Shawnee State University athletics is set to make a major move, shifting to NCAA Division II competition and joining the Mountain East Conference beginning next year. For student-athletes, this change means tougher opponents, shorter travel times and an overall higher profile for SSU sports.
“There will definitely be more competition because there will be more height and skill level going up a division,” said senior women’s basketball player Lauren Hawthorne.
Being in a new conference will also cut down travel distances, which Hawthorne sees as a win for athletes and the university.
“I think it is a good thing,” she said. “It will save the athletic departments a lot of money for extra costs.”
Despite the step up in competition, Hawthorne is optimistic about her team’s chances.
“I think we will thrive,” she said. “We have a lot of good skills this year. Us together as a team, we will be hard to beat.”
She also noted that she is excited to face rivals like Oakland City and Rio Grande.
Hawthorne, who competed in the new conference her freshman year, called the move a positive for the university, pointing to increased visibility and the addition of a football team.
“We are bringing a lot more people to our school,” she said. “… The campus will have a bigger feel to it.”
The SSU Bears will officially begin Division II play next fall.
