Division II student-athletes and coaches are signing many autographs during this championship season – not for spectators but for sportsmanship.

A new policy this year requires student-athletes, coaches and other members of the travel party from institutions selected to participate in NCAA championships to read and sign off on a code of conduct that lays out behavior expectations for the duration of their postseason participation.

The “pledge” is similar to a game-environment document that Division II presidents signed earlier this year holding their institutions accountable for establishing fan-friendly and sportsmanlike environments during Division II contests. However, the championships code of conduct has more consequences.

Refusing to sign or (worse) violating the expectations subjects the team to penalties ranging from reprimands and fines to revenue withholding and game suspensions.

“The Division II Championships Committee and the championships staff at the national office sought a document that lays out minimum expectations and for teams to take ownership of adherence to those standards,” said NCAA Director of Championships Roberta Page, a former athletics director at Shippensburg who has helped host dozens of NCAA postseason events. “This is not something designed to simply be read beforehand but for student-athletes and coaches to acknowledge in writing.”

The Championships Committee urged development of a conduct code after incidents at last year’s National Championships Festival for winter sports. Five student-athletes,  one head coach, one assistant coach, one volunteer assistant coach and a donor – all associated with wrestling programs – incurred penalties ranging from private reprimands to fines.

The committee’s action followed swift reaction from the Presidents Council, which issued a letter to all Division II chancellors, presidents and athletics directors two days afterward, warning about future behavior.

“These values should be manifest not only in athletics participation but also 
in the broad spectrum of activities associated with the championship event.”

-Championships Code of Conduct

“What occurred at the festival in March was rare,” said Presidents Council Chair Stephen Jordan of Metropolitan State. “However, it was essential for the Presidents Council and the Championships Committee to address it immediately and emphasize to all Division II members that such behavior will not be tolerated.”

While the incidents at the 2009 winter sports festival weren’t entirely responsible for the code of conduct being adopted, Championships Committee members noted that it also happens to align Division II postseason policy with the division’s strategic-positioning platform and with its game-environment initiative.