Middle Georgia State’s athletic teams have been accepted into the NCAA and Division II. The athletic department’s membership process will begin this fall, and the teams will be joining the Peach Belt Conference, which is also home to Georgia College.
“This is a historic and transformational time for Middle Georgia State University,” Middle Georgia State president Christopher Blake said in a statement. “Joining NCAA Division II will align our athletics program with our broader mission as a state university committed to academic excellence, student success and regional engagement. This move strengthens our institutional identity, enriches student experiences and builds pride in the success of Knights athletics.”
Middle Georgia State will begin competing in September as a provisional member of the NCAA’s Division II and a full member of the Peach Belt Conference. The other Georgia members of the conference are Augusta, Clayton State, Columbus State, Georgia Southwestern and North Georgia.
“One of the most exciting results of this move will be our ability to build strong rivalries with nearby schools,” athletic director Michael Brown said. “Half a dozen members of the Peach Belt Conference are University System of Georgia institutions, and others are relatively short distances away in South Carolina and Florida. I’m grateful to the NCAA and the conference for their confidence, and I look forward to the opportunities this brings us, not just for athletics but for our entire university community and the region.”
The transition to becoming a full member in Division II will be completed during the 2028-29 school year, including full postseason eligibility that year.
Middle Georgia State has been a member of the NAIA since 2014, fielding teams in 10 sports: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, softball, women’s volleyball and women’s cross country. It will add women’s track in January.