Centenary Board Votes to Reposition Centenary Athletics

SHREVEPORT, La.—The Centenary College Board of Trustees today voted to reposition Centenary athletics into Division III.

The vote follows a decision and subsequent directive by the Board of Trustees in its May 2008 meeting to leave the Division I Summit Conference and pursue other more geographically advantageous conferences. The College is scheduled to compete in the Summit League for two more years with no scholarship affected as a result of reclassification to Division III during the transition period.

"This is one part of an overall wide-ranging plan which will be implemented by incoming President Dr. David Rowe," said Ed Crawford, Board of Trustees Acting Chairman. "Centenary must and will restructure its overall strategy to achieve financial and academic stability. We on the Board look forward to working with President Rowe as he helps rebuild an even more firmly established Centenary College as a leading institution of higher education in the South and in the nation."

The outcome of today's vote by the Board of Trustees will reclassify the College into a division which better reflects the mission, education philosophy and financial structure of smaller liberal arts programs such as Centenary's. The vast majority of students and families that choose Centenary College do so because of its tradition and reputation for academic excellence.