East Coast Conference Celebrates NCAA DII Day

Graduation rates. The Division II student-athlete graduation rate is consistently higher than that of the total student body. Division II also features a high number of first-generation college students, thus increasing the access to education.   Academic emphasis. Division II’s regionalization philosophy in scheduling limits missed class time for student-athletes.   Athletics scholarships. The partial athletics scholarship model rewards athletics ability while allowing student-athletes to earn other sources of financial aid. Scholarship student-athletes are known to benefit the institution’s overall academic profile, and the partial aid model generates revenue for the school.   Balanced bottom line. The median expenses for Division II athletics departments are far less than their counterparts in any of the Division I subdivisions.   Favorable admission rates. Division II membership is split almost evenly between public and private institutions. On average, Division II schools have the highest admission rate (80 percent, versus 68-70 percent in the other two divisions).   Community engagement. Through student-athlete leadership, Division II has enjoyed long-term and successful partnerships with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Team IMPACT and military groups. In addition, Division II conducts community engagement activities at all championships final sites.   Positive game environment. Division II members pledge to conduct athletics contests in a family-friendly environment that is civil and entertaining.   Unique geographical footprint. Division II is the only NCAA division with schools in Alaska (Anchorage and Fairbanks) and Puerto Rico (Bayamon, Mayaguez and Rio Piedras). In addition, Division II is the only division to have taken advantage of an NCAA policy to accept members from Canada (Simon Fraser).   National championship opportunities. Division II features unparalleled opportunity for student-athletes to advance to national championship competition as a result of the division’s generous championship access ratios (the highest among the three NCAA divisions).   National Championships Festivals. Division II is the only NCAA division that conducts “National Championships Festivals,” Olympic-style events in which a number of national championships are held at a single site over a period of several days.   Make It Yours. This student-athlete-driven brand enhancement strengthens awareness among external audiences by clearly communicating the experience Division II schools create for student-athletes.   Diversity and inclusion. Matching grants encourage access, recruitment, selection and the long-term success of ethnic minorities and women in administration and coaching.
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