DIVISION III PRESIDENTS QUARTERLY UPDATE - JANUARY 2026

I am Marc Camille, president of Albertus Magnus College and the new chair of the Division III Presidents Council. I hope this quarterly update finds you, your students, faculty, and staff having smoothly transitioned into the spring semester. For those of you who were able to attend the annual Convention in DC, hopefully it proved to be equally enjoyable and productive. At the moment, there is no shortage of topics impacting NCAA Division III.

As I begin my tenure serving as Presidents Council Chair, I extend personal appreciation to council colleagues who recently concluded their service, for their commitment and hard work. In a special way, I thank former chair, Jim Troha from Juniata College, for his tremendous contributions over multiple years. I am reminded that Presidents Council members, like those who serve on so many other Division III committees, are volunteers who give their time and talents on behalf of more than 210,000 student-athletes who compete at the Division III level. To all those who serve, thank you.

With this communication, I will continue the tradition of providing our membership with periodic, salient updates. This update addresses a variety of timely and important issues, and I encourage you to review and discuss them with your presidential colleagues, athletics direct reports, and conference commissioners.

At the 2026 NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C., Division III leadership groups engaged in initial discussions on a focused analysis of the division, to be overseen by the Presidents Council. The Management and Presidents Councils, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Presidents and Chancellors Forum participants, and Issues Forum delegates all had discussions and provided feedback, including roundtables on the analysis’ potential topics, structure, timeline, and implementation. Delegates were invited to identify Division III legislative and policy tension points. It is important to understand that the Presidents Council emphasized that this focused analysis will include NCAA-related issues and will not address broader higher education issues or institutional challenges, such as enrollment and budget constraints, staffing and other industry pressures that are beyond the NCAA’s capacity. The Division III focused analysis must address membership-identified items that the NCAA and Division III leadership can address for best possible solutions.

Division III adopted thirteen proposals and one resolution related to Name, Image, and Likeness. The delegates also referred NC-2026-15 (Ethical Conduct — Sports Wagering Activities) to the Presidents Council for further consideration. This legislation was not adopted by the Association, but the delegates referral is to ensure that a broad conversation occurs if the proposal to deregulate sports betting on professional sports resurfaces in the future. The final voting results grid is available on the 2026 Convention resource webpage.

The Management and Presidents Councils approved a recommendation from the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee to pause the Division III–specific membership dues assessment through fiscal year 2027, extending the cost savings previously approved for 2025 and 2026. As a result, for the 2026–27 year, Division III institutions will once again pay $900 in membership dues, and conference offices will pay $450.

For the second year in a row, Division III livestreamed every round of its fall championship events, further enhancing the division’s visibility and brand. Overall, broadcasts saw an increase in minutes watched this fall, reaching 12.4 million, an 8% increase compared to Fall 2024. Viewership for the Division III football championship, streamed on ESPN+, increased 36%, while the Division III women’s volleyball championship viewership rose 29%, underscoring the continued momentum and fan engagement generated through expanded digital access.

The Presidents Council congratulates this year’s award winners, who were honored at the NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C. The Division III LGBTQ of the Year recipients are Mitchell McPartland, head women’s volleyball coach at the University of Chicago (Coach of the Year), and the University of Massachusetts, Boston (Institution of the Year). Francesca Loiseau, Marymount (VA) tennis player, received the NCAA Inspiration Award, honoring her perseverance, dedication, and determination in overcoming a life-altering challenge and serving as a role model for others. Nick Ackerman of Simpson men’s wrestling received the Silver Anniversary Award, honoring 25 years since the conclusion of his college sports career. Ella Brissett of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Matthew Wrather of John Carroll were honored with the NCAA Impact Award, recognizing student-athletes who exemplify the highest standards of athletic excellence, academic achievement, and dedicated service to their campuses and communities. Congratulations to this year’s award recipients.

As I mentioned earlier, three members of the Division III Presidents Council concluded their service at the January meeting: Doug Lee, Waynesburg University; Jim Troha, Juniata College; and John Walz, Milwaukee School of Engineering. Of significance to the division, Jim Troha has been elected vice chair of the NCAA Board of Governors and will serve as an ex-officio member of Presidents Council through the 2027 NCAA Convention. The Council welcomes seven new members: David Bushman, Bridgewater College (VA); Gary Crosby, Saint Elizabeth University; Katherine Frank, University of Wisconsin-Stout; Andrew Manion, Edgewood University; Andrew Martin, Washington University in St. Louis; and national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representatives, Connor Dong, University of Chicago; and Holly Hall, Alma College.

CONCLUSION