Dixie State eligible for postseason

ST. GEORGE — Dexter Irvin, Dixie State College's director of athletics, has announced that the National Collegiate Athletic Association has waived the final two years of Dixie's four-year provisional membership.

The decision means that beginning this season, Dixie State's teams will be eligible for postseason play at the Division II level, while Dixie's student-athletes can compete for conference championships and national titles in their sports.

"This announcement signifies the changing of the guard from a historical perspective to a new management system that emphasizes the quality of education and athletic experience for our student-athletes," Irvin said.

"Additionally, community service and student welfare, which are two core values of NCAA Division II membership, will bring us full circle in our ability to provide a quality experience for the students of Dixie State College."

In 2000, Dixie State changed its mission statement and began offering high demand baccalaureate degrees. This began the evolution of the institution from a two-year to a four-year college. The transition from junior college athletic competition to four-year NCAA Division II competition began as an exploratory member in 2005-2006. At the conclusion of the 2005-06 season, the provisional period began, including the program's acceptance into the Pacific West Conference on July 6, 2006.

Over the past two years, DSC's athletic administration has produced two reports as part of the program's progression toward full NCAA membership. The first was a 700-page Institution Self-Study Guide (ISSG), which was submitted to the NCAA in early 2007. The second report, a 600-page annual report delivered earlier this year, documented DSCU athletic's financial aid, compliance, academic, budgetary, and student welfare policies and procedures.

It was the hard work and diligence of DSCU's athletic administration, led by associate A.D. and senior woman administrator (SWA) Mo Eckroth, in the reports that impressed the NCAA into granting Dixie State full competition status at the Division II level.

"Our administrative team has played a pivotal role in the development of policies and procedures that has allowed us to be considered for full membership," Irvin stated. "The significance of everything we have in place cannot be overstated."

"Mo (Eckroth) has been a beacon of integrity and her hard work and dedication through this process has helped us make significant academic and procedural changes in our athletic department and institution," Irvin went on to say.