Alvernia competes under the auspices of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Golden Wolves compete at the Division III level, the largest competing level of the NCAA. Institutions with membership at this level do not provide athletic scholarships.
The 2018-19 year will be Alvernia's tenth year in the Commonwealth Conference of the Middle Atlantic Conference, commonly known as the MAC. The MAC was founded in 1912 and currently consists of 17 member institutions including Albright, Alvernia, Arcadia, Delaware Valley, DeSales, Eastern,Fairleigh Dickinson-Florham, Hood, King's, Lebanon Valley, Lycoming, Manhattanville, Messiah, Misericordia, Stevenson, Widener, and Wilkes. The MAC boasts 37 Championships across 24 sports over its 95-year existence. Next year, the MAC will add men's and women's ice hockey and men's volleyball to its sponsored sports.
Since joining the MAC in 2008, Alvernia has collected 10 Commonwealth Conference Championships through Baseball (2013, 2015), Men's Basketball (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015), Men's Golf (2012), Women's Golf (2012, 2018) and Softball (2012). In the first year in the MAC, Alvernia was a member of the Freedom Conference, where they claimed a conference championship in Baseball.
Alvernia also competes in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). This is the largest collegiate conference in the nation, and includes colleges from all levels of the NCAA located in the Eastern States between Maine and North Carolina. Membership in the ECAC provides our teams with extra regional playoff opportunities and media exposure. Alvernia competes in the ECAC Mid-Atlantic and Southern Regional Championships.
Alvernia has made 35 total appearances in the NCAA Championships. Men's Basketball, which boasts nine NCAA appearances, advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four in 1997. Baseball, Women's Basketball, Men's Golf, Women's Golf, Field Hockey, Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis, and Softball have also made appearances in NCAA Championships.
Complete information regarding the MAC Conference can be found at:
http://gomacsports.com/
Athletics Vision Statement
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Alvernia University Athletics Objectives
1. Operate in an environment consistent with the mission of the university.
2. Observe and develop good sportsmanship.
3. Provide the best athletic competition possible without sacrificing academic
integrity and academic standards.
4. Encourage participation by maximizing the number and variety of athletic
opportunities in varsity, club, and intramural sports.
5. Ensure the integration of student-athletes into the institutional life of the
University.
6. Support students in their efforts to reach high levels of performance by providing
them with adequate facilities, competent coaching, and appropriate competitive
opportunities with students from similar institutions.
7. Implant the realization that the traits that are necessary for athletic success are
also needed for success in life.
8. Win within the framework of ethical practices and moral integrity. |
The vision of the Alvernia University Department of Athletics & Recreation is to provide Alvernia student-athletes with an opportunity to compete in intercollegiate activities, as an integral part of their educational experience. The department will seek to attract a population of student-athletes who will succeed both academically and athletically.
The department will provide a personalized learning environment with equitable participation opportunities for student-athletes to develop their leadership potential. Win or lose, student-athletes are encouraged to provide a winning effort, exhibit sportsmanship, and demonstrate respect for teammates, opposition, coaches, officials, and fans.
The department will comply with the standards set forth by Alvernia University, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), and the Middle Atlantic Conferences. The department will adhere to State and Federal regulations that directly impact intercollegiate athletics. The Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act reports can be viewed at the following link:
http://ope.ed.gov/athletics. Department staff will seek to steadily improve the quality of the athletic experience through professional development, conferences, and department meetings.
The department will provide opportunities for student-athletes to compete successfully, embracing the NCAA Division III philosophy, and the mission of Alvernia University. The department will provide student-athletes the opportunity to acquire personal achievement, social responsibility, and moral integrity through athletic competition.
Division III Philosophy Statement
Colleges and universities in Division III place highest priority on the overall quality of the educational experience and on the successful completion of all students' academic programs. They seek to establish and maintain an environment in which a student athlete's athletics activities are conducted as an integral part of the student-athlete's educational experience, and in which coaches play a significant role as educators. They also seek to establish and maintain an environment that values cultural diversity and gender equity among their student-athletes and athletics staff.
To achieve this end, Division III institutions:
(a) Place special importance on the impact of athletics on the participants rather than on the spectators and place greater emphasis on the internal constituency (students, alumni, institutional personnel) than on the general public and its entertainment needs;
(b) Award no athletically related financial aid to any student;
(c) Encourage the development of sportsmanship and positive societal attitudes in all constituents, including student-athletes, coaches, administrative personnel and spectators;
(d) Encourage participation by maximizing the number and variety of athletics opportunities for their students;
(e) Assure that the actions of coaches and administrators exhibit fairness, openness and honesty in their relationships with students-athletes;
(f) Assure that athletics participants are not treated differently from other members of the student body;
(g) Assure that athletics programs support the institution's educational mission by financing, staffing and controlling the programs through the same general procedures as other departments of the institution. Further, the administration of an institution's athletics program (e.g., hiring, compensation, professional development, certification of coaches) should be integrated into the campus culture and educational mission;
(h) Assure that athletics recruitment complies with established institutional policies and procedures applicable to the admissions process; (Adopted: 1/12/04 effective 8/1/04)
(i) Assure that academic performance of student-athletes is, at a minimum, consistent with that of the general student body; (Adopted 1/9/06 effective 8/1/06)
(j) Assure that admission policies for student-athletes comply with policies and procedures applicable to the general student body; (Adopted: 1/9/06 effective 8/1/06)
(k) Provide equitable athletics opportunities for males and females and give equal emphasis to men's and women's sports;
(l) Support ethnic and gender diversity for all constituents; (Adopted: 1/12/09)
(m) Give primary emphasis to regional in-season competition and conference championships; and
(n) Support student-athletes in their efforts to reach high levels of athletics performance, which may include opportunities for participation national championships, by providing all teams with adequate facilities, competent coaching and appropriate competitive opportunities.
The purpose of the NCAA is to assist its members in developing the basis for consistent, equitable competition while minimizing infringement on the freedom of individual institutions to determine their own special objectives and programs. The above statement articulates principles that represent a commitment to Division III membership and shall serve as a guide for the preparation of legislation by the division and for planning and implementation of programs by institutions and conferences.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association
