What is the NCAA

NCAA Purpose

“To govern competition in a fair, safe, equitable and sportsmanlike manner, and to integrate intercollegiate athletics into higher education so that the educational experience of the student-athlete is paramount.”

NCAA Divisions

The NCAA is made up of three membership classifications that are known as Divisions I, II and III. Each division creates its own rules governing personnel, amateurism, recruiting, eligibility, benefits, financial aid, and playing and practice seasons – consistent with the overall governing principles of the Association. Every program must affiliate its core program with one of the three divisions

Division I

• Schools must offer at least 14 sports (7 for men and 7 for women, or 6 for men and 8 for women)
• Must sponsor at least two team sports for each gender
• Total Division I members: 335
• 66% are public institutions, 34% are private

Division II

• Offers intermediate-level of competition between the highly competitive DI and nonscholarship level of DIII
• Schools must field at least ten sports with male and female competition in a given sport counting as two different sports
• Co-ed schools must field athletes in at least four sports in each gender
  Regionalization big part of DII philosophy , so it guarantees access to a national championship in each region of the sports involved
• Total DI members: 302

Division III

• 19% are public schools, and 81% are private
• There are 42 DIII Conferences
• There are 14 Championship Sports for both Men and Women
• Student-athletes represent 20% of student body on average
• Total DIII Members: 442

The Sports of the NCAA

The NCAA oversees collegiate sports at the Division I, II, and III levels. All member schools of the NCAA must acknowledge and follow the rules and regulations set forth by the NCAA.

As a collegiate student-athlete, you will need to work hard to balance the busy schedule that classes, training, and competition all throw at you. It is important to remember that you are a student first, then an athlete. While you may have an athletic scholarship to be there, your main focus is to use the opportunity and earn a degree. The NCAA has strict rules about academics for their athletes, so make sure to take that seriously. You can lose your eligibility if you don’t.
Each sport also has their own set of specific rules, especially when it comes to recruiting. Click here for sport-specific recruiting information.

 

How the NCAA Works to Provide Opportunities

There are more than 430,000 students in college who participate in intercollegiate athletics in the NCAA. The revenue that the NCAA earns goes directly back to the schools, and to the student-athletes. Sixty percent of the total revenue is given to DI conferences, and is then passed on to the member schools sin those conferences.

The revenue that the NCAA earns also helps support the various championships in the 23 sports that it sanctions. The money also gets used for insurance coverage for athletes, drug-testing programs, and other scholarship programs.

While media rights are the main source of revenue for the NCAA, the other money comes from the NCAA championships, like ticket sales. The revenue from ticket sales of Football and Men’s Basketball is enough to support all of the other college sports. Without their success, the other athletic programs would struggle to exist.

NCAA Academic Eligibility Standards

How to get Recruited and get a Scholarship

NCAA Eligibility Center

Author: David Frank

Gain Exposure. Get Recruited.

Find opportunities for athletic scholarships and get connected to college coaches.

Parents Click Here Athletes Click Here