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Division III Newsletter
Smart Brevity® count: 6 mins...1652 words
👋 Welcome to the Division III September newsletter!
🚨 As a reminder:
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Stay on track throughout the year with a list of required forms and key actions for institutions and conference offices.
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Know a recent graduate with leadership potential and a passion for athletics? Encourage them to apply for the 2027-28 NCAA Postgraduate Internship by Friday in Program Hub.
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Learn more about the Division III Opportunity Grants opening Sept. 28.
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Pathway to Excellence Grant: Two-year, entry-level athletics administration positions.
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Strategic Alliance Matching Grant: Five-year (three years partially funded), mid- to senior-level athletics administration positions.
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Coaching Enhancement Grant: Two-year assistant coaching positions.
Now onto the newsletter.
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☑️ Attestation Period Approaching
The NCAA’s Campus Sexual Violence Policy requires all member schools to meet the policy’s six provisions each academic year (Aug. 1-July 31).
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What: A professional development program designed to prepare the next generation of Division III athletics communication leaders.
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When: Dec. 6-8 in Indianapolis.
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Questions? Contact Bryn Mangold.
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What: Engages 20 new athletics direct reports in best practices for overseeing and managing athletics programs while strengthening relationships with presidents, athletics directors and conference commissioners. Twenty experienced ADRs will also receive an NCAA Convention registration fee waiver.
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When: Jan. 13-15 in Anaheim, California, held in conjunction with the NCAA Convention.
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Questions? Contact Eric Hartung.
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What: Provides 30 students an opportunity to gain an inside look at the division, connect with its members and engage with the governance process.
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When: Jan. 12-15 in Anaheim, California, held in conjunction with the NCAA Convention.
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Questions? Contact Malik Henry.
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📈 Division III Analysis and Working Group
When: The working group had a videoconference in early August.
What: After receiving approval from the Presidents Council, the working group outlined how it will distribute identified options with select Division III governance committees and the membership to mitigate core tensions identified by the membership.
Eligibility case study: The working group discussed a case study that examines the division’s current eligibility model versus an age-based model that has been submitted as a 2027 Convention proposal. It directed staff to collect additional data, and during its September videoconference, it will finalize the case study and share it with the membership by Oct. 2, to help frame the discussion regarding this topic.
During future meetings, the working group will continue to research and discuss several options that focus on creating financial resources (e.g., peer benchmarking), broad playing season structures and governance strategic planning.
➡️ Next steps: The working group’s next videoconference is Sept. 17, and it has an in-person meeting in October.
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🌟 NCAA Convention — Registration opens Tuesday, Sept. 8
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Key events include the welcome and keynote on Wednesday, Jan. 13. The Division III Issues Forum will occur Thursday, Jan. 14, while the Division III Business Session will be Friday morning, Jan. 15.
💻 D3SIDA Recognition Award — Nominations Due Oct. 15
🗳 Submit entries to d3identity@ncaa.org by Oct. 15.
📓 FARA Annual Meeting
Registration is open for the 2026 Faculty Athletics Representatives Association annual meeting Nov. 9-10 in Indianapolis.
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📋 Division III Strategic Plan & Budget
What: The Division III Strategic Planning and Finance Committee revised the division’s strategic plan and budget, with final approval from the Management and Presidents Councils.
Why it matters: The plan outlines Division III priorities, programs, services and budget guidelines, all grounded in the Division III philosophy statement.
✏️ Rule of the Month: Recruiting Reminders
Permissible recruitment activities for your current student-athletes are limited to the following:
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Engaging on social media, so long as the communications are private before Jan. 1 and a financial deposit is made.
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Participating in virtual recruiting presentations involving multiple prospective student-athletes, provided:
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The presentation occurs during the regular academic year.
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The student-athlete must be eligible to participate per Bylaw 14.1.7.
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The student-athlete does not miss class to participate.
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Serving as a student host during a prospective student-athlete's official visit.
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Hosting a prospective student-athlete during an unofficial visit when overnight housing in the student-athlete's residence hall is available to all visiting prospective students.
🚨 Division III has entered the Transfer Portal
Student-athletes entering the Transfer Portal are required to complete the educational module on the Transfer Guides and Resources page.
Division III student-athletes interested in transferring to another Division III school may still use the self-release form to contact the new institution for 30 days.
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After the 30-day period, if the student-athlete and new school would like to continue to engage in recruiting conversations, the student-athlete must begin the notification-of-transfer process and be entered in the NCAA Transfer Portal.
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If student-athletes do not wish to continue recruiting conversations, they do not need to enter the Transfer Portal.
🔍 NIL Working Group
The NIL Working Group continues to meet monthly and is seeking feedback from the Division III membership.
What’s next: Campus administrators, athletics directors and compliance administrators are encouraged to complete a brief survey and share their perspectives. Similar surveys will be distributed to coaches through their coaches associations an to student-athletes through National SAAC social media channels.
📃 New Educational Column
In response to Divisions I and II’s adoption of the age-based model, this educational column clarifies the application of the age-based eligibility model and the Division III official interpretation issued July 27.
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✅ Eligibility Center Checklist
As the fall semester begins, review the status of the international students activated in your Eligibility Center Membership Portal and confirm they have received final decisions for their sport(s).
Need a certification decision?
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Confirm the student-athlete has requested certification and that no Division III amateurism tasks remain open in their account.
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This may include submitting a matriculation date when the "Enrollment Verification Document Needed" task has been assigned.
Fee update: The Athletics Certification Account fee for incoming will increase to $85.
Don’t forget: Domestic students must create a Profile Page to obtain an NCAA ID and confirm it in the Eligibility Center portal.
👉 Questions? Use the “Contact Us” button in the Eligibility Center portal or email ecinfo@ncaa.org or ec-international@ncaa.org.
🥎 New Softball Playing Rules
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Double First Base: For the 2027 season, the double first base is required for all competition.
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Sideline and Home Run Fences: Beginning Jan. 1, hard-material sideline and home run fences must be padded at all facilities hosting NCAA softball competition, including preseason tournaments, nonconference games, conference games and postseason games. Schools also should evaluate other fence types to determine whether padding is needed to help reduce player injuries.
📃 Secretary-Rules Editor Transition
Robbie Guest, a Division I softball umpire with 21 years of experience, has been named the next softball secretary-rules editor. Guest, who has served as the umpire representative on the NCAA Softball Rules Committee since 2022, will assume the role on Sept. 1, succeeding Vickie Van Kleeck.
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🎉 Meet the Division III LGBTQ of the Year Finalists
Congratulations to the final nominees for the 2026 NCAA Division III LGBTQ of the Year Awards.
What's next: ➡️ One award winner from each category will be announced and publicly recognized Wednesday, Jan. 13, in conjunction with the 2027 NCAA Convention in Anaheim, California.
🏊 Paralympic Swimming Pathway Opportunities
Why it matters: Many student-athletes eligible for Para swimming are competing at the collegiate level but may not be aware of the Paralympic pathway.
Who they’re seeking: Team USA is looking for swimmers with permanent physical, visual or intellectual impairments.
What's next:
💙 Special Olympics Partnership
By the numbers: Division III contributed $64,850 to Special Olympics North America during the 2025-26 academic year.
Looking ahead: Planning Special Olympics activities this fall? Check out resources to connect with your local state program and report your activities.
👉 Questions? Contact d3specialolympics@ncaa.org.
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💻 Webinars will be held from 1:30 to 2 p.m. Eastern time on the following dates and topics:
➡️ All past webinar PowerPoints are on the Division III webinar webpage.
🏉 ICYMI: Emerging Sports for Women Webinar Series
Recordings of the NCAA’s Emerging Sports for Women Webinar Series are now available on the NCAA Resources YouTube page.
Why it matters: The NCAA Fan Database is the best way to receive championship ticket offers, live stream alerts and NCAA championship updates.
All Division III championship live streams are promoted through the Fan Database.
👉 Share the signup link with colleagues, student-athletes, parents and fans.
📆 Key Dates — September through November
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Thanks for reading!
This update is a tool to enhance communication between the NCAA national office and the Division III membership.
Please email DIIIGovernance@ncaa.org to include an item or share comments.
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