We are looking at a small D1 school (total undergrad enrollment 2300), and I was surprised that they were D1. They are heavily endowed and have the program that DD is interested in. And the interest might be two way...will know more by first week of November. Anyhow, I guess I thought that divisions operated much in the same way that school districts are classified (by size). Obviously, I am wrong wrong wrong. So how does a school obtain D1/D2/D3 status?
Stupid question but what classifies the divisions?
- Thread starter maksoftball
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It's up to the schools to determine which division they choose to play in. When I was in college NY state didn't allow any of the state schools to give academic scholarships so most schools played D3. It used to be you could pick and choose which division to play in for each sport, but I'm pretty sure that now you have to play all sports at the same level.
D-I schools are allowed 12 scholarships for softball. D-II are allowed 7.2. D-III are not allowed to give scholarships.
In football, I believe that you must have a minimum seating capacity of your stadium. So I imagine there are facility and other minimum requirements in all sports from the NCAA.
In large part, it's up to schools to decide what is the best fit for them.
In football, I believe that you must have a minimum seating capacity of your stadium. So I imagine there are facility and other minimum requirements in all sports from the NCAA.
In large part, it's up to schools to decide what is the best fit for them.
There is a little more to it than that. Here is a reasonably simplified version:
All D-I schools must field teams in at least seven sports for men and seven for women or six for men and eight for women, with at least two team sports for each gender
Division I schools must meet minimum financial aid awards for their athletics program, and there are maximum financial aid awards for each sport that a Division I school cannot exceed.
Each playing season has to be represented by each gender as well. There are contest and participant minimums for each sport, as well as scheduling criteria. For sports other than football and basketball, Division I schools must play 100 percent of the minimum number of contests against Division I opponents—anything over the minimum number of games has to be 50 percent Division I. Men's and women's basketball teams have to play all but two games against Division I teams; for men, they must play one-third of all their contests in the home arena
In addition to the schools that compete fully as D-I institutions, the NCAA allows D-II and D-III schools to classify one men's and one women's sport (other than football or basketball) as a D-I sport, as long as they had been sponsoring those sports prior to the latest rules change in 2011.Also, Division II schools are eligible to compete for Division I national championships in sports that do not have a Division II national championship, and in those sports may also operate under D-I rules and scholarship limits
There are more differences that separate Division I (such as minimum seating for football as mentioned in an early post) from Divisions II and III but the above covers the vast majority of programs. A D2 or D3 school can meet these requirements but are not compelled to become D1 unless they want to.
All D-I schools must field teams in at least seven sports for men and seven for women or six for men and eight for women, with at least two team sports for each gender
Division I schools must meet minimum financial aid awards for their athletics program, and there are maximum financial aid awards for each sport that a Division I school cannot exceed.
Each playing season has to be represented by each gender as well. There are contest and participant minimums for each sport, as well as scheduling criteria. For sports other than football and basketball, Division I schools must play 100 percent of the minimum number of contests against Division I opponents—anything over the minimum number of games has to be 50 percent Division I. Men's and women's basketball teams have to play all but two games against Division I teams; for men, they must play one-third of all their contests in the home arena
In addition to the schools that compete fully as D-I institutions, the NCAA allows D-II and D-III schools to classify one men's and one women's sport (other than football or basketball) as a D-I sport, as long as they had been sponsoring those sports prior to the latest rules change in 2011.Also, Division II schools are eligible to compete for Division I national championships in sports that do not have a Division II national championship, and in those sports may also operate under D-I rules and scholarship limits
There are more differences that separate Division I (such as minimum seating for football as mentioned in an early post) from Divisions II and III but the above covers the vast majority of programs. A D2 or D3 school can meet these requirements but are not compelled to become D1 unless they want to.
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- Oct 17, 2014
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There are still several schools who are only D1 in one sport and D2 and D3 in all others within their athletic dept.....especially D1 hockey and lacrosse, just due to the availability of scheduling opponents. At some point, a lot of these athletic programs decide to elevate all of their sports to D1. Seen a lot of that in the last 10 years.
Even more interesting then seeing a D1 with tiny enrollment #'s--take a look at the Wisconsin state school system and the huge enrollment #'s of some of those D3 schools.
Even more interesting then seeing a D1 with tiny enrollment #'s--take a look at the Wisconsin state school system and the huge enrollment #'s of some of those D3 schools.
University of Evansville enrollment: 2300
University of Florida enrollment: 52,000
Both are D1 schools...
University of Florida enrollment: 52,000
Both are D1 schools...
- Oct 17, 2014
- 123
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D3 Southern Vermont University enrollment = 522
D3 Hunter College enrollment = 23,000
Also, Johns Hopkins is a D3 school but their men's lacrosse team is a participating member of the Big Ten.
D3 Hunter College enrollment = 23,000
Also, Johns Hopkins is a D3 school but their men's lacrosse team is a participating member of the Big Ten.
Size of endowment is more important than the student enrollment number.
- Oct 17, 2014
- 123
- 18
There are some private D3 schools with very big endowments.....mostly schools with a large engineering/science alumni base......
Athletic endowments?
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