Why Choose the NAIA? The experts in the business of small college athletics Founded in 1937, the NAIA is the intercollegiate athletic association that provides tools and opportunities for its members to drive enrollment, improve retention, and support the school s financial bottom line. The association and its members excel in developing student-athletes to fulfill their personal and professional potential. 250+ Member Schools 65,000 Student Athletes 21 Conferences 26 National Championships $600MM Institutional Aid The NAIA Advantage High-caliber athletics at a reasonable cost Increase enrollment through athletics Autonomy with limited bureaucracy Simple, sensible rules Character-driven athletics The NAIA Mission The NAIA mission is to position member institutions to maximize Return On Athletics (ROA) and optimize the student-athlete experience. Return on Athletics Through the ROA initiative, NAIA member institutions are able to better align athletics with their missions and business objectives. ROA addresses a variety of intercollegiate athletic topics including: Enrollment management Net tuition revenue Administrative requirements for athletics administrators Student-athlete success NAIA Student-Athletes Earn athletic and academic aid Enjoy high-quality competition and generous championship opportunities Benefit from rules that encourage coach-student mentorship
The NAIA Advantage The experts in the business of small college athletics Budget The NAIA offers high quality competition at a reasonable cost. NAIA Median Budget: No Football: With Football: (All figures include athletic aid.) $2.93MM $2.38MM $4.99MM Autonomy Build a program that best fits your school Standardized eligibility rules for all Simple, sensible rules Autonomy with limited bureaucracy Freedom to offer athletic aid Drive Enrollment & Retention Student-athlete participation up 21% in the last five years Opportunities to increase net tuition revenue NAIA Showcase events help coaches find the best-suited student- athletes for your school Student-Athlete Experience 17% of student-athletes play postseason Rules that encourage coach-student mentoring Character-driven athletics Athletics with an academic focus Earn athletic and academic aid Financial Aid All institutional aid is countable toward team limits Ability to combine athletic and academic aid Exemptions for student-athletes with high GPA Junior varsity aid does not count toward limits
NAIA Membership Profile 250 Member Institutions Facts & Figures Student-Athlete Experience 17% of student-athletes play postseason 75% of all NAIA institutions qualify for one or more national championships Rules that encourage coach-student mentoring Character-driven athletics Earn athletic and academic aid Leadership opportunities NAIA Member Profile Average full-time enrollment.... 1,700 Private institutions.... 81% Faith-based institutions.... 65% Median athletics budget... Median operating budget.... Median athletic aid.... $2.93MM $1.55MM $1.42MM Average # of student-athletes.... 254 Average # of sports...14 (minimum of 6 sports required)
NAIA vs DII NCAA-DII Average Full-time Enrollment 1,700 4,000 Private Schools 81% 51% Required Number of Sports 6 10 *Median Budget $2.9MM $5.4MM *Cost Per Student-Athlete $12,800 $17,000 Increased Student-Athlete Participation (5-yr growth) 21.3% 8.8% Student-Athlete Postseason Participation Rate 17% 14% * including athletic aid Data represents a five year span and sources include: EADA 2016-17; IPED 2017, NAIAHelp Database, NCAA Facts & Figures, D-II and D-III
NAIA vs DIII NCAA-DIII Average Full-time Enrollment 1,700 2,600 Private Schools 81% 81% Required Number of Sports 6 10/12 *Average Operating Budget $1.7MM $2.7MM *Operating Cost Per Student-Athlete $6,800 $9,700 Increased Student-Athlete Participation (5-yr growth) 21.3% 6.4% Student-Athlete Postseason Participation Rate 17% 10% Full Disclosure Financial Aid Yes No National Eligibility Standards Yes No * not including athletic aid Data represents a 5 year span and sources include: EADA 2016-17; IPED 2017, NAIAHelp Database, NCAA Facts & Figures, D-II and D-III.
Membership Basics Membership Requirements Active NAIA membership requires applicants to meet the following requirements: 1. Be a four-year college or university or an upper-level, two-year institution that awards a bachelor s (baccalaureate) degree, or its equivalent. 2. Be fully accredited by one of the six regional accrediting bodies in the United States; or, if the applicant is a Canadian institution, be a member of Universities Canada. 3. Operate as a main or branch campus as defined by the U. S. Department of Education. (Go to naia.org/campus for definitions.) 4. Sponsor varsity level athletics (see Sports Sponsorship below). Associate membership is accorded to institutions that meet the criteria except are in candidacy status of regional accreditation or to institutions that hold full accreditation but are classified as developing athletic programs. Sports Sponsorship NAIA institutions must sponsor a minimum of six NAIA championship sports (single gender institutions must sponsor three) no later than the beginning of the fourth full academic year of active NAIA membership. NAIA conferences often have more strict sponsorship requirements. Athletic Facilities Playing rules for each sport may stipulate facility or playing field dimensions or standards. The membership evaluation process may take into consideration the quality of current athletics facilities and feasibility of planned improvements. Conferences The NAIA has 21 conferences including the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.). NAIA members are required to join an NAIA affiliated conference or the A.I.I. Conference membership offers scheduling benefits, cost-effective post season opportunities and an environment to build relationships and rivalries with other institutions. It is recommended that prospective members engage in a discussion with potential conferences as they explore NAIA membership. NAIA Eligibility Center All first-time NAIA student-athletes must register with the NAIA Eligibility Center (PlayNAIA.org) to have their academic and athletic eligibility determined. Ongoing eligibility is managed by the institution and its conference. Financial Aid Policies The NAIA has maximum institutional aid limits for each varsity sport. There is no requirement that an NAIA member institution award any type of financial aid to its student-athletes.
Membership Costs 2018-2019 Application Fee One-time application fee....$10,000 Annual Membership Fees Annual membership dues.... $8,100 Statistical software fees.... range from $125 to $2,000 Drug education fees....$200 plus $2.50 per student-athlete NAIA s catastrophic injury insurance.ranges from $3,425 to $19,049 Participation in the NAIA s catastrophic injury insurance program is required. The program is administered by Ascension Benefits and Insurance Solutions; premiums vary annually and by sport. Find the breakdown of costs on the enrollment form at www.naia.org/insurance. Annual NAIA Convention... $525 per person plus hotel and travel Convention is not a requirement but it is highly recommended that the AD and FAR attend. Conference Dues Members are required to join an NAIA affiliated conference or the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.). Average dues for affiliated conference membership...$11,600 A.I.I. dues for independent... $3,500 plus $300 per sport All costs are subject to change. Please reference www.naia.org/membershipbasics for the most current information.
Membership Application Guide Thank you for your interest in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). NAIA membership is available to colleges and universities that meet established criteria and adhere to the overall mission and beliefs of the 250 member institutions across North America. The membership application process allows the NAIA to learn more about your institution s athletics philosophy and operations and, in turn, permits you to become familiar with the NAIA mission, structure, operating policies and legislative requirements. NAIA membership applications are considered once a year at the Council of Presidents (COP) meeting held during the NAIA Annual Convention each April. The application submission deadline is October 1. See the timeline below for important dates. Following is a complete guide to the application process. The NAIA is committed to helping your institution make a well-informed decision, and we look forward to talking with you further concerning NAIA membership. As questions arise, please feel free to contact Julie McCollum at 816-595-8121. Application Process Formal Application NAIA membership application requires submission of the following to the National Office by October 1: NAIA Membership Application Form All supplemental documentation listed on page 5 of the application form. Application Fee, $10,000 Mail to: Director of Membership Sales and Service 1200 Grand Blvd. Kansas City, Mo 64106 To submit electronically, contact jmccollum@naia.org for instructions. Process Timeline Applications due to the NAIA National Office Institution is notified of the decision for a campus visit Orientation webinars are conducted Membership Evaluation Team visits campus COP votes at the annual NAIA national convention Institution is notified of the decision within 10 days If approved, membership becomes effective on this date in the same year
Pre-Visit Webinars In January, two pre-visit webinars will be conducted to introduce your staff to NAIA athletics administration, competition and legislative compliance. Campus Visit No later than March 1 members of an NAIA Membership Evaluation Team (MET) will visit your campus. The campus visit allows the MET and Council of Presidents to learn more about your institution and make an educated decision concerning your institution s application. The Membership Evaluation Team includes: NAIA National Office liaison Member of the NAIA Council of Presidents (or another CEO) NAIA athletics director from an institution NAIA institutional faculty athletics representative or conference eligibility chair Typical Campus Visit Agenda 8:30 9:30 a.m. Opening Session Senior campus administrators, selected faculty and athletics department staff members and coaches share information concerning the institution. 9:45 10:30 a.m. Campus Tour 10:30-11:30 a.m. Senior Administration The institution s chief executive officer and MET president and chair exchange information. 10:30 11:30 a.m. Administration and Competition Members of the institution s athletics administration and coaching staff meet with the MET athletics director. 11:30 12:30 p.m. Lunch with select campus staff and MET 12:45 2 p.m. Legislation and Compliance Campus faculty and administrators involved in certifying initial and continuing eligibility and rules compliance meet with the evaluation team s faculty athletics representative. 2:15 2:45 p.m. Student-Athletes An informal session with all MET members 2:45 3:15 p.m. Wrap-up Session The campus visit is usually completed in one day and includes a variety of opportunities for campus staff to interact informally with MET members. Evaluation Team s Recommendation After the campus visit, the MET, prepares a formal written report and team recommendation in conjunction with the Membership Committee. At this time the team may identify areas of concern or request additional information. Your institution s complete application materials and the evaluation team s campus visit report are then sent to all members of the NAIA Council of Presidents for review during the April meeting. A majority vote of the Council determines membership. Institutions are notified formally of the decision within 10 days. If approved, membership is effective July 1 the same year Preparing For Active Membership If membership is approved, the Director of Membership Sales will host a new member orientation conference call with your staff to review the next steps, including Declaration of Intent of sports to be sponsored Press releases on the NAIA website and to selected media outlets Catastrophic insurance enrollment NAIA membership dues Registration of new student-athletes with the NAIA Eligibility Center Eligibility and compliance documentation for the coming academic year
Championships & Sport Sponsorship 17% of NAIA student-athletes have the opportunity to participate in postseason. Championship Sports The NAIA sponsors 26 national championship sports for men and women. Championship sports require 40 sponsoring institutions. National Championships are administered by the NAIA National Office. FALL Men s Cross Country Women s Cross Country Football Men s Soccer Women s Soccer Women s Volleyball WINTER Men s Basketball Women s Basketball Competitive Cheer Competitive Dance Men s Swimming & Diving Women s Swimming & Diving Men s Indoor Track & Field Women s Indoor Track & Field Men s Wrestling SPRING Baseball Men s Golf Women s Golf Softball Men s Tennis Women s Tennis Men s Outdoor Track & Field Women s Outdoor Track & Fields Men s Volleyball INVITATIONAL Men s Bowling Women s Bowling Men s Lacrosse Women s Lacrosse Women s Wrestling Teams directly qualify for the national championship through their conference. The number of automatic berths from a specific conference is determined by the total number of conference schools participating in the sport. Direct qualification gives every conference an opportunity to have representation at the national championship. The remainder of the championship field is made up of at-large selections, typically the topranked teams that did not qualify through automatic qualification. Soccer, Volleyball, Baseball and Softball all have opening rounds as part of the national championship. These events are usually held at campus sites. Any NAIA institution can bid to host an opening round, with preference given to the top-ranked teams. Sports Sponsorship Opportunities For NAIA member schools, adding new varsity and junior varsity sports means opportunities to attract more students to campus. In addition to offering 26 national championship sports, the NAIA works to identify new sports for their potential to become widely adopted by membership and to establish a national championship in that sport. Men s and women s lacrosse, and men s volleyball are invitational sports in preparation for becoming championship sports. Men s and women s bowling has emerging sport status. At the campus level, the NAIA National Office provides customized resources for members to investigate the potential for adding sports not currently sponsored by the institution. The program includes support from a network of peer experts within membership.
Recruiting & NAIA Showcase NAIA rules allow contact and mentoring that foster recruitment and retention. RECRUITING In the NAIA, the rules for recruiting are very different from other associations. Being able to develop personal relationships is a hallmark of the NAIA and part of the philosophy behind NAIA recruiting rules. NAIA recruiting rules don t restrict when or how often the student and college coaches can communicate. This way, students can fully explore what NAIA schools have to offer them both athletically and academically. The NAIA has no recruiting calendar. Students and coaches can communicate year-round. There is also no limit to the number of communications or how the communication takes place. The student s family and the coach set the terms for communicating not the NAIA. Students are permitted two days of try-outs at each NAIA member school. The two days do not have to be consecutive, and the student may be provided lodging, meals, etc. if the same would be provided to non-athletes trying out for other programs at the school. Students have the opportunity to play, learn and lead. Coaches value a culture that allows mentoring relationships. Leaders see the benefits of athletics at a reasonable cost. NAIA Showcase The NAIA is the only college athletics association that offers official events for prospective student-athletes to showcase their skills on the field in front of NAIA coaches. Showcases are important vehicles for building awareness of the NAIA, its institutions and their athletics and academic programs. An individual sport showcase is a one-day event where high school and junior college student-athletes can not only perform but learn about the NAIA, its recruiting and eligibility rules and meet with NAIA coaches. Now in its fourth year, the NAIA Showcases have directly connected more than 3,500 prospective students and their parents with NAIA coaches. Presentations on NAIA character initiatives and opportunities to visit with admissions representatives from NAIA schools are included at every Showcase. In 2017, 306 coaches representing 113 NAIA schools met with participants during the 23 events. Those coaches reported having positive interactions with student-athletes that resulted in follow-up visits and on-site offers to participants during the Showcase events in football, baseball, men s and women s basketball, and men s and women s soccer. Learn more at NAIAShowcase.com.
Champions of Character For NAIA colleges and universities, ongoing character educationfor student-athletes and coaches is a priority. Commitment To Character Since Champions of Character was launched in 2000, NAIA member colleges and universities have made ongoing character education and professional development for coaches, athletics staff and student-athletes a priority. The NAIA s successful Character-Driven Coaching course was launched in 2009. All NAIA coaches, including graduate assistants, are required to take the online course within the first two months on the job. More than 18,000 college, high school and youth coaches have also taken the course. In 2009, NAIA member colleges and universities committed to putting Champions of Character values into play on both the field and in the stands. Hospitality and game management of NAIA athletics events and conduct in competition are guided by Champions of Character principles. Today, every school s progress in pursuing character education is tracked and recognized for achievements in training, promotion and conduct in competition. The Champions of Character program provides values-based training, so student-athletes know, do and value the right thing, on and off the field. Champions of Character also reaches high school and youth sports through its outreach activities conducted by member schools and participants at NAIA national championship events. Character Scorecard The Champions of Character Scorecard measures each institution s commitment to Champions of Character. Institutions are recognized for a demonstrated commitment to Champions of Character and earn points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition and character promotion and few to no ejections during competition throughout the course of the academic year. Live 5 Online Training The NAIA, the leader in character-driven intercollegiate athletics, offers the only fouryear online character curriculum for student-athletes. The introductory course, Learn to Live 5, launched in 2013, was followed in 2014 with Master the Fundamentals for sophomores, Live 5 and Lead for juniors and Live 5 for Life for seniors. The programs focus on modeling, leading and building values-based skills for life after college. The Champions of Character Live 5 series was developed with specific learning outcomes and research-based curriculum intended to have a measurable impact on student attitudes over time. The 20-minute interactive programs are centered on the Champions of Character Five Core Values Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Sportsmanship and Servant Leadership and how they re applied on and off the field. A key milestone for Champions of Character Live 5 is the research-driven surveying of student-athletes to gauge the impact of deliberately teaching character over time. The NAIA is partnering with sports ethics and psychology professionals from TrueCompetition.org in conducting the research. Council For Student-Athletes The Council for Student-Athletes is charged with initiating operational policies for the Champions of Character program and conducting research and education that will benefit the health, safety and development of NAIA student-athletes. The council includes representatives from each governing council including the Association of Student-Athletes. Through incorporation of the ideals of Champions of Character, the Council is committed to ensuring NAIA student-athletes train and compete in a safe and healthy environment.
NAIA Eligibility Center More than 30,000 students register each year to gain exposure and an opportunity to play. Exposure & National Visibility Since opening in 2010, the NAIA Eligibility Center has had hundreds of thousands students register online providing unprecedented visibility and awareness of the opportunities to play intercollegiate sports at NAIA institutions. The exposure gained from partnerships with major testing services and the nation s more than 20,000 high schools has allowed the center to become a platform for reaching high school student-athletes, their families and coaches on a national scale. Level Playing Field NAIA rules help ensure that NAIA student-athletes compete against students with similar levels of training and competitive experience. The NAIA Eligibility Center reviews the experiences of athletes who have competed outside the traditional college setting to maintain a level playing field throughout NAIA competition. Coaches know that the rules are applied consistently to every student, every time. The NAIA Eligibility Center provides initial eligibility determinations, working with integrity to apply NAIA rules and provide quality customer service for students, parents and NAIA membership. Focus On The Student-Athlete & Customer Service With NAIA rules, prospective students don t have to worry about navigating a complex web of eligibility and recruiting contact rules. High school students have three academic eligibility criteria to focus on. If a student meets two of the criteria, then the student is eligible upon high school graduation: Cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale Class rank in top 50% of graduating class ACT of 16 or SAT of 860 Critical Reading and Math* Registering with the NAIA Eligibility Center is straight forward. It takes only a few minutes for first-time NAIA students to register. High academic performers in high school can even receive a final eligibility determination before high school graduation, if they meet a higher GPA standard and have qualifying test scores. The fee to register is $80 for students coming directly from high school, $125 for transfer students, and $135 for international students. For students with demonstrated need, a fee waiver system is in place. The PlayNAIA.org website is a one-stop shop for all work related to the NAIA Eligibility Center for students, NAIA members, and high school counselors. Students can track their progress online or through their mobile phones. NAIA coaches can easily monitor recruits through the registration process through their school s PlayNAIA Manager web access. InCred: Streamlining For International Students With its extensive experience in conducting credential evaluations of international student academic records, the NAIA Eligibility Center now offers InCred, a service for international students that combines the reviews for both admissions and athletic eligibility into a consolidated, cost-effective process. InCred is a one-stop for international students to consolidate the admissions, transfer credit evaluation and eligibility process, saving students time and money through the submission of electronic international records. International student-athletes receive a quality credential evaluation on par with AACRAO and industry standards. InCred is the only international credential evaluation that provides consistency between the athlete s NAIA Eligibility Center review and a credential evaluation. InCred is helping pave the way for international students. *Any test taken May 1, 2019 or later requires an ACT score of 18 and SAT score of 970. Details: http://www.naia.org/viewarticle. dbml?atclid=211718531&db_oem_id=27900970.
Financial Aid You create an athletics program to fit your mission and budget. Financial Aid In the NAIA, each sport has an upper limit for the amount of institutional aid allowed per school. The school may choose to divide the scholarships among student-athletes*, so long as the total does not exceed the limit for the sport. Limits for each sport are as follows: Baseball...12 Basketball DI**... 11 Basketball DII**... 6 Competitive Cheer...12 Competitive Dance... 10 Cross Country... 5 Football...24 Golf... 5 Lacrosse... 12 Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field...12 Soccer...12 Softball... 10 Swimming and Diving... 8 Tennis... 5 Volleyball... 8 Wrestling...8 * The total amount of scholarship money a team has available to it is equal to (the average cost of attendance at the school) multiplied by (the above limit for scholarships). The team/athletic department may then divide that total amount of money amongst varsity team members however it chooses. For example, if the average cost of attendance per year is $10,000 at an NAIA school, then the tennis team would have $50,000 total to distribute to varsity tennis players. One player may be taking an overload of classes, and the total cost of attendance for that player is $12,000. If the team wanted to give that player a full ride, the player would cost the team the equivalent of 1.2 of total tennis scholarships. Or, the team could decide to provide 10 varsity players with flat scholarships of $5,000 each. Institutional aid is considered anything funded, controlled or allocated by the institution, regardless of its original source (e.g., private scholarships, athletic scholarships, academic scholarships and work study count toward team aid limits). However, academically gifted students can be exempted from these limits if they meet GPA or test score criteria established by the NAIA. Those criteria include: Continuing students with a 3.6 cumulative GPA or who are in the top 10% of their class (100% of aid exempt) Continuing students with a 3.3 3.59 cumulative GPA or who are in the upper 11% - 25% of their class (50% of aid exempt) Aid to entering freshmen exempt if the student achieves one of the following: 1130 SAT or 23 ACT = 50% of aid exempt; 1270 SAT or 27 ACT = 100% of aid exempt; or Cumulative high school GPA of 3.50 3.74 = 50% of aid exempt; 3.75 4.0 = 100% of aid exempt; or High school class rank in the top 11% - 25% = 50% of aid exempt Multi-sport athletes will automatically have their aid equally divided by the number of sports in which they compete. An NAIA school is able to divide the student s aid if the student participates in varsity sports sponsored by either the NAIA or the NCAA. Case examples: Student participates in football and outdoor track = aid is equally divided Student participates in swimming/diving and varsity water polo (NCAA sport) = aid is equally divided Student participates in cross country and varsity curling (not NAIA or NCAA sport) = all aid counted toward cross country limits Aid to students who play at the junior varsity level does not count in the overall limits. ** In 2020-2021, basketball will no longer have divisions and the maximum financial aid limit per team will be 8.