EDMOND —
The NCAA has approved Oklahoma Christian University’s application to start the three-year membership process for entry into Division II, the national organization said Friday.
OC Athletic Director Curtis Janz learned of the decision by the NCAA Division II membership committee in an email. If all goes well, OC could be a full NCAA Division II member by the 2015-16 academic year.
“We are honored to be given the opportunity to step into the NCAA — and we are ready to compete well,” OC President John deSteiguer said. “We are proud of our decades in the NAIA and we are thankful for the many wonderful relationships that developed on and off the fields and courts of play with our fellow competitors. We look forward to developing positive relationships with new competitors as we strive to earn full NCAA membership.”
OC will compete as a member of the Heartland Conference, a Division II league with member schools in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas and Texas. OC athletic teams will play full Heartland Conference schedules, starting with the 2012-13 academic year.
In 2012-13, OC will serve what is called Candidacy Year One with the NCAA, during which time the university will work on developing organizational processes to become NCAA-ready. If the NCAA approves, OC could advance to Candidacy Year Two for the 2013-14 academic year. During that year, the processes become more stringent and OC must follow all NCAA rules and regulations.
Year three of the membership process — potentially in 2014-15 — is traditionally known as the “provisional year,” after which OC could gain full NCAA membership. The earliest OC would be eligible to compete for NCAA Division II championships would be the 2015-16 academic year. OC soon will announce its plans to provide post-season opportunities for its student-athletes during the transition process into Division II.
The Division II membership committee annually determines if an institution should be moved forward into the next candidacy year and it can require an institution to repeat a year if progress is not sufficient.
“We are honored that the NCAA has allowed us to pursue membership,” Janz said. “Oklahoma Christian is proud and excited to be associated with an organization like the NCAA that stands for excellence, competitive equality and diversity,” Janz said. “We see this as a new beginning and a chance to establish new, great athletic traditions.”
OC held membership in the NAIA from 1965 until the end of June and had been a member of the Sooner Athletic Conference since its creation in 1978. Changes in the composition of the NAIA, along with the growth of the university, led OC to re-evaluate its affiliations.
In 2006, OC began a community-wide discussion and study regarding national affiliation. The study, which was led by Janz after he became OC’s athletic director, was overseen by then-OC President Dr. Mike O’Neal, the President’s Advisory Council and the university’s Board of Trustees. The process consisted of a comprehensive study of the university’s athletic programs, institutional framework and long-term strategy and fit. This process included OC’s senior administrators, staff, faculty, students, alumni, boosters and community neighbors.
Through this process, the university determined its strategic values and long-term vision were more closely aligned with those of NCAA Division II. OC already is functioning on an NCAA Division II level in terms of budget, staffing, sports sponsorship, scholarship support, academic standards, rules and governance, marketing, competitive success, student experience and other factors.
In April 2011, the OC Board of Trustees approved the filing of an application for NCAA Division II affiliation. OC filed its most recent NCAA application this spring.
“We had great feelings toward the SAC and commissioner John Hudson, so we’ll certainly miss those long-standing rivalries and matchups, but joining the Heartland Conference and seeking NCAA membership will be a challenge we welcome, with new foes in new places,” said OC’s longtime men’s basketball coach, Dan Hays. “It will be fun to visit some of the cities in which the Heartland Conference teams reside. I think our fan base will really enjoy reconnecting with the old Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference teams that are now Division II, because we will play some of those schools.”
OC’s new league, the Heartland Conference, consists of the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith; Dallas Baptist University in Dallas; McMurry University in Abilene, Texas; Newman University in Wichita, Kan.; Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell; St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas; St. Mary’s University in San Antonio; Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas; and the University of Texas-Permian Basin in Odessa, Texas.
OC’s student-athletes say they’re ready for the challenge of playing in Division II.
“I’m a little nervous but more excited to be moving to NCAA Division II,” said Carley Cave, a sophomore women’s soccer player from Edmond. “Because we will be facing opponents we haven’t played against before, it will be more competitive. I know this will require the team to put in hard work so we are prepared. I never thought I would play Division II sports. That’s an exciting thing to say.”
Added Kendre Talley, a junior men’s basketball player from Spencer who was the most valuable player in the 2012 SAC tournament: “I am really excited to be moving up a level! I have always been a competitor and some say Division II is tougher, so I am ready to take on the challenge and enjoy the experience. I think OC as a whole is also ready.”
OC offers varsity programs in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field. OC won five national team titles during its tenure in the NAIA, including two during the 2011-12 academic year — men’s cross country and men’s tennis. OC finished in the top 10 of the Learfield Sports NAIA Directors’ Cup standings each of the past three years.
Sports
OC accepted into NCAA Division II
3-year membership process begins this fall
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Workman's blasts cranks UCO's engine; Bronchos cruise to 5-2 win
Nicole Workman’s solo home run gave Central Oklahoma a lead it would never relinquish and the No. 19-ranked Bronchos went on to topple Winona State 5-2 in the first game of the NCAA Division II Central Super Regional Friday night at the Edmond North High School Softball Complex.
Workman blasted her 14th homer of the season to lead off the second inning, with UCO adding three runs in the third and one more in the fifth to take a commanding 5-0 lead before the Warriors created some anxious moments in their final at bat.
WSU scored two runs and had runners on second and third on with just one out in the top of the seventh, but Kalynn Shrock got the final two batters to close out her fourth straight complete-game outing of the postseason and put the Bronchos in control of the best-of-three series. -
Richters rip competition at KickingBird
The KickingBird 2-man scramble was won by Jeff and Josh Richter, finishing with a 57.9 on May 11.
Jeff Jester and Kevin Wright wrapped up second-place honors with a 59.9 and Rick Morales and Ronnie Roberts placed third (60.1).
In the second flight, the top score was 60.4 by Jerry Bernhardt and Ted Carter. Picking up silver was the tandem of Jerry Fuller and Ramona Jacobi (61.2) and the third-place squad was Dyke Hoppe and Mark VanSickle at 62.0.
Morales was closest to the pin on No. 6 and Jeff Richter landed a dart on hole 14. -
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Southeastern, Fla. eliminated Oklahoma Christian 4-0 om the National Christian College Athletic Association World Series in Mason, Ohio today to advance to the tournament semifinals, while OC closes at 26-26.
OC would have advanced to the semifinals with a win, but completed a terrific turnaround from an 8-34 season in 2012. The Eagles made only the second national-tournament appearance in the program's history, with the other coming in 1972, when OC finished third in the NAIA World Series. -
Multiple baseball camps offered in Edmond
Edmond Schools baseball coaches Kyle Roberts (Edmond Memorial), Jeff Shafer (Edmond Santa Fe) and Karl King (Edmond North) will instruct the Edmond All-Star Baseball Camps starting May 28 at Edmond North High School.
A pair of all-skills camps will take place for kids ages 5 and older from May 28-31 and June 3-6. Times are the same, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
On June 7, a pitcher/catcher camp will be offered for ages 8 and older with the identical time frame. Cost is $35 for the pitcher/catcher camp and $125 for the all-skills camp.
For further inquiries, contact Karl King at 863-3570. -
Arthur Hills eating up Bronchos
Central Oklahoma’s struggles continued at the NCAA Division II Women’s Golf Championships in Daytona Beach, Fla. Friday.
The Bronchos made 10 double bogeys and two triple bogeys en route to a season-high 329 score on the rugged 6,228-yard, par-72 Arthur Hills Legends Course at LPGA International, leaving UCO in 10th place with a three-round total of 975.
Nova Southeastern has an 881 total heading into Saturday’s final round, giving the four-time defending champion Sharks a one-shot lead over second-place Lynn. -
Bronchos will make 12th appearance in national golf championship Monday
No. 18-ranked Central Oklahoma will make its 12th appearance in the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championships in Hershey, Pa. next week.
The 54-hole stroke play portion of the tournament runs Monday-Wednesday at the 7,061-yard, par-71 Hershey Country Club East Course, with the top-eight teams from the 20-team field advancing to match play. -
Online registration for 2013 UCO Endeavor Games now open
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Athletes of all ages or sporting experience are invited to register for the event. Community members are also encouraged to register to volunteer with more than 300 volunteer opportunities available.
Similar to the summer Paralympic Games, athletes may register for multiple adaptive sports, which include cycling, indoor archery, outdoor archery, powerlifting, sitting volleyball, shooting, table tennis, track and field, wheelchair basketball, and, for the first time at the UCO Endeavor Games, paratriathlon. The paratriathlon will be limited to athletes over the age of 16 with previous paratriathlon experience. -
Deer Creek drops Carl Albert again for state title
They did it again.
The Deer Creek girls soccer team knocked off rival Carl Albert in the Class 5A state soccer title game for the second consecutive season.
The Lady Antlers, led by freshman Lauren Haivala’s two goals, topped the Titans 2-1 May 10 at Noble High School.
On May 7, Deer Creek blanked Tulsa Edison 2-zip in the semifinals for a chance to play for its fourth state championship in girls soccer. -
UCO to host US women's sitting volleyball team's exhibition matches against Russia
The University of Central Oklahoma will host five exhibition matches of the U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team versus the Russian National Women Sitting Volleyball Team beginning tonight at 10. Matches continue on Saturday at 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. and a single match on Sunday at 9 a.m.
This will be the first time the Paralympic silver medaling Team USA has faced Russia since 2011. According to Head Coach Bill Hamiter, these matches will serve as preparation for the Sitting Volleyball World Championships in 2014.
Team USA will be available after each match to meet with fans and sign autographs.
All exhibition matches are free and open to the public. -
Impact-making Graves inks with OBU
When a basketball team goes 80-3 over the years a player was there, that athlete has made a profound impact on that particular program.
Not only did she/he leave a legacy athletically to have that type of success in Class 6A, but left a mark in a leadership capacity as well.
Cameerah Graves, Edmond Santa Fe’s standout guard who led 6A in assists her senior season with 129, signed a letter of intent with Oklahoma Baptist University last week. - More Sports Headlines
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