The school's decision in 2005 to aim for a higher level of intercollegiate play has meant long road trips, bruising contests against bigger, richer opponents and many losing seasons.
But NCCU came a big step closer to the full realization of its ambitions last week when the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference announced that the school has been accepted into the conference as its 13th member.
The acceptance had been anticipated, but NCCU officials welcomed the official announcement, a key part of its move from Division II to Division 1. "It was the best news I've heard in a while," NCCU Athletic Director Ingrid Wicker-McCree said after Thursday's announcement of the conference's decision the day before.
It is a homecoming of sorts for the Eagles, who were among the seven schools that launched the MEAC in 1969. NCCU withdrew from the conference in 1979 to remain in Division II as other schools moved up to the higher classification.
MEAC Commissioner Dennis E. Thomas alluded to the school's legacy role Thursday, saying "we're happy to have them back." He praised the match between school and conference, saying "the support from the administration all the way down has been great. They have outstanding academics, which fits in terms of our institutions."
Conference membership, which will become effective for NCCU in the 2011-12 school year, will provide a full slate of games with conference rivals, most of whom, such as North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, are relatively short trips. That means fewer trips, sometimes cross-country, to find opponents for football and basketball games.
Conference membership also will mean the potential to share in revenue from the showcase Division 1 NCAA basketball tournament, depending on the conference's tournament performance.
State Rep. Mickey Michaux, a Durham Democrat and a member of NCCU's sports hall of fame, hailed the conference membership announcement Thursday.
"I think they'll come out great," Michaux said.
So do we. Congratulations, Eagles.
