National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News Digest

June 15, 1998

AWARDS

NCAA Woman of the Year nominations due by June 19

NCAA Woman of the Year nominations are due by June 19 to Cynthia M. Van Matre in the national office.

The NCAA Woman of the Year Award honors and recognizes senior student-athletes from all NCAA member schools who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in the areas of academic achievement, athletics excellence, and service and leadership.

The 1998 NCAA Woman of the Year Award dinner will be held October 18 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Staff contact: Cynthia M. Van Matre.

LEGISLATION

Deadline near for Divisions II, III Convention legislation

The July 15 deadline is approaching for Divisions II and III institutions and conferences to submit legislative proposals for the Association's 1999 Convention.

In Division II, members are reminded of the amendment procedures set forth in NCAA Constitution 5.3 of the 1997-98 NCAA Division II Manual. In particular, the minimum number of active member institutions required to sponsor an amendment not sponsored by the NCAA Division II Presidents Council is 15.

In Division III, members are reminded of the amendment procedures set forth in Constitution 5.3 of the 1997-98 NCAA Division III Manual. The minimum number of active member institutions required to sponsor an amendment not sponsored by the NCAA Division III Presidents Council is eight.

Staff contact: Stephen A. Mallonee.

DIVISION I

Financial aid panel sends proposals to Management Council

A set of recommendations from the Division I Financial Aid Committee will be considered by the Division I Management Council at its July 27-29 meeting in Philadelphia.

The committee has developed several different legislative proposals so that the division may consider various alternatives. The package includes 13 recommendations. The proposals are designed to be considered individually rather than as a collective recommendation.

Among the items to be considered is a proposal to reduce the number of counters in football (from 85 to 75) or to place an annual limit of 75 on the number of equivalency financial aid awards to counters while placing an annual limit of 95 on the total number of counters, who could receive a partial or a full award.

Staff contact: Lynn M. Holzman.

DIVISION I

Cabinet recommends process for sharing initial-eligibility data

The Division I Academics/Eligibility/Compli-ance Cabinet has approved a recommendation for sharing initial-eligibility data and other information with Division I governance bodies and the membership.

The process will begin in July and will conclude by mid-September.

Staff contact: Robin J. Green.

FINANCIAL AID

Financial aid hearing set for May 11 in Chicago

The Division I Financial Aid Committee will conduct a May 11 hearing in Chicago at which several concepts will be discussed to address difficulties that NCAA financial aid limitations may pose for institutions as they seek to comply with Title IX.

The hearing will solicit views on the committee's suggestions, which are intended to address the scholarship-equity issue that has arisen recently. Concerns stem from the NCAA's distinction between head-count and equivalency sports and how scholarships in those sports are allocated among men and women.

The hearing will be from 2-5 p.m. at The Westin Michigan Avenue. The annual Title IX seminar will be at the same site May 12-13.

Staff contact: Lynn M. Holzman.

PARTICIPATION

NCAA sports participation increases over 1995-96

About 328,836 student-athletes participated in NCAA-sponsored sports in 1996-97. The number is slightly higher than for 1995-96.

Gains were seen primarily in women's sports, but participation figures for men show small increases from the 1995-96 academic year.

Football remained the sport with the most participants. There were approximately 53,984 football players at active and provisional member institutions in all divisions. That number is up 84 participants from 1995-96.

The most-sponsored sport was women's basketball, with teams at 966 institutions. Next was men's basketball, sponsored at 950 institutions, and women's volleyball, with 923 teams.

Women's sports participation reached new heights again in 1996-97 with a total of 128,209 student-athletes. That constitutes a 3.4 percent jump over the 1995-96 numbers, which showed that 123,943 women were participating in NCAA intercollegiate athletics.

Men's overall participation showed gains over 1995-96 as well, growing 0.54 percent to 200,627 from last year's 199,556.

Staff contact: Sara Abler.