Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will join the NCAA, helping recruiting efforts at the Daytona Beach campus. The school joins the “The Sunshine State Conference” made up of other Florida schools like Rollins College and Florida Tech.
The private university’s 22 sports teams will compete as a member of the NCAA’s Division II, including four new sports this season like men and women’s lacrosse. The added sports will increase the school’s enrollment.
“With those new sports that we’re adding, we’re going to add about 100 new student athletes," said Embry-Riddle’s Athletic direct John Phillips. "Come this fall we’ll be rapidly approaching 400 student athletes in total.”
Phillips said the NCAA designation helps recruiting efforts include diversifying the student body. “Our female enrollment at the university overall is about 20 percent, so we’re about 4 to 1 male to female. But in our athletic programs, 43 percent of our student athletes are female.”
Embry-Riddle’s first NCAA contest, a men's soccer match at home, is scheduled for August 31.
