National Collegiate Athletic Association

NCAA News Archive - 2010

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Jan 16, 2010 5:12:57 PM

ATLANTA – The Division I Board of Directors delayed the effective date of the addition of sand volleyball to the list of emerging sports for women until August 2011.

The Board voted Saturday to delay the effective date to give the governance structure time to shape the sport at the collegiate level. Several proposals fashioning the playing and practice season, financial aid limits and coaching limits were introduced into the 2009-10 legislative cycle and will be acted on by the Legislative Council in April.

The Division I membership reaffirmed sand volleyball as an emerging sport Friday, turning back an override attempt during the Division I business session.

Some of the concern that prompted the override attempt stemmed from uncertainty about the parameters of the sport at the college level.  The Board believes giving the structure additional time to build the sport will be helpful.

The Board also:

• Heard a report from the Football Academic Enhancement Working Group that included the concept of requiring football student-athletes to earn nine hours in the fall semester in order to be eligible for spring football, and consequently to earn 27 hours total (fall, spring and following summer) in order to be eligible for competition the following fall. The group expects to further refine that concept and others for a final report in the spring.
• Informally endorsed a Leadership Council plan to apply the minimum requirements for gender and diversity to each governance body individually, instead of at two separate levels collectively. The Board also agreed with the Council's decision to apply positional diversity minimums of 20 percent faculty athletics representatives and 20 percent athletics directors to each body. The Board will evaluate a slate of nominations for the councils and cabinets for the Football Bowl Subdivision in April. The diversity requirement enhancements will be legislated.
• Encouraged the Committee on Academic Performance to investigate the concept of an academic year in readiness for incoming student-athletes who need extra time to adjust to college academic work. In conjunction with the Academic Cabinet, the committee is studying initial-eligibility standards and academic requirements for transfer students from junior colleges. The idea for an academic year in residence stemmed from the initial eligibility discussion.