Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Approved for River States Conference Membership
Story conrtibuted by River States Conference office
SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. – Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (Ind.) College was approved for River States Conference membership by the RSC Council of Presidents on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
The approval coincides with the College's membership to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), effective July 1, 2021. SMWC will be eligible for postseason competition during the 2021-22 academic year as it transitions from United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) to the NAIA and RSC.
RSC Commissioner Michael Schell is eager to add SMWC to the affiliation. "The River States Conference is excited to welcome Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College to the family," he said.
"They are an established and well-run program who, like our other members, emphasize academics and character in athletics. The Woods is a great addition to our conference, and we look forward to them competing with us in fall 2021," stated Schell.
The RSC is the first athletic conference membership since scholarship athletics began at the College. For SMWC President Dottie L. King, Ph.D., the transition is a positive one.
"I am thrilled that Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College will become part of the River States Conference," King said. "I have already been warmly welcomed by member presidents and I look forward to both serving alongside them and creating competitive rivalries among our teams."
King foresees the transition bringing excitement to campus, saying, "New and exciting opportunities for our student-athletes will be a result, along with new excitement for our campus and the entire community!"
"The new membership in RSC will allow the College to attract more perspective student-athletes", says Brennan Randolph, vice president for enrollment management and institutional technology.
"As a member of the River States Conference, student-athletes will have the opportunity to compete at a higher-level within a well-established conference," he said. "This level of competition and post-season championships for all sports is expected to be more appealing to prospective student-athletes that will help the entire athletic department grow."
Deanna Bradley, athletic director at SMWC, said she is glad to be joining the conference.
"We are excited to become a member of the River States Conference," she said. "We have competed against many of the institutions within the RSC for several years and consider it to be an extremely solid fit for SMWC. We look forward to working with those associated with the RSC and look forward to welcoming them to SMWC."
With 14 varsity sport offerings, SMWC is the second largest athletic department among the NAIA newcomers. SMWC has added seven varsity sports since 2014 with the opening of the $8.3 million Jeanne Knoerle Sports and Recreation Center. Additional teams are planned in the upcoming years including men's basketball in fall 2021.
The RSC currently has 13 member institutions and will increase to 14 when SMWC becomes an official member on July 1, 2021. The RSC is represented in five states, and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods will be the fifth member from Indiana. The RSC is spread across Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The Pomeroys compete in 14 of the 17 RSC championship sports including 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, men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field, softball and volleyball.
