Drew Maddox, former head football coach at Louisiana Christen, posted on twitter today that he is the new head football coach at John Melvin University. It was said earlier this fall John Melvin was dropping football, now that doesn't appear to be true. I am so confused. John Melvin got TRACS accreditation and is deemed countable by NAIA. My assumption is they will apply to join the NAIA this spring now that they are accredited and be either an Independent or join the Sooner Athletic Conference. ( I have verified this with absolutely no one, just my gut feeling.)

As an aside, the former head coach at John Melvin was Don Lee, who spent time in the NAIA at Belhaven, Cumberlands, Olivet Nazarene and Cumberland (TN).

Ok, I received a message with some clarification. . .which I'm not sure helps the situation?

"Hi just wanted to clarify what's going on & share some information. I saw that you were confused about what's going on. John Melvin University (Crowley,Louisiana) will not be fielding a football team this season. The Board of Directors decided not move forward with football. The hope is to return in 2026 once they get Financial Aid. John Melvin Christian College which is the under the umbrella of John Melvin University is located in Pensacola Florida and they will be fielding a team this season. That's where Coach Maddox will be Coaching."

John Melvin won't have football, but John Melvin will have football. Got it. Different campus, just starting, in Florida. . .

Anyone else seen this movie before?

Let's hope it won't turn into one of those putrid or convoluted stories similarly a la Bishop Sycamore.

he hope is to return in 2026 once they get Financial Aid.

Posted by: @jlog3000

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Let's hope it won't turn into one of those putrid or convoluted stories similarly a la Bishop Sycamore.

The head coach is legit. Maddox did a great job at LCU. Like many, I'm a little wary of all the other circumstances. 

Posted by: @jasondannelly

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Posted by: @jlog3000

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Let's hope it won't turn into one of those putrid or convoluted stories similarly a la Bishop Sycamore.

The head coach is legit. Maddox did a great job at LCU. Like many, I'm a little wary of all the other circumstances. 

 

I'm not discrediting about the coach. I was referring to the part of the school itself. Hence my point in my prior post, which I still stand by.

John Melvin needs to get everything in order before applying for NAIA, and then restart their football program. I am wondering if the Florida school will also get accreditation to join the NAIA as well? Both schools with football could bring football schools up. 

Nevada State U announced starting athletics with a grant from the Raiders to start women flag football and men track. 

This 7k enrollment has been long rumored candidate, but NV had previously prohibited students activity fees from non DI.

I thought I added it here but I added to another forum and nobody added it here yet so: NAIA approved two new members a few weeks ago, to join in the fall of 2025: Hesston College and Stanton University 

Hesston College is a private institution in Hesston, Kansas, that is transitioning from a two-year to a four-year college.  Hesston currently competes in NJCAA, Hesston offers 13 sports and will join the Continental Athletic Conference. Hesston was also approved to join NCCAA and will hold dual-membership between NCCAA and NAIA.

And Stanton University in Anaheim, California is a private, four-year institution established in 1996. Currently it is a member of the USCAA, Stanton offers seven sports programs. Stanton will join the California Pacific Conference as it was previously announced by Cal Pac.

Source:  https://www.naia.org/general/2024-25/Releases/NAIA_Welcomes_Two_New_Members

Could it be possible?  Gardner Webb dropping from D1 to the NAIA?

https://x.com/KcSmurthwaite/status/1919765882836033783/photo/1

Oops. Looks like a lot of posts went missing. My last post mentioned that Andrew College is going from a 2 year to a 4 year private college, and seemed to be heading to NAIA soon. They are located in Georgia.

Gordon State is rumored to be going 4 year route like Abraham Baldwin in Georgia, and what is listed on the new conference website for the USCAA for an all sports conference and they listed on the website that Gordon State NJCAA school and Clayton State NCAA D2 school are elevating their club football to something bigger. Sounds like new football programs coming. Clayton State would become an affiliate for GSC.

Any timeframe on whether the school will be ready to move into the NAIA? Because that school would fit on either the AAC (a.k.a. Appalachian) or the SSAC or The Sun (majority of FL schools with a few GA schools), or become an indy within the Continental.

Off-topic, but is Gordon State currently in the USCAA? Also, which athletic conferences are associated within that college sports organization? Because as of this moment so far, the Highlanders are currently in the GCAA of the NJCAA.

@jlog3000 No, Gordon State is not listed as an USCAA member in 2025-26...Source: https://theuscaa.com/Members/index

There are a few conferences that all teams are USCAA members like:

Posted by: @luks25

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@jlog3000 No, Gordon State is not listed as an USCAA member in 2025-26...Source: https://theuscaa.com/Members/index

There are a few conferences that all teams are USCAA members like:

Eastern States Athletic Conference (ESAC), North American Conference for Intercollegiate Athletics (NACIA), Ohio Midland Athletic Conference (OMAC), Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) and Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC)...Source: https://theuscaa.com/Members/Conferences_Page

 

And there is also New South Athletic Conference (NSAC), an independent conference in the Southeast that several members of NSAC are USCAA members (but not all of them)...Source: https://newsouthconference.com/

Makes fair sense. So maybe he misspoke on the college sports organization, assuming he meant to say NJCAA instead of USCAA, hence I would point out later on that school's particular nickname and current conference.

Also, just 5 conferences in the USCAA, and all within its Division II sub-rank? While there's like nearly 100 total member schools, assuming that most are automatically USCAA independents by default.

By the way, what about the Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC)? Wasn't it part of the USCAA as well?

Posted by: @jlog3000

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Posted by: @luks25

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@jlog3000 No, Gordon State is not listed as an USCAA member in 2025-26...Source: https://theuscaa.com/Members/index

There are a few conferences that all teams are USCAA members like:

Eastern States Athletic Conference (ESAC), North American Conference for Intercollegiate Athletics (NACIA), Ohio Midland Athletic Conference (OMAC), Penn State University Athletic Conference (PSUAC) and Yankee Small College Conference (YSCC)...Source: https://theuscaa.com/Members/Conferences_Page

 

 

And there is also New South Athletic Conference (NSAC), an independent conference in the Southeast that several members of NSAC are USCAA members (but not all of them)...Source: https://newsouthconference.com/

Makes fair sense. So maybe he misspoke on the college sports organization, assuming he meant to say NJCAA instead of USCAA, hence I would point out later on that school's particular nickname and current conference.

Also, just 5 conferences in the USCAA, and all within its Division II sub-rank? While there's like nearly 100 total member schools, assuming that most are automatically USCAA independents by default.

By the way, what about the Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC)? Wasn't it part of the USCAA as well?

 

Yeah, I think he misspoke NJCAA and USCAA...Gordon State is definitely a NJCAA member instead...NACIA is an USCAA D-I member, but looks odd all other 4 conferences are USCAA D-II, maybe it depends on each sport and each college, i don't know.

Maybe some schools are members of independent conferences like NSAC, others have dual membership with NCAA, NJCAA or NCCAA too.

Yes, Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (HVIAC) was an USCAA conference too but their website last post was in March 4 2024 and most of their members are now members of the newly created NACIA conference ( https://ohio.bscbobcats.com/general/2024-25/releases/20250404fmhwrk ) so  I assume HVIAC no longer exists