Fresno Pacific University received word from the NCAA this week that the university has been approved by the Division II Membership Committee for active NCAA membership, successfully putting the finishing touches on a four-year transition process.

The final step in the process is the ratification of the membership committee's recommendation by the NCAA Division II Management Council, set to take place later this month. (UPDATE- The membership committee's decision was ratified July 31) The Sunbirds are now eligible to compete in NCAA Division II postseason play and enjoy full NCAA membership privileges effective September 1.

"Fresno Pacific University is justifiably proud to be recommended for active membership in the NCAA Division II," said FPU President Dr. Richard Kriegbaum. "The NCAA membership process was appropriately rigorous and required changes that have helped us become an even better Christian university with a strong athletics program that represents our core academic, servant-leadership and spiritual values. The NCAA Division II supports our FPU commitment to highly competitive sports teams that develop each student-athlete as a whole person, prepared to lead and serve with excellence in all areas of life."

Active membership status gives all 14 FPU athletic teams the ability to compete for NCAA Championships beginning this fall. FPU will also officially begin participation in the National Letters of Intent (NLI) program.

The Sunbirds have competed in the NCAA Division II Pacific West Conference during the past three seasons, winning conference championships in men's soccer and men's track & field, and taking home the conference's community engagement award in back-to-back years. Additionally, more than 300 FPU student-athletes received PacWest academic honors during that span.

FPU becomes the 12th active NCAA member in the 14-team conference. Fellow PacWest member Holy Names is currently in the membership process, as is Concordia, a former Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) rival of FPU, which will play its first season in the PacWest this fall.

FPU was originally accepted into the NCAA membership process in July of 2011, capping off a highly-successful 47-year run in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) that saw the university capture 13 national titles, including 11 in its final five years of membership. The Sunbirds finished in the top five in the NACDA Director's Cup, measuring overall athletic success, in four of their last five seasons in the NAIA.

The decision to make application to the NCAA began in 2009 when a study conducted by FPU and other GSAC schools sought to determine the viability of NCAA membership. It involved input from numerous on-campus committees as well as local business leadership, media and municipal government.

What resulted was a unanimous vote by the University Board of Trustees in June of 2010 to push for NCAA membership after it was agreed that FPU had become more in-line with the NCAA Division II in terms of funding, participation opportunities, sport sponsorship, and commitment to community involvement and competitive excellence.

The following schools joined FPU in being approved for active membership: Daemen College (NY), Lee University (Tenn.), Lubbock Christian University (Tex.), Northwestern Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Christian University and The University of Virginia's College at Wise.

Reactions to FPU's NCAA membership recommendation:

"We are proud to welcome Fresno Pacific University, their students, faculty and staff into active NCAA Division II membership. Congratulations to Fresno Pacific and the Fresno community for their hard work at embracing this new chapter in Sunbird Athletics. We are excited to see the Sunbirds continued success on and off the field in the conference, region and nation." – Jane Teixeira, Associate Commissioner, Pacific West Conference

"This is truly great news for Fresno Pacific. Becoming an NCAA Division II member is ideal for our university in many ways. The NCAA Division II philosophy that athletes are students first with "life in the balance" as a focus, and the commitment to community service and community engagement aligns very well with who we are as an institution and what we want our students to experience while at FPU. Becoming an NCAA member also helps raise the profile of the entire university within the community and among prospective students." – Don Diboll, Kinesiology Department Chair, Faculty Athletics Representative

"It is very gratifying to have seen this process through. I'm very proud of our university, our athletics department and especially all of our student-athletes that have represented us so well during this transition. We look forward to continuing to develop young leaders through the avenue of collegiate athletics as we move into this new chapter." – Oscar Hirschkorn, Head Baseball Coach

"I am grateful for the tireless work that our athletics administrative team put forth in providing all the documentation needed to be approved for full NCAA membership. I am excited that our student-athletes will have the opportunity to compete for conference, regional and national championships at the NCAA Division II level, like we once did in the NAIA. We have a wonderful opportunity to represent the FPU community and the Central Valley in this new endeavor." – Jaime Ramirez, Head Men's Soccer Coach

"This is more than simply an athletics achievement. It has been a true team effort involving the entire campus and the whole university has greatly benefited from being a part of the membership process. I'm extremely proud of the hard work our staff and student-athletes have put in, as well as the resiliency they've shown throughout this process. I am especially proud of the hundreds of student-athletes who represented us during this transition period, often with no postseason available to them. They worked hard every day for the love of their programs and the university. They paved the way and this day is just as much about them as it is about the bright future we have ahead of us."
– Jeremiah Wood, Assistant Athletics Director

"From a student-athlete's perspective, each one of our teams is very excited about today's news. As SAAC President, I'd like to thank Leslie Schuemann and our entire athletics administrative team for all of their hard work in getting us to this point. This is a tremendous step forward and one that our entire campus community can be proud of. We see this as a great opportunity to showcase our faith in Christ and our heart for the community, while continuing to compete at a high level and represent the university on a grander scale." – Bissie DenHartog, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President, Volleyball Student-Athlete


About the NCAA Division II
Founded in 1906, the NCAA conducts 89 championships in 23 sports across Divisions I, II and III, with 44 championships administered for women and 42 for men.

The NCAA Division II is a collection of more than 300 colleges and universities that provide thousands of student-athletes the opportunity to compete at a high level of scholarship athletics while exceling in the classroom and fully engaging in the broader campus experience. This balance, in which student-athletes are recognized for their academic success, athletics contributions, and campus and community involvement, is at the heart of the Division II philosophy.

The Division II approach provides growth opportunities through academic achievement, learning in high-level athletics competition and a focus on service to the community. The balance and integration of these different areas of learning provide Division II student-athletes with a path to graduation while cultivating a variety of skills and knowledge for life after college.

Visit the following link for more information on the NCAA Membership Process.