Mission

Juniata College’s commitment to athletics is explicitly linked to the educational mission of the institution. Juniata athletics emphasizes fair play and sportsmanship working in union with a high degree of competitiveness in all varsity programs. Such competitiveness shall apply as well to the academic efforts of Juniata student-athletes. Care shall be taken to assure the overall health and well being of students in and outside of the training and competitive arenas. The dynamics of equitable and fair treatment of men and women within Juniata athletics will be constantly and thoroughly examined and pursued.

Juniata College Athletics Strives to:

• Support and reflect the Mission Statement of Juniata College.
• Provide a quality program of intercollegiate athletics, complementing the college’s educational aims and objectives.
• Provide a competitive program of intercollegiate athletics based upon the needs, interests and capabilities of the students.
• Actively recruit a diverse group of student-athletes who have the commitment and ability to benefit from a Juniata education.
• Observe the primacy of conference competition. Conference contests will be the focus of our efforts and will take precedence over other in-season athletics competition.

Philosophy

Juniata College supports the philosophy of the National Collegiate Athletic Association:

• The basic purpose of the NCAA is to maintain intercollegiate athletics as an integral part of the educational program and the athlete as an integral part of the student body.
• College and universities in Division III place highest priority on the overall quality of the educational experience. In so doing, they seek to strengthen the integration of objectives and programs in athletics with academic and developmental objectives and to assure the integration of athletes with other students.
• To that end, the college places special importance on the impact of athletics on the participants rather than on spectators, and places greater emphasis on the internal constituency (students, alumni and special friends) than on the general public and its entertainment needs.
• The athletic program in Division III is characterized by the following:
• • Participation is encouraged by maximizing the number and variety of athletic opportunities in varsity sports.
  • Participants receive the same treatment as other students. They have no unique privileges in admissions, academic advising, course selection, grading, living accommodations or financial aid. Similarly, athletes are not denied rights and opportunities that would be available to them as non-athletes.
  • The athletic program is controlled, financed and staffed through the same general procedures as other departments of the college.
  • Sports for men and women are given equal emphasis and the desired quality of competition is similar in all sports. Participants’ interests will be one factor considered in the determination of the level of support provided by the college to each sport.
  • Students are supported in their efforts to reach high levels of performance by providing them with adequate facilities, competent coaching and appropriate competitive opportunities with students from similar institutions.