Wayland Baptist University has joined the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA), enhancing its current membership within the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Sooner Athletic Conference.
Established in 1968, “the NCCAA uses intercollegiate athletics to further the Great Commission and is committed to equipping student-athletes and coaches to make a positive impact for Christ,” according to its web site. Based in Greenville, S.C., the NCCAA is committed to:
Supporting coaches and their institutions in a plan that will impact the lives of student-athletes for Christ in the present as well as in the future.
Challenging the student-athlete via regional and national competition.
Enabling student-athletes to participate in intercultural outreach ministries through missions.
Expecting academic excellence.
Encouraging Christians to be able to best serve family, school, church, and our world.
Making a positive impact in developing the leaders of tomorrow.
The NCCAA bills itself as “the only intercollegiate athletics association where ring chasing and King Chasing converge.”
“I cannot say how thrilled we are to be included in a group of like-minded folks within the NCCAA,” WBU Director of Athletics Jim Giacomazzi said. “Everyone I have spoken to who are members of the NCCAA have shared what a great experience it is for all student-athletes and coaches. Our coaches are excited about the additional opportunities for our teams to play and receive recognition for their hard work in the sports they love.”
WBU athletics will continue to compete in the SAC within the NAIA in all competitive sports; the NCCAA offers alternative post-season competition.
Wayland becomes the fifth SAC school to join the NCCAA, after Central Christian (Kan.), Mid-America Christian (Okla.), Southwestern Assemblies of God and Southwestern Christian (Okla.). The Division I Central Region where Wayland is slotted also includes Dallas Baptist; Oklahoma Wesleyan; Baptist Bible College and College of the Ozarks in Missouri; Ecclesia in Arkansas; Sterling in Kansas; and York in Nebraska.
NCCAA Division II members in Texas include Arlington Baptist, Dallas Christian, Southwestern Adventist and College of Biblical Studies.
SAC schools have won numerous NCCAA national championships, most recently Mid-America Christian’s baseball team, which defeated another SAC member, Southwestern Christian, in the championship of the 10-team national tourney. In the NCCAA football national championship’s Victory Bowl, SAGU played in and hosted the title game last fall, fallling to Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), 21-16. And, MACU advanced to the national semifinals in volleyball last season.
WBU will participate in the following NCCAA sports: baseball, men’s & women’s basketball, men’s & women’s cross country, football, men’s & women’s golf, men’s & women’s indoor/outdoor track & field, men’s & women’s soccer, softball and women’s volleyball.
Wayland is one of five schools joining the NCCAA for the 2023-24 academic year, along with Carolina Christian (N.C.), Justice College (Ariz.), Kuyper College (Mich.) and Westmont College (Calif.).
NCCAA Executive Director Dan Wood said, “We continue to see a mix of new members utilizing intercollegiate athletics to grow along with past members reconnecting. While each institution is developing at its own pace and for its own unique purposes, all new members are intentionally Christ-centered partners with the NCCAA in keeping Christ at the center of intercollegiate athletics.”
For more on the NCCAA, click here.