NAIA Announces Five New Members

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced on October 2 that the NAIA Council of Presidents has approved five institutions for membership, effective July 1, 2024. All five schools received unanimous recommendations from the NAIA Membership Committee.

New members include Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (Tifton, Ga.), Baptist Bible College (Springfield, Mo.), Defiance College (Defiance, Ohio), New College of Florida (Sarasota, Fla.), and Spartanburg Methodist College (Spartanburg, S.C.).

• Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is currently an NJCAA member that is transitioning to a four-year institution. The school has been approved for membership in the Southern States Athletic Conference.
• Baptist Bible College is currently a member of the NCCAA and has applied for membership with the American Midwest Conference.
• Defiance College is moving to the NAIA from NCAA Division III.
• New College of Florida is starting an athletics program with plans for 12 sport programs by 2024-25. New College will join The Sun Conference.
• Spartanburg Methodist College is currently an NJCAA member that is transitioning to a four-year institution. The school will join the Continental Athletic Conference.

The NAIA has now added 21 new members since 2020, including five institutions that have come from the NCAA.

Schools must meet membership criteria that include financial stability, sports sponsorship, accreditation, and a commitment to character-driven athletics. Athletics facilities, enrollment numbers, retention rates, and overall financial commitment to athletics are also taken into consideration.

"All five applicants showed a strong commitment to athletics and supporting student-athletes," said NAIA President and CEO Jim Carr. "Each of these schools brings something unique to the NAIA and we are proud to add them as members."

The NAIA reviews member applications based on two cycles. Schools can apply by July 1 to receive a decision in October, or they can apply by October 1 to receive a decision in the spring.

ABOUT NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS (NAIA) The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small athletics programs that are dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics. NAIA members provide more than 83,000 student-athletes with opportunities to play college sports, earn $1.3 billion in scholarships and compete in 28 national championships. naia.org | @NAIA