DU athletics is undergoing a periodic evaluation of its programs by the NCAA, whose representatives visited campus earlier this month to interview administrators, coaches and student athletes.

As part of the NCAA evaluation process, the division of athletics and recreation assumed a self-evaluation of its 17 varsity sports, which was completed in May.

The NCAA evaluators will analyze this evaluation in the coming weeks and DU should be informed as to its status as a Division I NCAA school by spring, according to Cynthia Rail, associate athletic director for compliance and student-athlete support services.

The evaluation, which occurs every 10 years, is a complete look at the school’s compliance with NCAA rules and regulations, as well as the welfare of student athletes and academic integrity.

The self-analysis process was conducted by a committee selected by Chancellor Robert Coombe. The committee consists of personnel from every area, including compliance, student support services, budget and finance and development.

“This process is an in-depth look into our athletic program,” said Cindi Nagai, DU athletic adviser and committee member. “It helps us take a look at what we are doing here and ensures that we are maintaining high levels of honesty and integrity.”

According to Nagai, the committee has been preparing for this evaluation for the last 12 to 14 months by compiling documents required for the study. Included in those documents are reports that show the school’s governance and commitment to NCAA rules.

Following the self-evaluation, the NCAA assembles a peer review team to evaluate all of the aforementioned documents.

This team is made up of athletic directors and compliance officers from other NCAA institutions, which arrived on campus Oct. 3 for a three-day comprehensive assessment.

During the review, different student athletes and coaches were interviewed on their experiences at DU.

“They basically wanted to know how I liked the school, and my thoughts on the athletic department,” said Andrew Lay, captain of the men’s lacrosse team.

Lay met with the NCAA evaluators on Oct. 4.

“In my experience though, Denver has done an extremely good job taking care of its athletes, so talking to them about it was fairly easy,” said Lay. “I can’t imagine this program will have any trouble with the certification process.”

As for the school’s athletic success, Denver boasts a substantial athletics program, capturing 28 NCAA Division I championships.

Most prominently, the Pioneers men’s and women’s ski team and the men’s hockey team are perennial contenders for national championships in their respective sports.

“We have incredible athletes, coaches and staff here at Denver and this evaluation should resemble that,” said Nagai.