Atlanta Christian/Point University Joins AAC

May 9, 2011

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced at its annual convention that Atlanta Christian College, which will become Point University on July 1, is one of its four newest members.

"On behalf of the NAIA, our member institutions and conferences, I welcome these four institutions and look forward to a long partnership to advance character-driven intercollegiate athletics," said Jim Carr, NAIA President and CEO. "These institutions are committed to providing meaningfully unique experiences for student-athletes."

"The NAIA is a great fit for our university," said Dean Collins, president of Point University. "I'm confident that the culture of the NAIA and the level of competitive play are perfect for our student-athletes."

This fall, Point University's baseball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, and softball teams will compete at the NAIA level. Other teams will move to the NAIA level in fall 2012, when the university also plans to add five new sports.

Point University has also been invited to join the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC), which includes eight other NAIA-member institutions.

"We are delighted to welcome Point University to the AAC! Our presidents were impressed with the college's plans for expansion on their new campus in West Point, Ga., next year," said John Sullivan, commissioner of the AAC. "We believe they bring a very compatible culture to the Conference, and that their teams will compete well. We are focused on developing character through intercollegiate athletics and we see that same focus at Point. We look forward to a long and productive relationship."

"This is an exciting time for students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters of Point University athletics," said Kevin Porter, athletic director and head football coach. "The NAIA and AAC's missions of focusing on character-driven colleges and universities are a perfect fit academically and athletically, and we are very proud to have been accepted to both."

The NAIA approved four new member institutions at its 70th annual conference in Kansas City, Mo., late last month. A leader in the development of student-athletes, the NAIA is committed to changing the culture of sport through Champions of Character. Founded in 1937, the NAIA continues to be a pioneer in implementing exceptional standards for academics, diversity and character. Today, the NAIA sponsors 23 collegiate championships in 13 sports for its nearly 300 member institutions throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more about the NAIA, visit www.NAIA.org.

For more information about the transition to Point University, visit www.PointUniversity.org.