BATESVILLE, Ark. - Lyon College is entering a new era in athletics; they will officially be a member of the NCAA as a Division III program starting Sep. 1.

The decision to join the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) marks the end of the college’s time in the NAIA and the start of a new era of school pride on campus. "It gives them more opportunity to succeed,” Luke Beeser, a sophomore at Lyon’s College, said. “I think it's going to give them a lot more encouragement that what they're doing matters."

Discussions to become a member of the NCAA were years in the making. Back in 2021, Athletic Director Kevin Jenkins brought the idea of seeking membership status to President Dr. Melissa Taverner. For Jenkins, the timing felt right after evaluating the school’s academic grow

See Full Page