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APRIL 28, 2026
composed by STEVE ULRICH
No publication covers NCAA Division III better. #whyD3
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📕 Today in the D3Playbook. DIII Analysis Working Group Recap. Borchardt Named WIAC Commissioner. Bowdoin, Middlebury Top Lacrosse NPI Rankings. DI Board of Directors Directs Cabinet to Advance Age-Based Eligibility Rules.
🎶 Your Morning Pick-Me-Up. I Like It, I Love It. Tim McGraw
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Top Story
1. DIII Analysis Working Group Recap
“The consultants presented a high-level synthesized review of its initial work that included stakeholder interview findings and supporting quantitative analysis. The information provided the working group an initial snapshot of the division’s feedback on the identified tensions and was used to focus the meeting’s discussions. The consultants emphasized that the initial findings did not represent conclusions or recommendations, and with guidance from the working group, it is actively gathering additional data and scheduling more stakeholder engagement interviews.
The interview feedback from approximately 12 engagement sessions and data research aligned to the six core tensions. From the initial interviews, the following are the tensions in order of rated significance (from most significant to least) along with themes from the stakeholder interviews:
Economic Implications. Themes include the resource gap between DIII institutions, diversity of NIL activity use, and strategies to use athletics as an enrollment driver.
Playing seasons and resources. Themes include the recent adoption of legislation to expand playing seasons without campus resources to fund the expansion; pros and cons on the impact to the student-athlete experience, such as infringing on the division’s philosophy to the need to change to meet enrollment needs; and athletic trainer impact and shortages.
Eligibility evolution. Themes include the impact on the student-athlete experience of potential eligibility models (e.g., four-year vs. five-year); and a range of perspectives regarding the need to align with Division I eligibility rules.
Governance oversight and presidential involvement. Themes include athletics directors reporting to presidents/chancellors, broad conference representation within the governance structure, and specifically, the engagement of presidents and chancellors in the governance structure.
Championships selection criteria. Themes include assessments of NPI, the budgetary impact of championships travel and continuity with automatic qualification.
Membership standards. Themes include recent discussions regarding dividing or sub-dividing Division III, sports sponsorship minimums, and the Division III Philosophy Statement that outlines the division’s core values.
2. Borchardt Named WIAC Commissioner
“The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) announced today that Corey Borchardt has been selected as the WIAC Commissioner effective July 1, 2026, following a national search.
Borchardt has served as commissioner for the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) since July 2008, and ushered the conference into a new era in its history in securing Division III membership with the NCAA. Under his leadership, the UMAC has added two new full member institutions and eight associate member institutions, added six conference-sponsored sports and championships, and secured automatic qualification berths to the NCAA Division III Championship in five additional sports.
» What They’re Saying. “We are thrilled to welcome Corey to the WIAC as the new commissioner. He brings experience, knowledge, innovative ideas, and a true passion for Division III intercollegiate athletics. He impressed the search committee and Council of Chancellors throughout the search process, and we look forward to working with him and celebrating the continued success of the WIAC,” said Katherine Frank, Chair of the WIAC Council of Chancellors and UW-Stout Chancellor.
» Background. “Borchardt was as a member of the NCAA Division III Membership Committee from 2021-25, serving as chair of the committee for the final two years. He recently concluded a four-year term on the National Association for Division III Athletics Administrators Executive Committee. He was previously a member of the NCAA Division III Championships Committee (serving as chair for two years) and the NCAA Division III Strategic Planning & Finance Committee. Borchardt completed four-year terms on the NCAA Division III Baseball Committee and NCAA Division III Women’s and Ethnic Minority Internship Grant Selection Committee, which he chaired in the final year of committee service.”
» Quotable. “I am deeply honored to be named Commissioner of the WIAC, a conference defined by historic excellence and a legacy of national championships. As someone originally from Wisconsin, this opportunity is especially meaningful on a personal level,” said Borchardt. “My goal is to collaborate effectively in building on the storied tradition of the conference, pursue even greater national success, contribute to the future shaping of Division III, and continue providing a premier NCAA Division III experience for WIAC student-athletes.
3. Bowdoin, Middlebury Top Lacrosse NPI Rankings
It’s the final weekend of the regular-season in Division III men’s and women’s lacrosse and time to crown conference champions and select at-large teams to the national championship tournaments.
Bowdoin tops the men’s NPI ranking following a win against former No. 1 Tufts last week. Middlebury swapped places with Salisbury in the women’s NPI.
The 40-team NCAA DIII men’s tournament field will be announced on Sunday evening at 9 p.m. ET, while the 47-team women’s bracket will be announced on Monday morning at 10:30 a.m. ET
» NPI Top 10 (M). 1-Bowdoin (15-0), 2-Tufts (15-1), 3-Christopher Newport (15-2), 4-Babson (15-2), 5-Wesleyan (11-4), 6-Lynchburg (14-2), 7-Bates (11-4), 8-Salisbury (14-3), 9-St. John Fisher (15-2), 10-Dickinson (14-2).
» NPI Top 10 (W). 1-Middlebury (16-0), 2-Salisbury (16-0), 3-Tufts (14-2), 4-Wesleyan (14-2), 5-Denison (16-1), 6-Pomona-Pitzer (14-1), 7-William Smith (15-2), 8-Amherst (12-4), 9-Trinity (12-4), 10-Wooster (15-1).
4. DI Board of Directors Directs Cabinet to Advance Age-Based Eligibility Rules
“After a robust discussion, the Division I Board of Directors on Monday directed the Division I Cabinet to advance an age-based eligibility concept that, if adopted in its current form, would permit student-athletes up to five years of eligibility beginning the regular academic year after they turn 19 or graduate from high school, whichever happens earlier. Under that model, Division I student-athletes would no longer be limited to only four seasons of competition within their five-year eligibility window.
"The time is now to reform the period of eligibility rules to provide Division I student-athletes and our schools clear and consistent standards that align with current college athletes' experiences," said Tim Sands, president at Virgina Tech and chair of the board. "The board fully supports student-athletes receiving the unprecedented financial benefits now available to them and emphasized these changes would protect opportunities for high school student-athletes to access the benefits only college sports can provide, while delivering predictable outcomes for student-athletes and our schools.”
» Be Smart. Division III changes often begin at the Division I level.
5. Lightning Round ⚡
» Honors. “Steve Moore, the architect behind one of the most successful and consistent eras in college basketball history, has been chosen for induction into the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame. Moore’s 867 wins (867-253) upon his retirement from The College of Wooster in 2020 ranked 12th in NCAA history.”
» Football. The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed former Middlebury offensive lineman Thomas Perry. The six-foot-two, 316-pounder went unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft, after which he attended rookie mini-camp with the Baltimore Ravens.
» Sports Betting. “Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor who built multinational conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, sees sports betting as a backdoor tax that ultimately benefits wealthy Americans like himself. “It’s a tax on stupidity,” Buffett said during an interview with CNBC. He added that “rich people love it, because they don’t have to pay.”
6. Comings and Goings
CALVIN - Announced discontinuation of varsity acrobatics and tumbling following the upcoming season
HARDIN-SIMMONS - Named Austin Guest head men’s soccer coach
ILLINOIS TECH - Head men’s soccer coach Marlon McKenzie resigned to accept assistant women’s position at Denver
KEENE STATE - Named Mackenzie Hopkins senior administrative assistant for athletics and campus recreation
MASCAC - Announced addition of Saint Joseph (Conn.) as an affiliate member in men’s and women’s ice hockey beginning in 2026-27
MIDDLEBURY - Named Noah den Hartog assistant field hockey coach
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA - Head women’s basketball coach Lynette Schreoder resigned to accept same position with Westminster (Utah) University
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