Regents Approve UNO's Move to Division I Summit Le
Mar 25, 2011 | General
UNO Press Release
Quotes & Reaction
LINCOLN, Neb. – The University of Nebraska Board of Regents unanimously approved a proposal on Friday that will pave the way for UNO's acceptance into The Summit League and reclassification to Division I.
The board met on Friday morning at Varner Hall and voted unanimously, 8-0, to approve UNO's plan to accept The Summit League's invitation to become the 10th member institution of the league in the 2012-13 academic year, when the Mavericks begin league competition. UNO's membership will officially take effect on July 1, 2011.
“We are extremely delighted to add the University of Nebraska at Omaha to our league membership,” said Summit League Commissioner Tom Douple. “The academic profile of the university and its history of athletic success are both outstanding qualities and will provide an excellent fit with our league. The vision of the administration to move UNO forward to a higher level is one which we embrace.”
The Summit League conducted an on-campus site visit earlier this month and followed by extending an invitation for membership to the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
“All of us at the University of Nebraska at Omaha are excited by our move to The Summit League and the impending competition with its outstanding member institutions,” said Trev Alberts, UNO Director of Athletics. “I would like to thank the members of our committee for their insight and diligence in determining the course of action that has brought UNO to The Summit League. Our reclassification will ensure the success of Maverick athletics for many years to come.”
In its first years (2012-15) in The Summit League, UNO will be eligible to compete for championships in women's cross country, women's indoor and outdoor track and field, women's swimming and diving, and men's and women's golf.
UNO will be eligible to compete during the 2012-13 regular season in women's soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's soccer, and men's and women's tennis, but will be ineligible to qualify for league championship tournaments. In 2015-16, UNO will be eligible for all regular season and tournament championships when approved by the NCAA for Division I active membership.
"Joining The Summit League and Division I is the next step in UNO's continuing transformation and forward momentum," said UNO Chancellor Dr. John Christensen. "We look forward to an exciting level of competition with institutions who mirror our commitment to their students, academic excellence and their communities."
ABOUT THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
Now in its 29th year, The Summit League offers 19 championship sports and has a combined enrollment of over 125,000 at 10 member institutions. Six of The Summit League's current campuses are located in cities that are among the nation's top 100 metro media markets, including Detroit, Indianapolis and Kansas City. Since 2007, The Summit League has produced 27 All-Americans, 22 Academic All-Americans, three national champions, one Olympic Silver Medalist and one NBA First Round Draft Choice.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA
Founded in 1908, the University of Nebraska at Omaha has an enrollment of 11,667 and offers 127 undergraduate programs, 45 graduate programs and five doctoral programs. Notable UNO alumni include James R. Young, Chairman and President of Union Pacific Railroad and Chuck Hagel, U.S. Senator from Nebraska. Nicknamed the Mavericks, UNO will compete in a total of 15 sports as a member of The Summit League, including five men's sports (baseball, basketball, golf, soccer and tennis) and 10 women's sports (basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field and volleyball).
QUOTES & REACTION
Tom Douple, Summit League Commissioner
“We are extremely delighted to add the University of Nebraska at Omaha to our league membership. The academic profile of the university and its history of athletic success are both outstanding qualities and will provide an excellent fit with our league. The vision of the administration to move UNO forward to a higher level is one which we embrace.”
Dr. John Christensen, UNO Chancellor
"Joining The Summit League and Division I is the next step in UNO's continuing transformation and forward momentum. We look forward to an exciting level of competition with institutions who mirror our commitment to their students, academic excellence and their communities."
Trev Alberts, UNO Director of Athletics
“All of us at the University of Nebraska at Omaha are excited by our move to The Summit League and the impending competition with its outstanding member institutions. I would like to thank the members of our committee for their insight and diligence in determining the course of action that has brought UNO to The Summit League. Our reclassification will ensure the success of Maverick athletics for many years to come.”
Derrin Hansen, UNO Head Men's Basketball Coach
“This is an exciting time to move our program to Division I status and to The Summit League. Our current and future student-athletes will be able to compete with Division I programs that we've never had the opportunity to play before in regular-season competition. We know that there will be challenges ahead, but together as a staff, we think that this is a positive move for UNO men's basketball, and we are optimistic about the future of our program.”
Rose Shires, UNO Head Volleyball Coach and Interim Senior Woman Administrator
“The move to Division I is a positive step forward for the UNO athletic department and truly what is best for the future of the university. We look forward to competing at the Division I volleyball level and are aggressively pursuing excellence in The Summit League and against our peers around the nation.”
Jeanne Scarpello, UNO Head Softball Coach
“I think it's a good move for us. Entering The Summit League, we feel that it is a conference that we can compete in. We've played teams in the fall and in the past from The Summit League and have played right with them. We can compete for the local talent in this area, and those student-athletes will have more opportunities to play Division I softball close to home. It's just a great opportunity to keep local talent here in good, competitive programs.”
Dr. Al Goldfarb, Western Illinois University President
“I am pleased that the Board of Regents approved the University of Nebraska at Omaha becoming a member of The Summit League. Based on our site visit, we know that the university will be an outstanding new member of our league.”
Dr. David Chicoine, South Dakota State University President
“The site visit verified the strategic direction of the University of Nebraska at Omaha to be a recognized metropolitan teaching and research university of choice in the region. This was reaffirmed in discussions the site visit team had with faculty leadership, deans and campus leadership and the University of Nebraska system leadership. This vision aligns well with The Summit League and we look forward to UNO being a success in The Summit League athletically and academically.”
Quotes & Reaction
LINCOLN, Neb. – The University of Nebraska Board of Regents unanimously approved a proposal on Friday that will pave the way for UNO's acceptance into The Summit League and reclassification to Division I.
The board met on Friday morning at Varner Hall and voted unanimously, 8-0, to approve UNO's plan to accept The Summit League's invitation to become the 10th member institution of the league in the 2012-13 academic year, when the Mavericks begin league competition. UNO's membership will officially take effect on July 1, 2011.
“We are extremely delighted to add the University of Nebraska at Omaha to our league membership,” said Summit League Commissioner Tom Douple. “The academic profile of the university and its history of athletic success are both outstanding qualities and will provide an excellent fit with our league. The vision of the administration to move UNO forward to a higher level is one which we embrace.”
The Summit League conducted an on-campus site visit earlier this month and followed by extending an invitation for membership to the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
“All of us at the University of Nebraska at Omaha are excited by our move to The Summit League and the impending competition with its outstanding member institutions,” said Trev Alberts, UNO Director of Athletics. “I would like to thank the members of our committee for their insight and diligence in determining the course of action that has brought UNO to The Summit League. Our reclassification will ensure the success of Maverick athletics for many years to come.”
In its first years (2012-15) in The Summit League, UNO will be eligible to compete for championships in women's cross country, women's indoor and outdoor track and field, women's swimming and diving, and men's and women's golf.
UNO will be eligible to compete during the 2012-13 regular season in women's soccer, volleyball, men's and women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's soccer, and men's and women's tennis, but will be ineligible to qualify for league championship tournaments. In 2015-16, UNO will be eligible for all regular season and tournament championships when approved by the NCAA for Division I active membership.
"Joining The Summit League and Division I is the next step in UNO's continuing transformation and forward momentum," said UNO Chancellor Dr. John Christensen. "We look forward to an exciting level of competition with institutions who mirror our commitment to their students, academic excellence and their communities."
ABOUT THE SUMMIT LEAGUE
Now in its 29th year, The Summit League offers 19 championship sports and has a combined enrollment of over 125,000 at 10 member institutions. Six of The Summit League's current campuses are located in cities that are among the nation's top 100 metro media markets, including Detroit, Indianapolis and Kansas City. Since 2007, The Summit League has produced 27 All-Americans, 22 Academic All-Americans, three national champions, one Olympic Silver Medalist and one NBA First Round Draft Choice.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT OMAHA
Founded in 1908, the University of Nebraska at Omaha has an enrollment of 11,667 and offers 127 undergraduate programs, 45 graduate programs and five doctoral programs. Notable UNO alumni include James R. Young, Chairman and President of Union Pacific Railroad and Chuck Hagel, U.S. Senator from Nebraska. Nicknamed the Mavericks, UNO will compete in a total of 15 sports as a member of The Summit League, including five men's sports (baseball, basketball, golf, soccer and tennis) and 10 women's sports (basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, indoor track & field, outdoor track & field and volleyball).
QUOTES & REACTION
Tom Douple, Summit League Commissioner
“We are extremely delighted to add the University of Nebraska at Omaha to our league membership. The academic profile of the university and its history of athletic success are both outstanding qualities and will provide an excellent fit with our league. The vision of the administration to move UNO forward to a higher level is one which we embrace.”
Dr. John Christensen, UNO Chancellor
"Joining The Summit League and Division I is the next step in UNO's continuing transformation and forward momentum. We look forward to an exciting level of competition with institutions who mirror our commitment to their students, academic excellence and their communities."
Trev Alberts, UNO Director of Athletics
“All of us at the University of Nebraska at Omaha are excited by our move to The Summit League and the impending competition with its outstanding member institutions. I would like to thank the members of our committee for their insight and diligence in determining the course of action that has brought UNO to The Summit League. Our reclassification will ensure the success of Maverick athletics for many years to come.”
Derrin Hansen, UNO Head Men's Basketball Coach
“This is an exciting time to move our program to Division I status and to The Summit League. Our current and future student-athletes will be able to compete with Division I programs that we've never had the opportunity to play before in regular-season competition. We know that there will be challenges ahead, but together as a staff, we think that this is a positive move for UNO men's basketball, and we are optimistic about the future of our program.”
Rose Shires, UNO Head Volleyball Coach and Interim Senior Woman Administrator
“The move to Division I is a positive step forward for the UNO athletic department and truly what is best for the future of the university. We look forward to competing at the Division I volleyball level and are aggressively pursuing excellence in The Summit League and against our peers around the nation.”
Jeanne Scarpello, UNO Head Softball Coach
“I think it's a good move for us. Entering The Summit League, we feel that it is a conference that we can compete in. We've played teams in the fall and in the past from The Summit League and have played right with them. We can compete for the local talent in this area, and those student-athletes will have more opportunities to play Division I softball close to home. It's just a great opportunity to keep local talent here in good, competitive programs.”
Dr. Al Goldfarb, Western Illinois University President
“I am pleased that the Board of Regents approved the University of Nebraska at Omaha becoming a member of The Summit League. Based on our site visit, we know that the university will be an outstanding new member of our league.”
Dr. David Chicoine, South Dakota State University President
“The site visit verified the strategic direction of the University of Nebraska at Omaha to be a recognized metropolitan teaching and research university of choice in the region. This was reaffirmed in discussions the site visit team had with faculty leadership, deans and campus leadership and the University of Nebraska system leadership. This vision aligns well with The Summit League and we look forward to UNO being a success in The Summit League athletically and academically.”
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