The Difference Between Collegiate Divisions
The NCAA Division II contact period is right around the corner for incoming juniors (June 15th). What does Division II mean and how does it compare to other divisions? When we think of college volleyball, our mind immediately wanders to…
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Continue ReadingThe NCAA Division II contact period is right around the corner for incoming juniors (June 15th). What does Division II mean and how does it compare to other divisions?
When we think of college volleyball, our mind immediately wanders to the powerhouse Division I programs like Nebraska or Penn State and we grow up aspiring to be just like those elite players. However, there are very few athletes who make it to the top Division I programs. The remaining athletes take their talents to lower level Division I institutions, Division II and Division III programs within the NCAA, or even outside the NCAA to competitive NAIA programs and have phenomenal careers, but just how different are the athletes within each division?
Starting with the basics, the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) is organized into three divisions: Division I, Division II, and Division III. The NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) just has one division for women’s volleyball.
Division I schools are usually represented by the larger universities with high enrollment. These are the programs with the largest athletic facilities, most expensive equipment and gear, and national television contracts. All these factors attract top athletes across the country as Division I is allotted 95% of the NCAA athletic budget. Division I conferences are usually spread out across the country, so travel time for a Division I athlete is often more strenuous than lower divisions.
Scholarships at the Division I level for volleyball are known as head-count scholarships. These are scholarships that cannot be divided up, meaning you either receive a full-ride scholarship, or no scholarship. Every women’s volleyball program competing at the NCAA DI level has 12 scholarships per team.
Here are the take-a-ways from Division I athletes:
- Best facilities and gear
- TV time
- Longer travel
- Longer seasons
NCAA Division II schools are characterized by smaller universities with lower enrollments. Conferences in DII are determined more by geographical location rather than competition, so travel time is generally less than Division I. Athletic facilities are usually smaller and there is less media attention at the DII level as 3% of the NCAA athletic budget is allotted to Division II schools.
Scholarships at this level are known as equivalency grants, meaning athletic scholarships can be divided up. Therefore, most student-athletes fund their education through a combination of athletic and academic money. At each Division II institution, 8 scholarships are allotted per women’s volleyball program. NAIA is very comparable to the NCAA Division II level in regards to scholarships offered, money allotted, and competition level.
Here are the take-a-ways from Division II/NAIA athletes:
- NCAA tournament is divided into regional tournaments to alleviate travel funds
- Student-athletes fund their education through a combination of academic and athletic scholarships
NCAA Division III schools are comprised of the smallest universities within NCAA. Division III schools are different from their upper-division counterparts in the fact that athletic scholarships are not available and the student-athlete finances their education purely through academic scholarships. Like Division II, they share a small amount of the NCAA budget with only 2% being kicked back to Division III. Student-athletes attend these institutions to continue their education with the benefit of being able to play collegiately, not for scholarship money.
Here are the take-a-ways from Division III athletes:
- No athletic scholarships
- Athletes compete solely for the enjoyment of the game, not for scholarship
From a factual perspective, there is a hierarchical tier regarding level of play across the divisions. Obviously, the highest level of competition is going to be the top Division I schools such as the programs who compete in the Big 10, Big 12, and Pac 12. However, when you get outside of the top 25-50 Division I programs, there is a lot to be said about the top Division II schools. If you ever have the opportunity, I would encourage you to attend a DI-DII cross-over spring game.
The trend we see is that Division I athletes are generally larger in size as teams need to match-up across the net with competition equally as tall. Talented volleyball players who lack in size, but make up for it in skill often choose the competitive Division II, Division III, or NAIA route.
Many athletes at the top Division II level received lower level Division I offers, but decided on Division II for the chance to compete at a more competitive program and be a potential National Title contender. High level Division II and Division III programs, like their upper-division counterpart, are constantly exposed to elite competition.
In closing, all divisions at the collegiate level house great volleyball talent! Competing at a lower level does not diminish the experience of playing college volleyball whatsoever! Less than 2% of high school athletes receive athletic scholarships to play collegiately, so there is a lot to be said about the players who have dedicated their lives to playing at the college level. I urge when you embark on this recruiting adventure that you do not get hung up on the hype of playing at a higher division. Chances are that there may be equal, if not better, opportunities at lower divisions!