The CMU Blazers and the Providence Pilots may have some new competition grounds within the next two years.

Two local, faith-based colleges are among five post-secondary institutions to recently become members of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA).

The CCAA is an athletic association that provides leadership, programs, and services through highly competitive, high-level sport opportunities to assist students in personal development throughout their academic career.

Student-athletes at institutions who are members of the association have the opportunity to compete in seven sports at 10 CCAA national championships.

The organization voted unanimously at their general meeting yesterday to add the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference (MCAC) as a probationary member, making the MCAC the sixth member conference of the CCAA.

As of June 30, 2019, Providence University College and Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) will join Brandon University, Assiniboine Community College, and Université de Sainte-Boniface as CCAA probationary members.

Joining the association has been a process that both Providence and CMU have been working through for the past decade.

"It's a little bit surreal," chuckled Russell Willms, CMU athletic director. "It's always been the goal, so to achieve the goal is now like, 'what's the next goal.'"

Their next goal, in fact, will be to "remain competitive," and see their probationary period through to being able to compete for a spot on the national stage in two years, Willms explained.

CMU will focus primarily on soccer and volleyball when it comes to competing within the CCAA, as the institution's basketball conference does not meet the requirements to be recognized as a provincial conference, something the CCAA also requires for consideration in their membership.

Scott Masterson, director of athletics at Providence is excited to see their teams have a chance to compete at the national level. While the institution has also been a member of the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) since the early 2000s, the ability to compete at a national level within Canada is something new that Providence looks forward to.

"Being a Canadian institution, we're definitely focused on being able to compete nationally in Canada, and that's what the CCAA can provide for us," explained Masterson.

Their probationary status means that the MCAC will not be able to participate in the CCAA National Championships over the course of their first two years. Should the Manitoba member conference meet all requirements, however, the five institutions within the conference will be allowed to compete at the national level within the CCAA as of 2021.

Particularly, the MCAC anticipates a chance to compete in the CCAA National Championships in Men's and Women's soccer and volleyball during the 2021-22 season.

Masterson, who is also the head coach of Providence's men's volleyball team, is especially thrilled at the possibility of seeing his team compete in 2021. "I think we've been wanting to be able to prove ourselves on a national stage for many years and over the years I've had some very strong teams that we thought would have done well nationally.

"Having that goal in mind is, I think, going to give us a lot of motivation to be fully ready and prepared to do well nationally when the opportunity comes."