Earlier this year, NCAA Division II institutions approved a program that would allow Canadian schools to apply for membership. According to an article in The Province, the University of British Columbia is thinking about making the move, although there are some mixed thoughts on the idea.

While you might think the Division II's willingness to open up its membership to Canadian schools would be well-received, it doesn't seem like British Columbia is chomping at the bit to join. There is some thought that becoming a D-II member is a lateral move as far as the competition level and the only way it should join the NCAA is if it can be a Division I school.

In the current system, the university would only be eligible for Division II membership, although one sport would be able to compete at the Division I level for both men and women.

Looking from the outside, it's difficult to compare the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) and Division II from a competition level perspective. But from a publicity standpoint, how could it be viewed as anything but an enormous opportunity for the school?

Honestly, I'm a little out of touch with the CIS, so I turned to my Canadian roommate to get some more information. He said that intercollegiate sports in Canada are not nearly as popular as college athletics in the U.S., especially outside of sports like football, basketball and hockey. From his experiences in Canada, he thought this would be an unbelievable opportunity for a school like British Columbia to gain exposure and use it as a recruiting tool in Canada since many Canadian teenagers already come to the U.S. to participate in NCAA competition.

Frankly, this argument makes sense.

If the ultimate hope is to become a Division I school, it seems the practical first step would be to join at the Division II level and get its feet wet with NCAA rules and regulations, especially on the academic side. Play a few years against D-II competition and see what happens. Like hundreds of other institutions, it might find its niche at the Division II level, and we all know there's nothing wrong with that.

What do you think? Should British Columbia be excited to become a Division II member if given the opportunity or should it only strive to become a Division I school?