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NCAA News Archive - 2000
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Increased sponsorship, likelihood of Division III event could change inclusive environment
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STAFF WRITER
According to NCAA sponsorship data, the number of schools hoping for a bid to the NCAA's fourth annual women's rowing championships in May is 129 this year, up from 96 just three years ago at the inaugural event.
In other words, rowing is growing.
Ten teams, qualifying two boats of eight and a boat of four, and nine at-large boats of eight -- or a total of 311 women -- will vie for the 2000 title. But the number of participants is only 15 more student-athletes than were present at the 1997 championships, although the number of institutions sponsoring rowing has risen by 33.
Dealing with the growth at the championship level is a question being considered by rowing coaches at 75 Division I schools, 13 Division II schools and 41 Division III schools, and the NCAA Women's Rowing Committee.
In other words, rowing is having growing pains.
"Gender equity has had a big impact on rowing," said Lynn Oberbillig, athletics director at Smith College and a Division III representative on the rowing committee. "Rowing traditionally has a very big roster. Many schools have taken advantage of a club team that was already in place on campus, added funding and created a lot of new opportunities for women on campus."
Under the current championship structure, 10 teams are selected to compete in I eights, II eights and fours competitions. Nine eights are selected from institutions not qualifying for team invitations, and 36 student-athletes of the 311 total must be from Divisions II and III.
Looking at the numbers, some coaches are eager to have the number of championship qualifiers grow along with the sport.
"I think because we were an emerging sport, and the NCAA wanted to get the championship going, they gave us a more favorable ratio (of total teams to teams selected to the championship) to start with," Oberbillig said. "Our ratio was probably higher than a lot of other sports. Now that we are growing, it is easy to think that the championship will grow, too. Hopefully, that will be the case, but we are probably just closer to where we should be now."
Division I schools represent 60 percent of all institutions sponsoring rowing and represented all of the team selections at last year's championships.
"I have seen some very strong competitors at the championships from Divisions II and III schools," said Barbara Chesler, rowing committee chair and senior woman administrator at Yale University. "But I'm not sure they have the depth to qualify as a team."
Although more Divisions II and III allocations are made in rowing than in any other National Collegiate championship, the disparity of competition has many Division III institutions looking forward to the possibility of a separate championship.
"I have been fortunate to have teams selected to the championship two of the three years," said Emily Plesser, head rowing coach at the University of California, Davis. "It is something for the team to work for and a great opportunity, but once we get there, it is kind of a token thing. We go out there and say, 'Let's be the fictitious Division II and III champ.'"
Just as Divisions II and III schools struggle with the issues of competing, Division I teams are left to consider the opportunities that could be made available to at-large boats if those berths weren't reserved for Divisions II and III.
"I don't have a problem with (the Division II and III teams) being at the championship," said Michigan State University head coach Bebe Bryans. "This is our championship, Divisions I, II and III. You want everyone to have the opportunity to be at the championship, but if there are crews that are faster, it is a tough call."
Separate and equal
In 1997, an NCAA championship for all divisions was the goal. Now, a separate Division III championship is a new, realistic goal that 41 Division III institutions have their eye on for the future.
"Right now, it is a pretty hard sell to tell my team that we can win a championship," said Scott Nohejl, head coach at Savannah College of Art and Design. "We have a very good program and we hold our own, winning medals throughout the year. I think we are one of the strongest Division IIIs in the country. We just can't prove it yet."
With 41 sponsoring institutions for the first time this year, the wait may not be too much longer. The Division III Championships Committee has forwarded a recommendation to the Division III Management and Presidents Councils to establish a Division III Women's Rowing Championship starting in the 2001-02 academic year. The recommendation was endorsed by the Management Council at its April meeting and is now awaiting final approval from the presidents, after which it would be voted on at the 2001 Convention.
"Ever since the (National Collegiate) championship started, Division III has been pushing for a championship of its own," Oberbillig said. "It has been a basic numbers game, and we didn't quite have 40 until now. The coaches are very excited about the prospect. It has been a great opportunity to be able to qualify for the championship, but we just can't compete in the eights, which means that we can't win a championship."
When the National Collegiate championship started, boats of four were selected at large as well as the eight boats of eight. Last year was the first time that boats of four were not selected at large, and it may be the last time adjustments will be made to the championship until decisions about the future of Division III schools is decided.
"I think that we will be looking at only one more year, so I don't think there will be much reason to tinker with things," Oberbillig said. "We will have a lot of other issues to address as a committee if we have a Division III championship, which I think we will."
Should Division III gain its own championship, Oberbillig and Chesler still think the two championships might be held at the same venue.
"There are so few sites that are really, truly appropriate for the championship," Chesler said. "It makes sense to have the championships together, and the schedule would work perfectly unless the championship was to grow tremendously over time.
"Rowing is a spectacular spectator sport, and we would always want to find the best venue to showcase the sport at the championship."
Future for Division II
Besides the Division III schools keeping an eye on NCAA legislation over the coming year, there will be 14 Division II schools awaiting a decision and wondering where they will compete next.
"I have some concerns that (Division II) will get locked out of the championship," Plesser said. "With only 14 programs, we aren't going to get our own championship."
Division II comprises about 10 percent of the championship field and has experienced the least growth of any of the divisions, with only one institution adding the sport since 1997. Division I has added 21 programs, while Division III boasts 11 more since the inaugural year.
"There hasn't been a lot of growth for Division II rowing so far," Plesser said. "The 13 or 14 of us already had club or varsity teams in place in 1997, so creating a team from scratch wasn't a factor. It is my impression that there just aren't a lot of Division II schools that have a huge emphasis on football and need to add a large-roster sport."
Plesser would like to see the Division II institutions included if a Division III championship becomes a reality, but Division III coaches are concerned with competing with added benefits that may be available to Division II athletes.
"If Division III can go it alone, I think that would be the preference," Oberbillig said. "I don't know what that will mean exactly for Division II. They really haven't lobbied either group for inclusion that I know of at this point. It will certainly be an issue to consider, but the Division II programs have to get the right people talking."
Growing side effects
In addition to sponsorship growth providing a potentially larger field, some coaches would like to see room for more crews at the championships venue. Chesler is one who would like to see the growth of the sport affect the championship beyond just increased numbers.
"I would like to see our emphasis stay with the concept of rowing as a team sport," Chesler said. "Therefore, I hope that in the future the way the NCAA defines a team will evolve."
Chesler said she would like to see more competition within the teams selected to the championship, perhaps three eights, a four and a lightweight competition to constitute a champion. This would lead to more athletes at the championship.
"I think this would require teams to be more broad-based to have the number of quality participants to compete at the championship," Chesler said. "An institution will need to commit to recruiting a large number of athletes, as it does in football, in order to have the depth needed to compete."
The future of the sport may include larger teams with the depth to grow the championship format. For now, Chesler said grass-roots programs increasing the number of women with rowing experience entering college will determine additional growth.
The immediate fate of the rowing championship -- or championships -- will be decided within the next year, but it seems that the growing and the growing pains may have just begun.