Aiming to return to pre-COVID-19 pandemic operations, the NCAA Division III Championships Committee is recommending a collection of budget initiatives, including per diem increases in all sports and the expansion of some brackets and travel parties.
At its recent meeting at the NCAA national office in Indianapolis, the committee recommended the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee approve funding for the initiatives.
“We are focused on strengthening Division III championships and enhancing the experiences of student-athletes,” said Chuck Mitrano, Championships Committee chair and commissioner of the Empire 8 Athletic Conference, in a statement. “I am truly grateful for the collaboration with the fellow committee members and the work we were able to accomplish together.”
Other recommended changes for all team and individual sports include the following:
— In bracketing, conference opponents would be separated to keep them from playing each other in the first round.
— Local ground transportation would be reimbursed for individual and team sports.
— NCAA jersey patches would be added for all participants.
In addition, the bracket in women’s hockey would increase from 10 to 11.
In April, the Division III Championships Committee formally engaged Division III sport committees for feedback on the current bench size limits.
Sport committees generally feel that the current bench limits are adequate, but feedback has consistently shown that the student-athlete experience is negatively impacted when teams reach the NCAA championships, and some student-athletes are not allowed to be in uniform on the bench with the team.
As a result, the committee made a recommendation to the Division III Management Council to allow all student-athletes permitted in the bench area to be in uniform and to participate in warmups. The current bench size, squad size and travel party limits will remain unchanged.
