SFU and the NCAA

Message from the Senior Director Athletics & Recreation:

Dear friends,

Thank you for your interest in Simon Fraser University Athletics.

I invite you to explore this website to gather more information about SFU and our school’s journey into becoming a full member of Division II National Collegiate Athletic Association.

We continue to advance through the process with both the NCAA and the NWCCU to become a full member.  The information on these pages can tell you more about this process.

Thanks for your support and GO CLAN.

Dr. Milton Richards
Senior Director, Athletics and Recreation


TRANSITION TO NCAA         

In a historic return to its athletic roots, Simon Fraser University was approved in July 2009 as the first non-U.S. member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the world's largest sports organization.  It is humbling for SFU to be accepted as the first international university to compete in the NCAA as a member, as we are reaching back to the original intentions and philosophy of the university's founders: to offer a great Canadian education with ability to compete athletically in the NCAA.  It means a high level of competition and challenge for our athletes, and as always been the case, our primary concern is that our athletes succeed as students.  The NCAA has strong academic requirements and we will continue to maintain the high academic standards that we have always demanded from all of our SFU Clan teams.

After completing two years of NCAA membership candidacy, as of September 1st, 2011, Simon Fraser University officially became a Provisional NCAA, Division II Institution.  During the provisional period, an institution must abide by all NCAA bylaws and legislation, demonstrate institutional commitment to compliance control, submit annual reports, and undergo annual external reviews to determine our readiness for active membership.


As part of the Provisional Year process, a Compliance Blueprint assessment on the current status of the institution's compliance program took place in December 2011, and no irregularities were found as the institution's compliance program currently meets the basic standards in all areas.  The Compliance Blueprint assessment noted the institution's commitment to have a robust compliance program that more than exceeds the minimum requirements, and provided recommendations for strengthening the program. 

All institutions affiliated with the NCAA must also receive academic accreditation from one of several US based accrediting agencies.   At the same time Simon Fraser University’s application for NCAA membership was made, an application for accreditation by a US accrediting agency, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) was made.  The NWCCU accreditation is an US based grading system and much like SFU is the only school in the NCAA, SFU is the only Canadian school pursuing this accreditation, which we are confident we will achieve.

It is unique for a Canadian school to seek accreditation by this US body and we have been working closely with the NCAA to overcome some unforeseen challenges that have come with seeking accreditation.  Simon Fraser University recently received the formal results from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) visit in the fall, and is pleased to announce that the institution has achieved Candidate for Academic Accreditation status. 

While a provisional member institution is not eligible for post season play, SFU having achieved this status is now considered to be the very first Non-American NCAA institution to have athletes competing as NCAA athletes.  Currently, all Simon Fraser University Clan teams are competing for conference championships in the NCAA and our teams have already won several.

In the meantime, and as a provisional member, SFU will continue to compete in the NCAA Division II, Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC); may use the NCAA name, logo, and other insignia in accordance with applicable regulations.  And we remain committed to supporting our student-athletes, and providing athletic scholarships and financial aid, as they continue to exhibit the highest levels of dedication to their sports.

Based on the rich history of SFU both in the classroom and in athletics, and based on the strong academic reputation of Simon Fraser University, we are confident SFU will meet all of the requirements for full membership very soon.

We will be informed by the NCAA in early June 2012, whether or not we move to full NCAA membership.

About our transition to NCAA Division II

Our transition to the NCAA has important implications for the recruitment of student-athletes, and for the promotion of our athletic programs. Go to NCAA transition.

Prospective student-athletes

Prospective student-athletes need to apply to both the NCAA Eligibility Centre and for admission to SFU. Go to prospective student-athletes.

Student-athletes currently at SFU

As a student-athlete enrolled at SFU you need to maintain both good academic standing and your NCAA eligibility. Go to current SFU student-athletes.

Fans, parents, alumni and boosters

Get advice on what a "booster" can and cannot do in relation to a prospective student-athlete. Go to fans, parents, alumni and boosters.

Definitions

What does the NCAA mean by Official Visit, Extra Benefits, Contact or PSA? Go to definitions.