The Presidents Council of the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) proudly announced Monday the addition of Southern Virginia University as full members of the conference, beginning July 1, 2013.

Southern Virginia, which received notification last week of its approved regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), will join the CAC as a full member at the same time as Christopher Newport University, which announced its membership intentions in April. Southern Virginia also anticipates being promoted by the NCAA Division III Membership Committee from its current exploratory year to Division III Provisional Membership status later this summer.

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SVU announcement of CAC membership

SVU announcement regarding NCAA approval of Div. III Provisional status

"The Capital Athletic Conference has demonstrated its competitiveness and high academic standards for student athletes over many years. We are pleased to welcome two new members, who increase our geographic scope, diversity, and stature in NCAA Division III," said Dr. George Waldner, President of York College of Pa. and Chair of the CAC Presidents Council.

The CAC will have seven full member institutions in the 2012-13 academic year. The additions of CNU and Southern Virginia will increase membership to nine for the 2013-14 academic year, joining Frostburg State (Md.) University, Marymount (Va.) University, the University of Mary Washington (Va.), Salisbury (Md.) University, St. Mary’s College of Md., Wesley College (Del.) and York College of Pa.

CNU will be immediately eligible for conference championships and NCAA Division III Tournament opportunities. Southern Virginia will become eligible to compete in CAC playoffs during its third year of NCAA Division III Provisional Membership in 2014-15 - one year after joining the conference.

"The Capital Athletic Conference continues to get stronger and stronger with the addition of Southern Virginia and the recent addition of Christopher Newport," said Commissioner Tom Byrnes. "The best of the CAC successfully competes on the national level, demonstrated by three CAC schools recently ranking in the Top 100 in the 2011-12 Learfield Directors Cup standings. These two new members will strengthen an already formidable athletic conference."

Southern Virginia does not have a conference affiliation, but competes in National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) events for national recognition.

The Capital Athletic Conference, which recently completed its 22nd championship season as an all-sports conference, is a coalition of four-year, co-educational institutions promoting intercollegiate athletic competition among schools located in close geographic proximity that have similar educational and athletic philosophies.

The CAC strives to develop a harmony of good feeling and a spirit of competitive sportsmanship, fellowship, and uniformity of practice among member institutions. Conference members are required to operate their intercollegiate athletic programs under the highest ethical standards and to maintain a program consistent with the overall educational philosophy of the member institutions.