Changing NCAA divisions can cause a lot of changes in the athletic program at the collegiate level. I am a cross country and track and field athlete at the University of Hartford. When I first started at Hartford in 2023, we were technically still a DI school, but we were in the middle of transitioning. We were not in a conference, so the first year of competing was not a normal experience. When transitioning to a different division, you are unable to be in a conference for one year before the transition is final. This being said, we were still able to compete at meets but sometimes we could not place and we did not have a conference meet.
Athletic Scholarships
At the Division III level, there are no athletic scholarships that are given out, only academic. The University of Hartford transitioned to DIII in 2022 but what does this mean for the athletes that have athletic scholarships from prior years? For the years 2023 and 2024, the athletes will keep their athletic scholarship, but the team is unable to compete in championship competitions. In the year 2025, those who still have an athletic scholarship will get a repackaged scholarship that consists of financial aid and academics. However, there is a chance it might not be the exact same amount of money. In this case, you can choose to keep your original scholarship, but you will not be able to complete the following year according to NCAA rules. This will be a similar process at every school going through this transition.
Competition Level
At the Division I level, the competition will be more challenging due to the fact that most DI schools are big schools at a highly competitive level and are able to give out partial or full athletic scholarships. While the DIII level consists of private/smaller universities that like to focus on the college experience.
Budget
The athletic budget is also very different in DIII compared to DI. This athletic budget could have affected stadium sizes, training equipment, resources for travel, and the availability of coaching staff and athletic trainers. From my experience, the athletic budget has not made a big impact so far. Athletes still receive lift clothes, shoes, and warm-ups for the season. However, compared to schools at the DIII level it is very rare for DIII schools to travel far.
Time Commitment
At the end of the day, when trying to figure out what division you want to compete in, it depends on the college experience you want. At the DI level, the sport will be more of a commitment. Some sports will have to go back during the summer, and you probably will miss a lot of school for travel. However, you get the opportunity to compete in an extremely competitive field and gain great experiences with your team. While at the DIII level, the commitment is slightly less, but you still get the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level while also being able to focus on school and having fun. Overall, if you get the opportunity to compete at any of the NCAA Divisions it is a huge accomplishment.
* Originally published on March 7, 2024, by Elizabeth White
