Winston-Salem ready to return to D-II, CIAA

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) -There's one thing missing from this week's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament in Winston-Salem: the local school.

That's because financial troubles led Winston-Salem State to end its attempt to join Division I before it ever became a full-fledged member.

Athletic director Bill Hayes says “you don't miss what you never had.”

So while the MEAC is gathering at the Joel Coliseum to play for a prized spot in the NCAA tournament, Winston-Salem State has reversed course.

It's headed back to its former Division II home - the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association - after the Rams realized they no longer could afford to compete with the big boys of college sports. The Rams' return to the CIAA is effective in the upcoming academic year.