(WLUK) — Two Northeast Wisconsin colleges are working with the NCAA on a first-of-its-kind pilot agreement for student-athletes.
St. Norbert College and Bellin College announced Friday an NCAA-approved partnership that allows student-athletes who complete two years at SNC and transfer to Bellin to continue their athletic careers. If all waiver requirements are met and approved by the NCAA, these Bellin students can remain eligible to compete in NCAA athletics.
“This pathway opens the door for student-athletes who are currently here for nursing or other Bellin majors, and for future prospective students to come and grow through a transformative experience both in the classroom and the arena,” said Mike Wallerich, who serves as SNC’s assistant athletic director and manages NCAA compliance and eligibility.
SNC and Bellin are the first schools in the country to have student-athletes approved for this waiver program. It’s designed to give students-athletes who transfer to an institution without varsity athletics an opportunity to continue to competing.
“The opportunity for SNC transfer students to continue participating in athletics while pursuing their healthcare education at Bellin allows students to stay connected to their passions and community while preparing for impactful careers,” said Mark Bake, chief academic officer at Bellin College.
Madison DeCleene, who is in her first semester at Bellin, is the transfer agreement’s inaugural participant.
“I hope that others are inspired by this program seeing that I can be both a dedicated nursing student at Bellin and a committed cross country and track athlete at St. Norbert College,” said DeCleene. “Up until this point, it was thought that you had to choose one or the other, but this program is now proof that you can experience your full potential by playing both roles.”
