History

The NAIA’s roots date back to 1937 when Dr. James Naismith, the man who invented basketball, Emil S. Liston, Frank Cramer, and a group of Kansas City business leaders organized the first national college basketball tournament in Kansas City, MO. The original purpose of the tournament was to establish an infrastructure for smaller-sized institutions to crown a national champion, as well as provide local fans entertainment. One year later, the original 8-team bracket expanded to 32 teams, and in 1939, the first Parade of Champions was held to celebrate the teams competing for the national championship. The National Association for Intercollegiate Basketball (NAIB) was officially founded on March 10, 1940 in Kansas City.

It wasn't until 1952 that the NAIB became the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The newly-named organization adopted standards and regulations for its member institutions. Football was first introduced to the association as a championship event in 1956. A true national champion was crowned each season until 1970 when the association split football into two divisions. This divisional split grouped member institutions by enrollment size and crowned an annual champion for each division. The two divisions were consolidated in 1997 and NAIA football has remained unified since.

Membership

The association maintains the following standards for institutions that are considered active membership:

“Be a four-year college or university or an upper-level, two-year institution that awards a bachelor’s (baccalaureate) degree, or its equivalent.” [1]

“Be accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies (Association for Biblical Higher Education in Canada and the United States (ABHE); (Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MAS); New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE); New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE); North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission (NCAHLC); Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACS); Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS); Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Schools (WASC-ACS)), or be a member of Universities Canada.” [1]

“Sponsor and declare an intent to participate in NAIA approved postseason in a minimum of six NAIA championship sports no later than the beginning of the fourth full academic year of active NAIA membership.” [1]

“The institution must publish a statement recognizing the institution’s commitment to character-driven athletics and the five NAIA core values for character-driven athletics.” [1]

“Be reviewed for membership by the appropriate committee of an affiliated conference, with a recommendation submitted to the NAIA President/Chief Executive Officer for final action by the Council of Presidents.” [1]

The association also maintains standards for institutions that are not eligible for active membership but are qualified for associate membership:

“Associate Membership shall be accorded to four-year colleges and universities and upper-level, two-year institutions that award bachelor’s (baccalaureate) degree(s) but do not hold accreditation or membership in one of the bodies listed above, or to institutions that hold accreditation or membership in one of the bodies listed above but are classified as developing athletic programs, as defined by the Council of Presidents.” [1]

These institutions:

“Must be committed to the development of accredited baccalaureate program;” [1]

“Must achieve recognized accreditation status within a maximum period of six years after the date of acceptance of the institution by the NAIA as an associate member;” [1]

“Shall administer their athletics programs in compliance with the constitution, bylaws, and other legislation and policies of the Association;” [1]

“Shall publish a statement recognizing the institution’s commitment to character-driven athletics and the five NAIA core values for character-driven athletics;” [1]

“Shall not be eligible to compete in postseason competition, to serve on national committees or to vote on national issues. However, representatives of associate member institutions are encouraged to attend national meetings;” [1]

“Shall, when holding membership in an affiliated conference, count toward conference membership totals for determining whether the conference earns a single automatic qualification to the NAIA national competition in any sport for which the NAIA associate member has declared its intent to sponsor as a varsity intercollegiate sport. The institution shall also count toward any sport-specific minimum participant requirements for the applicable NAIA qualifying tournament. An associate member institution shall not count toward the conference membership total that enables the conference to earn multiple automatic qualifications to NAIA national competition;” [1]

“Must have been reviewed for associate membership by the appropriate committee of an affiliated conference, with a recommendation submitted to the NAIA President/Chief Executive Officer for final action by the Council of Presidents;” [1]

NAIA members are not prohibited from joining other governing bodies/organizations. Some compete in other organizations (e.g., the NCCAA) that provide supplemental postseason opportunities should they miss the NAIA’s.

Structure

The NAIA is organized solely by conferences, as there are no divisions, regions, or leagues.

Conferences

Every NAIA member is permitted, but not obligated, to join a conference of their choosing. The primary function of NAIA conferences is to schedule matchups for their members. NAIA conferences are hyper-regional, meaning members hail from just one or a few neighboring states. This setup offers several assurances for members. First and foremost, conference members consistently compete against each other, which often promotes sustainable regional rivalries. It also keeps transportation costs low, an essential for small schools with limited athletics budgets. Larger conferences sometimes elect to establish divisions to regionalize their members further. Organizations with this structure are granted two automatic bids to the postseason, one for each division crown. A minimum of six members is required for a conference to be automatically eligible for postseason play.

Teams who choose not to join a conference, or “Independents,” are solely responsible for scheduling their games annually. Despite not being in a conference, independents are still eligible for a berth in the postseason.

Governance

Authority

The NAIA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Organizations with this designation are tax-exempt, as outlined by 26 U.S. Code § 501 [8]:

“An organization described in subsection (c) or (d) or section 401(a) shall be exempt from taxation under this subtitle unless such exemption is denied under section 502 or 503.” [8]

“The following [exempt] organizations are referred to in subsection (a): Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.” [8]

The highest authority in the NAIA is the is the Council of Presidents:

“Reflecting national sentiment for a greater accountability within intercollegiate athletics, the Council of Presidents moved from an advisory capacity to active leadership on August 1, 1986.” [1]

“As the Association’s board of directors, the Council of Presidents assumed responsibility for all budget and fiscal matters, employment and supervision of the President/Chief Executive Officer and National Office staff, and for continuing to review, evaluate and strengthen academic standards.” [1]

“No policies and procedures exercised by the Council of Presidents shall conflict with established policies of the constituent assembly.” [1]

Structure

The Council of Presidents is comprised of executive officers from member institutions:

“The Council of Presidents shall be elected from institutional chief executive officers.” [1]

“The Council of Presidents is composed of conference representatives, representatives elected by independent institutions and members elected at-large. Two at-large positions will be designated for female and/or minority presidents.” [1]

As mentioned above, the Council supervises a President/Chief Executive Officer. The President/Chief Executive Officer’s role is outlined by the Bylaws [1]:

“The administrative authority of the Association is vested in the NAIA President/Chief Executive Officer. In the exercise of this authority, it shall be the duty of the NAIA President/Chief Executive Officer to seek the advice of appropriate councils and exercise best judgment in an earnest effort to promote the best interests of the NAIA.” [1]

“All executive powers not delegated to the Council of Presidents and not expressly or by implication denied the NAIA President/Chief Executive Officer may be exercised by that official, subject to the supervision of the Council of Presidents.” [1]

“The NAIA President/Chief Executive Officer may exercise any powers and perform any duties necessary and proper for carrying out programs and policies unless such responsibilities or duties have been expressly delegated to some other official or committee.” [1]

The President/Chief Executive Officer is also the head representative of the NAIA National Office. The National Office assists member institutions with operational functions and other administrative tasks:

“The NAIA maintains a national headquarters where the NAIA President/Chief Executive Officer and the National Office staff conduct the administrative and business affairs of the organization. The National Office staff, in addition to its other functions, assists the member institutions in any problems of scheduling, staff replacements, publicity or any other problems that may arise. Coordination of these many activities normally is accomplished from the National Office, as are administration, operation and supervision of all the organization’s national events.” [1]

The Council of Presidents oversees the National Coordinating Committee (NCC), which oversees three councils of its own. Authorities granted to the NCC include but are not limited too:

“Reviewing operational policies for approval or referral which were developed by the three councils. Those policies reserved in the Constitution and Bylaws to the Council of Presidents as the official governing body of the Association shall be excluded from this charge;” [1]

“Acting as the communications link between the National Administrative Council, the Council for Student-Athletes and the Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives;” [1]

“Acting on all requests for appeals arising from decisions of the National Eligibility Committee, the National Conduct and Ethics Committee, National Administrative Council, the Competitive Experience Committee, the Home School Committee, the NAIA Membership Committee, the National Drug Testing and Education Committee, and/or the Council of Faculty Athletics Representatives. The National Coordinating Committee’s decision on appeals is final, except for those decisions reserved for the Council of Presidents;” [1]

The chair of the NCC also serves on the Council of Presidents:

“The chair of the National Coordinating Committee shall also serve as an ex officio member of the Council of Presidents.” [1]

One of the three councils the NCC supervises is the National Administrative Council (NAC). The NAC’s primary functions include regulating conferences, scheduling, and the postseason. Authorities granted to the NAC include but are not limited too:

“Initiating operational policies for conference, independent and national competition, national statistical services, national awards and drug testing at national competition;” [1]

“Providing administrative supervision of all NAIA Coaches Associations, the Conduct and Ethics Committee, the National Drug Testing and Education Committee and those associations/committees assigned by them which deal with conference, independent and national competition;” [1]

“Annually reviewing and establishing the conference, independent and national qualification plans for postseason competition for all sports;” [1]

The chair of the NAC also serves on the Council of Presidents:

“The chair of the National Administrative Council shall serve as an ex officio member of the Council of Presidents.” [1]

Conferences are expected to enforce the rules set forth by the association. They are also granted the authority to enforce regulations of their own, so long as they do not conflict with the association’s:

“In cases where member institutions of non-affiliated conferences have conference standards that are less stringent than those of the NAIA, the institution must conform to the higher rules and standards of the NAIA.” [1]

The NAIA outlines how conferences should be chartered and structured in the Bylaws:

“The constitution or charter of an affiliated conference shall provide for a commissioner, eligibility chair, faculty athletics representative, registrar, information director and designate(s) for coordinator of officials.” [1]

A conference’s governing documents are expected to cover:

“Amendments to the constitution, bylaws and other governing documents; Budget approval and financial oversight; Employment and supervision of the conference commissioner; Conference membership; and Approval of the conference strategic plan.” [1]

The NAIA also mandates that each member institution’s chief executive officer controls and oversees the school’s athletics department:

“The control of athletics shall be the responsibility of the institution’s chief executive officer. No member institution shall participate in any athletics contest which is not under the direct control and supervision of the institution’s administration. The institution’s chief executive officer is encouraged to appoint a faculty athletics committee to act in an advisory capacity.” [1]

Scheduling

Regular Season

The National Administrative Council mandates teams play a minimum number of games each season to be eligible for the postseason:

“Institutions must play [8 games] against accredited, upper-level two-year, degree-granting institutions in the United States and/or Canada to be eligible for NAIA postseason competition.” [1]

The language of this regulation allows for teams to play eligible opponents (as described) outside the NAIA to satisfy the 8-game minimum. The following conditions must be met for a game to be considered countable:

“The institution must be accredited by one of the nationally recognized accrediting bodies in the U.S., or hold membership in the NAIA, Universities Canada, Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association, Canadian U Sports or the National Christian College Athletic Association.” [1]

“The institution must be a four-year (or upper-level two-year) degree-granting institution;” [1]

“The team must be a varsity program.” [1]

Thus, NAIA programs sometimes play opponents in the NCAA’s Division II, Division III, the NCCAA, USCAA, prep schools, and true independents (programs not associated with a governing body). Teams are typically able to play their minimum number of games (or more) against NAIA opponents, though. The maximum number of games a team can play before the postseason is 11.

Programs are permitted to schedule one scrimmage per season. A contest is considered a scrimmage when the following are true:

“The competition is not listed or is noted as a scrimmage on the institutional schedule; [1] ”

“No scores or statistics are reported by the NAIA institution(s).” [1]

Exhibition contests, on the other hand, are strictly prohibited (football only). A contest is considered an exhibition when it possesses the following traits:

“The competition does not meet the definition of a scrimmage pursuant to Article V, Section B, Item 19 of the NAIA Bylaws;” [1]

“The competition is noted as an Exhibition on the institutional schedule;” [1]

“The competition is against a Non-NAIA opponent.” [1]

Despite providing guidance and enforcing related legislation, the NAIA does not perform the actual function of scheduling; rather, this responsibility is deferred to conferences, their member institutions, and independents. Conferences typically schedule a fixed number of matchups between their members, ensuring each team plays the same number of conference opponents. Member institutions of an NAIA-affiliated conference are required to play a minimum number of games against other conference members:

“The conference members must play an intra-conference round robin schedule if consisting of less than 10 members and conference members of 10 or greater must play at least seven intraconference games, and have a written charter/constitution on file with the NAIA Department of Championships;” [1]

How a conference schedules its members is determined internally. The Sun Conference, for example, outlines scheduling procedures in their Bylaws [4]:

“Regular season schedules are under the charge of the Scheduling Committee consisting of three SUN Athletic Directors. Post-season plans must be submitted by the sport chairs to the COAD for approval.” [4]

“The conference commissioner is required to distribute the approved conference schedule 12-months in advance for all sports.” [4]

The remainder of a team’s schedule is open-ended. A team can fill it with opponents outside their conference or designate any remaining conference opponents as “non-conference.” As implied, independents are solely responsible for scheduling their games in a given season.

Postseason

Postseason play, highlighted by the Football Championship Series, begins after the regular season has concluded.

Football Championship Series

The NAIA Football National Selection Committee (NSC) is responsible for selecting, seeding, and pairing teams in the Football Championship Series (FCS):

“All teams and game sites shall be confirmed by a nine-member Football Selection Committee comprised of one representative from each of the four Area Ranking Committees (ARCs), designated as the ARC Chair; The Football NAC Sport Liaison; An Executive Committee officer or Past President of the NAIA Football Coaches Association; Three at-large members connected with NAIA Football, but not currently a head coach.” [5]

Conferences are grouped into NAIA Football Areas, established by Area Ranking Committees (ARCs). ARCs consist of local raters from each conference and an at-large representative from the NSC. The four geographic ARCs are as follows:

• ARC 1 – Frontier Conference, North Star Athletic Association, Sooner Athletic Conference
• ARC 2 – Heart of America Athletic Conference, Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference
• ARC 3 – Great Plains Athletic Conference, Mid-States Football Association
• ARC 4 – Mid-South Conference, The Sun Conference, Appalachian Conference, *Independents (*Independent institutions will not have a representative on the ARC)

The primary role of ARC representatives is to evaluate and rank teams throughout the season. The Top-8 rankings from each ARC are released twice before the FCS field is set. Representatives are also subject to internal procedures regarding meetings, calls, etc. The roles of NSC representatives are outlined in the Football Championship Manual [5]:

• Have oversight for NAIA Football Championship Series
• Serve as at-large representative of an ARC
• Evaluate teams throughout the season
• Participate in the at-large selection and seeding of teams

They are also subject to internal procedures regarding meetings, calls, etc. The purpose and roles of at-large representatives appointed to the NSC are also outlined in the FCS Manual:

“The rationale for NSC At-Large members in the selection process is to cultivate individuals on the NSC who incorporate abroad view involving multiple ARC’s and consider all potentially eligible sport playing institutions.” [5]

“Sport personnel tasked with appointing NSC At-Large members should strive to incorporate non-coaching personnel to the role.” [5]

“NSC At-Large member affiliation with an out-of-area ARC is designed to create comprehension and appreciation for another ARC(s).” [5]

“NSC At-Large members are tasked with protecting the validity of the selection committee process. To that end, NSC At-Large members: Should not be involved with ARC’s in which they are employed as an administrator, coach, or other role, Maintain neutrality as non-voting members of assigned ARC’s, Act in the role of guide to members of their assigned ARC, Insist on evaluation of ARC teams based on the selection criteria as defined in sport NSC Handbooks, Create an atmosphere of transparency from NSC to ARC and vice-versa.” [5]

The criteria used by the NSC for both at-large selection and seeding are grouped into three categories. The Criteria are as follows (Note: No particular order or weight is given to Primary or Secondary Criteria):

• Primary Criteria
• Overall Record/Winning Percentage
• Record vs. Top-10/Opponent in Coaches Rating
• Record vs. Top-25/Opponent in Coaches Rating
• Record vs. RV/Opponent in Coaches Rating
• Record Outside of Top-25
• Area Rating
• Analytic – Average of Two Online Metric Rating Systems
• Steve Pugh – Versus Team Rankings and Peter R. Wolfe Ratings
• Secondary Criteria
• Conference Record
• Competition Level/Results vs. Non-NAIA Opponents
• Coaches Ranking
• Opponents’ Record
• Head-to-Head
• Additional Information For Consideration
• Team Schedule
• Home/Away/Neutral Records
• Score
• Opponents
• Common Opponents
• Injury Status – Players out in key games, etc.
• Weather-Related Outcomes

The process for selecting and seeding teams is outlined for the NSC:

• Automatic qualifiers will be determined first, followed by at-large selections
• For at-large consideration, teams must be ranked in the Top-25 of the final regular-season NAIA Coaches Rating
• At no point in the process may a NSC member vote for a team that he/she represents as an athletic administrator or coach.
• A NSC member from a conference office may vote for all teams that he/she represents
• All votes will be by confidential ballot
• All committee meeting discussions, votes, selections, seeding and pairings are strictly confidential and should not be shared with anyone outside of the NSC until after the FCS selections have been announced by NAIA
• The goal of the NSC is to select the best available teams for the at-large spots
• There is no limit on the number of teams the committee may select from one conference or Area
• A committee member whose team is under focused consideration may present objective data about his/her team, but may not participate in votes regarding a team that he/she represents as a coach or athletic administrator
• A 2/3 threshold of voters is required to move a team to the seeding pool

The procedures for selecting at-large teams are also described:

• Prior to the selection meeting, committee members shall ensure the ARC Chairs have a finalized Top-8 ranking of teams in each ARC.
• A total of 32 teams (eight from each ARC) will be presented for consideration to the NSC.
• The automatic qualifiers will be identified and moved to the seeding pool.
• At-Large Nomination Pool
• Teams remaining on each of the ARC Top-8 lists and ranked in the Top-25 of the final regular-season NAIA Coaches poll are eligible for nomination to the at-large pool.
• From At-Large to Seeding Pool
• All teams in the at-large pool will be considered for the remaining berths and each committee member shall vote in a round-by-round manner on a singular team for inclusion in the seeding pool.
• Each committee member shall have the freedom to present information on behalf of teams from the at-large pool for inclusion in the seeding pool.
• The committee will fill the remaining at-large berths as follows –
• An initial ballot will be conducted in which NSC members rank the possible at-large teams under consideration. A point value would be given to the ranking with the top team receiving a number of points equal to the number of teams being considered and each team thereafter would be given points in descending order.
• Following further committee discussion of teams, a single vote (Yes or No) for a singular team will be called for by the NSC Chair.
• The NSC Chair may call for a vote for –
• Inclusion of a team in the seeding pool
• Exclusion of a team from the at-large pool
• A call for a single (Yes or No vote) will be repeated with each eligible committee member voting for inclusion or exclusion of a singular team until all at-large berths are filled in the seeding pool.
• Whenever a consensus cannot be reached, the NSC Chair may call for a poll vote. During poll votes a 2/3 threshold of votes is not required and a simple majority will determine the team for inclusion in the seeding pool.

Once all 20 qualifying teams have been selected, the NSC is in charge of seeding them:

• Teams are seeded 1-20.
• Teams ranked 1- 6 in the final regular-season NAIA Coaches Rating will be seeded in the order of the rating finish.
• The committee shall use the same criteria for selection to the seeding poll for the seeding and pairings of all teams in the Football Championship Series.
• An initial ballot will be conducted in which committee members rank the remaining teams in the seeding pool. A point value would be given to the ranking with the top team receiving a number of points equal to the number of teams being considered and each team thereafter would be give points in descending order.
• Teams to be seeded 7-12 will be discussed and voted in the same manner. Teams receiving a 2/3 threshold of votes for a particular seed will be seeded in that slot.
• Teams 13-20 will be seeded via a single ballot.
• Ties will be broken with a simple majority vote of the committee.
• Whenever a consensus cannot be reached, the NSC Chair may call for a poll vote. During poll votes, 2/3 threshold of votes are not required and a simple majority will determine the team for inclusion in the seeding pool.

The First Round pits seeds 13-20 against each other (12 vs. 20, 14 vs. 19, etc.) at each higher seed’s host venue. Each victor advances to the Second Round to compete among the remaining 16 seeds. Winners advance to the Quarterfinals and then to the Semifinals. Unlike the earlier rounds, the National Championship is played at a neutral site and broadcast on a network(s) of the NAIA’s choosing. The victor of this matchup is crowned the NAIA Football Championship Series National Champion.

Media Rights

Conferences and members (whether conference-affiliated or not) control their media rights arrangements. Conferences can, but are not required to, provide a media and broadcasting infrastructure for their members.

Most broadcast games on a custom-built conference network. These networks are typically powered by industry-standard streaming platforms (e.g., HudlTV) and also allow institutions to enable a subscription service (i.e. a paywall) to generate additional revenue from viewership, should they choose. Conferences can also air games on a general streaming platform (e.g., YouTube) exclusively or in addition to another service.

The vast majority of NAIA programs make their broadcasts available to the public at no cost. This is valuable to them and the association because it allows distant fans to stay engaged while exposing the programs to larger, emerging audiences. Instead of using a paywall, institutions can earn additional revenue from broadcasts with advertising.

Postseason participants may become subject to a new set of broadcasting agreements that take precedence over existing ones.

Recruitment

Coaches, staff, and all other agents of an NAIA institution (representatives) are permitted to recruit any eligible prospective student-athlete in the country. An eligible prospect is not enrolled, is not undergraduate degree-seeking, and is not athletically active at an NAIA institution. Eligible student-athletes include those at high schools, non-NAIA four-year institutions, two-year institutions (after completing their first concurring athletic season and academic year), and even graduate schools. Exceptions to this rule include any NAIA student-athlete who has not partaken in athletic activities for at least 12 months or any student-athlete at an NAIA institution who has a signed release/other documentation indicating his intentions to be recruited.

The NAIA prides itself on its unique approach to recruiting, which is headlined by the lack of a recruiting “calendar” or “periods.” Representatives are free to contact prospective student-athletes as frequently as they like and are permitted to visit them off-campus. Few restrictions are placed on representatives and student-athletes in the hopes of fostering genuine, personal relationships:

“The NAIA has no recruiting calendar. Students and coaches can communicate year-round. There is also no limit to the number of communications or how the communication takes place. The student’s family and the coach set the terms for communicating – not the NAIA.” [6]

“Students are permitted two days of try-outs at each NAIA member school. The two days do not have to be consecutive, and the student may be provided lodging, meals, etc. if the same would be provided to non-athletes trying out for other programs at the school.” [6]

Compensation For Athletes

Scholarships

Current/prospective student-athletes of an NAIA institution can receive athletic scholarships. The aid must be distributed through the financial aid office and can exclusively cover the costs of:

“Tuition; Mandatory fees, books, and supplies required for courses in which the student-athlete is enrolled; and Board and room for the student-athlete only, based on the official board and room allowance listed in the official institutional publication.” [1]

Student-athletes can receive additional financial aid from an institution as long as the entire student body is also eligible. An athlete can also receive various forms of aid from the institution itself, institutional representatives, and any other person as outlined below:

“A prospective or enrolled student-athlete may receive benefits from other individuals, including but not limited to institutional and club coaches, faculty members and friends. Such individuals may provide occasional meals, transportation, entertainment, gifts or personal fundraisers. Benefits received unrelated to athletics or status as a student-athlete are permissible. Providing cash or preloaded debit cards is strictly prohibited. Ultimate responsibility for applying this regulation rests with the institution.” [1]

Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL)

With the passing of landmark legislation in 2020, the NAIA became the first governing body in the country to permit student-athletes to profit off their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). Student-athletes are permitted to engage in:

“Receiving compensation for use of name, image or likeness to promote any commercial product or enterprise, or public or media appearance. It is the responsibility of the student-athlete to notify their institution’s athletics director in writing of any compensation the student receives from the use of their name, image or likeness in relation to their school or status as a student-athlete.” [1]

This legislation works in conjunction with the pre-existing structure for financial compensation. Athletes cannot receive compensation conditionally based on their performance or designated as employees of their school such that they operate within a “pay-for-play” environment.

References

1. NAIA Handbook (2024-2025)
2. Through the Decades
3. COP Members
4. The Sun Conference Bylaws and Administrative Policies (2023-2024)
5. Football Championship Series Manual
6. Recruiting
7. NAIA Passes Landmark Name, Image and Likeness Legislation (October 6, 2020)
8. United States Code