SIUE is One Step Closer

[Southern_Hospitality]

Chancellor Recommends NCAA Division I Status For Athletics


(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) After nearly 40 years of a storied intercollegiate athletics program at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, the Cougars are a step closer to applying for reclassification to NCAA Division I status for all sports in the SIUE program.

SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift presented his recommendation today to the SIU Board of Trustees to move the Intercollegiate Athletics program from Division II to Division I. The board will vote on the recommendation at its next meeting March 1. “The Cougars have been highly successful for many years as a Division II program,” Vandegrift said. “And, with Board approval, we will continue to perform at a high level against Division I teams.”

He pointed out that SIUE—as the only metropolitan university in Southern Illinois—has been nationally recognized for the excellence of its academic programs. “We will continue our level of excellence in academics, and with this move will provide even more points of excellence for our students.”

Vandegrift said he formulated his recommendation after taking into consideration the findings of the Intercollegiate Athletics Task Force (IATF)—made up of SIUE students, faculty, staff, alumni, and residents of the surrounding communities to study the future of the SIUE athletics program. He also said he considered information gathered from the University community and members of nearby communities, as well as comments gathered by the IATF during various open forums.

“SIUE athletics has a successful history competing against NCAA Division I opponents,” said SIUE Intercollegiate Athletics Director Brad Hewitt. “Several sports compete directly with NCAA Division I institutions during the regular season. In our school’s history, nearly every sport has achieved a considerable level of success against NCAA Division I opponents.”

The IATF spent 16 months analyzing the pros and cons of moving to Division I, creating a hybrid program of Division I and Division II sports, or staying within Division II. Vandegrift thanked the IATF and its chair, Gary Giamartino, SIUE interim vice chancellor for University Relations, for its thorough evaluation.

Vandegrift said that if the Board approves his recommendation several steps must be taken during the five-year reclassification process. For information about the process, visit the SIUE Athletics Web site.

SIUE has won 16 national championships in its history, including two in men’s soccer (1972, 1979), seven in men’s tennis (1978 through 1984), three in wrestling (1984-85-86) and four in women’s tennis (1986-87-88-89). The 1979 men’s soccer championship won as a Division I program.