DIVISION III PRESIDENTS QUARTERLY UPDATE - NOVEMBER 2025
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR, PRESIDENT JIM TROHA
I hope this quarterly update finds you and your campus well as the fall semester ends. This newsletter contains updates from the NCAA Division III Presidents Council’s late October meeting that included a meeting with the Presidents Advisory Group (PAG). The joint meeting with the PAG provided invaluable insights and feedback from a broader perspective of chancellors and presidents. It also informed the council’s discussions and actions. Our goal is to provide you with useful information as you plan for the NCAA Convention in January and engage with campus and conference colleagues.
DIVISION III ANALYSIS
The council, along with the PAG, spent time on an open discussion of the division’s core tenets. The council approved a narrow analysis on key issues, which may include championship access, eligibility standards, and membership criteria. This analysis will build on recent evaluations by Deloitte (finances), Lewis Rice (Enrichment Fund), and the Division III Philosophy Working Group. The council also emphasized that the analysis will be conducted to find ways to strengthen, not divide, the division. The initial discussions will begin at the 2026 NCAA Convention. The council urges Division III presidents and chancellors to attend this year’s convention and actively engage in these critical discussions. Click here for questions that will help frame the initial discussions.
CONVENTION - SCHEDULE
This year’s convention will be Jan. 13-16 in the Washington, D.C. area. Click here for the 2026 NCAA meeting schedule, and here for a Division III specific recommended schedule for presidents and chancellors. The Chancellors and Presidents Forum is Wed., Jan. 14, 1:30-3 p.m. Eastern.
CONVENTION - PROPOSALS
The council reviewed the 2026 Convention proposals and took a position on the five proposals and one resolution in the presidential grouping. The council supported the resolution which charges the governance structure with monitoring the evolving landscape surrounding name, image and likeness (NIL) and its potential impact on Division III. It also supported the following three proposals: 1.) Establish a Division III Women’s Wrestling Championship; 2.) Automatic qualification – Core Members that requires institutions that are core members of a conference to participate in that conference’s championship automatic qualification process for any sport(s) they sponsor, and 3.) Amend In-Region Competition Requirements which would reduce the required minimum percentage of in-region competition for championships eligibility from 70% to 50% for all sports expect golf and tennis.
The council opposed two proposals: 1.) Criteria For Eligibility: The council viewed it as inconsistent with the Division III Philosophy Statement. The proposal’s shift from a participation-based to a competition-based standard for determining when a season of eligibility is used also raised concerns about potential financial implications for both student-athletes and member institutions, and 2.) Multiple Automatic Qualifier model noting that it could negatively affect the number of at-large selections to NCAA championships.
For a chart detailing the 2026 legislative proposal, including the proposal numbers and title, intent, and rationale statements, click here.
ELIGIBILITY
The council discussed several evolving issues related to eligibility, including ongoing litigation, Division III participation standards, and a Division II proposal to expand competition to five years. Members examined how differences in eligibility standards between divisions and associations affect student-athletes transferring into Division III. The council recognized the multifaceted nature of these issues and affirmed that future decisions should uphold the Division III emphasis on academic achievement and graduation.
CONCLUSION
It is my intent that the quarterly update provides the necessary and critical information to assist you in the oversight of Division III Athletics on your campus. You can find a full recap of the October Presidents Council meeting here, and the Summary of Actions, which highlights all recent council actions. As always, I welcome any comments or questions.
DIVISION III GOVERNANCE STAFF THAT SUPPORTS PRESIDENTS COUNCIL
This email was sent to NCAA Division III presidents and chancellors;conference commissioners and athletics direct reports based on contact information in the NCAA Directory.
