SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos Department of Athletics has been granted entrance into NCAA Division II Candidacy Year Two, the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Membership Committee informed Director of Athletics
Jennifer Milo Friday.
"A tremendous amount of work went into making sure that CSUSM Athletics met the NCAA DII Membership Committee's benchmarks for NCAA Candidacy Year One," said Milo. "Our staff and coaches were one-hundred percent dedicated this past year to finishing strong in the NAIA while, at the same time, operating as an NCAA DII member. I am very proud of my team. We will continue this dedication into NCAA Candidacy Year Two."
With the successful transition into Candidacy Year Two, the NCAA DII Membership Committee acknowledged that CSUSM Athletics had met all the benchmarks and requirements expected during Candidacy Year One in 2014-15. Last season was CSUSM's final year in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).
The Cougars will play a complete NCAA Division II regular season schedule in 2015-16 and will compete in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) along with 11 other CSU schools and UC San Diego. CSUSM will not be eligible for postseason play; however, individual sports like golf and track & field will be allowed to compete in the CCAA postseason tournament without the ability to move on to the NCAA DII championships.
If all requirements are met by the Department of Athletics in 2015-16, CSUSM will move on to Provisional Membership status in 2016-17. In Provisional Membership, CSUSM will also not be allowed to compete in postseason play.
If all benchmarks are met in Provisional Membership, the first year of full Division II membership with eligibility for postseason play will be in 2017-18.
The committee's recommendations will be reviewed by the Management Council at its July 27-28 meeting. Institutions are permitted following notification from the membership committee to release the committee's recommendation to the media, recognizing that the council does have the final determination over the committee's actions. A formal letter noting the final decision will be sent after the council meeting.CSUSM had been affiliated with the NAIA since the inception of the athletics program in 1998. After functioning as an independent institution with no conference affiliation from 1999 to 2008, the Cougars joined the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) and competed in the A.I.I. from 2008-09 through 2015.
NCAA Transition TimelineThe transition to NCAA Division II is a three-year process which began in the 2014-15 academic year and ends with Cal State San Marcos as an active member of NCAA Division II in the fall of 2017.
| 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 |
| Candidacy Year One | Candidacy Year Two | Provisional Membership | Full Division II Member |
| Througout the 2013-14 academic year, CSUSM will part of the candidacy year one class and will continue to compete in the NAIA as a part of the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.). The Cougars will be eligible to participate in the NAIA and A.I.I. postseason. | During the second year candidacy period, CSUSM's athletic schedules will begin to incude California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) members. The Cougars will not yet be eligible to compete in the NCAA DII postseason. | During the 2016-17 academic year, CSUSM will be granted provisional membership into NCAA Division II and will continue to play CCAA teams. The Cougars will not yet be eligible to compete in the NCAA DII postseason. | In the fall of 2017, CSUSM will complete the NCAA Division II membership process and be eligible to compete in the NCAA Division II playoffs. |
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