It's a thought that goes back at least as far as the days of the pioneers who traveled in wagon trains. If you're going to be crossing unfamiliar territory, it's best to travel in a group.

A sizable number of Division III independent institutions have recognized the value of circling the wagons, getting to know one another and then heading out across the prairie together. They've established an informal coalition of sorts for now, and plans are on the horizon to launch a formal association just for Division III independent institutions.

Division III has the highest ratio of institutions not affiliated with conferences of any of the three membership divisions. A total of 69 of its 422 active and provisional members -- a little more than 16 percent -- are not affiliated with a voting conference. That is much higher than in Divisions I and II, where conference membership is practically a prerequisite for existence since the divisions function almost exclusively through conferences for everything from legislation and committee nominations to tournament qualifications.

In Division III, however, many institutions lack logical neighbors that are close, either in proximity or compatible institutional philosophy.

"There just aren't a lot of Division III institutions west of the Mississippi," said Dick Strockbine, athletics director at the University of Dallas and chair of a steering committee that is organizing Division III independents.

"Geographic proximity can be a huge challenge," echoed Bridget Belgiovine, NCAA associate chief of staff for Division III/governance liaison to the Executive Committee. "There are many institutions that are simply far from other Division schools or that are far from other Division III institutions that have similar goals for their athletics programs. I think there's also a higher value placed on institutional independence and autonomy in Division III, and that also results in a higher number of independent institutions."

Circle the wagons

Just as early pioneers welcomed traveling by caravan, independent institutions know there are benefits to togetherness.

"Independent institutions can feel left out by themselves without the ability to discuss common issues and problems," Strockbine said. "Here at Dallas, we've been independent for only a year, but those who have been independents much longer say they've really felt it. People don't really appreciate all of the things that accrue from conference membership. As an independent, you are frequently just kind of left out."

One of the benefits of conference membership is simply the ability to analyze an issue, such as proposed legislation, and determine how it would affect an institution and others like it.

"The purpose of the independents group is so that we can help each other work through the same common issues," Strockbine said.

The group also supports conference membership and plans to serve as a means for some institutions to join together if they so choose.

"Every one of us would rather be in a conference," Strockbine said. "There are scheduling advantages, all-conference selections and a variety of other advantages."

But at the same time, conference membership isn't beneficial if the result is an alliance of institutions that have different goals and institutional philosophies. For that reason, many independent institutions retain their independence, Strockbine noted.

The idea of independents working together has been a long time in coming. In January 2000, a group of independent Division III institutions met for the first time at the Convention in Orlando. Another meeting last summer at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics convention convinced many in attendance that it was time to pursue organization more formally. The group of about 60 institutions then applied for and received a Division III Initiatives Grant.

"One of the key areas of focus for the Division III Initiatives Task Force is membership education," Belgiovine said. "So the Division III independents received an initiative grant last year to organize themselves and improve communications."

That one-time $14,200 grant was awarded to give the independent institutions a way to explore means of gaining a clearer voice, establish a more formal communications network and consider a more formal organizational structure. The grant also supported one in-person gathering and provided an opportunity for members of the Division III governance staff to address the group to explain issues and answer questions. The governance staff regularly offers such services to conference members at conference meetings, but previously there had been no practical way to deliver that same access to independent institutions.

When the grant funds were awarded last September, a nine-member steering committee, chaired by Strockbine, began formal work on the project (see the accompanying list of steering committee members).

About 40 institutions were represented at that in-person meeting at the 2002 NCAA Convention in January. The group discussed a range of issues of interest to independents, including championships opportunities, scheduling and proposed legislation.

Individually, independent institutions also could apply for grants through the task force to permit them to attend one of the NCAA Regional Rules Seminars. Forty-seven independent institutions took advantage of the grants this year, a significant jump from the 12 that applied last year. And many of the representatives attended the May Regional Rules Seminar in Indianapolis, which featured a meeting of the independents group. From that meeting came a proposal to establish a formal Division III independents association.

More means louder

What could an association do for them that independents could not do alone? Again, it's like the wagon train. One prairie schooner moving across the territories might be easy to overlook, but a whole line of them kicks up quite a bit of dust. Having the association will help independents make sure their voices are heard.

"The purpose is to facilitate communication among independents, but it also is to advocate more clearly for independents, enhance their representation in the Division III committee structure and also ensure equitable representation at championships," said John Leavens, a former NCAA vice-president of membership services who is assisting the steering committee with the administration of the initiatives grant.

"We're trying to make sure people don't forget the independents are out there," Strockbine said. "We plan to remind people we're here, particularly when the conversation turns to championships."

Though the idea is to form an association to oversee and coordinate the efforts of independent institutions, it's not expected that the association would compete with conferences for members.

"It's not an adversarial relationship at all," Leavens said. "We understand fully that many institutions seek to join conferences. This effort is intended in part to bring some opportunity for independents to work together to solve issues such as scheduling. We intend to facilitate institutions' efforts to join a conference if that's their interest. And for those institutions that have primarily geographical considerations, the association will assist them in exploring ways they can connect with others in the absence of a conference."

What's on the horizon?

The next steps are for the independents to figure out how their association might look and what it might mean to be a member.

"We're in just the embryonic stages (of creation) right now," Strockbine noted. "We're asking people to pay dues, and we're hoping to find a dollar figure that will not preclude institutions, which of course have not had a chance to budget for it yet, from joining. We're also trying to put up a Web site that would enhance communication even further."

Just as the pioneers periodically suffered hardships that reminded them why they worked together toward a common goal, the University of Dallas recently endured an experience that reminded Strockbine and other administrators why they have combined their efforts.

The Crusaders' baseball team, which finished the season 33-3, was overlooked at Division III tournament time and left out of the 42-team field.

That omission stung Strockbine especially hard when he looked at the 2002 NCAA Baseball Records book and found that the Crusaders' winning percentage (.917) exceeded that of any previous all-time high in the division (two teams were tied for .913).

"According to that book, we have the best winning percentage ever, yet we weren't chosen," he said, noting that another independent he considered worthy, Chapman College, also did not make the field.

"In reality, both of those teams should have been in the field, but none of the Pool Bs were true independents at all," Strockbine said. "Instead they were (second-place teams) from conferences. At the very least, (independents) need to band together to make each other aware of these things."

Strockbine is using the Crusaders' experience with baseball as a rallying cry to encourage independent institutions to attend the NCAA Convention and participate in voting.

"People ask me, 'We don't belong to a conference, why should we go to Convention?' And now I say because this could happen to you. Go to the Convention. You at least have a voice and a vote in this division. But you can't use them if you don't attend."

When it comes to automatic qualification for championships, Strockbine says the independents group is looking for ways to ensure independents retain access.

"We've suggested perhaps some way for independents to pick their own Pool B representative. Conferences get to pick (how their qualifier will be chosen), so why can't we determine how we select ours?" Strockbine said.

As for the future work of the independents group, it certainly will include keeping an eye on any proposed changes to the division, such as those that that may be discussed or perhaps eventually recommended by the Division III Joint Subcommittee on the Future of Division III.

"There's no question (any changes to the division) will have an impact on independent institutions," Strockbine said. "And if there is some kind of subdivision along philosophical lines, it might create some opportunities for some of us to get into like-minded conferences."

But for now, the focus is on creating a workable structure for this new association and also recruiting more independents to join the journey.

"It's important that independents are aware we are trying to form and that it would behoove them to get involved with us."

In other words, pull up a wagon. The train is headed out.

Steering committee

Members of the Division III Independents Steering Committee are:

Dick Strockbine, athletics director at the University of Dallas, chair

Marv Christopher, athletics director at Cazenovia College

David Currey, athletics director at Chapman University

Julie Davis, athletics director at the University of Maine, Farmington

Debby De Angelis, athletics director at California State University, Hayward

Jim Huckaby, athletics director at Baptist Bible College (Pennsylvania)

Joel Nielsen, athletics director, and Julie Soriero, senior woman administrator, at Colorado College

Page Remillard, athletics director at Agnes Scott College

Ira Zeff, athletics director at Nebraska Wesleyan University

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