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Finding Your Place: NCAA Division I
Overview
For most student-athletes, getting an athletic scholarship from a D1 institution is literally a dream come true. Yet, the great majority of players playing basketball at the collegiate level are not playing D1 ball. What kind of player is best suited to play D1? Generally, a good D1 player is one who is well known locally, regionally, and sometimes nationally, and attracts significant interest from D1 college coaches. Besides being outstanding high school players, D1 recruits are often those most scouted, mentioned in various publications and scouting reports, and garner all the attention from coaches at exposure tournaments. However, one need not be a “blue chip” recruit to play D1, especially at the mid-to-lower tier D1 programs.
Generally speaking, NCAA DI institutions have the following in common:
· Are predominantly public, rather than private, institutions
· Offer a larger number and variety of undergraduate and graduate programs
· Have enrollments ranging from 2,000 to over 40,000
· Emphasize big time college sports and “paid-to-play” student-athletes
· Must augment their athletic programs with outside revenue sources
· Have superior athletic facilities and resources to offer the student-athlete
Generally speaking, NCAA DI basketball programs have the following characteristics:
· Have large recruiting budgets
· Offer specialized and experienced full-time assistant coaches
· Recruit in-state, regionally, and nationally
· Play before larger crowds and have the most national media coverage
· Place extensive travel demands on their student-athletes
· Have the most stringent and complicated recruiting rules
· Graduate fewer athletes than D2, D3 or NAIA schools
· Produce more W/NBA players than other levels
· Expect total commitment which may conflict with educational goals
· Significant playing time may not develop until one’s sophomore or junior year
College Characteristics
Institutions belonging to D1 do so for several reasons. Generally, their large size and a compelling need or desire to offer competitive sports on a large scale are paramount. Unlike D2 or D3 schools, tradition and/or geographic location are less important. Institutions belonging to D1 make a conscious decision to offer the most number of sports permitted and undertake the financial burden of running a large sports program.
D1 institutions are larger than all the other divisions, averaging about 11,000 students. According to the NCAA, about 50% of D1 institutions have enrollments above 7,500 students. D1 schools with as little 2,000 students are rare but do exist and there are a number of schools with enrollments over 40,000 (e.g., Texas, Florida, and Michigan State). As D1 schools are predominantly public institutions, tuition is relatively reasonable for in-state, and even sometimes for the out-of-state student. While this may be of little concern to those players receiving scholarships, walk-ons may find this appealing. Compared to some D2 institutions and most D3/NAIA ones, D1 public institutions can cost significantly less.
To prospective recruits, D1 institutions frequently tout their experienced coaching staff, modern facilities, and national exposure as reasons to choose D1 over the other divisions. However, there are non-athletic reasons to choose D1. As D1 campuses are larger and/or usually located in or near larger towns or cities, there is a greater variety of on and of campus activities. As enrollments are larger, there is more diversity among the student body. Finally, due to their size, D1 schools offer more varied undergraduate degrees. Schools with larger enrollments, of course, offer more graduate and doctoral programs too. Most research-type universities are D1 institutions.
Recruiting/Scholarships
D1 institutions are permitted to grant 15 “full ride” scholarships for women and 13 for men. While many players do receive a 100% scholarship (inclusive of room, board and books as well as tuition), it is becoming more common to find certain D1 players applying for and receiving financial aid. Contrary to popular belief, athletic scholarships are only guaranteed for one season at a time, may not be renewed for a variety of reasons, and are awarded in differing amounts.
The top programs scout the nation for the best athletes and, as a result, team rosters are filled with student-athletes from all across the U.S. The upper tier D1 programs (e.g., Duke, Indiana, and Arizona) attract most of the blue chip prospects while mid-tier programs (e.g., Valparaiso, Alcorn State, and Creighton) generally compete with top D2 programs for the remainder. In some respects, because they are D1 schools, the lower tier programs (e.g., Sacramento State, Hofstra, and Liberty) still attract their share of good players as there is the pervasive and false image among prospective recruits that D2, D3 or NAIA hoops is inferior to D1. For the uninformed, playing at a prominent D2 institution, or D3 or NAIA for that matter, can be just as competitive or rewarding as playing at a mid-to-lower D1 school.
Rules/Eligibility
Today’s eligibility standards for the D1 athlete are much tougher. For example, in addition to passing high school and completing “core” courses, high school recruits must achieve a certain GPA and SAT/ACT score to "qualify". A sliding scale is used to determine eligibility. For example, a 2.5 GPA requires an 820 on the SAT. The partial qualifier rule has been discontinued, however, if you don't meet the academic requirements to be a qualifier, a waiver may be filed on your behalf by the school. Academic requirements will become more strict in 2008.
Student-athletes who barely meet the minimum requirements for eligibility may find it difficult to succeed in the classroom if they are drawn to a school where the average GPA and SAT scores of incoming freshman are significantly higher. This is because there is a natural tendency for professors to teach to the average. If the student-athlete came in with a 950 SAT and 2.3 GPA, for example, and the average SAT and GPA scores for non-athletes were 1100 and 3.0 respectively, that student-athlete may be at a disadvantage in certain classes. When deciding which schools to attend, student-athletes should take this into consideration and find out what resources are available to ensure greater success in the classroom.
The following are some of the more important rules for D1. (Readers will note there is little information regarding evaluation periods, one of the most complicated aspects of D1 recruiting. Viewers are encouraged to use CBSAguide’s link the to NCAA’s website for more information).
· Players intending to play at the D1 level must register with the Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse, generally at the beginning of one's junior year.
· Graduate from high school with at least a 2.0 GPA and a 1010 SAT score.
· Men may begin receiving recruiting materials after June 15th of their sophomore year of high school; women after Sept 1 of their junior year.
· For women, starting in August following one’s junior year of high school, coaches may telephone prospective recruits once per week. For men, two calls per week are permitted.
· Coaches may telephone high school and club coaches at any time, except when a prospect is participating in a summer certified event.
· D1 programs are forbidden from holding tryouts; but may hold summer camps/clinics at which coaches are free to talk with campers (prospective recruits).
· Prospective recruits, parents or high school or club coaches may contact a coach at any time.
· High school players may sign a National Letter of Intent (NLI), which is a commitment to play for a particular school in exchange for a scholarship.
· If you refuse to honor your NLI commitment, you could lose two years of eligibility at other NCAA schools.
· Enrolled students, alumni, boosters or any other university representatives (other than coaches) are prohibited from taking part in the recruiting process, in any manner.
· A prospect may visit an institution's campus (and speak with the coach) at the prospect's own expense an unlimited number of times (i.e., an unofficial visit).
· For women prospects, a coach may make in-person off-campus contacts with the player (or parent) after Sept 16 of one's senior year; for men, contacts can occur after Sept 9.*
· Coaches have seven recruiting opportunities (5 for women) during one's senior year per prospect; three may be contacts and the remainder evaluations.*
· A prospect may make an official visit beginning with one's senior year (one per college) and up to a maximum of five total visits.
*The term “contact" generally refers to speaking with a player or parent, for example, during a home visit, while an “evaluation” is watching a player.
Coaching Background
Unlike some D2, D3 or NAIA head coaches, D1 head coaches are paid to coach full time. (According to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) 2001 survey, the average salary for women’s basketball head coaches was $85k, for men, $115k. Salaries for coaches among the elite programs, of course, are significantly higher.) Similarly, D1 head coaches generally have full-time paid assistants that assume many of the routine functions and recruiting responsibilities that D2; D3 and NAIA head coaches must handle on their own. In fact, the more successful programs have three or four full time assistants who earn more than most head coaches at the other levels. (Iowa State, a prominent D1 power, recently released the salary levels for its men’s assistant coaches -- $95,000 each).
Many D1 assistant coaches are former head coaches and are frequently specialists. At the D1 level, an athlete is likely to get expert skill (position) instruction – something one may not receive at the other levels, especially D3 and NAIA. Besides D1 programs having a cadre of experienced assistants, they also provide tremendous support services that are generally not available to the non-athlete. Preferential class scheduling, tutoring, special housing assignments, and personal trainers, are just a few of the many perks that come with playing at the mid-to-upper tier D1 schools.
Schedule/Practices/Games
D1 programs are the most competitive so it stands to reason that practices and conditioning can be more demanding than the other levels. Like D3 and D2 programs, the practice season does not officially begin until October 15. However, team conditioning supervised by the coaching staff can begin at the start of an institution’s academic year – usually August or September. Per NCAA rules, practices are limited to 20 hours per week with at least one day off from all athletic related activities during the season.
Generally speaking, practices are typically 5-6 days a week, 2-3 hours a day not counting time spent on strength and conditioning and reviewing video. While the amount of time devoted to practice during the season is probably similar among all levels, “voluntary” activities, before, during, and after the season typically add to the number of hours a student-athlete spends on his/her sport at the D1 level. While all levels may expect their student-athletes to put in this time, it is most prevalent between D1 and some D2 “paid-to-play” programs. This expectation could be a major problem for the more serious-student athlete. In addition, given the time one is expected to devote to the sport, some student-athletes with specialized majors may have problems scheduling certain classes; science labs for example.
D1 schools can schedule 28 contests plus two scrimmages. While D2 programs develop strong rivalries within their own conference/region, D1 programs also develop national rivalries or key match-ups during the preseason. Compared to the other levels, D1 players will spend significantly more time on the road with extended overnight stays. Basketball, more than any other sport, has the longest season and places the greatest demand on time and energy. This needs to be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to play D1. Many programs (and this is not necessarily confined to D1) also schedule pre-season tournaments over the holidays. Finally, unlike lower level NCAA and NAIA programs, D1 schools do not schedule games to permit women and men’s teams to play back-to-back. Finally, nearly all conferences host their own post-season tournament while the NCAA hosts the National Tournament which invites 64 teams to compete for the national title.
Conclusion
For those who find themselves among the nation’s elite players, chances are you will be attending a D1 institution. For those who are less talented, however, one may still be drawn to D1 schools because of the financial benefit a full ride might provide or because one considers the other levels inferior. D1 institutions generally offer more academic majors, the best coaching staffs, outstanding facilities, and a tremendous support system for the student athlete not commonly found at the other levels. This must be weighed against the extra demands placed on your time before, during, and after the season, time spent away from campus for away games, and the probability that significant playing time may not occur until one’s sophomore or junior year.
Contributors to the above article include:
Shanan Rosenberg, Men’s Basketball Coach, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, CA
Rob Bishop, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
Lisa Liberty Becker, author, Net Prospect: “The Courting Process of Women’s College Basketball Recruiting”, Wish Publishing, 2002
FYPDIVI.doc
Overview
For most student-athletes, getting an athletic scholarship from a D1 institution is literally a dream come true. Yet, the great majority of players playing basketball at the collegiate level are not playing D1 ball. What kind of player is best suited to play D1? Generally, a good D1 player is one who is well known locally, regionally, and sometimes nationally, and attracts significant interest from D1 college coaches. Besides being outstanding high school players, D1 recruits are often those most scouted, mentioned in various publications and scouting reports, and garner all the attention from coaches at exposure tournaments. However, one need not be a “blue chip” recruit to play D1, especially at the mid-to-lower tier D1 programs.
Generally speaking, NCAA DI institutions have the following in common:
· Are predominantly public, rather than private, institutions
· Offer a larger number and variety of undergraduate and graduate programs
· Have enrollments ranging from 2,000 to over 40,000
· Emphasize big time college sports and “paid-to-play” student-athletes
· Must augment their athletic programs with outside revenue sources
· Have superior athletic facilities and resources to offer the student-athlete
Generally speaking, NCAA DI basketball programs have the following characteristics:
· Have large recruiting budgets
· Offer specialized and experienced full-time assistant coaches
· Recruit in-state, regionally, and nationally
· Play before larger crowds and have the most national media coverage
· Place extensive travel demands on their student-athletes
· Have the most stringent and complicated recruiting rules
· Graduate fewer athletes than D2, D3 or NAIA schools
· Produce more W/NBA players than other levels
· Expect total commitment which may conflict with educational goals
· Significant playing time may not develop until one’s sophomore or junior year
College Characteristics
Institutions belonging to D1 do so for several reasons. Generally, their large size and a compelling need or desire to offer competitive sports on a large scale are paramount. Unlike D2 or D3 schools, tradition and/or geographic location are less important. Institutions belonging to D1 make a conscious decision to offer the most number of sports permitted and undertake the financial burden of running a large sports program.
D1 institutions are larger than all the other divisions, averaging about 11,000 students. According to the NCAA, about 50% of D1 institutions have enrollments above 7,500 students. D1 schools with as little 2,000 students are rare but do exist and there are a number of schools with enrollments over 40,000 (e.g., Texas, Florida, and Michigan State). As D1 schools are predominantly public institutions, tuition is relatively reasonable for in-state, and even sometimes for the out-of-state student. While this may be of little concern to those players receiving scholarships, walk-ons may find this appealing. Compared to some D2 institutions and most D3/NAIA ones, D1 public institutions can cost significantly less.
To prospective recruits, D1 institutions frequently tout their experienced coaching staff, modern facilities, and national exposure as reasons to choose D1 over the other divisions. However, there are non-athletic reasons to choose D1. As D1 campuses are larger and/or usually located in or near larger towns or cities, there is a greater variety of on and of campus activities. As enrollments are larger, there is more diversity among the student body. Finally, due to their size, D1 schools offer more varied undergraduate degrees. Schools with larger enrollments, of course, offer more graduate and doctoral programs too. Most research-type universities are D1 institutions.
Recruiting/Scholarships
D1 institutions are permitted to grant 15 “full ride” scholarships for women and 13 for men. While many players do receive a 100% scholarship (inclusive of room, board and books as well as tuition), it is becoming more common to find certain D1 players applying for and receiving financial aid. Contrary to popular belief, athletic scholarships are only guaranteed for one season at a time, may not be renewed for a variety of reasons, and are awarded in differing amounts.
The top programs scout the nation for the best athletes and, as a result, team rosters are filled with student-athletes from all across the U.S. The upper tier D1 programs (e.g., Duke, Indiana, and Arizona) attract most of the blue chip prospects while mid-tier programs (e.g., Valparaiso, Alcorn State, and Creighton) generally compete with top D2 programs for the remainder. In some respects, because they are D1 schools, the lower tier programs (e.g., Sacramento State, Hofstra, and Liberty) still attract their share of good players as there is the pervasive and false image among prospective recruits that D2, D3 or NAIA hoops is inferior to D1. For the uninformed, playing at a prominent D2 institution, or D3 or NAIA for that matter, can be just as competitive or rewarding as playing at a mid-to-lower D1 school.
Rules/Eligibility
Today’s eligibility standards for the D1 athlete are much tougher. For example, in addition to passing high school and completing “core” courses, high school recruits must achieve a certain GPA and SAT/ACT score to "qualify". A sliding scale is used to determine eligibility. For example, a 2.5 GPA requires an 820 on the SAT. The partial qualifier rule has been discontinued, however, if you don't meet the academic requirements to be a qualifier, a waiver may be filed on your behalf by the school. Academic requirements will become more strict in 2008.
Student-athletes who barely meet the minimum requirements for eligibility may find it difficult to succeed in the classroom if they are drawn to a school where the average GPA and SAT scores of incoming freshman are significantly higher. This is because there is a natural tendency for professors to teach to the average. If the student-athlete came in with a 950 SAT and 2.3 GPA, for example, and the average SAT and GPA scores for non-athletes were 1100 and 3.0 respectively, that student-athlete may be at a disadvantage in certain classes. When deciding which schools to attend, student-athletes should take this into consideration and find out what resources are available to ensure greater success in the classroom.
The following are some of the more important rules for D1. (Readers will note there is little information regarding evaluation periods, one of the most complicated aspects of D1 recruiting. Viewers are encouraged to use CBSAguide’s link the to NCAA’s website for more information).
· Players intending to play at the D1 level must register with the Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse, generally at the beginning of one's junior year.
· Graduate from high school with at least a 2.0 GPA and a 1010 SAT score.
· Men may begin receiving recruiting materials after June 15th of their sophomore year of high school; women after Sept 1 of their junior year.
· For women, starting in August following one’s junior year of high school, coaches may telephone prospective recruits once per week. For men, two calls per week are permitted.
· Coaches may telephone high school and club coaches at any time, except when a prospect is participating in a summer certified event.
· D1 programs are forbidden from holding tryouts; but may hold summer camps/clinics at which coaches are free to talk with campers (prospective recruits).
· Prospective recruits, parents or high school or club coaches may contact a coach at any time.
· High school players may sign a National Letter of Intent (NLI), which is a commitment to play for a particular school in exchange for a scholarship.
· If you refuse to honor your NLI commitment, you could lose two years of eligibility at other NCAA schools.
· Enrolled students, alumni, boosters or any other university representatives (other than coaches) are prohibited from taking part in the recruiting process, in any manner.
· A prospect may visit an institution's campus (and speak with the coach) at the prospect's own expense an unlimited number of times (i.e., an unofficial visit).
· For women prospects, a coach may make in-person off-campus contacts with the player (or parent) after Sept 16 of one's senior year; for men, contacts can occur after Sept 9.*
· Coaches have seven recruiting opportunities (5 for women) during one's senior year per prospect; three may be contacts and the remainder evaluations.*
· A prospect may make an official visit beginning with one's senior year (one per college) and up to a maximum of five total visits.
*The term “contact" generally refers to speaking with a player or parent, for example, during a home visit, while an “evaluation” is watching a player.
Coaching Background
Unlike some D2, D3 or NAIA head coaches, D1 head coaches are paid to coach full time. (According to the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) 2001 survey, the average salary for women’s basketball head coaches was $85k, for men, $115k. Salaries for coaches among the elite programs, of course, are significantly higher.) Similarly, D1 head coaches generally have full-time paid assistants that assume many of the routine functions and recruiting responsibilities that D2; D3 and NAIA head coaches must handle on their own. In fact, the more successful programs have three or four full time assistants who earn more than most head coaches at the other levels. (Iowa State, a prominent D1 power, recently released the salary levels for its men’s assistant coaches -- $95,000 each).
Many D1 assistant coaches are former head coaches and are frequently specialists. At the D1 level, an athlete is likely to get expert skill (position) instruction – something one may not receive at the other levels, especially D3 and NAIA. Besides D1 programs having a cadre of experienced assistants, they also provide tremendous support services that are generally not available to the non-athlete. Preferential class scheduling, tutoring, special housing assignments, and personal trainers, are just a few of the many perks that come with playing at the mid-to-upper tier D1 schools.
Schedule/Practices/Games
D1 programs are the most competitive so it stands to reason that practices and conditioning can be more demanding than the other levels. Like D3 and D2 programs, the practice season does not officially begin until October 15. However, team conditioning supervised by the coaching staff can begin at the start of an institution’s academic year – usually August or September. Per NCAA rules, practices are limited to 20 hours per week with at least one day off from all athletic related activities during the season.
Generally speaking, practices are typically 5-6 days a week, 2-3 hours a day not counting time spent on strength and conditioning and reviewing video. While the amount of time devoted to practice during the season is probably similar among all levels, “voluntary” activities, before, during, and after the season typically add to the number of hours a student-athlete spends on his/her sport at the D1 level. While all levels may expect their student-athletes to put in this time, it is most prevalent between D1 and some D2 “paid-to-play” programs. This expectation could be a major problem for the more serious-student athlete. In addition, given the time one is expected to devote to the sport, some student-athletes with specialized majors may have problems scheduling certain classes; science labs for example.
D1 schools can schedule 28 contests plus two scrimmages. While D2 programs develop strong rivalries within their own conference/region, D1 programs also develop national rivalries or key match-ups during the preseason. Compared to the other levels, D1 players will spend significantly more time on the road with extended overnight stays. Basketball, more than any other sport, has the longest season and places the greatest demand on time and energy. This needs to be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to play D1. Many programs (and this is not necessarily confined to D1) also schedule pre-season tournaments over the holidays. Finally, unlike lower level NCAA and NAIA programs, D1 schools do not schedule games to permit women and men’s teams to play back-to-back. Finally, nearly all conferences host their own post-season tournament while the NCAA hosts the National Tournament which invites 64 teams to compete for the national title.
Conclusion
For those who find themselves among the nation’s elite players, chances are you will be attending a D1 institution. For those who are less talented, however, one may still be drawn to D1 schools because of the financial benefit a full ride might provide or because one considers the other levels inferior. D1 institutions generally offer more academic majors, the best coaching staffs, outstanding facilities, and a tremendous support system for the student athlete not commonly found at the other levels. This must be weighed against the extra demands placed on your time before, during, and after the season, time spent away from campus for away games, and the probability that significant playing time may not occur until one’s sophomore or junior year.
Contributors to the above article include:
Shanan Rosenberg, Men’s Basketball Coach, Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, CA
Rob Bishop, Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ
Lisa Liberty Becker, author, Net Prospect: “The Courting Process of Women’s College Basketball Recruiting”, Wish Publishing, 2002
FYPDIVI.doc
