As chair, Cherry directs the council, which recommends administrative policy and regulations to govern the division. He also sponsors legislative proposals for the NCAA Convention and reviews committee recommendations.

"It's been an honor to represent CSUSM Athletics and the CCAA on the Management Council for the past three years," Cherry said. “The topics we discuss span a wide range of issues affecting college athletics and the hundreds of thousands of current NCAA student-athletes. We can't lose sight of the student-athletes who are at the heart of all our deliberations, and it's from that lens that we seek to make decisions that benefit them and ensure a positive overall student-athlete experience going forward.”

Last fall, Cherry was also awarded the NCAA Division II Faculty Athletics Association Faculty of the Year Award for 2025. He has been a faculty athletics representative for CSUSM since 2004.

"The political and legal landscape is changing rapidly, and so too is higher education more broadly," Cherry said. “I know it's the intent of all the dedicated professionals at the NCAA national office to lead rather than to respond, even in the midst of a shifting landscape. And while I certainly don't have the answers, I have every confidence that the many people involved in decision-making, across the association, are trying their best to make sense of it all.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

After operating as an independent NAIA institution for the first 15 years of existence, the Cougars were accepted into NCAA Division II Candidacy on July 23. Moreover, CSUSM was added as the thirteenth member of the NCAA Division II California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) on August 25.

With the successful application for NCAA Division II membership, CSUSM is currently in the process of a three-year transition period before earning NCAA active membership status in 2017-18. The University will gain NCAA Division II active member status in the fall of 2017, as long as all benchmarks are met during the transition process, and will be eligible to compete in the NCAA championships during the 2017-18 academic year.

"We are proud to be formally accepted into the CCAA," said CSUSM President Karen Haynes. "This move will benefit our athletics program on multiple levels—we will be able to establish exciting rivalries with regional universities, our student athletes will spend more time in the classroom thanks to reduced travel time, and our University will be better aligned athletically with schools of similar size and stature. This is yet another great day for the University and our athletics program."

So, why is NCAA Division II and the CCAA the right match for Cal State San Marcos?

A Conference to Call Home

The Cougars had their eyes set on the CCAA since the thought of moving to NCAA Division II first arose. The CCAA consists of 11 other California State University (CSU) institutions and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD).

The CCAA has been the nation's most successful Division II intercollegiate athletics conference since its establishment in December 1938. CCAA members have won 153 NCAA Championships (102 men, 51 women), far and away the most of any Division II conference.

"The administrative staff, coaches, and student-athletes at Cal State San Marcos have been building toward this for many months and have clearly demonstrated that the institution is ready to make the move to Division II. They are excited to join us and we are excited to have them," said Commissioner Mike Matthews.

The affiliation puts CSUSM in direct competition with 12 other public institutions in California of like size and like mind. The CCAA’s average enrollment is 15,347 students; CSUSM currently has a student population of nearly 13,000, fourth lowest in the CCAA, but there are future plans to expand enrollment. Meanwhile, the average student population of a typical NAIA school is 1,500 to 2,500 students.

Life in the Balance

One of NCAA Division II’s core initiatives is "Life in the Balance." The program emphasizes the importance of balancing a student-athlete’s education along with his or her athletic competition, an academics-first philosophy that puts graduation at the forefront of the student-athlete experience.

"Our student-athletes are students, first and foremost," said Director of Athletics Jennifer Milo. "The NCAA Division II philosophy reinforces this. The move to the NCAA Division II Strategic Platform is directly in line with our department’s mission and values. We want our student-athletes to graduate and develop into well-rounded individuals that will be successful beyond their life on the playing field."

The NCAA states in various campaigns: "We are preparing student-athletes to go pro in something other than sports." This theme falls in line with CSUSM’s core value of developing the student component of the student-athlete—demonstrating a commitment to the graduation of student-athletes while enhancing the total student-athlete experience.

Out of the more than 300 qualifying student-athletes, nearly 50 percent had 3.0 GPAs or better during the 2014 spring semester. In addition, CSUSM Athletics supports its student-athletes’ academic pursuits: student-athletes have access to the Student-Athlete Academic Support Center, an athletic academic advisor, mentoring and tutoring programs and opportunities for professional development.

Raising CSUSM’s Profile with new Sports Center

The NCAA is somewhat synonymous with collegiate athletics. Being affiliated with NCAA Division II will help increase the public’s awareness of not only the Department of Athletics, but CSUSM as a whole. In addition, CSUSM will be the third institution to compete in NCAA Division II in San Diego County, along with Point Loma and UCSD, which will provide natural geographic rivalries.

One thing that will raise CSUSM’s profile in the San Marcos foothills is the multipurpose, on-campus Sports Center, which is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2016.

CSUSM Athletics wants to bring all of its teams back home. The Sports Center will serve as the new home for basketball and volleyball, as well as more than 300 student-athletes.

The new 25,000-square-foot-facility will feature seating for 1,400 spectators, a ticket office, concession stand, an expanded sports medicine training room, home and visiting team locker rooms, a student-athlete lounge, officials locker rooms, media office for press conferences, administrative offices for coaches, LED lighting and a CSUSM Athletics Hall of Fame.

"The Sports Center will not only benefit the basketball programs, but the University community as a whole," said Head Men’s Basketball Coach Jim Saia. "We will be able to embrace the region with spirit and enthsuiasm that Cal State San Marcos has yet to experience."

As Cougar Athletics Continues to Grow, Now is the Time to Get Involved!

CSUSM expects to be competitive in the CCAA from the start due to its ability to attract quality student-athletes to the North County San Diego campus. During the 2013-14 academic year alone, CSUSM allocated more than $600,000 in student-athlete scholarships, which would have been seventh-most in the CCAA.

CSUSM’s goal is to achieve an annual scholarship allocation of $1 million by 2017-18. Having strong financial reserves allows CSUSM to attract the most qualified and talented student-athletes, keeping the Cougars competitive.

Fans and donors are invited to become members of the Cougar Athletic Club, the primary fundraising organization for CSUSM Athletics! When you become a member you are helping develop student-athletes who will become leaders on the track, playing field and court...and after graduation in their careers and communities!

Visit www.csusmcougars.com for more information.

Founded in 1910, the NCAA is the governing body for more than 1,200 schools with more than 400,000 student-athletes. In 1973, the membership divided into three divisions: I, II and III. Currently 300 schools compete in NCAA Division II, not including those institutions that are in the candidacy process.

Director of Athletics Jennifer Milo received a letter on July 22 from the NCAA Division II Management Council confirming CSUSM’s approval.

“It is a great day to be a CSUSM Cougar!” she said. “Today is a special day, a day the Department of Athletics has worked towards since the idea of moving to NCAA Division II was conceived in 2002. We are proud of the work we’ve put in over the last 12 years, and today it becomes a reality.”

The Cougar athletics program, which fields 14 intercollegiate sport teams (men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s track & field, women’s indoor track & field, softball and baseball) has had staunch support from the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) during the application process. After representatives from various CCAA schools made a site visit to CSUSM’s campus in May, the CCAA advisory council voted 12-0 to recommend that CSUSM be admitted to the conference upon admission to the NCAA.

The CCAA currently includes 12 public universities from across California. Eleven of the 12 institutions in the CCAA are in the California State University (CSU) system; the only non-CSU school is the University of California, San Diego.

NCAA Transition Timeline: A Three-Year Transition Process

With the successful application for NCAA Division II membership, CSUSM will now enter a minimum three-year transition period before earning full NCAA status. The Membership Committee annually determines if an institution should be moved forward into the next candidacy year, and it can require an institution to repeat a year if progress is not sufficient.

During year one, 2014-2015, the Cougars will remain in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.). During this time, the department will work towards meeting NCAA first-year requirements.

During year two, 2015-2016, CSUSM athletic schedules will begin to include CCAA members, but the Cougars will not be eligible for postseason competition.

During year three, 2016-2017, CSUSM will be granted provisional membership into NCAA Division II and continue to play a CCAA conference schedule, but will not be eligible to compete in NCAA DII postseason competition.

CSUSM will gain full NCAA Division II member status in the fall of 2017 and become eligible to compete in NCAA Division II postseason competition during the 2017-2018 academic year as long as all benchmarks are met during the transition process.

“The coaches are very excited not only about joining the NCAA but also the CCAA,” said Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach Steve Scott. “We will be able to establish rivalries with schools like UC San Diego and Cal Poly Pomona, which will create a lot of excitement amongst our community and  student body. It has been an unbelievable transformation from where we started from to where we are now.”

Advantages of joining the NCAA and CCAA Conference

Joining Division II cultivates local rivalries for the Cougars. CSUSM would become the third school to be affiliated with NCAA Division II in San Diego County – joining Point Loma Nazarene University and University of California San Diego.

In addition to athletic success, CSUSM student athletes also display academic success, or "Life in the Balance", a core initiative of the NCAA. Nearly 50% of CSUSM student athletics earned a 3.0 GPA or higher during the spring 2014 semester.

After acceptance, CSUSM would join the California Collegiate Athletics Association (CCAA). This local conference is made up of UCSD and 11 other CSU schools and is the winningest conference in the NCAA. CCAA members have brought home 152 NCAA championships, far more than any other Division II conference. 

Finally, joining the NCAA means home turf is coming for CSUSM's volleyball and basketball teams. By the time the Cougars earn full NCAA Division II status in 2017-18, CSUSM will have an on-campus multipurpose arena. The arena is slated for completion by fall 2016.

Cougar Athletics:  A Tradition of Success in the NAIA

The Cougar Athletics Program was established in 1998. After functioning as an independent squad with no conference affiliation from 1999-07, the Cougars have competed in the A.I.I. since the 2008-2009 academic year.

The Cougars have earned three NAIA national championships, three NAIA individual national championships, 209 NAIA All-America selections and 26 A.I.I. conference championships.

“The NAIA has been a wonderful home for us over the last 15 years,” said Milo. “However, we believe joining the CCAA where we will compete against our sister CSU institutions and UC San Diego is the best fit for our department and our University as a whole. President Haynes has been instrumental in this process, and we would not be where we are today without her consistent support of CSUSM Athletics and our goal of attaining NCAA DII status.”

The Cougar athletics program fields 14 intercollegiate sport teams: men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s track & field, women’s indoor track & field, softball and baseball.

CSUSM expects to be competitive on the field in NCAA Division II, and Cougar student-athletes will aim to continue the success in the classroom, as well. Nearly 50-percent (137/275) of CSUSM student-athletes earned a 3.0 GPA or better during the spring 2014 semester. Six had perfect 4.0’s, 50 were between 3.50-3.99 and 81 more had between a 3.00-3.49.

In addition, four CSUSM squads were selected as NAIA Scholar-Teams for holding cumulative GPA’s of 3.0 or higher during the 2013-14 school year.

"We've been after this for years!” exclaimed men’s soccer player Scott Rice. "By moving to Division II, it will allow us to play better competition and be a part of a conference, and I think every team can handle it. We are definitely ready. It’s a step forward for our school and I think being a part of the NCAA will help increase our school’s visibility. Being able to be a part of the NCAA DII transition process is truly special.”

Growing up in Southern California, Scott Rice fell in love with soccer at a young age. His knack for the sport and positive presence on the field were immediately felt on the CSUSM squad. As a freshman he was named MVP after leading the Cougars to their first conference title. In 2013 he was named NAIA All-American Honorable Mention and was one of the team's highest scoring athletes.

A business major, Scott is interested in a career in sports marketing but is also considering a professional career in soccer.

“It’s been tough because I’ve definitely had a lot of late nights studying or doing homework,” he said. “I’m working thirty-plus hours a week, and then I’m also playing soccer every single day and balancing 16 to 18 units every semester.”

One of NCAA Division II’s core initiatives is “Life in the Balance,” emphasizing the importance of balancing a student-athlete’s educational experience along with his or her athletic competition.

“This theme falls in line with CSUSM’s core value of developing the student component of the student-athlete,” said Director of Athletics Jennifer Milo, “We support our students’ academic pursuits because we realize that, for the majority of them, their future is dependent not on their athletic talent but on the college degree they are pursuing.”

Despite the demands on his time, Scott has maintained a 3.0 GPA in his last five semesters at CSUSM, and he isn’t alone. Nearly 50 percent of CSUSM student-athletes earned a 3.0 or better during the spring 2014 semester.

“Playing soccer here has helped me learn to multitask by focusing on school as well as soccer,” said Scott. “I’ve learned what it’s like to be a part of a team and something bigger than myself. I know that I’ll be able to advance to a career where I can work well with others and I’ll be able to balance everything that I need to do.”

Scholarships Support and the Cougar Athletic Club

As the 2013-2014 recipient of the Men’s Soccer Scholarship, Scott says a lot of stress has been alleviated, allowing him to focus on success in the classroom and on the field.

“Receiving financial aid was everything, honestly,” he said. “I don’t know if I would have been able to go to a four-year if it wasn’t for my scholarship. The fact that donors are able to help us—I thank them a lot.”

And that’s where the Cougar Athletics Club comes in. The Cougar Athletic Club is the primary fundraising arm of the Cal State San Marcos Athletics Department. Through the generosity of its members, the club is focused on providing the resources the University needs to enrich the lives of student-athletes through scholarships.

Last year, nearly 40 percent of CSUSM’s donors gave to Athletics. We invite you to join them – with one simple donation, you can help strengthen our growing athletics program, expand scholarship opportunities and ensure a winning future for student-athletes. Every gift makes a difference.

To learn more and give now, visit the Cougar Athletic Club webpage. 

Milo received a phone call from the NCAA DII Membership Committee informing her of the recommendation. The Membership Committee’s recommendation will be forwarded to the NCAA Division II Management Council, which will make a final decision on whether to accept or reject the committee’s recommendation by the end of the month.

If the recommendation is accepted later this month, CSUSM will begin a three-year transition process in order to become a fully-active NCAA Division II member.

“We have made it to the final step of the membership process,” said Milo. “We are optimistic that the NCAA Management Council will accept the Membership Committee’s recommendation.” 

CSUSM has been affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as an independent team since the athletics program was established in 1998. CSUSM joined the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) in 2008-09, a nationwide conference comprised of independent squads from across the country. 

The University submitted its application for NCAA Division II membership on February 1 with the goal of joining the NCAA and the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), a conference consisting of 12 public universities from across California. Eleven of the 12 institutions in the CCAA are in the California State University (CSU) system; the only non-CSU school is the University of California, San Diego.

If the NCAA DII Membership Committee’s recommendation is accepted by the NCAA Management Council, CSUSM would remain in the NAIA through the first year of the NCAA transition process (2014-15). During the second year of the candidacy period (2015-16), CSUSM athletic schedules would begin to include CCAA members, but the Cougars would not be eligible for postseason competition. During the 2016-17 academic year, CSUSM would be granted provisional membership into NCAA Division II and would continue to play a CCAA conference schedule, but would still not be able to compete in the NCAA DII postseason.

CSUSM would gain full NCAA Division II member status in the fall of 2017 and be eligible to compete in the NCAA DII postseason during the 2017-18 academic year.

The Cougar athletics program fields 14 intercollegiate sport teams: men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s track and field, women’s indoor track and field, softball and baseball. 

The campus visit is the next step on the road to the NCAA for Cougar Athletics. The University currently competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

The Alden and Associates, Inc. representative, contracted by the NCAA, will evaluate the University and its athletics program. During the visit, the representative will meet with President Haynes, Director of Athletics Jennifer Milo and administrators from Enrollment Management Services, as well as student-athletes, coaches and athletics staff. The evaluator will tour the campus and visit a number of buildings and departments.

"CSUSM Athletics is ready to take that next step in our competitive growth," said Milo. "Our coaches, staff and student-athletes have worked extremely hard to build a strong foundation that will give us the opportunity to have an immediate impact in the NCAA and the CCAA conference. We are ready."

If accepted, the transition to full Division II membership will take place over three years. The Cougars would start playing a Division II schedule in the fall of 2015, and would have postseason eligibility starting in the 2017-18 season.

Moving to the NCAA will enable the Cougars to join the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) conference and compete against 12 public universities in California, including 11 CSU schools and UC San Diego.

The Department of Athletics encourages the campus community to show their Cougar spirit on April 30 by proudly wearing CSUSM gear and sporting Cougar blue.

Join CSUSM on the road to the NCAA with the hashtag #ReadyforNCAA.