Kuyper College Joins NCCAA and Names Athletic Director
Dr. Patricia Harris, president of Kuyper College, announced today the College is joining the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA), starting competition in the fall of 2023. Dr. Harris also announced the appointment of Gary Bailey as Kuyper’s new Athletic Director.
The Athletic Department will operate under the oversight of the Academic Office, with Bailey reporting to Kuyper’s Academic Dean, Dr. Tim Detwiler. “This reporting structure provides a powerful organizational message of the prominence of academics at Kuyper and how academics, together with athletics, will provide a holistic educational experience,” said Dr. Harris.
Bailey, an NCCAA Hall of Fame member, comes to Kuyper from Grace Christian University. There, as Athletic Director and men’s head basketball coach, his teams participated in 15 NCCAA Division II Basketball Championships while winning six national titles.
“Gary Bailey is widely known as someone dedicated to building and maintaining a vibrant Christian culture in athletics,” said Dr. Harris. “A statement in Gary’s introduction as an NCCAA Hall of Fame inductee speaks to his philosophy of education. It says, ‘Gary is truly dedicated to training student-athletes of integrity for life after college.'”
“While many program details are in the works, I am delighted to be joining Kuyper as their new athletic director. I am eagerly looking forward to continuing the tradition of bringing a Christian worldview to every area and program of Kuyper, including athletics,” said Bailey. “I want to thank President Harris and Tim Detwiler for their enthusiasm and support in initiating a new era of athletics at Kuyper College.”
“Gary views athletics as an instructive educational tool for teaching and learning,” said Harris. “He will provide strong leadership for Kuyper to fulfill our mission while introducing athletics as an important component of our exciting campus culture.”
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Founded in 1939 and accredited by various regional and national agencies, Kuyper College is a leading Christian leadership College focused on effectively training students to make a difference in God’s world. Kuyper offers master’s, bachelor’s, and associate’s degrees in various ministry and professional fields. The College is located on a beautiful campus a few miles from downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan—one of the top 50 metropolitan areas in the United States.
