The Division II Executive Board on Wednesday voted to adopt a recommendation from the Division II Strategic Planning and Finance Committee that expedites the process for a new Division II championship and optimizes student-athlete opportunities.
After the division adopted legislation in January that established 35 as the number of sponsoring schools required to add a Division II championship in a men's or women's sport, flexibility was desired for the board to act outside the championships triennial budget process, which calls for board approval before the membership votes on a new championship at the NCAA Convention. Such approval ensures fiscal responsibility and appropriate funding for the new championship.
"Today the board took important steps to gain needed flexibility in the budget process to ensure student-athlete access to new Division II championships is not hindered," saidColleen Perry Keith, chair of the Executive Board and president at Goldey-Beacom. "This decision affords us the ability to be nimble and add a new championship, should the opportunity surface between budget years."
Think Tank
The board was apprised of planning for the Division II Think Tank on Sept. 16-17, during which a representative group of Division II leaders will discuss the challenges facing college athletics and begin developing strategies and solutions. Feedback from the Think Tank will be forwarded to theStrategic Planning and Finance Committee, which will develop the next membership census to be distributed in January. Census results and a membership review will then inform the operating plan, scheduled for release in January 2026.
Make It Yours brand research
An update was provided on thecontinued activation of the Make It Yours brand. The division's current focus isinfluencing the perception of Division II among its target audiences, which includes prospective student-athletes and their influencers, such as parents/guardians.Extensive research among those target audiences has been conducted to better understand their thoughts and concerns. Initial returns have indicated current student-athletes are prioritizingtheir personal development, but still rely on schools to fulfill their needs, whileprospective student-athletes can struggle with starting the process of selecting a college and thus rely on influencers. The data gathered through this research will help determine a media activation plan that will launch in 2025.
2024-25 Division II priorities
The boardalsovoted to approve the division's priorities for the 2024-25 academic year, which were approved by the Management Council last month. In addition to the marketing and branding research and the development of the division's next operating plan, a focus has been placedon:
- The Championships Committee's review of regionalization and bracketing.
- A membership vote at the 2025 NCAA Convention to addwomen's wrestling as a National Collegiate Championship.
- The national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee's goals, best practice guides and civic engagement resource.
- Deregulation of legislation in the Division II Manual and review of sports wagering legislation.
- Partnership and development opportunities for the membership.
Next meeting
The board's next meeting will occur Oct. 28-29 in Indianapolis, at which time chair and vice chair elections will take place.