Seton Hill University’s (SHU) recent switch from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has been one of the most influential changes that the university has experienced this year. As the fall sports season comes to a close the prominent differences in the university’s athletic programs are already becoming visible.
SHU announced last spring that it was going to become a member of the NCAA as a Division II competitor and speculation about new policies and procedures began to circulate. Meredith Benson, a junior field hockey and softball player admits she was skeptical at first about the university’s abrupt transition.
By Leslie Rodriguez,
Sports Editor
Seton Hill University’s (SHU) recent switch from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has been one of the most influential changes that the university has experienced this year. As the fall sports season comes to a close the prominent differences in the university’s athletic programs are already becoming visible.
SHU announced last spring that it was going to become a member of the NCAA as a Division II competitor and speculation about new policies and procedures began to circulate. Meredith Benson, a junior field hockey and softball player admits she was skeptical at first about the university’s abrupt transition.
�The one thing that I worried about in the back of my mind was my scholarships. Last year no one knew what their future here looked like. Some people thought they were going to lose money when we joined the NCAA,� said Benson.
Benson was not wrong in assuming that some scholarship regulations would be changing. The primary difference from SHU as an NAIA school and as an NCAA Division II school is the amount of scholarships each can give.
Division II schools can give six full tuition room and board scholarships while NAIA schools reserve such scholarships for only the top student athletes. A similarity that remains between the two organizations is that scholarship money in both the NAIA and NCAA is only guaranteed for one year.
Student athletes that were awarded scholarships from SHU under the NAIA will not experience a decrease in the amount of money that they receive, said Dan McCarty, the associate athletic director.
An athlete’s annual scholarship cannot be taken away unless their athletic contract is breeched.
The only minute change is that when these scholarships appear on financial aid forms they are now labeled as developmental grants rather than athletic scholarships, said Chris Snyder the university’s executive director of athletics.
SHU was a member of the NAIA for 17 years and dealt with limited regulations, according to head women’s soccer coach John Fogle. The transition into the NCAA brings about the highly controversial issue of drug testing, which SHU never dealt with while in the NAIA. Drug testing in the NCAA is one of the most stringent eligibility regulations.
According to the NCAA Regulation Handbook an athlete may be randomly selected for drug screening at any point during or out of season. The penalties for testing positive for a banned substance vary among each circumstance and substance, but are still considered very serious.
A positive drug test can result in temporary suspension from athletic participation for up to 365 days from when the first test was administered. Permanent expulsion from collegiate athletic participation at SHU as well as other institutions can be the result of a second positive test. As far as conference competition is concerned SHU will has moved from the American Mideast Conference into the highly competitive West Virginia Intercollegiate Conference.
This year SHU is only a provisional member of the NCAA and the association must determine when the school has met certain standards. SHU cannot compete in post-season competition until they have achieved full, active membership in the NCAA.
�As a result of our provisional membership in the NCAA, the NAIA also will not allow us to compete in their post season championships. It is an unfortunate situation for our current athletes, but in the long run it is what is best for the university and our student athletes,� said Snyder.
In order to make both coaches and athletes aware of the new rules that are required by the NCAA, the university has hired a Bruce Ivory as the compliance coordinator. According to Ivory the transition from an organization with limited regulations like the NAIA to the NCAA with a multitude of regulations comparatively will require change in some established thought processes.
It is Ivory’s job to educate all facets of the institution as to the rules, policies and procedures of NCAA membership, which cover student- athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty, and boosters in the community.
Ivory said, �This process of education is continuous, but as long as the entities sited above are willing to grasp the spirit of these regulations and rules and make an affirmation to become an active player within the association the change can be as seamless and painless as possible.�
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