McKendree Univ. will move to D2, Coach James Kisgen talks about move

Posted on | July 16, 2010 | No Comments

The Wrestling Examiner Mark Palmer reports that Two St Louis-area universities with intercollegiate wrestling programs — Lindenwood University, and McKendree University — will be moving from the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) to Division II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The switch from NAIA to NCAA isn’t as easy as putting out a press release. For both schools, it’s a multi-year, multi-step process that requires major changes for school administrators, faculty, coaches and athletes to be in compliance with NCAA standards.

For Lindenwood, located in St Charles, Missouri, it’s a four-year transition. According to the Suburban Journal, Lindenwood will remain a part of the NAIA and the Heart of America Athletic Conference for two years as the school begins to implement rules associated with the NCAA. The university will be evaluated on how well it complies with Division II standards in June after school officials submit an annual report.

Lindenwood would then be a provisional member of NCAA in the 2012-13 school year and could be accepted as an active member during the 2013-14 school year.

Lebanon, Illinois-based McKendree — which has been a part of the NAIA since 1966 — will compete for two more years in the American Midwest Conference, then complete one provisional year before it is an active member of NCAA Division II, reports the Belleville (Illinois) News-Democrat.

McKendree’s athletic director Todd Reynolds says that most of the school’s athletic facilities are up to NCAA standards, but some enhancements are anticipated, including the possibility of adding a wrestling room.

What does the move from NAIA to NCAA D2 mean for these schools? For starters, different sports competitors, as Lindenwood and McKendree explore their options as to which conference their athletic programs may join once they officially become NCAA schools.

There’s also a matter of standing and prestige. Lindenwood President James D. Evans told the Suburban Journal he thinks the change will raise the profile of the university.

“The public sees the NCAA as the standard for intercollegiate athletics,” he said. “They don’t see the NAIA challenging and as glamorous.”