NEW ORLEANS - The University of New Orleans received
approval from the NCAA Division III Membership Committee to move forward with its
multi-year reclassification process.
In late July, the NCAA Division III Management Council,
which makes the final decision on provisional and reclassifying membership,
will review UNO's application.
The Membership Committee provided UNO with a list of recommendations
associated with its reclassification to Division III.
They include:
-
The institution will adhere to its plan provided
in the application to ensure that it is meeting all sport sponsorship
requirements prior to the 2011-12 academic year. Schools with enrollments of
over 1,000 students have a Division III sport sponsorship minimum of 12 sports
- six men's and six women's.
-
The institution will work closely with a mentor
institution.
UNO currently competes in nine sports, of which five are men's
and four are women's. It intends to add
football, women's golf, and women's soccer in the coming year.
Additionally, the University has partnered with the
University of Texas at Dallas over the past several months.
UNO is committed to the Division III approach of combining
academics, competitive sports, and an opportunity for student-athletes to
pursue a broad range of interests.
UNO will withdraw its membership from the Sun Belt
Conference on June 30 and compete as an NCAA Division I Independent Transitioning
to Division III in 2010-11.
The University last competed as an NCAA Division I
Independent from 1975-76 and again from 1980-1987.
In anticipation of the 2010-11 athletic calendar year, the
Privateer coaching staffs have finalized their schedules, which will be
announced over the next several months. The UNO volleyball team will be the
first program to compete in 2010-11, beginning competition at the end of
August.
