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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                Contact:   Michelle Tooker, Public Relations
                                                                                                                                                                    610-359-5276

(Delaware and Chester Counties, PA)—As the spring sports season kicks off at Delaware County Community College, the Phantoms are facing a new level of competition. That’s because this season marks the athletic program’s move into the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). As members of Region XIX of the NJCAA, the Phantoms will continue to excel both in the classroom and on the field.

“The move to the NJCAA will allow our student-athletes to compete at a national level against stronger competition,” says Andrew Johnson Jr., Director of Wellness, Athletics and Recreation. “Our association with Region XIX and the NJCAA will also promote stronger academic standards for our student-athletes so they will be better prepared to transfer to a four-year institution.”

Founded in the 1930s, the NJCAA serves as the national governing body for two-year college athletic programs and is the second-largest intercollegiate sports organization in the United States. The College’s transition into the association began earlier this month with the baseball team. The other six sports— men’s and women’s basketball, golf, soccer, tennis and volleyball—will follow suit for the 2012-13 academic year.

The move comes on the heels of a historic win by the men’s basketball team. In their final season in the Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference, the Phantoms beat out Community College of Philadelphia to win the championship crown. Entering the NJCAA, the players are eager to face tougher competition and gain national exposure in hopes of being recruited by a four-year school.

For more information, visit www.dccc.edu/athletics.

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