Year Two Of NCAA II

Become a Griffin Fan: Rally for Westminster Athletics on Path to NCAA II

 by Shay Wyatt

Scrappy, unsung, now fierce—athletics at Westminster has had a storied history. The college has transformed into an institution that sponsors 15 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) II teams and seven non-NCAA teams, serving close to 300 student-athletes annually.

In August 2015, the NCAA announced that Westminster College had been approved to begin the three-year transition to active Division II membership. This transition meant both departing from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and from the Frontier Conference and joining the NCAA Division II and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) as a provisional member.

Westminster College was previously a member of the RMAC, from 1967 until 1979. The RMAC is currently a premier 15-member NCAA Division II conference located in the states of Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, and now Utah. Founded in 1909, the RMAC currently competes in 23 NCAA Division II sports; it has earned 52 NCAA Division II national championships and 44 national runner-ups since 1992. Westminster teams currently competing in the RMAC include men’s and women’s sports—basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, and track—and women’s volleyball.

NCAA Division II is one of the three membership divisions at the NCAA, an organization comprising more than 1,200 institutions, conferences, and affiliated organizations. Division II is a group of institutions and conferences that serves almost 90,000 student-athletes throughout the nation, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The student-athlete experience in Division II encompasses a comprehensive program that emphasizes learning and development. The Division II approach provides growth opportunities through academic achievement, high-level athletic competition, and service to the community. For additional information on Division II efforts, visit ncaa.org.

Currently in year two of RMAC competition, the Griffins are adjusting well to new home and away NCAA II competition. This is creating an exciting camaraderie among our teams and for our campus and off-campus communities. Beginning Fall 2018, Dixie State University, located in St. George, Utah, will join the RMAC as a full member, providing the opportunity for an exciting in-state and conference rivalry for our institution, student-athletes, and student body.

Alumni, students, fans, and friends can follow and cheer on Westminster teams in various ways:

More than 70 home athletic events during the fall, winter, and spring seasons

Exciting NCAA II competition at very affordable prices and close to the action

Games, Griffins Club, and corporate partnerships

Athletics website—WestminsterGriffins.com—for schedules, web stream, stats, and more

Griffins on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Annual competitions in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Utah, and more

Free, high-quality web-stream viewing of most home and away competitions via the RMAC Network on the Westminster athletics website

 

 

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About the Westminster Review

The Westminster Review is Westminster University’s bi-annual alumni magazine that is distributed to alumni and community members. Each issue aims to keep alumni updated on campus current events and highlights the accomplishments of current students, professors, and Westminster alum.

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