Dec. 18, 2007

By Matt Calkins, The Press Enterprise

RIVERSIDE - National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

That should answer question No. 1.

Before people inquire as to what kind of schools participate in the NAIA, or how good the competition is, or why a student-athlete would want to play there, they'd at least like to know what the letters stand for.

Dennis Rodman played in the NAIA when he was at Southeastern Oklahoma State. Scottie Pippen played there with Central Arkansas, as did former NBA All-Stars Terry Porter and World B. Free.

The association is brimming with tradition, tracing its roots to the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball, which hosted the first national collegiate basketball tournament. In 1948, Indiana State lost in that very tournament's final -- under Coach John Wooden.

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