Future of Division III

[Ralph Turner]

A follow-up on Wheaton dropping sports - 3 of the teams have now been given a reprieve (both golf teams plus men's tennis).  Don't know whether they simply reconsidered or whether a wealthy alum came through with some bucks.

I'm guessing the latter. Nothing gets a wealthy alumnus's attention quicker than his alma mater dropping a sport, particularly if it's a sport that the alumnus (or alumna -- I don't wanna be sexist and assume anything) once played at the school.

Wheaton donors

[Hugenerd]

What do people think of the new DIII Identity videos?

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/ncaahome?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/ncaa/ncaa/ncaa+news/ncaa+news+online/2010/division+iii/diii+identity+videos+available+online_03_23_10_ncaa_news

I personally didnt like the 30 second spot, but the 5 minute spot seemed more accurate.

[Ralph Turner]

Wheaton IL to cut five programs.

Men's Golf.  (Leaves 7 Men's Teams in the CCIW -- CCIW Men's Golf AQ is intact.)
Women's Golf. (Leaves 6 Women's Teams in the CCIW --Women's Golf AQ is in jeopardy.)
Men's Tennis.  (Leaves 5 CCIW teams playing Men's Tennis)
Men's Indoor Track.
Women's Water Polo. (An independent and one of 18 D-III's among the 59 NCAA schools that sponsor Women's Water Polo.)

EDIT: Per Mr Ypsi, both Golf teams and Men's Tennis has been re-instated.
http://athletics.wheaton.edu/news/2010/3/5/GEN_reinstate.aspx?path=gen


Thanks to Mr Ypsi for the update.

A follow-up on Wheaton dropping sports - 3 of the teams have now been given a reprieve (both golf teams plus men's tennis).  Don't know whether they simply reconsidered or whether a wealthy alum came through with some bucks.

I'm guessing the latter. Nothing gets a wealthy alumnus's attention quicker than his alma mater dropping a sport, particularly if it's a sport that the alumnus (or alumna -- I don't wanna be sexist and assume anything) once played at the school.

Wheaton donors

And now Wheaton finds donors for Women's Water Polo.

Wheaton Women's Water Polo

Only Men's Indoor Track and Field has not been re-instated.

[roocru]

DIII pilots program for faculty representatives


Edited for formatting. -- Thanks for the link. Ralph Turner

[Ralph Turner]

Ohio Wesleyan adds Women's Golf in 2010-11.

This will give the NCAC 6 teams sponsoring Women's Golf.

Ohio Wesleyan becomes the sixth North Coast Athletic Conference institution to sponsor women's golf, joining Allegheny, Denison, Hiram, Wittenberg and Wooster. The NCAC will conduct its first women's golf championship in 2010-11.

There was no mention of any affiliation agreements with other schools to help the NCAC achieve the AQ in Women's Golf.

[Ralph Turner]

I have placed this quote from an archival post that I made in Feb 2009 on the board for our consideration.

NEAC-NAC affiliation for baseball, women's lacrosse, and men's and women's tennis.

Here is some creative leadership among these two conferences to maintain an AQ bid.

This preserves the opportunities for student-athletes in these sports.

Feb 4, 2009

NAC, NEAC enter partnership to expand associate membership

The North Atlantic Conference (NAC) and North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) have entered into a partnership to expand associate membership. The NEAC will gain associate members in the sports of baseball and women's tennis while the NAC will add members for  men's tennis and women's lacrosse.

The partnership, which impacts nearly all of the current NEAC and NAC membership, provides a conference championship opportunity for student-athletes of both geographically diverse conferences.

"The North Atlantic Conference is committed to providing equitable opportunities for our student-athletes in all sports," said Dave Wolk, President of Castleton State College and Chair of the NAC Presidents Council. "This partnership will help us meet this goal in sports where conference sponsorship is limited. Both conferences support the Division III philosophy and we welcome the opportunity to join with like-minded institutions to ensure the best possible experiences for all student-athletes."

In the sport of baseball, NAC members Castleton, Husson, Lyndon St., Maine-Farmington and Thomas will join the NEAC as associate members. Divisional play will begin in the spring of 2010. Each division will hold a championship and the two divisional champions will meet for a three game series to determine the conference champion. The conference championship site will rotate between the WEST (hosted at either SUNY Cobleskill or SUNYIT) and the EAST (hosted by Castleton). The NEAC will maintain the automatic qualifier they currently hold to the NCAA Division III Championship.

NEAC members Cazenovia, College of St. Elizabeth, Keuka, Penn. St-Abington, Wells and Wilson will join the NAC as associate members in women's lacrosse. Medaille, a current NEAC associate member, will join the NAC as well. Divisional play will begin in the spring of 2010. Each division will hold a championship and the two divisional champions will meet for a conference champion game. The conference championship site will rotate between the EAST (hosted at either Castleton or Green Mountain) and the WEST (hosted by SUNYIT or SUNY Cobleskill). Beginning in 2010, the NAC will begin a two year waiting period to qualify for an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship.

A similar divisional structure will begin for men's and women's tennis in the spring of 2010. NAC members Castleton, Johnson St., Lyndon St. and Thomas will join the NEAC as associate members in women's tennis. Divisional play for the EAST will be in the fall with a divisional champion crowned. The WEST division will compete in the spring and the two divisional champions will meet for the conference championship in the spring. The NEAC will maintain the automatic qualifier they currently hold to the NCAA Division III Championship.

In men's tennis, NEAC members Keuka, Penn St.-Abington, Penn St.-Berks, Penn St.-Harrisburg and SUNY Cobleskill will join the NAC as associate members. SUNY Oneonta, a current NEAC associate member, will join the NAC as well. Both divisions will compete in the spring with the divisional winners meeting for the conference championship. In 2010, the NAC will begin a two year waiting period to qualify for an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship.

"I think this new initiative presents a great opportunity for our Conference and our student athletes," said Keuka College President Dr. Joseph G. Burke who currently serves as Chair of the NEAC President's Council. "We increase our regional exposure and our student athletes have the opportunity to play against teams that they would not normally have the opportunity to play."

NEAC Sponsored Sports    
Baseball
       
EAST
Castleton
Husson
Lyndon St.
Maine-Farmington
Thomas

WEST
Cazenovia
Keuka
Penn St.-Abington
Penn St.-Berks
Penn St.-Harrisburg
SUNY Cobleskill
SUNYIT
   
Women's Tennis
EAST
Castleton
Johnson St.
Lyndon St.
Thoma

WEST
Col. of St. Elizabeth
Keuka
Penn St.-Abington
Penn St.-Berks
Penn St.-Harrisburg
SUNY Cobleskill
Wells
Wilson

NAC Sponsored Sports   
Men's Tennis

EAST
Castleton
Green Mountain
Johnson St.
Lyndon St.
Thomas

WEST
Keuka
Penn St.-Abington
Penn St.-Berks
Penn St.-Harrisburg
SUNY Cobleskill
SUNY Oneonta
   
Women's Lacrosse
EAST
Green Mountain
Husson
Maine-Farmington
Thomas

WEST
Cazenovia
Col. of St. Elizabeth
Keuka
Medaille
Penn St.-Abington
Wells
Wilson

Copied for archival purposes...

With the departure of 9 schools from The Commonwealth Coast Conference, leaving 5 schools in the TCCC, is there are chance that the North Atlantic Conference picks up some of the TCCC's remaining schools?

How about an affiliation agreement between the TCCC and the NAC in about 2013-14 when the AQ for TCCC has expired?  The NEAC is in a position to pick up any PSU-schools that want to move to D-III.  We already have PSU-Abington and SUNY-Cobleskill in the provisional pipeline for the NEAC.

It looks like some shuffling will occur.

[Ralph Turner]

Centenary joins the ASC.

Video links to comments by Dr Rowe, AD Tillich and Commissioner Carlton at the bottom.

[Gregory Sager]

Congrats upon your circuit's new acquisition, Ralph!

[Ralph Turner]

New NAIA members in 2009-10

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Council of Presidents approved six new members, effective July 1, 2010, bringing to ten the total number of new members approved during the current academic year. Newly elected members announced at the 69th Annual NAIA Convention are: AIB College of Business (Iowa); La Sierra (Calif.) University; Lourdes (Ohio) College; Marymount (Calif.) College; Roosevelt (Ill.) University; and Southwestern Christian (Okla.) University. This past fall during the NAIA Council of Presidents meeting the following four institutions were approved: Benedictine University at Springfield (Ill.), Central Baptist (Ark.) College; State University of New York - College of Environmental Science & Forestry; and Warren Wilson (N.C.) College. Total membership now stands at 296.

[Pat Coleman]

Reaction:
http://www.d3blogs.com/d3hoops/2010/04/18/the-final-word-on-la-sierra

[Ralph Turner]

While searching for information on LaSierra, I came across this news release from 2002.

Independents and D-III

Look at where the independents are now.

...
Steering committee

Athletics administrators at independent institutions are invited to join the Division III independents group by contacting a member of the steering committee.
Members of the Division III Independents Steering Committee are:

Dick Strockbine, athletics director at the University of Dallas, chair  Affiliate in the NEAC

Marv Christopher, athletics director at Cazenovia College  NEAC

David Currey, athletics director at Chapman University

Julie Davis, athletics director at the University of Maine, Farmington  North Atlantic Conference

Debby De Angelis, athletics director at California State University, Hayward  D-II

Jim Huckaby, athletics director at Baptist Bible College (Pennsylvania)  CSAC

Joel Nielsen, athletics director, and Julie Soriero, senior woman administrator, at Colorado College  SCAC

Page Remillard, athletics director at Agnes Scott College  Great South AC

Ira Zeff, athletics director at Nebraska Wesleyan University

There are three new conferences represented, and the CSAC has just been transformed in the Mid-Atlantic Shuffle.  The GSAC, the NEAC and the NAC have each earned the AQ since 2002.

[Gregory Sager]

New NAIA members in 2009-10

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Council of Presidents approved six new members, effective July 1, 2010, bringing to ten the total number of new members approved during the current academic year. Newly elected members announced at the 69th Annual NAIA Convention are: AIB College of Business (Iowa); La Sierra (Calif.) University; Lourdes (Ohio) College; Marymount (Calif.) College; Roosevelt (Ill.) University; and Southwestern Christian (Okla.) University. This past fall during the NAIA Council of Presidents meeting the following four institutions were approved: Benedictine University at Springfield (Ill.), Central Baptist (Ark.) College; State University of New York - College of Environmental Science & Forestry; and Warren Wilson (N.C.) College. Total membership now stands at 296.

In spite of the NAIA's recent attempt to police its membership a bit by banning schools that are in the process of transferring over to the NCAA from participating in NAIA championship tournaments, it's falling short of that goal. Roosevelt University, a medium-sized commuter school located in Chicago's Loop, is in the process of reviving its athletic department after disbanding it two decades ago. The thing is, the school has explicitly stated that its ultimate intention is to use the NAIA as a springboard to joining NCAA D3 (and, presumably, the NAthCon), which it will do once it has enough teams up and running. Apparently, nobody at NAIA headquarters saw that announcement.

SUNY's College of Environmental Science and Forestry, which is located adjacent to the Syracuse University campus (I always thought it was peculiar that a forestry school was located in the heart of a city), is another school that used to have sports teams back in the day before discontinuing its athletic department. ESF doesn't have basketball yet, but I think that that's a sport that it will revive.

Benedictine University at Springfield is worth mentioning because its parent school in suburban Lisle west of Chicago is a long-standing D3 member currently affiliated with the NAthCon. The downstate school in question was (and still is) called Springfield College. It was a private two-year institution that was merged into Benedictine back in 2003. It has continued to participate in athletics on the juco level, as Springfield College; presumably, the entrance into the NAIA means that the juniors and seniors on the Springfield campus who are progressing towards their bachelor's degrees from Benedictine will now be able to participate in sports as well, and that the Springfield College moniker will finally be laid to rest.

Too bad about LaSierra, but the people for whom I feel the worst are the good folks at Chapman who will find LaSierra's passing from the D3 scene to be yet another frustrating hurdle to overcome in terms of finding local D3 competition.

[dahlby]

With an enrollment of just over 1,000 students, La Sierra has had its problems with enough participants to field a team to play a game, let alone a full squad to have effective practices. Men's basketball being the exception. During a D3 BB Indy Tourney this year,  hosted out iin Riverside, I had the opportunity to speak with several La Sierra personnel and that they are hopeful, by now being able to offer athletic scholarships, they  will be able to field a full roster that will not only eliminate the need to cancel contests due to the lack of enough to start the game, but to also have effective practices. I think that most coaches are walk-ons with other jobs, so I would assume they don't have much time for recruiting. I have spoken with most coaches of the various sports. I find them committed and overall good people with good intentions. But, if you don't have the students, or enough quality recruiting, you can't be competitive iin this environment, with 8 other D3 schools within driving distance of each other, along with another group of established NAIA teams in a very competative NAIA conference and several JUCO'S. I am sure Chapman, and other D3's will continue to schedule them, and I do respect their efforts, but it apparently was not meant to be.

[Pat Coleman]

Since Division III's budget is based on a fixed percentage of the NCAA budget, the new Division I March Madness contract should lead to a bigger budget in Division III.

http://bit.ly/a8EoQz

[Ralph Turner]

Study: NCAA graduation rate comparisons flawed

A new study suggests that a statistical flaw relied upon by the NCAA means that graduation rates for major college football and men's basketball players lag behind those of other students — not the other way around.

The NCAA's most recent report on Division I graduation, ...