Rochester Institute of Technology coach Wayne Wilson got some good news on Saturday, when the NCAA Division III membership passed a resolution to allow multi-divisional institutions, including RIT and Union, to offer scholarships for their men’s and women’s hockey programs.
The schools had been competing in Division I without the benefit of scholarships since 2005 and 1991, respectively.
The vote took place during the NCAA’s annual meeting in Indianapolis, and passed by a wide margin, 388-18, with 39 abstentions. It had the support of all the Division I men’s and women’s conferences that play hockey, but it was up to the Division III members, which historically had been cold to the idea.
The other four Division III schools that sponsor Division I hockey (Clarkson, St. Lawrence, Colorado College and Rensselaer), were grandfathered under a previous agreement that allowed for scholarships. Union initially declined and RIT entered the D-I ranks after that resolution, so neither could offer scholarships…until now.
Wilson said that over the past few seasons, support for the measure had begun to swell, but he wasn’t taking it for granted.
“I was optimistic, but cautiously optimistic,” he said. “For us, it was a long time of not even getting this (proposal) on the table. Union coming on made a big difference. The Division I commissioners were great, they all wrote letters, but, ultimately, they had no say. It was up to the Division III membership.”
The NCAA landscape has changed enough the past few years to make the proposal seen as a way to level the playing field for RIT and Union, especially with the recent changes in D-I.
“It was the perfect storm,” said Wilson. “With the (transfer) portal, the ability to transfer right away, the new rules around name, image and likeness, it’s made it tougher for us. We were asking for an equal opportunity, nothing special, just what every other school is able to do.”
Also helping was the D-III Liberty League, of which RIT and Union are members in all other sports, along with Rensselaer, Clarkson and St. Lawrence.
“The Liberty League and the D-III President’s Council all recommended it (pass),” said Wilson. “And the backing from the (NCAA’s) SAAC (Student Athletic Advisory Committee) helped. Those are students who are affected by things like this.
“It was common sense. But it was a long process.”
It’s expected that RIT will begin offering scholarships next season.
“We’re assuming this fall,” Wilson said. “We’ll be meeting with our AD shortly.”
The Tigers are trying to dig out of a funk that’s seen them go 2-5 since early December. They currently sit in seventh place in Atlantic Hockey, and travel to Bentley this weekend for a pair of games.
“(Two weekends ago) against Arizona State, on Friday we felt we were going in the right direction even though we lost (2-1). It’s not always about winning or losing but playing to your potential. But (in a 5-1 loss) on Saturday we fell flat.”
The Tigers were also flat in a 5-3 loss at home to Niagara last Friday but rebounded on Saturday for a 6-5 overtime win at Dwyer Arena.
“We had more fight in us,” said Wilson. “We had to win that overtime. You have to get points every weekend. Sweep and you’re moving up. Get swept and you’re going in reverse.”
