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Jul 10th, 2025 - 20:48:58 |
At a news conference held in Macon Thursday afternoon, Middle Georgia State University announced they had been accepted by the NCAA for provisional Division II membership. While NCAA membership will be provisional, they will be a full member of the Peach Belt Conference beginning in September.
Thursday’s news conference was attended by coaches, student-athletes, and numerous MGA representatives including President Dr. Christopher Blake and Athletic Director Michael Brown. Blake called the move “ a historic and transformational time for Middle Georgia State University,”
He added ,” Joining NCAA Division II will align our athletics program with our broader mission as a state university committed to academic excellence, student success, and regional engagement. This move strengthens our institutional identity, enriches student experiences, and builds pride in the success of Knights athletics.”
As a member of the NAIA and Southern States Athletic Conference, MGA had some long trips for athletic events, including Louisiana. Brown mentioned the closeness of Peach Belt schools and the potential to develop rivalries with nearby schools as a plus in membership.
“One of the most exciting results of this move will be our ability to build strong rivalries with nearby schools,” he said. “Half a dozen members of the Peach Belt Conference are University System of Georgia institutions, and others are relatively short distances away in South Carolina and Florida. I’m grateful to the NCAA and the conference for their confidence and I look forward to the opportunities this bring us, not just for athletics but for our entire University community and the region.”
Middle Georgia State was a member of the NAIA since 2014. They fielded 10 sports that competed in the SSAC: baseball, men and women’s basketball, men and women’s soccer, men and women’s tennis, softball, women’s volleyball, and women’s cross country. Besides transitioning those teams to NCAA Division II and the Peach Belt Conference, MGA will add women’s track (distance events only) in January 2026.
The transition to NCAA Division II will take some time:
2025–26: Provisional Year 1 – Compete in Peach Belt Conference and NCAA Division II with eligibility for conference postseason, but not yet NCAA postseason.
2026–27: Provisional Year 2 – Continued competition with same eligibility status.
2027–28: Provisional Year 3 – Continued competition with same eligibility status.
2028–29: Full membership in NCAA Division II and the Peach Belt Conference, including full postseason eligibility.
To learn more about Middle Georgia State Athletics, visit mgaknights.com
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by BleckleyProgess.com
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