National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News - Digest

October 21, 1996

DIVISION I

Council reviews initial eligibility, grants a total of six waivers

The NCAA Council discussing the overall initial-eligibility process for Division I at its October 7-9 meeting and granted six waivers that had been appealed from the Council's Subcommittee on Initial-Eligibility Waivers.

The Council did not recommend specific changes in initial-eligibility standards, but it did ask the NCAA Academic Requirements Com-mittee and the Presidents Commission to review the current core-course distribution requirements for Division I eligibility.

In another action, the Council issued interpretations on contest exemptions that will affect the standards used by the NCAA Special Events Committee to evaluate events in Division I.

Staff contact: Stephen R. Morgan.

DIVISION II

Steering committee wants more discussion on Proposal No. 2-90

The Division II Steering Committee wants to talk with Division II chief executive officers before deciding whether to withdraw proposed legislation dealing with student-athletes' eligibility for competition after the 21st birthday.

The Division II subcommittee of the NCAA Presidents Commission recently expressed concerns about the proposal (No. 2-90 in the Second Publication of Proposed Legislation).

The proposal would require that an athlete who participates in organized competition after turning 21 but before enrolling in college for the first time be charged with a season of competition for any such competition during each 12-month period following that birthday.

The proposed rule's purpose is to minimize competitive advantages that certain student-athletes may gain from participation in organized competition before enrolling in college.

Staff contact: Nancy L. Mitchell.

DIVISION III

Nominations database recommended for new structure

The Division III Steering Committee has recommended creation of a nominations database to assist with the nominating process in the new governance structure.

The database would provide a pool from which to draw candidates for governing bodies under the Association's new structure.

Cost implications of a database will be explored before action is taken.

Staff contact: Daniel T. Dutcher.

WOMEN'S ATHLETICS

Committee commends Board for 35 percent standard

The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics has commended the Division I transition Board of Directors and the NCAA Presidents Commission for approving a 35 percent minimum female representation standard for the Division I Management Council.

Staff contact: Janet M. Justus.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT-ATHLETES

International student-athletes

Men's sports, by number

1. Soccer -- 1,341
2. Tennis -- 1,238
3. Ice hockey -- 924
4. Track and field -- 688
5. Basketball -- 428
6. Swimming -- 428
7. Golf -- 344
8. Football -- 319
9. Baseball -- 224
10. Cross country --103

Women's sports, by number
1. Tennis -- 700
2. Track -- 377
3. Volleyball -- 299
4. Basketball -- 261
5. Swimming -- 222
6. Soccer -- 198
7. Golf -- 137
8. Softball -- 93
9. Cross country -- 60
9. Field hockey -- 60

Countries represented
1. Canada -- 28.4%
2. Great Britain -- 6.3%
3. Sweden -- 5.8%
4. Australia -- 3.2%
5. Germany -- 2.6%
6. South Africa -- 2.5%
7. Jamaica - -2.3%
8. Ireland -- 2.2%
9. Brazil -- 2.1%
10. Norway -- 1.8%
A new study shows that the rate of participation by foreign student-athletes in NCAA sports has increased since a similar study was made in 1991-92.
More than one in six (17.13 percent) of Division I-A student-athletes in the 1995-96 academic year was foreign, while the overall NCAA percentage was 10.52. Other subdivisions and divisions were: Division I-AA, 13.09 percent; Division I-AAA, 16.51 percent; Division II, 8.48 percent; and Division III, 5.33 percent.
In 1991-92, the overall percentage was 8.55 percent while the percentage in Division I-A was 16.33.
Wrestling (0.18 percent) and football (0.44 percent) had the lowest proportion of foreign student-athletes among men's sports in the 1995-96 study, while lacrosse (0.47 percent) and cross country (0.66 percent) were the women's sports with the lowest foreign participation.