Middle Georgia State University’s athletics program to shift from NAIA to NCAA Division II

The expected date of MGA's move is Fall of 2025.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — After conducting over two years of research on feasibility, Middle Georgia State University has received approval from the University System of Georgia’s Board of Regents to move its athletic programs from the NAIA to Division II of the NCAA.

“We continue to grow and add programs academically, and we’re the only state university within the USG that’s not in the NCAA. So we feel this is a perfect place for us to be,” said Rick Devens, MGA’s communications director.

The goal is to have the Knights join the Peach Belt Conference within the next three years.

“So if everything goes according to plan, and we have a lot of, you know, check-in points along the way with the USG, we hope that we’ll be able to start competing in Division II in the Fall of 2025,” said Devens. “Big deal for our student-athletes because we also think it’ll boost rivalries and geographic rivalries.”

In addition to the conference change, MGA must add women’s track and field, distance events only, to comply with Title IX. But before MGA continues to make these changes, they first need to hire a new athletic director who can take charge of the process.

“I think now we just need to make sure that we’re crossing out t’s and dotting our I’s, and that’s going to be so much of this new athletic director we bring in. So we feel like we’re in a really good position to continue to grow our athletic programs alongside our academics,” said Devens.