MONTGOMERY, Ala. ----- Auburn University at Montgomery moved one step closer to full NCAA Division II membership Friday, when it was approved to advance to year two of the three-year membership process.
 
AUM received notification from the NCAA Division II Membership Committee that the program successfully completed provisional year one in 2016-17 and was permitted to begin its second year of the membership process this fall.
 
"This is an exciting time for AUM athletics," AUM Chancellor Carl A. Stockton said. "I want to applaud our athletics staff and coaches, as well as the members of our campus community who have supported this university-wide effort.  I look forward to making continued-progress towards full membership."
 
During provisional year two, the Warhawks will compete as a provisional member of the Gulf South Conference, but will not be eligible to participate in conference or NCAA postseason events. If all benchmarks are completed during the next year, AUM will move to the final provisional year in 2018-19, with its first full year of Division II membership and postseason eligibility being during the 2019-20 season.
 
"The NCAA Division II transition has been a journey and will continue to be one as we work through years two and three to active membership," AUM Director of Athletics Jessie Rosa said. "I am so proud of our the effort and commitment our coaches and staff made to ensure their sport and support programs are run in such a way that positions us as model DII athletic program. I want to specifically thank Assistant Athletics Director Andree Houston for her personal efforts throughout this process to meet the heavy demands on her leadership in compliance. This is a great day not only for AUM Athletics, but for our institution as a whole."

The NCAA II Management Council also approved five institutions – Cal State San Marcos, Concordia (Calif.), Concordia Portland, Embry-Riddle (Fla.) and Oklahoma Baptist - into active Division II membership after the schools completed the required process. Westminster (Utah) advanced to its final year of the membership process, while Biola (Calif.), Davenport (Mich.) and Purdue Northwest (Ind.) will join AUM in year two of the process.  

About NCAA Division II
NCAA Division II is one of the three membership divisions at the National Collegiate Athletic Association, an organization comprising more than 1,200 institutions, conferences and affiliated organizations. Division II is a group of more than 300 colleges and universities that serve almost 90,000 student-athletes nationwide. Division II provides student-athletes the opportunity to compete at a high level of scholarship athletics while excelling in the classroom and fully engaging in the broader campus experience. This balance, in which student-athletes are recognized for their academic success, athletics contributions and campus/community involvement, is at the heart of the Division II philosophy.
 
About Auburn University at Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery has been ranked among the South's top universities by U.S. News and World Report, and The Princeton Review counts the university among the best colleges in the Southeast. AUM is designated as a Military Friendly School, and is consistently chosen as the best university in the area. AUM provides students with detailed knowledge and hands-on, practical experience — often from professionals in the field — across its more than 90 academic programs offered through its five colleges: College of Business, College of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and College of Public Policy and Justice. For more information, visit www.aum.edu.