D3 Proposals at the 2020 NCAA Convention

Started by Ron Boerger, January 25, 2020, 01:43:11 PM

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Ron Boerger

There are a boatload of proposals being adopted (for the most part) at this weekend's NCAA convention.   These are paraphrased; the complete proposals can be seen on NCAA D3 twitter.

2020-1:  Active members/conferences shall designate an athletics diversity and inclusion designee.   ADOPTED
2020-2:  Changes to provisional process for non-NCAA members; reduces from four to three years; a provisional members that cannot gain full membership in that time can apply for a one-time repeat of a year.   ADOPTED
2020-3:  Same as 2020-2 for NCAA members.  ADOPTED
2020-4: Members may provide snacks and "permissible nutrional supplements" to student-athletes as a benefit.  ADOPTED  #nomnom
2020-5A:  Members may provide practice expenses for golf during an official vacation period regardless of location.   ADOPTED
2020-5B:  Same as 5A for swimming/diving.  ADOPTED
2020-6:  Allows student-athletes serving in a leadership capacity to voluntarily participate in leadership programming (with many exclusions to keep the focus on leadership rather than having anything to do with the actual team sport).   ADOPTED
2020-7:  Add equestrian as an emerging sport for women.  DEFEATED
2020-8:  Add acrobatics and tumbling as an emerging sport for women.   ADOPTED
2020-9:  Add wrestling as an emerging sport for women.  ADOPTED
2020-10:  Teams in year 3/4 of the provisional/reclassifying process count towards the seven members needed to make up a conference, as long as there are four active members.  ADOPTED
2020-11:  Members with D1 sports may apply all D1 legislation, except Bylaw 15 (financial aid), to the D1 sports. ADOPTED
2020-12:  Directs the Softball and Baseball Committees to explore "concerns" with emphasis on championship timing as it relates to said concerns, with implementation no later than Spring 2023.  ADOPTED

Ralph Turner

Quote2020-10:  Teams in year 3/4 of the provisional/reclassifying process count towards the seven members needed to make up a conference, as long as there are four active members.  ADOPTED

Interesting...
I wonder if that applies to a conference "re-stocking" with new and affiliates to maintain an AQ bid.

Ron Boerger

The NCAA's summary of the voting can be found here: http://www.ncaa.org/about/resources/media-center/news/division-iii-adds-emerging-sports-women-list - with a few exceptions, not a great deal of additional detail but does include the vote totals.

Caz Bombers

Reducing the reclassifying period from 4 years to 3 years is probably the biggest deal, I wonder if schools already in the process get to take advantage of the shortened timeline or (more likely) it's only for new applicants to D3.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)

Quote from: Caz Bombers on January 26, 2020, 03:16:01 PM
Reducing the reclassifying period from 4 years to 3 years is probably the biggest deal, I wonder if schools already in the process get to take advantage of the shortened timeline or (more likely) it's only for new applicants to D3.

Most recent provisional teams have been given permission to skip year 3 in the process.  It's been effectively three years for a little while now.
Lead Columnist for D3hoops.com
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Dave 'd-mac' McHugh

Quote from: Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) on January 26, 2020, 03:33:46 PM
Quote from: Caz Bombers on January 26, 2020, 03:16:01 PM
Reducing the reclassifying period from 4 years to 3 years is probably the biggest deal, I wonder if schools already in the process get to take advantage of the shortened timeline or (more likely) it's only for new applicants to D3.

Most recent provisional teams have been given permission to skip year 3 in the process.  It's been effectively three years for a little while now.

Not quite ... there are quite a few that have had to go the full four years. I have to look back on it, but I still think the four-year process out numbers the three-year.

This essentially makes it more enticing to schools on the fence. This helps sell the fact that a class that would otherwise be locked out of any NCAA tournament hopes now is guaranteed (baring the department doesn't screw up and needs to repeat a year) to a class of students.

We may see another influx of applications - though limited to four accepted per year - in DIII.
Host of Hoopsville. USBWA Executive Board member. Broadcast Director for D3sports.com. Broadcaster for NCAA.com & several colleges. PA Announcer for Gophers & Brigade. Follow me on Twitter: @davemchugh or @d3hoopsville.

Pat Coleman

These are all really small sample sizes, but I actually think in the past 6-8 years we have had about as many schools repeat a year and go 5 (Alfred State, Iowa Wesleyan come to mind immediately) rather than skip a year and go in 3.
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Quote from: old 40 on September 25, 2007, 08:23:57 PMLet's discuss (sports) in a positive way, sometimes kidding each other with no disrespect.

justafan12

2020-12:  Directs the Softball and Baseball Committees to explore "concerns" with emphasis on championship timing as it relates to said concerns, with implementation no later than Spring 2023.  ADOPTED

What are the concerns?

Pat Coleman

That the baseball season lasts one week longer than the softball season does, now that baseball has a three-week tournament.

I challenge anyone to find a week to take out of baseball. New England and the upper midwest can barely get their games in as it is.
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Quote from: old 40 on September 25, 2007, 08:23:57 PMLet's discuss (sports) in a positive way, sometimes kidding each other with no disrespect.

Ron Boerger

Here is the full proposal: (source)

Resolution:

WHEREAS, changing climate patterns have created increasingly difficult weather
events, often delaying the start of the spring season, particularly in the Northeast, MidAtlantic and Midwest;

WHEREAS, these weather events have negatively impacted the ability of a significant
majority of Division III member institutions to prepare outdoor facilities for softball
and baseball, hindering practice time in their local competition environment and
disrupting overall competition schedules;

WHEREAS, these consistent disruptions to contest schedules cause more games to
be compacted into fewer permissible weeks of play, increasing the likelihood and
frequency of missed class time, and often necessitating the cancellation of contests
altogether, particularly conference contests that can impact fair determination of
automatic bids and potentially Pool B and C selections;

WHEREAS, the fall and winter sport student-athletes are provided funding and other
campus resources to properly prepare and fully complete their seasons (e.g., return
earlier than the student body in the fall to begin preseason practice and participate in
Labor Day weekend tournaments; return to campus earlier than the designated start of
the spring semester during the winter break to participate in holiday tournaments and/ or resume practice for January conference competition);

WHEREAS, softball student-athletes are handicapped further by the historical start to
the NCAA tournament which is conducted one week earlier than baseball, their most
similar sport counterpart, raising concerns about gender equity that is not found in any
other sport;

WHEREAS, resolution of these concerns will contribute to a more positive competition
environment conducted in better weather, and help promote higher retention rates of
these student-athletes;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Division III membership directs the Division III
Softball and Baseball Committees to collaborate on a plan to address the above
referenced concerns with the Division III Championships Committee, with particular
point of emphasis on examining the timing of the tournament schedules as they relate
to these concerns, with an effective date for strategic implementation no later than the
Spring 2023 season;

LET IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Division III Championships Committee
incorporate such changes as may be agreed upon into the bid process for the 2023-26
bid cycle.

Source: Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference, Commonwealth Coast
Conference, Great Northeast Athletic Conference, Michigan Intercol. Ath. Assn.
and North Eastern Athletic Conference

Gregory Sager

"Changing climate patterns"? The problem is that it's the same climate patterns we've always had in this part of the country -- the patterns that cause the ground to be covered in snow every February and often into March as well.

I agree with Pat that you can't shorten the baseball season without ruining the integrity of the sport. The obvious solution is to give softball an extra week.
"To see what is in front of one's nose is a constant struggle." -- George Orwell

Pat Coleman

In all honesty, it's the first I've heard of softball having issues of this nature, but I'm all for giving them an extra week.
Publisher. Questions? Check our FAQ for D3f, D3h.
Quote from: old 40 on September 25, 2007, 08:23:57 PMLet's discuss (sports) in a positive way, sometimes kidding each other with no disrespect.

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh

Yeah ... softball has been having a bit of a challenge. Just hasn't grabbed as many headlines. I call softball games in the spring and there are times when games are either getting dropped because time is up on the season or they are slamming them into every open date imaginable. Softball just wanted a little more wiggle room.

Of course, my solution would be to drop about 8-10 games from the softball and baseball schedules and put in an actual start date (for all spring sports) to help even the playing field as well. But we know how that has gone over in the past.
Host of Hoopsville. USBWA Executive Board member. Broadcast Director for D3sports.com. Broadcaster for NCAA.com & several colleges. PA Announcer for Gophers & Brigade. Follow me on Twitter: @davemchugh or @d3hoopsville.

smedindy

We're already starting softball this weekend - The D2 Desert Stinger in Vegas.

I see La Verne's already played some games.

Up here in the PNW, the rain and snow plays havoc. One year, due to all of the rain and snow and the field - St. Martin's had just two home games at their place. We've had to play games in the Seattle suburbs or the Tri Cities because of field conditions - even in April and May. (And CWU is on the dry side of the Cascades).


justafan12

Since I first started following D3 softball about 10 years ago I have noticed more and more teams "traveling" to a warm weather location to get their games in.  Lots of spots in Florida and Arizona for games and now teams are flying to Texas and then traveling to various locations for games.  This helps with the non conference schedule but does nothing for conference games.

And please don't reduce the number of games.  They are limited to 40 games as it is which is not many in the grand scheme of things.