This update is a tool to enhance communication between the NCAA national office and the Division III membership, with distribution to athletics directors, senior woman administrators, faculty athletics representatives, presidents, national SAAC, conference commissioners and the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators listserv. We encourage athletics directors to share this communication with their athletics department members. Please contact Katie Mucci to include an item or share comments, and remember to check out the Division III governance homepage for the latest news and information.
This year’s Division III Week celebration will be April 10-16. Division III Week is a positive opportunity for all individuals associated with Division III to observe and celebrate the impact of athletics and of student-athletes on the campus and surrounding community. For more information, click here, and to view the communications kit, click here. Join the conversation on social media with #D3Week
IMPORTANT: Regional Rules Seminar Attendance
At least once every three years, an active member school must be represented by at least one institutional staff member at the NCAA Regional Rules Seminar . The Division III Membership Committee determined that Division III member schools required to attend the 2023 Regional Rules Seminar scheduled for May 16-18 in Indianapolis can fulfill the requirement in two ways:
1. Register for and attend the 2023 Regional Rules Seminar in Indianapolis. 2. Register, log in and view the Division III Regional Rules Seminar sessions via livestream.
The livestream option to satisfy the attendance requirement is limited to schools required to attend in 2023. The list of schools required to attend in 2023 can be found here. Registration and livestream access information will be distributed later this month.
The Membership Committee also determined that Division III member schools NOT required to attend this year’s seminar may reset the once-in-three-year’s attendance requirement only by registering and attending in person. If you have attendance requirement questions, contact Eric Hartung at ehartung@ncaa.org.
Division III Health and Safety Survey
The Division III health and safety survey was sent to all athletics health care administrators. In total, approximately 250 schools completed the survey, a significant increase from past years. The data from this year’s survey will be incorporated into the NCAA Division III Institutional Performance Program this summer. Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey.
DEADLINE APPROACHING: Leadership Development Programs
Webinars are from 1:30 to 2 p.m. Eastern time the first Tuesday of the month on the following dates and topics:
March 7 — Eligibility Center: international student-athlete certification. April 4 — Championships bid cycle. May 2 — Updates from Management Council, Presidents Council and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee meetings.
All past webinar PowerPoints are on the Division III webinar webpage.
As you plan for the upcoming summer camp season, remember Bylaw 13.11.3.2. You and your coaches can host or conduct camps and clinics involving prospective student-athletes, provided the following conditions are met:
The events must be open to the general public.
The events do not offer free or reduced admission to prospective student-athletes.
Any awards or mementos given to attendees are included in the admissions fees.
No athletics department staff member is employed (salaried or volunteer) in any capacity if the events are established, sponsored or conducted by a recruiting and scouting service.
A camp or clinic is considered open to the general public provided participation is only limited by number, age, gender and grade level. If participation is limited by any other criteria including academic criteria (for example, grade-point average, standardized test score) the event is not considered open to the general public.
Recent Legislation – Football Out-of-Season Athletically Related Activities
The Division III Management Council approved noncontroversial legislation to specify that the football spring period (Bylaw 17.11.7) must be completed not later than five weekdays before the first day of the institution’s final examination period. Bylaw 17.11.7.1-(g) now confirms: The institution shall conclude all athletically related activities not later than five weekdays before the first date of its final examinations for the regular academic year. (Adopted: 1/22/22, Revised: 1/19/23)
Recent Interpretation
Staff Interpretation: Student-athlete performs work study in athletics department The academic and membership affairs staff confirmed that Division III student-athletes may be assigned work study in the athletics department as part of their financial aid package, provided the employment earnings from federal, state or institutional work-study program assistance is consistent with regular institutional policies.
For the fifth time, Division III will support eight students who are women and/or identify as Black, Indigenous or people of color to attend the annual College Sports Communicators Convention through the Division III CSC Student Program. The 2023 convention, which includes Division III Day, runs June 11-14 in Orlando, Florida.
Students who meet the following criteria will be given preference:
Female and/or BIPOC.
Current junior class academic standing.
Work experience in a campus or conference athletics communication/sports information office.
Strong interest in a career in Division III athletics communication (sports information).
At the 2023 CSC Convention, the selected students will participate in Division III Day and be exposed to the College Sports Communicators Convention, its delegates and the athletics communication profession. Grant recipients will attend welcome and debriefing meetings and be assigned a mentor. The goal is to build the pipeline in an effort to ultimately diversify the Division III athletics communication landscape.
The nomination/application process will be available on the NCAA Program Hub through 5 p.m. Eastern time March 17.
Winter Championship Selection Shows
Find more information on the Division III winter championship selections here.
The 2023 NCAA Inclusion Forum will be in person April 21-23 in Indianapolis. Registration is now open. The forum will bring together leaders within higher education and intercollegiate athletics, including student-athletes, to engage in powerful programming and provide key takeaways to enhance efforts on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives. Educational programming will focus on each of the office of inclusion’s five core areas of disability, international, LGBTQ, race/ethnicity and women. Visit this page for updates on this year's keynote speakers, session topics and additional programming.
Diversity Spotlight Initiative
Emory is the recipient of the February Division III Diversity Spotlight Initiative. Developed in September, the Emory Black Student-Athlete Groupstrives to create a safe and positive environment, foster community between sports, and celebrate student-athletes’ many intersecting identities and cultures, while continuing to advocate for their personal, professional, academic and athletic success. As part of its work this year, the group recently held a panel on the Black student-athlete experience.
The Diversity Spotlight Initiative recognizes and promotes outstanding diversity-related projects, programming and initiatives occurring on Division III campuses and in conference offices. To submit an initiative for consideration for March, email Katie Mucci with a brief statement (no more than 500 words) as to why your school or conference office deserves to be the spotlight recipient. Attach a video or photo if applicable. The nomination deadline is March. 21.
The NCAA Division III Special Olympics Spotlight Poll is a storytelling initiative on ncaa.org/d3specialolympics. It features new stories each month that highlight a Division III and Special Olympics joint activity or event. That school or conference receives $500 to use for its next Special Olympics event. Written and digital submissions both are accepted. Featured stories are selected based on inclusion of the student-athlete perspective and Division III messaging. To submit a story for consideration, email d3specialolympics@ncaa.org.
The Softball Rules Committee released its playing rules reminders for the 2023 season, including information on mandatory regular-season barrel compression testing, sideline and home run fence padding requirements and the double first base experimental rule. Please contact Vickie Van Kleeck, NCAA softball secretary-rules editor, at ncaasbsre@gmail.com with any playing rules questions.
The Softball Rules Committee is now accepting your rules change proposals. Please use this link to record your proposal and rationale. This form must be fully completed for the proposal to be accepted. All proposals must be received by March 31.
Wrestling
The Wrestling Rules Committee will meet April 17-19 for its annual meeting. It is a rules change year. The wrestling playing rules survey will be sent to the membership in early March.
The NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports seeks to amplify the voices of student-athletes on mental health and offers a complementary mental health statement in support of the recent statement from the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and NCAA Board of Governors Student-Athlete Engagement Committee. The complementary statement includes information about research on student-athlete mental health, mental health education and resources and next steps/action.
Applications for the NCAA/Women Leaders 2023 Women’s Leadership Symposium, the Institute for Advancement and the Executive Institute are now open. The Women’s Leadership Symposium, being offered virtually May 24-25, is perfect for administrators with approximately one to three years of experience in college athletics. Participants will develop their skills, build their network, and learn more about women working in college athletics. Apply here by March 13. The Institute for Advancement, June 25-27 in Kansas City, Missouri, is for those further along in their careers, with approximately three to six years of experience. Participants will be inspired by engaging speakers and pioneers in women’s athletics. Apply here by April 3. The Executive Institute, June 27-29 in Kansas City, is an advanced professional development program for women who hold senior-level leadership roles within sports. It provides an immersive leadership experience that will teach executive-level leadership skills, help prepare participants for the search process and position them for advancement to the highest level. Apply here by April 3. There are a variety of scholarships available to those who may need assistance to attend. Discover options and apply here.
NCAA Convention Education Sessions
2023 NCAA Convention Education Session recordings are now available here. The Division III specific education sessions are Best Practices for Hiring and Retaining Administrators and Coaches of Color, Eligibility Center Requirements, and Landscape of Higher Education and Enrollment Retention in Division III.
Several committees conducted meetings in February: Championships Committee, Feb. 6-7 Nominating Committee, Feb. 9 Financial Aid Committee, Feb. 13-14 Interpretations and Legislation Committee, Feb. 14-15 Membership Committee, Feb. 17
KEY DATES MARCH THROUGH MAY
2023
Dates
Meeting/Championships
Location
March 6-7
Administrative Committee
Eau Claire, WI
March 8
Presidents Council
Virtual
March 10-11
Indoor Track & Field Championships
Birmingham, AL
March 10-11
Wrestling Championships
Roanoke, VA
March 15
Interpretations and Legislation Committee
Virtual
March 15-18
Swimming & Diving Championships
Greensboro, NC
March 16
Membership Committee
Virtual
March 16-18
Women's Ice Hockey Championship
TBD
March 16-18
Men's Basketball Championship
Fort Wayne, IN
March 21
Strategic Planning and Finance Committee
Indianapolis
March 23-25
Men's Ice Hockey Championship
TBD
April 1
Women's Basketball Championship
Dallas, TX
April 15-16
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
Virtual
April 17-18
Management Council
Virtual
April 19
Interpretations and Legislation Committee
Virtual
April 20
Membership Committee
Virtual
April 26
Presidents Council
Virtual
April 28-29
Men's Volleyball Championship
Owings Mills, MD
May 9-12
Women's Golf Championships
Howey-in-the-Hills, FL
May 14-22
Tennis Championships
Orlando, FL
May 16-18
Regional Rules Seminar
Indianapolis
May 16-19
Men's Golf Championships
Nicholasville, KY
May 16
Championships Committee
Virtual
May 17
Interpretations and Legislation Committee
Virtual
May 18
Membership Committee
Virtual
May 25-27
Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Rochester, NY
May 26-27
Rowing Championships
Pennsauken, NJ
May 26-28
Women's Lacrosse Championship
Salem, VA
May 28
Men's Lacrosse Championship
Philadelphia. PA
This email was sent to NCAA Division III presidents and chancellors, athletics direct reports, directors of athletics, faculty athletics representatives, senior woman administrators, sports information directors, directors of compliance, commissioners, assistant/associate commissioners, national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, provisional, reclassifying and exploratory members based on contact information in the NCAA Directory.
