The second time proved the charm for Daemen College, which was granted membership in the NCAA at the Division II level. Today it was formally announced that the Wildcats were admitted to the East Coast Conference.
Daemen had been a member of the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) since the mid-1980s but looked to make the jump to the NCAA at the Division II level to better fit with the needs of its student-athletes.
Accpeted by the NCAA, Daemen enters a three-year process to become a full Division II member. The next two academic years are candidacy years followed by a third transitional year. If all goes well, Daemen will be a full member of both the NCAA and the East Coast Conference, including being eligible for championships, for the 2015-16 season.
To provide its student-athletes with championship opportunities while undergoing the provisional process, Daemen will compete for the next two seasons in United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA).
Daemen brings the ECC up to 11 members schools along with the University of Bridgeport (Conn.), University of the District of Columbia, Dowling College (Oakdale, N.Y.), LIU Post (Brookville, N.Y.), Mercy College (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.), Molloy College (Rockville Center, N.Y.), New York Institute of Technology, Queens Colelge, Roberts Wesleyan College and St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, N.Y.)
--- Amy Moritz
