In a move that could make this one of the most important periods in the short history of CSU Monterey Bay's athletic department, a formal invitation has been given to the university to join the California Collegiate Athletic Association.

The university, which currently competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), has until June 24 to prepare a formal request to move up to the NCAA, the major sanctioning body of collegiate sports, and until Sept. 1 to accept the invitation and begin the process of moving up to Division II competition.

The largest obstacle to the move is cost. Early estimates are that the university would need to triple its current athletic budget.

Athletic Director Bill Trumbo said a fund-raising drive will start this summer to prepare for 2004-05, the year CSUMB would begin its exploratory membership in the conference. During that time, the university will have to meet certain requirements tied to funding.

A delegation from the CCAA visited the campus three weeks ago as part of the review process looking at candidates to replace UC-Davis, which is moving up to Division I in fall 2004, and Grand Canyon University of Phoenix, which is moving down to the NAIA at the same time. The decision to extend the invitation to join was unanimous among the conference's members.

"We were impressed with the potential and the direction the university is going," CCAA Commissioner Bob Hiegert said. "It looks like a good fit."

CSUMB, which could compete in Division II as soon as 2004-05, will have to raise the money needed to be able to compete in the 12-member CCAA and meet NCAA requirements. The university will also have to add another sport for women, which Trumbo said could be softball or women's water polo. CSUMB now offers eight of the 13 CCAA sports.

"It allows us to take a big step up," said Trumbo, who is in his third year as athletic director. "But with that, there is a tremendous challenge."

He said the fund-raising push will include a direct-mail effort to solicit donations from the community and the formation of the school's first booster club, named the "Otter Backers," to fund athletic scholarships.

"We're looking at grassroots membership to corporate," Trumbo said. "It would be the basis for the school to raise the money for us to compete at that level."

The move is one that Hiegert thinks CSUMB can make.

"Monterey is projected to be an institution that's going to grow a lot over the next few years," Hiegert said. "There's a significant land base to handle more students and there seems to be a great support base."

If the invitation is accepted, CSUMB would begin its exploratory membership in 2004-05. The university would compete against other Division II rivals during that time, though games would not count in standings.

If CSUMB meets NCAA requirements that year, the university would become an active CCAA member in 2005-06, though it wouldn't be eligible for conference or NCAA championships until it becomes a full member in 2008-09.

"We have a legitimate interest in doing this," Trumbo said. "But we do have some steps to go through and we have internal discussions to have on campus."

The university currently has 3,500 students enrolled with several athletic venues, including a new aquatics center and softball complex, in the works.

The move could also make a logical fit since nine of the current 12 CCAA schools are in the CSU system. Teams from the CCAA, established in 1938, have claimed 137 NCAA Division II championships.

"This is a great move for us and a great opportunity," Trumbo said. "This gives us a real positive indication on the growth of our program. A lot of positive things have happened and it feels good to be reinforced."