National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NCAA News Digest

April 27, 1998

Men's/Women's Participation




Football has the most participants of any men's sport in any division. Almost 53,000 student-athletes participate in football overall, with 23,680 taking part in Division I. Among women's sports, participation varies from division to division. Track and field is most popular in Division I, softball in Division II and soccer in Division III.

DIVISION I

Board lifts restrictions on coaches' employment

The NCAA Division I Board of Directors has voted to lift all employment restrictions on the fourth coaching position in Division I basketball.

Previously, Division I had eliminated salary limitations that were part of the original restricted-earnings coach legislation. At its most recent meeting, the Board eliminated the five-year restriction for restricted-earnings coaches in Division I basketball.

At its April 21 meeting in Indianapolis, the Board also gave final approval to the revised version of 1997 Convention Proposal No. 62. The revisions were the same as what had been presented at the NCAA Convention in January, except that the Management Council added a clarification (subsequently approved by the Board) to permit employment earnings for work in the institution's recreational unit to be exempt from team and individual financial aid limits up to $2,000.

The Board asked the Management Council to study the feasibility of increasing the value of a full grant-in-aid to the cost of attendance, with attention being given to the effect of such an action on grants in equivalency sports.

Staff contact: Stephen R. Morgan.

DIVISION II

Management Council discusses geographic-proximity policy

The Division II Management Council supports the concept of eliminating the geographic-proximity policy in Division II championships, pending further review of travel costs and other budgetary implications.

The Management Council, meeting April 14-15 in Orlando, Florida, asked the Division II Championships Committee to obtain more detailed information about the potential budgetary impact but indicated support for eliminating the policy for the 1999-2000 championships.

Information about the April 21 Division II Presidents Council meeting will appear in the May 4 issue of The NCAA News.

Staff contact: Nancy L. Mitchell.

DIVISION III

Championships, membership considered at meeting

The Division III Management Council examined many issues at its recent meeting, including several relating to championships and the provisional membership process.

The Management Council, which met April 14-15 in Orlando, Florida, approved an amended version of the Division III Championships Committee's recommendation to enhance postseason opportunities in football, effective with the 1998 championship.

Information about the April 21 Division III Presidents Council meeting will appear in the May 4 issue of The NCAA News.

Staff contact: Daniel T. Dutcher.

FINANCIAL AID

Financial aid hearing set for May 11 in Chicago

The Division I Financial Aid Committee will conduct a May 11 hearing in Chicago at which several concepts will be discussed to address difficulties that NCAA financial aid limitations may pose for institutions as they seek to comply with Title IX.

The hearing will solicit views on the committee's suggestions, which are intended to address the scholarship-equity issue that has arisen recently. Concerns stem from the NCAA's distinction between head-count and equivalency sports and how scholarships in those sports are allocated among men and women.

The hearing will be from 2-5 p.m. at The Westin Michigan Avenue. The annual Title IX seminar will be at the same site May 12-13.

Staff contact: Lynn M. Holzman.

PARTICIPATION

NCAA sports participation increases over 1995-96

About 328,836 student-athletes participated in NCAA-sponsored sports in 1996-97. The number is slightly higher than for 1995-96.

Gains were seen primarily in women's sports, but participation figures for men show small increases from the 1995-96 academic year.

Football remained the sport with the most participants. There were approximately 53,984 football players at active and provisional member institutions in all divisions. That number is up 84 participants from 1995-96.

The most-sponsored sport was women's basketball, with teams at 966 institutions. Next was men's basketball, sponsored at 950 institutions, and women's volleyball, with 923 teams.

Women's sports participation reached new heights again in 1996-97 with a total of 128,209 student-athletes. That constitutes a 3.4 percent jump over the 1995-96 numbers, which showed that 123,943 women were participating in NCAA intercollegiate athletics.

Men's overall participation showed gains over 1995-96 as well, growing 0.54 percent to 200,627 from last year's 199,556.

Staff contact: Sara Abler.