SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos Department of Athletics applied for membership to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II.

Upon acceptance, the Cougars will join the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), an NCAA DII conference comprised of 12 public universities in California. 11 of the 12 institutions in the CCAA are in the CSU system; the only non-CSU school is UC San Diego.

CSUSM currently competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) as a member of the Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.).

"CSUSM Athletics is ready to take that next competitive step in the Department's growth. That next step for us is becoming a part of the NCAA as a Division II member," said CSUSM Director of Athletics Jennifer Milo. "Our coaches, staff and student-athletes have worked extremely hard to build a strong foundation that will give us the opportunity to have an immediate impact in the NCAA and the CCAA. We are ready to take the next step."

CSUSM will know of the NCAA's decision by mid-July. If accepted, the transition to full Division II membership will be three years. CSUSM's athletic program would remain in the NAIA as a member of the A.I.I. through the first year of the transition process (2014-15), and over the next two years (2015-16 and 2016-17) complete the additional NCAA requirements to become a full NCAA DII member in the 2017-18 academic year. The Cougars would play a Division II schedule in 2015-16 and 2016-17, but would not be eligible to compete in the postseason. The first season the Cougars would be eligible for NCAA DII postseason would be 2017-18.

The application for NCAA Division II was submitted on February 1.