William Jessup University, Rocklin, Calif., has been accepted to compete in NCAA Division II. The school’s athletics website calls the news “the most momentous in Jessup athletics’ history.” The Warriors will join the PacWest Conference next year.
The school becomes part of the NCAA immediately, but its teams will play out its 2023-24 season as part of the NAIA and Golden State Athletic Conference.
Conversations regarding a move to NCAA Division II began in fall 2019.
“The growth our university has experienced over the past 15 years since relocating to Rocklin is tremendous,” said Lance Von Vogt, Jessup’s vice president of athletics. “For Jessup athletics to be part of that journey and growth is something special. The move to NCAA indicates the maturity of our athletic program and quality of student-athletes.”
Jessup’s 16 varsity sports teams have qualified for 13 NAIA national tournament berths. Its STUNT squad has won two consecutive national championships.
Jessup now begins a three-year transition. During this school year, Warrior teams can compete in NAIA national championship events, but for the two years after that—its first two seasons competing at the NCAA Division II level—Jessup will be ineligible for DII national championships. However, Warrior squads still will be eligible to compete for National Christian College Athletic Association championships during those years.
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News Briefs
Visioneering Studios has launched a new website to equip, empower, and support campus pastors. The site, campuspastor.com, is a “comprehensive resource hub [offering] valuable insights, helpful articles, and inspiring content to enhance your campus ministry journey.”
The site will host a Campus Pastor Summit Jan. 30-31 at Compass Church Roanoke in Roanoke, Texas. The theme will be “True Grit: Boldly Fueling the Future.” Learn more at campuspastor.com. (Prices increase Sept. 8.)
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The Harding School of Theology in Memphis, Tenn., will close after this school year and operations will move to Harding University in Searcy, Ark. Also, starting in August 2024, Harding U. president Michael D. Williams announced, the cost of a credit hour will be reduced from $740 to $100 for all graduate programs in theology. The Christian Chronicle shared this news via its Facebook page.
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A celebration of life service for Lynn Laughlin, a fixture at Lincoln Christian University for 60-plus years, will take place at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 19 at Earl C. Hargrove Chapel at Open Arms Christian Fellowship in Lincoln, Ill. The service will be livestreamed at LCU’s website.
Laughlin died July 11 at age 81.
Laughlin served in many roles through the years at LCU: basketball and baseball coach, instructor, dean of men, director of recruitment, vice president of student development, vice president of alumni development, and special assistant to the president. A complete obituary is available here.
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The city of Lawrence, Kan., and Lawrence Heights Christian Church are teaming to provide an enclosed shower and laundry trailer for people who are homeless.
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Dr. Gene Nix, 84, professor emeritus of chemistry at Milligan University, where he taught for 50 years, died Aug. 1 in Johnson City, Tenn. Survivors include his wife, Ruth, to whom he was married for 60 years. A complete obituary is available here.
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Retired minister Doyle Spry preached July 16—the week of his 95th birthday—at Bethel Christian Church in Estill County, Ky., a church he served for 32 years. A writer for the Gazette-Mail recorded Spry’s words that day: “I’m not gonna let up, ease up, or shut up, until I’m taken up.” He concluded his sermon by saying, “Really and truly, I’m just getting warmed up!”
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