The 2025 NCAA Convention begins Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee, where all three divisions will gather for the annual event that includes education sessions on important topics, action on legislative proposals and celebrations to honor the achievements of many people in college athletics.
The event runs through Friday. Nearly 3,000 attendees from member schools and conferences across the country are expected to attend. Below is a snapshot of the event. Check out the full schedule here.
Women's wrestling championship
All three divisions will vote on a recommendation to make women's wrestling an NCAA championship sport. If approved, it will become the NCAA's 91st championship and the sixth sport to reach NCAA championship status through the Emerging Sports for Women program, joining rowing (1996), ice hockey (2000), water polo (2000), bowling (2003) and beach volleyball (2015). Women's wrestling is one of the fastest-growing sports at the high school and collegiate level, and 93 NCAA schools indicated their intent to sponsor it in 2024-25, an uptick from the 41 that sponsored it in the 2022-23 academic year. The first National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championship would be slated for winter 2026.
Division I
Division I will hold a full membership vote on a proposal that would create women's basketball distribution funds that reward participation and performance in the Division I Women's Basketball Championship. If the measure is approved, teams competing in the 2025 tournament will begin earning distributions that will be paid out to conference offices starting in 2026. More on the proposal here.
Additionally, members of both the Division I Council and the Division I Board of Directors continue to consider interim policy and legislative priorities in anticipation of implementation of the preliminarily approved settlement in the House, Hubbard and Carter class-action cases, which involved back damages and future benefits for Division I student-athletes. The Division I business session will also include updates for Division I members regarding settlement terms, potential changes to impacted NCAA rules and timelines for the implementation of changes.
Division II
Highlights for Division II at the Convention include important committee meetings, informative education sessions and the division's business session.
At the business session, eight proposals — four membership-sponsored proposals and four that came from the division's governance structure — will be voted on via the division's one-school, one-vote legislative process. Proposals are detailed in the Division II Official Notice. Proposals include changes to the progress-toward-degree, civic engagement and seasons of competition legislation, as well as granting automatic qualification privileges to all conferences that sponsor football.
Also, the winners of the 2025 Division II Award of Excellence will be announced during the business session Friday. The 26 finalists were revealed last week.
Additionally, the Division II Executive Board, Management Council and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will meet during the week. The three groups will also gather for a joint breakfast and meeting Wednesday.
Division II will hold division-specific education sessions on topics covering enrollment and roster management; fundraising and alternative revenue streams; staffing; adding sports; and name, image and likeness opportunities.
Additionally, Suzanne Bowser from Catawba was selected as the recipient of the 2024 Dr. Dave Pariser Faculty Mentor Award and will be recognized at a reception Thursday.
Division III
Division III will vote on legislative proposals and continue to discuss issues that impact its future. The NCAA's largest division will focus on the betterment of student-athletes and its schools and conference offices.
Key legislative proposals for Friday's business session are increasing the composition of the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and adopting federated playing rules exemptions. Dive deeper into the legislative proposals.
Topics for the Division III education sessions Wednesday include strategies for athletics programs to survive and thrive, fan behavior and sportsmanship, and the recruitment and retention of athletics personnel. The annual Special Olympics activity will occur Wednesday afternoon, and that evening, the fifth annual Division III LGBTQ of the Year Award Celebration will recognize a student-athlete, administrator/coach and athletics/conference department for their LGBTQ service, leadership and inclusion. Division III delegates are encouraged to attend these events.
During the week, the Division III Presidents and Management Councils and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee all will gather. During these meetings, as well as Thursday's Issues Forum, delegates will engage in discussions centered around important topics, including the impact of name, image and likeness issues and challenges facing the division.
For more information, visit the Division III Convention resources page.
Featured education sessions (all times Central)
Paris 2024: The NCAA Impact at the Olympic and Paralympic Games (2:30-3:30 p.m. Tuesday): Learn how the NCAA continues to impact the Olympics and Paralympics, with more than 1,200 athletes competing in the 2024 Paris Games. NCAA and U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee leaders will discuss the importance of college sports in developing Olympic talent and future opportunities. (Livestream)
How Is Sports Betting Impacting Student-Athletes? (10-11 a.m. Wednesday): Explore the NCAA Study on Collegiate Wagering and its findings on sports betting's mental health impact. This session also addresses legislative updates and provides practical resources for campuses. (Livestream)
Student-Athlete Health, Safety and Performance (11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Wednesday): Discover strategies and resources to enhance student-athlete mental and physical well-being. The NCAA chief medical officer will cover emergent topics in health, safety and performance. (Livestream)
Elevating Equity: Expanding and Celebrating New Opportunities for Women's Sports (2:30-3:30 p.m. Wednesday): Learn how the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program and ESPN-NCAA partnerships are driving growth in women's sports. Athletics leaders will share strategies to address inequities and create new opportunities for women athletes. (Livestream)
Awards
Several student-athletes, coaches, administrators and schools will be celebrated during the Convention for their success on and off the field, as well as their positive contributions to college sports and society.
The NCAA Convention Welcome and Awards Presentation will be livestreamed here from 5-6:30 p.m. Central time Tuesday. The following award winners will be recognized during the event, which will also include the State of College Sports address.
The NCAA Woman of the Year Awards Presentation, from 5-6 p.m. Central time Wednesday, will celebrate the Top 30 honorees and the winner. Bonnie Bernstein, one of the most accomplished female sports journalists in history, will serve as host of the event, which can be livestreamed here.
