Record Participation in NCAA Sports

D3Playbook NOVEMBER 20, 2019 | written by Steve Ulrich your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III Our goal is to keep you - the influencers in DIII athletics - apprised of what's happening around Division III - the games, polls, news, happenings, awards, calendar of events, and much more. We hope you enjoy D3Playbook and that you'll share this with your friends, colleagues and co-workers. >> Happy Wednesday.  New words to live by ... Here in America, right matters. >> Thanks for reading D3Playbook. Please invite your colleagues to sign up below. >> Today's Word Count: 1,393. < six minutes. An easy read. Brief, concise, smart. Subscribe to d3Playbook 1.  Record Participation in NCAA Sports   "More female student-athletes. More male student-athletes. More women’s teams. More men’s teams. The annual NCAA participation rates study released today shows a record-high number of college students are taking part in NCAA sports. It also reveals colleges and universities continue to expand opportunities for their students to compete. The number of student-athletes participating in NCAA championship sports across all three divisions climbed to 499,217 in 2018-19, the 17th consecutive year that number has grown. Meanwhile, student-athletes competed on a record-high 19,886 teams during the last school year." >> Gender Gap: More men than women compete in NCAA championship sports, though the gap did narrow marginally in 2018-19. Men continue to make up 56% of college athletes, compared with women’s 44%. >> The Bottom Line: In Division III, 58% of the division’s 193,814 student-athletes are men, compared with 42% for women. >> Read More from the NCAA 2.    Championship Preview The Division III women's volleyball championship Elite Eight begins on Thursday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Here is our look at the field. (1) Emory (32-2) vs. (8) Clarkson (28-5), 1:30 EST The defending national champion Eagles are led by senior OH Morgan McKnight (3.36 kills per set) and freshman S Cassie Srb, who is sixth in D-III in set assists (10.97). The Golden Knights turn to senior DS Kate Isaksen (6.13 digs per set) and senior MH Rachel Reusch (3.43 KPS).  (4) Carthage (30-3) vs. (5) Bowdoin (21-7), 4:00 The Lady Red advance to the quarters for the first time since 2015 and is led by senior OH Megan Behrendt (2.95 KPS), the 2019 CCIW Player of the Year. Senior S Ellie LeCount was the regional MVP. The Polar Bears are also back for the first time since 2015. Bowdoin looks to junior OH/RS Caroline Flaharty who is the third player in program history with 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in a career. Also keep an eye on sophomore MB Cori Gray, who averages 1.25 blocks per set. (2) Johns Hopkins (32-0) vs. (7) Saint Benedict (26-5), 6:30 The Blue Jays are looking to become just the fourth undefeated team in D-III history. Junior S Natalie Aston, the region's Player of the Year, is ninth in the country in set assists (10.79). Hop tops the nation in team hitting percentage (.313) and is second in opposition hitting (.085). The Bennies provide double-trouble in twins Maddie and Hunter Weiss. Maddie leads D3 in blocks (1.75) and is second in hitting percentage (.418), while Hunter - the region's POY - is 10th in hitting (.399). (3) Calvin (27-2) vs. (6) Trinity TX (36-4), 9:00 The Knights are led by senior MH Sarah DeVries - the region and MIAA Player of the Year - who is sixth in D3 in hitting (.413), ninth in kills (4.36) and 10th in blocks (1.21). Her mom - Betsy - was the MIAA MVP in 1992. Calvin is third in team hitting (.284). The Tigers look to SCAC MVP Avery Tuggle (3.16 KPS) and sophomore MB Emily Ellis (.416 hitting). Semifinals: Friday, 6:00 and 8:30 p.m. EST Final: Saturday, 8 p.m. EST >> Rosters, Schedules, Statistics and more 3.  All-Americans  Congratulations to the AVCA All-America Class of 2019 First Team Carson Van Campen, Berry, Sr., MB Sarah DeVries, Calvin, Sr., MB/S Ellie LeCount, Carthage, Sr., S Emma Griffith, Chicago, Jr., S Phoebe Madsen, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Sr., S/RS Leah Saunders, Emory, Jr., RS Natalie Aston, Johns Hopkins, Jr., S Simone Bliss, Johns Hopkins, Jr., OH Chelsea Huppert, Ohio Northern, Sr., MB Hunter Weiss, Saint Benedict, Jr., RS Madison Weiss, Saint Benedict, Jr., MB Sydney Portale, Susquehanna, Jr., RS Maddie Stewart, Tufts, Sr., RS April Gehl, UW-Stevens Point, Sr., OH >> 1st and 24: Portale is the first All-America selection for Susquehanna. Saunders is the 24th Emory player to receive first-team recognition. >> Twice as Nice: It is the second consecutive first-team nod for Hunter Weiss, DeVries, Madsen and VanCampen. >> Seeing Double: The Weiss twins are just juniors. Hunter is a two-time first-teamer, while Maddie moves up from the 2018 third team. >> Complete List SPONSORED MESSAGE Searching for talent for your athletic department? Need assistance with a departmental review or a strategic plan? Time to refresh your conference's policies and procedures? ASC is dedicated to small colleges and is committed to providing solutions for your concerns. Contact Kurt Patberg (kpatberg.asc@gmail.com), Kim Fierke (kim.fierke.asc@gmail.com) or Steve Ulrich (steveulrich.asc@gmail.com) to see how ASC can help your organization. 4. Polls Basketball (W) - WBCA Amherst Tufts Wartburg St. Thomas MN Scranton Bowdoin Hope Messiah DePauw DeSales 11-15: Transylvania, UW-Oshkosh, UMHB, Marymount, St. John Fisher. 16-20: Wheaton IL, Whitman, George Fox (tie), IWU (tie), Geneseo. 21-25: Washington-St. Louis, Loras, Cabrini (tie), UT-Dallas (tie), CNU. >> Big Mover: DeSales up 5 to #10 >> Hello: Wheaton, IWU, Loras, CNU. >> Goodbye: Oglethorpe, New Paltz, Chicago, RIT. Cross Country (W) - USTFCCCA Washington-St. Louis Johns Hopkins Williams Dickinson (tie) MIT (tie) Carleton Chicago Wartburg Geneseo Claremont-M-S 11-15: Tufts, UW-La Crosse, RPI, Pomona-Pitzer, John Carroll. 16-20: UW-Eau Claire, Baldwin Wallace, W&L, Bates, Oberlin. 21-25: Hope, Ithaca, Middlebury, Allegheny, Carnegie Mellon. 26-32: Emory, Rochester, Calvin, Vassar, Centre, Wesleyan CT, RIT. >> Hello: Calvin, Wesleyan, RIT >> TTFN: St. Thomas MN, St. Olaf, Wheaton IL, Kenyon, UC Santa Cruz, Bowdoin. Cross Country (M) - USTFCCCA Williams North Central Pomona-Pitzer Carnegie Mellon Claremont-M-S Johns Hopkins Geneseo UW-La Crosse Wartburg Washington-St. Louis 11-15: Calvin, Chicago, Carleton, Otterbein, Colby. 16-20: RPI, MIT, John Carroll, Emory, Amherst. 21-25: Haverford, Case Western, Bates, St. Olaf, Middlebury. 26-32: St. Lawrence, Berea, Ithaca, St. Thomas MN, UW-Stout, UC Santa Cruz, Oneonta. >> Goodbye: Dickinson, UW-Eau Claire, Ramapo. Swimming (M) - CSCAA Kenyon Denison Johns Hopkins Emory Washington-St. Louis MIT NYU Chicago Carnegie Mellon Pomona-Pitzer 11-15: Williams, Tufts, CMS, Calvin, John Carroll. 16-20: Swarthmore, Rowan, Coast Guard, Amherst, TCNJ. 21-25: Gustavus, Merchant Marine, Geneseo, Birmingham-Southern, Case Western. >> Hello: Gustavus, Case. >> TTFN: Albion, Carthage. Swimming (W) - CSCAA Johns Hopkins Denison Emory Kenyon Williams Washington U. NYU Chicago Tufts Carnegie Mellon 11-15: CMS, MIT, Pomona-Pitzer, St. Catherine's, Amherst. 16-20: W&L, Rowan, Case Western, Bates, Calvin. 21-25: Swarthmore, Mary Washington, Rhodes, Bowdoin, Geneseo. >> Welcome: Case, Swarthmore, Mary Washington, Rhodes. >> Bye-Bye: Ursinus, Franklin, Trinity TX, Allegheny. 5.  Blank Check Arthur M. Blank ’63, H’98 is a founder, a doer, a leader, and a philanthropist. Best known as the co-founder of The Home Depot and the owner of the Atlanta Falcons, he has a broad family of businesses as well as a family foundation. Blank also is a member of Babson College’s Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs® and is a proud alumnus who believes in the power of giving back. Monday, Blank put that power into action. In partnership with The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Babson College announced a $50 million grant that will establish the Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership. This is the largest grant ever given in the 25-year history of the Blank Family Foundation, and is a transformative investment for the College. The new Arthur M. Blank School for Entrepreneurial Leadership will be defined by entrepreneurial action and values-based leadership on a global scale. >> The Bottom Line: “As a world-class leader in business education, Babson College is perfectly positioned to blaze this new path,” says Blank. “I’m continually inspired by Babson students, faculty, and its global alumni network. I’m excited to see how they will continue to change businesses and communities for the better.” >> Worth Noting: D-III institutions with gifts valued at $50 million or more since July 2018: Johns Hopkins ($1.8 billion), MIT ($350M), Amherst ($50M), Carleton ($50M), Carnegie Mellon ($50M),  6.  Comings and Goings R. Keith Hillkirk announced his plans to retire as chancellor of Penn State Berks. Knox College announced the discontinuation of men's and women's tennis, effective at the end of the 2019-20 season. Sabrina Smith resigned as head field hockey coach at Husson. Bill Lynch announced his retirement as head football coach at DePauw. Doug Carter named head men's soccer coach at Olivet. 7.  Tweet of the Day Y'all should end your night on Twitter with this, retweet it and then close the app because you won't want to ruin the mood this will put you in before bed. pic.twitter.com/kAXQcdSkGQ — Oregon I.T. Not IT⚾ (@OregonProgress) November 20, 2019 Subscribe to d3Playbook