The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is a governing body for athletic programs at its nearly 300 colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada.The long-held mission of the NAIA is to promote the education and development of students through character driven intercollegiate athletics participation. 

Founded in 1937, the NAIA is a leader in the development of student-athletes and continues to be a pioneer in implementing exceptional standards for academics, diversity and character.Those standards are evident not only on the campuses of our member institutions, but in the competitive fields of our 23 national championships.

 

Today, the NAIA strengthens its commitment to student-athletes and strives to enrich their college experience by supporting academic achievement and character development.NAIA Champions of Character is an innovative outreach program designed to instill character values in student-athletes, coaches and youth in the communities we serve.

 

What is the Eligibility Center?

It's your starting point for your NAIA college sports experience!

·The NAIA has hundreds of campuses in the U.S. and Canada offering:

·Top-notch college sports for 60,000 athletes each year

·A shot at playing in one of the 23 national championships in 13 sports

·$450 million in financial aid

·A first-class education, with a personal touch - the hallmark of small-college campus life

For more information about the NAIA Eligibility Center view the following link:

http://www.playnaia.org/page/process.php

 

Milestones of NAIA progress

1937-James Naismith and others organize the associate that would later be renamed the NAIA.The association was organized around the men's tenuous national collegiate tournament in any sport.

1948-The association becomes the first national organization to offer intercollegiate post-season opportunities to black student-athletes.

1953-In an unprecedented move, the NAIA votes to include historically black institutions as members.

1957-The NAIA moves its headquarters from Pepperdine College in Los Angeles, California to Kansas City, Missouri.

1980-The NAIA revolutionizes national collegiate athletics with the establishment of national championship for women, including basketball, cross country, gymnastics, track and field, softball, tennis, and volleyball.

2000-The NAIA Champions of Character program is launched as a response to the deteriorating culture of sports in America, and gains nationwide acceptance by member colleges and universities.