|
NCAA Guide Part 2: Decoding the divisions
Recent Articles (show all)
Top student athletes will want to gun for playing in a Division I NCAA school. The division is the best scenario both in terms of funding and exposure.
Schools in Division I must sponsor seven teams for both men and women, including two team sports each. The schools must also meet an attendance requirement at their football stadiums of an average of 15,000 attendees per game. They are also required to meet bare minimums of student athlete funding - different for each sport - and offer the most total-coverage scholarships.
In the 2005-2006 athletic year, there were 2,865 funded mens' sports teams or individuals, and 3,707 womens' teams or individuals. That's the most out of any division.
Division II schools offer students the next-best deal. Students receiving scholarships at these institutions do not usually have their entire tuition covered, and there is no bare minimum to meet in terms of audience.
These schools sponsor five mens' and womens' sports a piece, and funding is based out of the institutional budget - not the sales-driven approach of Division I teams.
Division III schools concentrate on regional competition only, and don't have the same sporting profile as their Division I and II counterparts. Students do not receive athletic funding at these institutions.
So once you've got your school of choice in mind and know what division you're gunning for, the next step is making sure you're eligible to play. Like it or not, that means concentrating on academics just as much as your athletics.
Click here for Part 3
|