Courtesy of the CIAA
The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA®) has announced the suspension of all sports competition for Saint Augustine’s University (SAU) through the end of the 2024-25 academic year, effective immediately. The CIAA Board of Directors’ decision was made after the institution’s failure to meet conference compliance requirements, in addition to the concerns regarding SAU’s continued challenges to meet NCAA sports sponsorship and scheduling requirements for the 2024-25 season.
Should Saint Augustine’s elect to continue participating; competition will not count towards CIAA standings and seeding, nor will they be eligible for championship participation.
“While it is disheartening to make a decision of this magnitude that impacts one of our member institutions, the decision was guided through a fair, deliberate, and thoughtful process in efforts to determine what was best for the conference, while also protecting the wellbeing and holistic experience of the student-athletes,” said Board Chair Aminta Breaux.
The institution elected not to sponsor softball for the spring of 2024, football, and volleyball for the fall of 2024, leaving 10 remaining sports in the 2024-25 season to meet NCAA Div II compliance standards. The compliance standards require that each DII member institution sponsors and completes at least ten sports each academic year. Saint. Augustine’s University’s ability to complete the men’s and women’s cross-country seasons and to meet other compliance requirements and deadlines for the remaining sports programs to ensure eligibility and participation, remains in question.
“Saint Augustine’s University has been a member of this conference for over 80 years. Their administrators, coaches, students, student-athletes, alumni, and the SAU community are important and valued as part of the CIAA legacy. The CIAA will continue to support and rally around the Falcon family and President Burgess as they prepare to return for the 2025-26 season,” said Commissioner McWilliams Parker.
