NORTH GEORGIA GETS ITS WAIVER

Officials with the North Georgia College & State University athletic department received some good news, as the NCAA announced that it has granted a waiver to the third-year Peach Belt Conference school, making them full, official members of the Division II ranks.

That means the Saints and Lady Saints will be eligible to compete for automatic bids to NCAA tournaments, effective with the upcoming soccer seasons in 2007.

Article courtesy of the Peach Belt Conference.

Analysis: The decision by the NCAA to allow North Georgia to become a full D-II member comes as no surprise, as the Dahlonega, Ga.-based institution has proven that it can compete with anybody in the Peach Belt Conference, as well as the nation. The timing of the move is especially critical, with the departure of the University of South Carolina-Upstate to the NCAA Division I ranks. The move now gives the PBC 11 schools for the 2007-08 academic year, with only Georgia Southwestern State University still on provisional status.