FORT SMITH, Ark. – The University of Arkansas-Fort Smith’s pursuit of active NCAA Division II status is still on-going.
UA Fort Smith athletic director Dustin Smith was notified on Friday afternoon via a conference call with a spokesperson representing the Division II membership committee that the program’s request for active member status had initially been denied.
Smith said he was obviously disappointed in the committee’s initial decision, considering all indications leading up to Friday’s conference call were extremely favorable for approval of active member status.
The committee’s initial decision is not final. UA Fort Smith is currently in the process of filing an appeal with the membership committee in hopes that it will reverse its initial decision. Smith said that he is hopeful that once the program provides additional documentation and fully addresses the committee’s concerns that UA Fort Smith will be granted active membership status.
UA Fort Smith, which was a provisional NCAA member this past season, completed the three-year transition period on time and received high marks from the NCAA at each milestone of the process leading up to Friday’s decision.
Once the appeal is filed with the NCAA, the membership committee will review the appeal and render its final decision at a later date.