Pilots Athletics

PRAIRIE COLLEGE ENTERS HIGH PERFORMANCE SPORTS WITH ACAC MEMBERSHIP

Three Hills, Alberta, Canada (May 28, 2019) – Prairie College is excited to announce a new chapter in its institutional history with Pilots Athletics earning its spot as the newest Associate Member of the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC). This move aligns with Prairie’s growth plans to extend its reach in Alberta, Canada and beyond, building on almost 100 years of organizational history in equipping the next generation of Christian leaders to meet the greatest needs of the world.

David Petroziello, Director of Sport and Recreation at Prairie, views the transition to a higher level of athletic competition as a challenge the College is ready for, “We have the right culture at Prairie to foster a high-performance mindset while remaining a caring community dedicated to helping our students achieve their personal and professional goals. We believe this will make us an appealing educational option for young Christian leaders looking to discover their calling while continuing to compete athletically at a high level.”

The move was confirmed by a vote of the ACAC General Council at the recent AGM in Edmonton, and follows a successful application review process carried out by Athletic Directors and the Conference CEO. Prairie becomes the 18th ACAC member and joins arguably the preeminent collegiate athletic conference in Canada. With this transition, Prairie also joins the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), the national governing organization for collegiate sport featuring over 90 member institutions across Canada. With this decision, Prairie teams will reduce their participation in the Prairie Athletic Conference (PAC), a Saskatchewan-based league comprised of smaller institutions in that province.

Prairie’s ACAC participation will begin with exhibition seasons in 2019-2020 in the sports of Cross Country Running, Indoor Track, as well as Men’s and Women’s Futsal. “I am excited for what the future hold for Pilots Athletics as we begin this journey with the ACAC. I have no doubt we will thrive at this new level, and we have every intention of competing for championships in our ACAC sports,” said Petroziello.

Staffing announcements for each team will be made public in June and athletic recruitment is already underway. Future sport expansion will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and each sport application to the ACAC is considered independently by the Conference.

ABOUT PRAIRIE COLLEGE
Innovators in Christian faith grounded post-secondary education since 1922. Prairie College is Canada’s oldest Bible college offering accredited, 1-, 2- and 4-year programs in aviation, business, Christian studies, ministry, digital media, intercultural studies, music, practical nursing, outdoor leadership, paramedic certification, and sports management. Located in Three Hills, Alberta, Prairie’s scenic small-town campus is situated one hour north of Calgary, one hour east of Red Deer and two hours south of Edmonton.

MEDIA CONTACT
Emily Allert-House, Managing Director of Marketing and Enrollment emily.allert-house@prairie.edu or 403.443.5511