CIAA votes to readmit WSSU

By: John Dell | Winston-Salem Journal
Published: October 02, 2009

By John Dell
JOURNAL REPORTER
The welcome back mat is officially out for Winston-Salem State.
The board of directors of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association voted Friday afternoon, at its fall meeting in Cary, to allow WSSU back into the conference it left four years ago.
Last month, WSSU changed course in its transition to Division I and decided to stay in Division II. Chancellor Donald Reaves said at the time that the goal was to be re-admitted into the CIAA as soon as possible.
Jimmy R. Jenkins, the president of Livingstone College and the chairman of the CIAA board of directors, said that the vote was unanimous.
"The board did accept Winston-Salem State back into the CIAA, and they will be back in once they comply with all the conditions in the CIAA bylaws," Jenkins said.
Jenkins said that having WSSU back is a win-win situation because of its tradition.
"They have such a deep tradition in this conference going back to the days of the late Big House Gaines," Jenkins said. "And for t hem to come back into the CIAA, it's like a part of the family returning after being away for a little while."
The addition of WSSU gives the CIAA 13 schools.
WSSU, which competed in the CIAA from 1946 until 2005, could be eligible to compete for CIAA championships as early as next fall, based on compliance. WSSU will have to reduce scholarships in football and basketball to get to the Division II minimum to become eligible.
Leon Kerry, the commissioner of the CIAA, said that officials throughout the conference have been excited about WSSU's returning ever since the school announced that it wanted back in.
"We've been ecstatic about them coming back," Kerry said. "It's just the evolution of the conference, and this is part of that evolution."
Kerry said that WSSU will have to pay a fee to re-join. Lincoln (Pa.) paid $147,000 when it joined last year, and Kerry said that WSSU will likely have to pay between $147,000 and $150,000.
jdell@wsjournal.com
727-4081

CIAA votes to readmit WSSU

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