PETOSKEY — The Timberwolves are looking for some competition.
In an announcement made last week, North Central Michigan College has applied for membership in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), which is the national sports association for two-year colleges.
NCMC athletic director Ashley Antonishen said National Junior College Athletic Association membership would allow the college to begin varsity competition in the fall of 2022 in women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country and esports.
Filing the application is the next step in the college’s plan to offer an intercollegiate varsity sports program.
“Our area is home to so many talented athletes,” Antonishen said. “This is an exciting opportunity for them to continue their passion as North Central Timberwolves while receiving an exceptional NCMC education.”
Antonishen will begin recruiting prospective student-athletes from North Central’s service area and throughout the state to build a roster for women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball and men’s and women’s cross country.
“I’m excited to get out on the road to watch athletes playing the sports they love,” Antonishen said. “As a bonus, I’ll get to share with them all that North Central offers, and why it’s a great fit for their next step.”
Following North Central’s application, NJCAA representatives will conduct both a virtual and an in-person campus visit within the next month.
Antonishen said following a virtual visit and INSIGHT meeting with the NJCAA in September, a recommendation will be written in October and NCMC’s application approval will be decided by NJCAA’s Board of Regents in December.
“Some of the biggest hurdles we’ve already covered,” Antonishen said of the application process.
Pending approval of its application, North Central will become a member of NJCAA’s Region 12, which includes 33 colleges in Indiana, Ohio and lower Michigan.
Among the Michigan colleges in Region 12 include Alpena Community College, Delta College, Glen Oaks Community College, Grand Rapids Community College, Henry Ford College, Jackson College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kellogg Community College, Kirtland Community College, Lake Michigan College, Lansing Community College, Macomb Community College, Mid Michigan College, Mott Community College, Muskegon Community College, Oakland Community College, Schoolcraft College, Southwestern Michigan College, St. Clair County Community College and Wayne County Community College.
North Central launched its club sports program in the fall of 2019. Current offerings include club cross country, downhill ski racing and esports.
Antonishen said she’s happy to see some of NCMC’s club sports such as cross country move from a club sport to a varsity sport next fall.
“One of the things we’ve really learned is we have a lot of really talented athletes in Northern Michigan,” Antonishen said. “I grew up here, I coached collegiate sports for 13 years and I’ve always tried to help Northern Michigan student athletes get themselves out there, get viewed and seen.
“For a lot of them, they end up at a Division III school and in Michigan a lot of those Division III schools are private schools and expensive,” Antonishen said. “Being able to offer the opportunity to keep playing your sport and possibly be recruited to that next level even with such an affordable cost at the same time is really nice.”
Antonishen said NCMC will play as a provisional member of the NJCAA in its first year, and eventually will join a conference, the Michigan Community College Athletic Association.
“We need to offer five sports at the conference level to be considered for membership, so part of why we’re offering those sports is because the conference offers those sports,” Antonishen said. “When we start in the fall of 2022, we’ll be a provisional member, which means we’re competing as a varsity member, but not part of a conference yet and not eligible for national championships, but the following year we’ll be a full NJCAA member.”
NCMC president David Roland Finley said expanding the college’s athletic program is another step in bolstering the student-life experience on campus.
“These extracurricular opportunities will complement the outstanding academic programs at the college, creating a more holistic, vibrant environment for learning,” he said.
In April, the NCMC board of trustees voted unanimously in favor of the college’s first official mascot in 63 which students said best represented the college, the Timberwolf.
Finley said the Timberwolf captures the spirit of the college and its students.
“Wolves embody many of the characteristics of North Central students, including intelligence, resilience, drive, focus and teamwork,” Finley said. “They are known for working together so that the whole pack succeeds.
“You’ll find the same attitude among our entire campus community.”
The Timberwolf mascot was unveiled to the public for the first time during the Petoskey July 4 parade.
“Timberwolves are known for their teamwork and being part of a pack, which melds nicely with our goals for the future of intercollegiate athletics at North Central,” Antonishen said.
Finley said the college will also continue to honor the essence and heritage of NCMC’s unofficial mascot, the “Fighting Ferret” which was created by two faculty members in the early 1970s for intramural competitions.
“I’m excited to offer this opportunity for some of our great student athletes in the area to get a really great education, save a lot of money and keep doing what they’re really passionate about,” Antonishen said. “For a lot of our students, their identity is wrapped up in their sport.
“To keep growing as a person and learning … there’s so much collegiate athletics can add to that growth.”
For more information, visit www.ncmc.edu
