Aiming to return to pre-COVID-19 pandemic operations, the 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 meeting Monday and Tuesday at the NCAA national office in Indianapolis, the committee recommended the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee approve funding Friday 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. "I am truly grateful for the collaboration with the fellow committee members and the work we were able to accomplish together."
Budget initiatives
Among the recommended initiatives, the committee backed an increase to the per diem for all sports from $100 to $115 and an increase to the host per diem from $40 to $50.
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.
Recommended changes for specific sports are as follows:
- The bracket in women's ice hockey would increase from 10 to 11.
- The squad size/travel party for women's lacrosse would increase by four.
- The field size of men's outdoor track and field would increase by two per event.
- Funds for video review for baseball and softball would be added.
Gender equity review
The committee affirmed its budget priorities to help ensure equitable decision-making as the committee membership changes over time. Championships access, travel party increases, per diem, officiating fees and host honorariums remain the highest priorities.
The committee also formulated sport committee communication standards and began to discuss guidelines on bracket size, travel party, bench size and squad size in an effort to establish what might trigger a review of any of these elements.
Bench regulations
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.Â
