OREM — The Utah Valley University athletics department was notified Tuesday by NCAA Membership Services of its unanimous approval to lift the school's provisional status and accept it as an official member of NCAA Division I. The move completes the university's move straight from junior college to NCAA athletics.

Full membership now permits all of UVU's athletic teams and individual athletes to be eligible for NCAA postseason events.

"The lightning speed by which UVU moved from junior college to become an official member of NCAA Division I is a magnificent tribute to the entire university," said Utah Valley University President Matthew Holland. "We are especially proud of the administrators, coaches and student-athletes who have worked so hard and with such excellence to make this happen."

UVU's seven-year provisional period began with an exploratory year in 2002-03, its final season in junior college athletics. In 2003-04, teams began competing with partial Div. I schedules and a year later all of UVU's teams were competing with full Div. I slates.