. We give glory to God that we’re able to tell his story through our experience and we look forward to the next step.”
Southern Wesleyan is now in year two candidacy and will be a countable opponent in regional rankings in the NCAA Southeast Region. The Warriors were already set to play a full slate of games in Conference Carolinas for the year before the appeal decision.
The school continues to be on track to become a full member in the NCAA II at the start of the 2016-17 athletic year. The school will still have to send in documentation in the summer of 2015 and must be approved to the provisional stage before final documentation is due in the summer of 2016 and approval needed to become a full member.
Southern Wesleyan was initially denied acceptance into the membership process in 2013 before an appeal that was accepted by the management council to overturn the decision and grant SWU into the process.
View this and more on the SWU Athletics website