LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Biola University achieved another milestone on its journey to gain full membership in NCAA Division II on Friday, July 14, when President Barry H. Corey received notification from the NCAA membership committee that Biola successfully completed the first provisional year of the NCAA Division II membership process and is approved to move into provisional year two.

"This is a major milestone and a crucial step as we continue our move toward NCAA membership," said President Corey. "We are on the cusp of a new era of excellence in Biola University athletics, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for our Eagle student-athletes."

Under the leadership of Biola Director of Athletics Bethany Miller, the university successfully completed all of the year one provisional reporting requirements over the course of the 2016-17 academic year including a fruitful campus visit with the NCAA representatives in March 2017.

With approval to enter the 2nd Year Provisional Period in 2017-18, Biola University officially begins it tenure in the Pacific West Conference (PacWest) and its dual membership in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).

The Eagles ended their run with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in 2016-17 — finishing strong with a 10th top-20 Learfield Directors' Cup finish, including another Golden State Athletic Conference championship in women's cross country.

Biola Athletics sponsors 17 varsity intercollegiate athletic programs (eight men's, nine women's). Over the past six seasons Biola's athletic teams won 11 GSAC championships and four GSAC tournament championships, sending 56 different teams to their respective NAIA national tournaments. Over the previous four years, Biola's student-athletes have accumulated over 120 NAIA All-American honors and 250 all-conference honors.

A new era begins with Biola's first full schedule of NCAA Division II competition starting in late August as cross country, soccer and volleyball seasons get underway and old rivalries are renewed.

The transition to NCAA Division II provides the Eagles the opportunity to face former rivals Azusa Pacific, California Baptist, Concordia University Irvine, Fresno Pacific and Point Loma Nazarene University, once again. Biola's athletic schedules have not featured all of those teams together since the 2010-11 season.

"We are delighted to receive word of our approval to move forward to year two of our NCAA Division II Provisional Membership," said Bethany Miller, director of athletics. "This is a major achievement for Biola University that required great effort, collaboration and teamwork from our students, staff, faculty and administration. Our student-athletes are excited and investing well as leaders in this process."

So far the NCAA Division II strategic positioning platform of "Life in the Balance" has helped reshape the student-athlete experience at Biola. Student-athletes have benefitted from the addition of a strength and conditioning coach, increased regularity in practice and competition times and greater collaboration between faculty, outside staff and the athletics department.

During the second provisional year Biola will be eligible to compete in some PacWest Conference postseason competition, but will be ineligible for NCAA Division II postseason play. The Eagles hold dual membership in the NCCAA and plan to send teams to compete in national postseason play through that organization.

Biola becomes eligible for NCAA Division II postseason competition beginning in 2019-20 as long as the membership committee continues to approve the institution's progress.

"As we enter Division II competition,  we will continue to focus on our Athletics mission - the holistic development of our students to reach their full potential athletically, academically, spiritually and relationally to thrive in life beyond Biola," said Miller. "We look forward to renewing the rivalries with our PacWest Conference colleagues starting this fall 2017 with great anticipation as well! Go Eagles!"

The NCAA, the national governing body for college athletics, is a volunteer association of more than 1,000 colleges and universities that classify their athletics programs in one of three membership divisions. The 300+ institutions in NCAA Division II support a balanced approach in which student-athletes have the opportunity to earn scholarships based on their athletic ability, pursue their desired academic degree, and participate in all the campus and surrounding community have to offer. Division II student-athletes annually graduate at rates higher than their student body peers, and they have access to the best championships-participant ratio among the NCAA's three divisions. Division II gives student-athletes the unique opportunity to compete in the classroom, on the field, in their career, for their causes, and on their terms. For additional information, visit NCAA.org.

Biola University is a leading Christ-centered university in Southern California that offers a premier, nationally ranked education and has been named one of the nation's "up and coming" universities by U.S. News & World Report four times in five years. Founded in 1908, Biola is committed to the mission of biblically centered education, scholarship and service — equipping men and women in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ. With more than 6,300 students at its Los Angeles-area campus and around the world, the university offers more than 150 academic programs through its eight schools, ranging from the B.A. to the Ph.D. For more information, visit www.biola.edu.

READ MORE ABOUT THE NCAA TRANSITION: https://www.biola.edu/division2