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NJCAA

ATHLETICS

History
At the time of the 1970 legislative assembly, membership had
increased to 476 colleges. A National Invitational Bowling
Tournament was added to the program. Also, a Scholarship and
Grant-in-Aid Committee was established to study existing practices
and to make recommendations for future appropriate actions.
Two post-season football games, the Mid-American JUCO Bowl and
the Green Country Shrine Bowl were added in 1971, along with
National Invitational Championships in Ice Hockey and Judo. The
membership reached an all time high of 501 members.
The year 1972 saw the addition of decathlon, fencing, and indoor
track to the growing Invitational Championship scene. The
Championship football game was moved to Yuma, Arizona, from
Savannah, Georgia, and became known as the Sunkist El Toro Bowl.
The membership climbed to 513 members for the 1971-72 college year.
In 1973 the legislative assembly reorganized the administrative
structure from 19 regions, established in 1968, to 21 regions. This was
accomplished by dividing Region III and Region XIX to form two
new regions. Membership reached a record 533.
1974 saw the addition of the three invitational championships in
volleyball, basketball, and tennis for women. The Men's Division
began hosting a National Invitational Marathon Championship. The
NJCAA "amateur rule" was completely rewritten by the Board of
Directors. Membership climbed to a record high of 547.
A major change in the structure of the NJCAA occurred in 1975 when
the Board of Directors approved a Women's Division. National
Championships for women were approved in volleyball, basketball
and tennis. National Invitational Championships for women were
slated in field hockey, skiing, gymnastics, track and field, softball,
and swimming and diving. Membership climbed to a record 563.
The year 1976 saw the membership of the NJCAA reach 296 for its
Women's Division and 586 for its Men's Division. The Board of
Directors reorganized the administrative structure from 21 regions
to 22 regions by dividing Region XVII.
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Source: http://www.njcaa.org/todaysNJCAA_History.cfm?category=History