Wesleyan College ratified for NAIA membership, joining Southern States Athletic Conference in 2026Wesleyan will join the NAIA’s Southern States Athletic Conference on July 1, 2026, offering scholarships and expanding varsity sports. Wesleyan College Athletics Department receives donations to help improve their facilities (File photo: 9/21/2021) Athletic FacilitiesMACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT)- Wesleyan College has been ratified for membership in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) after a Sept. 28 vote. The Wolves will complete the 2025–26 season in NCAA Division III before beginning NAIA competition on July 1, 2026, with affiliation in the Southern States Athletic Conference. “NAIA and SSAC membership expands access to a world-class education for talented student-athletes right here in Middle Georgia.”The move allows Wesleyan to offer athletic scholarships starting with the fall 2026 class. The NAIA’s Champions of Character framework — integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership — will also guide Wesleyan student-athletes as they begin their new chapter.