Steubenville, Ohio, Mar 15, 2005 / 22:00 pm
After years of debate, and a twenty-year hiatus, Franciscan University of Steubenville recently announced that they would apply to be a division III member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
The Board of Trustees, who made the decision in February, and University President, Fr. Terrance Henry T.O.R., see the membership as a way to advance the University’s mission of spreading the Gospel.
Fr. Henry noted that the University’s existing club sports programs “have emphasized character development ahead of win-loss records and helped develop Christian values in student athletes both on and off the field, but students have shown a desire for a higher level of athletic competition and for the evangelistic opportunities NCAA participation would bring."
Ultimately, the school will compete in men's and women's basketball, men's baseball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's cross country, and women's volleyball.