Southern Virginia University is the only college that offers NCAA Division III athletics within a faith-supportive environment for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to the school's athletics page.
As a full member of Division III -- the largest NCAA division both in number of contributing colleges and of individual athletes -- Southern Virginia will be eligible to compete in NCAA championships and will be able to vote in the NCAA Convention.
"Academics are the primary focus for Division III student-athletes," according to the NCAA website, which goes on to say that Division III offers competitive intercollegiate athletics while placing "the highest priority on the overall quality of the educational experience and on the successful completion of all students' academic programs."
"We are extremely excited and honored to become full NCAA Division III," said Southern Virginia University Director of Athletics Jason Lamb. "DIII is a perfect fit for us because we embody the division's philosophy of valuing the complete educational experience of our student-athletes."
The official date for Division III status for Southern Virginia will be Sept. 1, 2016. The process began in 2012 when the Knights were granted provisional status. The following year, Southern Virginia joined the Capital Athletic Conference, one of the premier Division III conferences on the East Coast.
In the four years of provisional status, SVU added a number of intercollegiate sports, including wrestling. Southern Virginia now sponsors 18 varsity-level sports – nine for men, nine for women.
Southern Virginia University is a private, four-year, liberal arts college located in Buena Vista, Va.. Founded in 1867 as a school for girls, SVU has an enrollment of approximately 800 students.
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