COLUMBIA, S.C. (courtesy auyellowjackets.com) — Allen University athletics continues to grow as the newest provisional member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II effective for the 2020-2021 academic year.
Currently a Division I member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Allen sponsors 13 intercollegiate programs. Yellow Jacket student-athletes compete in men’s football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s indoor/outdoor track & field, women’s volleyball, men’s wrestling, softball and women’s soccer. The Yellow Jackets Football team thrives with 121 student-athletes for the fall, including 87 veterans and 34 recruits.
“You really can do ‘All That Can Be Imagined’ at Allen University. The vision of the leadership has brought us this far,” head football coach Teddy Keaton explained while acknowledging President McNealey’s influence. “There is nothing more critical in athletics than to have an administration that supports the university mission. I am proud to be able to do my part to help this vision become a reality. I am elated with the growth we are experiencing and to move to Division II in four short years is exciting!”
Allen University joined the NAIA Appalachian Athletic Conference in the fall of 2016. The move to Division II will require a three-year membership process. A division conference has yet to be determined, but the Yellow Jackets may land in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) alongside their longtime athletic rivals and Columbia neighbors, Benedict College.
When asked about the transition to Division II, Dr. McNealey said, “This leap into Division II speaks not only to our growth as an institution but also to the caliber of success our student-athletes are capable of, on and off the field. This opportunity will increase enrollment numbers due to the national recognition and exposure we will receive for athletics and academics.
For more information about the NCAA visit ncaa.com
For more information about Yellow Jacket sports, please contact Anika Cobb, Allen University director of marketing and communications, at (803) 376-5717 or acobb@allenuniversity.edu.
Uncharted waters