Fort Worth - Texas Wesleyan University Athletic Director Terry Waldrop announced today that the University’s athletic teams were officially reinstated into active status in the NAIA, and all will be eligible for NAIA-sanctioned post-season play during the 2002-2003 school year.

Although it is customary for any school joining the NAIA to wait one year for postseason eligibility, the NAIA Council of Presidents met in Kansas City over the weekend and voted to grant Wesleyan’s request for reinstatement to the organization based on long-time membership in good-standing, and on the recommendation of the Red River Conference, Region VI, and the Regional Management Committee. Texas Wesleyan becomes the first such former NAIA member to be readmitted using the reinstatement format.

“We are very pleased to once again be full-fledged members of the NAIA and the Red River Conference,” said Waldrop. “The Council of Presidents’ vote on Saturday was the final step in the process to return Texas Wesleyan to our historical roots.”

“This was a very intense process and could not have been accomplished without the assistance of numerous people both on and off our campus. We look forward to a permanent relationship with the NAIA, and, under the leadership of Dr. Jeffcoat, are committed to having our student-athletes continue to excel in the classroom and on the playing fields.”

Wesleyan sponsors NAIA-sanctioned teams in men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s soccer, and men’s golf. This past season, the men’s basketball team reached the elite eight round of the USCAA national championship tournament in Detroit, the softball team placed fourth in the USCAA national championship tournament in La Grange, Georgia. As members of the NAIA, Wesleyan has won five national golf titles and had two second place finishes in volleyball.