by Audrey Williams June, Chronicle of Higher Education
"Dozens of baccalaureate institutions see themselves as being a lot like Carleton College.
According to a Chronicle analysis of the comparison groups that nearly 1,500 colleges submitted to the U.S. Department of Education last year, Carleton College was the most-commonly selected peer institution. It was chosen by 55 colleges.
However, as was typical among popular picks in the Chronicle’s analysis, Carleton didn’t reciprocate. Carleton selected 25 colleges as its peers; 20 of them also chose Carleton, making them mutual peers.
There’s no shortage of ways to compare colleges, and they often rely on the assumptions of the beholder. What makes the dataset in The Chronicle’s analysis noteworthy is that it’s the institutions selecting these comparison colleges for themselves."
>> Situational Awareness: "The choices colleges make about who to link themselves to also says something about what they value, how they perceive their status in the higher-education ecosystem, and, for some, what their aspirations are."
>> What They're Saying: “It’s a bit of an art and a science,” Christine M. Keller, the executive director and CEO of the Association for Institutional Research, said. “In some cases you look at: Are they doing something really well that you want to get better at? I think it’s important to ground your choices in data and look at the goals and the purpose of what you’re trying to accomplish.”
>> Your Date or Mine: "Forty-six colleges outside the Ivy League chose at least one member of that elite group as a peer. Bowdoin College, for example, selected all eight Ivy League institutions as part of its 98-member comparison group. Kenyon College was selected by 49 institutions as part of a comparison group, while Oberlin and Allegheny Colleges — tying for third — were selected by 48."
>> Bottom Line: Said Keller: “You’re never going to find a perfect set of peers.”
Did you know BlueFrame Technology has advanced integrations with top automated cameras like the Hudl Focus? Showcase your teams and student-athletes with BlueFrame’s full streaming service priced perfectly for D3 budgets….or use their Production Truck software to stream with your current provider. Step up your game this year and STREAM LIKE A PRO with BlueFrame. Learn more today!
The Division III Interpretations and Legislation Committee held a videoconference on March 16. The ILC recommended that the Management Council approve the following:
The ILC confirmed that the 75 minutes of contact permitted for preseason activities after the six-day acclimatization period is a per student limitation. Each student-athlete is limited to 75 minutes of contact in any on-field preseason practice session conducted during any one on-field practice session. This permits the 75 minutes of contact to occur at different times during that session for different groups of student-athletes. Additionally, the 75-minute limitation applies to both full and thud contact.
That preseason scrimmages, exhibitions, joint practices permitted in the sport of football are considered part of preseason and each scrimmage, exhibition, joint practice session must count as one of the eight allowable on-field full padded practice sessions. This also requires that these activities would count as contact practices when considering that an institution may not conduct more than two consecutive days of full contact. However, the preseason scrimmages, exhibitions, joint practices are not subject to the 75-minute contact limitations.
The committee also started its review of a legislative concept that would deregulate the use of social media within Bylaw 13, focusing specifically on whether recruiting should remain a private process between the prospective student-athlete (PSA) and the institution.
April 6-8 - Wrestling Committee 9-10 - Student-Athlete Advisory Committee 11-12 - Management Council 20 - Interpretations and Legislation Committee 26 - Championships Committee 27 - Presidents Council
VOLLEYBALL
4. Regional Rankings
Elan Dorkhman, Rutgers-Newark | photo by Larry Levanti
Here are the latest Division III men's volleyball regional rankings.
Region I: Springfield, Wentworth, St. Joseph's (L.I.) Region II: Rutgers-Newark, Stevens, Southern Virginia Region III: Carthage, North Central (Ill.), Dominican
Baldwin Wallace P Nikki Camarata tossed a no-hitter in the Yellow Jackets' 3-0 win against Wilmington. She fanned 18 of the 21 batters faced, allowing only a walk to open the third inning.
Rhode Island P Abby Kiddtwirled a no-no in the Anchorwomen's 4-0 win against Roger Williams. She struck out nine and allowed just two baserunners.
Not to be outdone, Olivia O'Connorpitched a no-hitter in Augsburg's 3-0 triumph vs. North Central (Minn.). She walked one and struck out 10.
"March Madness unearths stories from smaller schools every year, and perhaps none are better than this.
>> What's happening: Justin Hardy, 22, was diagnosed with Stage 4 stomach cancer last spring as he neared the end of his junior year at D-III Washington University in St. Louis. Instead of giving up, he played nearly the entire season even as aggressive treatment ravaged his body.
And he absolutely balled, leading the 24th-ranked Bears in scoring (11.1 ppg) and earning first-team all-conference honors in the University Athletic Association.
Just last month, days after finding out his cancer had spread to his colon, Hardy dropped a career-high-tying 28 points in a pivotal win over Case Western.
Weeks later on Senior Day, unable to walk without pain, he entered for the final 30 seconds and scored an uncontested layup in a win over the University of Chicago.
>> What they're saying: "We're our best version of ourselves when he's with us," says coach Pat Juckem. Seeing Hardy on the floor, and hearing him speak about life, makes it easy to understand why.
"There's no piece of me that was gonna half-ass this," Hardy told ESPN. "This is me living my life regardless of the circumstances. If this isn't beating it, I don't know what is."
Hardy's reason for putting himself through such a grueling season was simple and profound: "Because it's what I love."
"For years now, college coaches, athletes and administrators have skewered the NCAA for an infractions process they say is unfair, dawdling and lacking transparency.
Turns out, at least two U.S. senators feel the same.
This week, senators Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.) and Cory Booker (D., N.J.) will introduce a bipartisan bill, the NCAA Accountability Act of 2021, that establishes strict requirements of the long-maligned NCAA infractions process, overhauling the operation by involving the Department of Justice and the U.S. attorney general."
>> Court Awareness: "The 10-page bill, obtained by Sports Illustrated and scheduled for release later Tuesday, is an attempt to streamline, shorten and bring greater equity to an NCAA investigative arm that has drawn harsh criticism from virtually every corner of college athletics. It has now caught the ire of high-ranking congressional leaders at a time when the college sports industry has faced its most extreme scrutiny. Just in the last two years, lawmakers have held more than a half dozen hearings over what they deem to be injustices within the industry. In fact, four Democratic Congress members are set to hold a virtual summit Wednesday about what they call “gross inequities” in college sports."
>> What's Next: "The bill’s introduction comes at a revolutionary time in college athletics. An athletes’ rights movement has generated sweeping changes to decades-old NCAA policies governing athlete compensation (NIL) and transfer movement. Certain entities, in both the courts and with the National Labor Relations Board, are fighting for college athletes to be deemed employees, something that many experts say should be considered a serious possibility."
>> What They're Saying: “The NCAA has a well-established history of back room deliberations that produce unfair punishments for athletes, coaches, and universities,” Blackburn said in a statement to SI. “With the emergence of new name, image, and likeness rules, it is more important than ever to address the systematic failures that have eroded league fairness. The NCAA Accountability Act will establish much-needed due process and shine a light on unfair treatment from NCAA leadership.”
Do you currently invest in stocks? What about a retirement account? Take your investing to the next level by diversifying your portfoilo into asset classes like fine wine, real estate, crypto, NFTs and more.
Track Your Portfolio & Assess Your Risk - Connect and track all of your investments, across all asset classes, from one place (no more spreadsheets!). MoneyMade members (membership is 100% free) also receive a portfolio analysis to see their portfolio's diversification, risk, asset allocation and more. Try us today.
BASEBALL
3. Pioneers Stake Hold on No. 1
Ryan Hill, Methodist
Marietta remained atop the D3baseball.com/NCBWA rankings, while LaGrange, Rowan and North Central made moves in the top 10.
Marietta (21), 15-3
Birmingham-Southern (2), 18-5
Eastern Connecticut, 12-2
LaGrange (2), 20-2
Lynchburg, 17-4
Cortland, 16-6
Rowan, 11-4
North Central, Ill., 13-5
Baldwin Wallace, 13-2
UW-Whitewater, 8-3
>> Hit Leaders: Joe Ruth (LaGrange) 48, Spence johns (Berry) 44, Jack Thomson (Lewis & Clark) 44, Spencer Nelson (Methodist) 42, Preston Ludwick (Centenary, La.) 41
>> Win Leaders: Ryan Hill (Methodist) 6, Chris Baumann (Wilson) 6, Sayers Collins, (East Texas Baptist) 6, Jack Hodgins (Hendrix) 6, Sean Holt (La Verne) 6.
Meet the six-minute burger grilled by robotic hands in a mall. Photo: RoboBurger
A company called RoboBurger is out with a machine that will make you a burger with custom toppings in six minutes for $6.99, Axios' Jennifer A. Kingson reports in What's Next.
The NCAA Division III Championships Committee met via video conference on March 15. The following were named to sports and rules committees:
WBB: Denise Bierly, Eastern Connecticut FB: John Snell, Baldwin Wallace FHK: Chrissy Chappell, Connecticut College MVB: Mike Zapolski, Augustana; Sandy Augstein-Collins, Sage MGOLF: Tom Koehle, Penn State Altoona WLAX: Michael Schulist, Carroll WSOC: Susan Kolb, Hood; Adam Sprague, Mount Aloysius SFB: Cassie Runksmeier, Colby; Van Zanic, Geneva SWIM: Kate Roy, North Atlantic Conference; Andrew Brabson, Caltech WTEN: Justin Grube, Franklin & Marshall TRACK: Joel Williams, Tufts; Ayanna Tweedy, Rose-Hulman BOWL: Jeff Walsh, Medaille FEN: Bruce Gilliam, Vassar
The committee reviewed responses (both by institution and by conference office) to the membership survey distributed in February to help the Division III Advisory Council complete its charge of reviewing the division’s rules and policies to align with the new NCAA constitution. The committee focused on membership responses to championships-specific topics, particularly the ranking of budget priorities for the future. In general, committee members found that the membership’s priorities (and in many cases the ranking of priorities) reflect those the committee has been discussing in recent meetings.
The committee reviewed draft questions for sport committees regarding bench size, day of rest and selection criteria, topics on which the committee felt sport committee input would be helpful to inform recommendations going forward.
Did you know BlueFrame Technology has advanced integrations with top automated cameras like the Hudl Focus? Showcase your teams and student-athletes with BlueFrame’s full streaming service priced perfectly for D3 budgets….or use their Production Truck software to stream with your current provider. Step up your game this year and STREAM LIKE A PRO with BlueFrame. Learn more today!
The 11th annual celebration of Division III Week, scheduled for April 4-10, is a great opportunity to call attention to the unique student-athlete experience enjoyed at our member schools.
Division III members are asked to highlight the activities and achievements of their student-athletes through scheduling an academic, athletics, co-curricular or extracurricular/community service activity. The Division III Week Communications Kit serves as a planning guide, and further information about Division III Week is available online.
If you have questions, please contact Adam Skaggs .
LACROSSE (W)
3. Middlebury Moves Into Top Spot
Grace Osborn, Capital / photo by Olivia Zeltman
The latest Division III women's lacrosse polls is out and there is a change at No. 1 for the women as Middlebury supplanted Salisbury. Four teams received first-place votes, including the Sea Gulls, Colby and Tufts.
Dylan Rice, Christopher Newport / photo by Brandon Berry
The latest Division III men's is out and RIT remains atop the poll ahead of Salisbury, Tufts and Christopher Newport - all of whom received first-place consideration.