By The Huntsville Item

The NCAA announced on Thursday that four schools, including Sam Houston State, were fully certified for intercollegiate athletics.

The NCAA Committee on Athletics Certification made the announcement of Sam Houston's completion of the certification process along with the certification of Murray State University, Nicholls State University and Jacksonville State University.

The NCAA had initially attached one minor condition to Sam Houston State's certification last September concerning the auditing of $2,500 raised from the Lettermen Association annual golf fund-raising event. Further review of the audit satisfied th e committee that the event is audited properly.

"It is very satisfying to have this process complete and to have our department fully certified by the NCAA," said Sam Houston State University Director of Athletics Bobby Williams. "A tremendous amount of hard work by our staff and our university's NCAA certification self-study team chaired by Dr. Tommy Davis went into this process.

"In effect, the certification says that the NCAA has verified we are doing things the right way at Sam Houston State University. This is a big step for our program."

A total of 301 of the 310 NCAA Division I members now have completed the certification process. The certification program's purpose is to ensure the institutions' athletics operations and to assist athletic departments in improving their programs.

Legislation mandating athletics certification was adopted by a vote of all NCAA Division I members at the 1993 NCAA Convention.

Sam Houston State received its original certification notice last fall after a year-long effort which included a self-study by the university and a visit by an NCAA Peer Review Team, consisting of five athletic administrators from other NCAA Division I programs.

Both review processes emphasized the areas of gender equity, academic support for athletics and NCAA rules compliance.

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SHSU Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
May 26, 2000
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