At the national convention earlier this spring, the NAIA officially launched its new brand advocacy campaign: The Right Way to Play. This member-driven initiative amplifies the distinct value of the NAIA model, positioning it as college athletics the way it was meant to be.
In this session, NAIA President & CEO Jim Carr sits down with leaders from across the association to share their insights and perspectives on why they believe the NAIA truly represents the right way to play.
As Dr. Amy Novak, President of St. Ambrose University and Chair of the NAIA Council of Presidents, puts it: “I’m proud to be part of an association committed to looking at opportunity in a proactive way, and that’s what the NAIA has been all about. It’s the right way to play.”
Each year, Return on Athletics® (ROA) captures data from across the organization to track what’s trending across NAIA athletics and how those trends can be used by institutions to make decisions. From emerging sports to the amount of financial aid awarded, sports expenses, and net return, these trends are the benchmarks NAIA institutions can use […]
Tuva Hammarlund chose a university she had never visited. Josiah Winans returned to football after two season-ending injuries, unsure whether anyone would see beyond his visual impairment. Henry Ngang arrived on campus five days after ACL surgery, wearing a brace, walking on crutches and wondering what his future would hold. Not exactly the easiest first-day-of-college […]
Return on Athletics® (ROA) is a free NAIA member resource that helps institutions make more informed, data-driven decisions about their athletics programs. By bringing together institution-, sport-, and student-level data, ROA provides insights into enrollment, retention, financial aid, and athletics finances, enabling campus leaders to evaluate performance, identify opportunities, and strengthen long-term financial sustainability. How […]
FROM THE PRESIDENT The Protect College Sports Act (PCSA) was introduced in May 2026 to establish guardrails for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights, transfers, and media rights. With the SCORE Act stalled in the House, the PCSA is currently the leading bill on collegiate athletics reform. While the focus of this bill is primarily on NCAA […]