Among other moves, council recommends Executive Board sponsor proposal to establish Division II championship in men’s volleyball
The Division II Management Council this week recommended that the Division II Executive Board adopt emergency legislation establishing an age-based eligibility model that would create a five-year period of eligibility, effective immediately for the 2026-27 academic year. Under this proposal, a student-athlete’s period of eligibility would begin upon initial full-time collegiate enrollment or the regular academic year immediately following the student-athlete’s 19th birthday, whichever occurs earlier.
The model would replace the current seasons-of-competition and semesters/quarters eligibility model and would provide limited exceptions for active-duty military service, religious missions and pregnancy. The model closely aligns Division II’s eligibility framework with the recently adopted Division I age-based eligibility model.
“As we continue evaluating the future of Division II eligibility, our focus remains on creating legislation that is not only easy to understand but is also equitable and centered on the student-athlete experience,” said Ben Cherry, faculty athletics representative at Cal State San Marcos and chair of the Management Council. “This age-based model simplifies the rules structure by providing clarity and consistency while continuing to support academic success and student-athlete well-being.”
2027 NCAA Convention proposals
Governance-sponsored
Several proposals will be voted on at the 2027 NCAA Convention. One proposal, which was sponsored at a previous meeting, would eliminate the limit of 60 total awards in men’s sports other than football and basketball in any academic year. The proposal emerged from the Division II Legislation Committee’s review of the division’s rules and policies and modernizes Bylaw 15 while maintaining sport-specific equivalency limits and institutional responsibility for adhering to Title IX requirements.
The Management Council recommended the Executive Board sponsor a proposal to establish a Division II championship in men’s volleyball, with a projected first championship in spring 2029. In the 2025-26 academic year, 36 Division II schools sponsored men’s volleyball, with that number expected to reach 44 for the 2026-27 academic year. The recommendation requires final sponsorship by the Executive Board due to its financial impact.
The council also sponsored a proposal that would permit the placement of additional commercial or nonprofit trademarks or logos on student-athletes’ athletic equipment, uniforms and apparel in non-NCAA championship athletics competition, as well as pregame and postgame activities.
Additionally, the Management Council sponsored a proposal to amend its name, image and likeness legislation to permit further institutional assistance, such as involvement in the NIL marketplace.
Finally, the council sponsored a proposal to establish a National Collegiate Championship in women’s flag football. The proposal must be approved by all three divisions, at which point the sport would be positioned for its first NCAA championship in spring 2028.
Membership-sponsored
As required by Division II legislation, the council referred the sole membership-sponsored proposal for the 2027 Convention to committees in the governance structure for them to take formal positions. Under the proposal, schools could not play their first basketball contest with outside competition before the Friday preceding the Monday that is 17 weeks before the Division II men’s and women’s championship selection dates. The proposal was referred to the Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports, the Division II Legislation Committee and the Division II Men’s and Women’s Basketball Committees.
The council will review these positions at its October meeting and determine a council position.
Championships
The council approved several championships-related recommendations and enhancements. The council approved expanding the women’s bowling bracket from eight to 10 teams. This increase would ensure that no more than half the bracket would be made up of automatic qualifiers. The first Division II Women’s Bowling Championship will take place in winter 2028.
The council also approved establishing minimum adult ticket prices for preliminary rounds beginning in 2026-27, including $15 single-session and $25 all-session tickets for baseball, field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, softball and volleyball. The single-session basketball ticket minimum would be $16, while the all-session ticket minimum would be $38. The football ticket minimum would be $20.
Pending Executive Board approval, the council supported funding to expand photography coverage at all Division II championship finals sites beginning in 2026-27. The enhancement would add daily photography coverage and an on-site editor to provide real-time championship imagery to member schools, conferences and NCAA staff.
Other items:
- Transfer windows: The council continues to discuss potential transfer windows for all sports following the adoption of emergency legislation to establish a football transfer window that aligns with Division I legislation. The council approved a request for feedback from the following groups on whether transfer windows should be established for Division II sports and, if so, when should the windows occur: the Division II Athletics Directors Association, Division II coaches connection groups, Division II Conference Commissioners Association Compliance Administrators, Division II sport committees and the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
- Logo size increase: Noncontroversial legislation was adopted to increase the permissible size of a manufacturer’s or distributor’s normal label or trademark from 2¼ square inches to 4 square inches on uniforms, apparel and equipment. The change aligns with the logo-size restrictions already in place in Divisions I and III and is effective Aug. 1.
- Division II membership process: The council approved in concept a noncontroversial proposal to amend the conference and provisional institution applications and establish a new candidate conference designation to streamline the membership processes. This modernization will provide greater flexibility for emerging conferences and institutions seeking Division II membership. The legislation is effective for schools and conferences applying during the 2027-28 academic year.
- Playing and practice seasons modernization: The council adopted noncontroversial legislation to simplify the playing and practice seasons rules and provide institutions with additional flexibility.
- Management Council and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee summit: Before the meeting, the council and the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee met for their annual summit. The summit provides an opportunity each year for the two groups to discuss key issues in Division II, ensuring the student-athlete voice is well represented in the governance process.
At this year’s meeting, the two groups reviewed proposed legislation for the 2027 Convention, discussed SAAC goals for the upcoming academic year and talked about findings on recruiting and on-campus support for Division II student-athletes from the 2025 NCAA Growth, Opportunities, Aspirations and Learning of Students in College Study. They also listened to a panel about navigating and managing change, engaged in professional development and were joined by families from the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Team IMPACT.
