As an athletic department focused on Christ, participation in the NAIA's Champions of Character initiative is a natural bi-product of things our student athletes would be doing throughout the year regardless.

The Northwest Christian University athletic department has long been known for their strong efforts in the community and as strong representatives of the school both on and off the court. Our desire at NCU is to give every student-athlete plenty of opportunities to actively live out their faith and to be molded into Christ's image in and through their sport and their team.

Every team participates in at least two community outreach event each year. Over the years, these projects include work with FOOD for Lane County, Special Olympics, St. Vincent De Paul, Hosea Youth Services, Hannah's House, Relay For Life, Olive Plaza Senior Living, Operation Christmas Child, and Generosity Feeds. 

The Beacons also have a heavy presence during NCU's annual Embrace The City Day. On one Wednesday each fall, afternoon classes at NCU are canceled to allow students, faculty and staff to take part in a number of service projects in and around Eugene. Teams use the opportunity to work together, being a light in the community as a part of the greater Northwest Christian University community.

NCU Individuals have been honored often for their work in the community with seven different student-athletes earning the Cascade Collegiate Conference Champion of Character Award. These individuals are women's soccer player Britni Steiling (2011), volleyball player Janel Fetters (2014), men's basketball player Jordan Alexander (2018), women's soccer player Britnee Joaqin (2019), men's soccer player Kaleb Miles (2019), and softball player Maya Jenkins (2020).

For NCU student-athletes to truly be seen as Champions of Character, our efforts on the field of play need to represent integrity and sportsmanship. In striving for excellence to the Glory of God, the Beacons have an obligation to compete to win honorably, while understanding that true success in athletics is not measured solely by the outcome of the contest. NCU expects all of its athletic participants to experience winning and losing with appropriate demonstrations of humility and grace. Being on the field of play is an occasion to exhibit Christ-like virtues of self-control, kindness, gentleness, patience, joy, faithfulness, and love.

Community Service and on-the-field sportsmanship, however, are just a few pieces of the puzzle in the Champions of Character Initiative, which boasts the five core values of Respect, Integrity, Responsibility, Servant Leadership and Sportsmanship. These values are woven throughout the NCU athletic programs and evidence of that can be seen in the work of numerous teams that have earned Champions of Character awards from the Cascade Collegiate Conference.

For more examples of how Northwest Christian University Athletics embraces the NAIA Champions of Character Program, visit the Spiritual Growth/Champions of Character News Archives.

For more information on the NAIA Champions of Character Program, click here.