📖 In Today’s Playbook. Women’s Sports Reach Record NCAA Participation. Swimming Qualifiers. Basketball AQs and At-Larges, Wrestling Qualifiers. Track and Field Champions.

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“Women's participation in NCAA sports has reached a record high. So has women's influence in leadership across college athletics.

During the 2024-25 academic year — the latest NCAA Sports Sponsorship and Participation data available — 242,341 student-athletes competed across NCAA women's championship and emerging sports, marking a 14% increase over the past decade. Growth is evident in all three divisions, reinforcing the continued momentum of women's sports nationwide.

At the same time, representation of women in key leadership positions, including athletics directors, head coaches and college presidents, continues to trend upward, signaling progress both on the field and in decision-making roles.”

» State of Play. “Participation growth spans all three NCAA divisions and is up 11 percent over the past decade in Division III.”

» Top Sports by Participation. Outdoor and indoor track and field top the list, followed by soccer, softball and volleyball.

» The Key Stat. Progress is also evident beyond competition, as leadership roles in Division III continue to see growth for women. One-hundred forty-two (142) women serve as athletics directors in Division III, up 7% over the last 10 years. The number of women head coaches is up 10%, while 17% more women serve as college presidents.”

“The NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Committee announced the swimming participants in the 2026 NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships.

The championships will be held March 18-21 at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, Ind. Franklin College, the Indiana Sports Corporation and the IU Natatorium will serve as hosts. A total of 579 participants (526 swimmers and 53 divers) will compete in the championships.”

» Selections. Men | Women

The 64 teams have been determined for the 2026 NCAA Division III men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. Forty-three teams earned their way into the field by virtue of winning their conference regular-season title or conference tournament, while an additional 21 qualified as at-large teams based on their season-long NPI.

» Conference Tournament Champions/AQ (M). PSU Behrend (AMCC), Loras (ARC), UMHB (ASC), Neumann (AEC), Gettysburg (CC), Lehman (CUNYAC), Mary Washington (C2C), Illinois Wesleyan (CCIW), Belhaven (CCS), Endicott (CNE), Keuka (E8), St. Joseph’s ME (GNAC), Transylvania (HCAC), Susquehanna (LAND), Vassar (LL), WestConn (LEC), Hood (MACC), Stevens (MACF), Worcester State (MASCAC), Hope (MIAA), Grinnell (MWC), Gustavus Adolphus (MIAC), Trinity (NESCAC), Babson (NEWMAC), TCNJ (NJAC), Maine-Farmington (NAC), John Carroll (NCAC), Aurora (NACC), Whitworth (NWC), Heidelberg (OAC), Roanoke (ODAC), W&J (PAC), Yeshiva (SKY), Rhodes (SAA), Redlands (SCIAC), St. Thomas (SCAC), MUW (SLIAC), Cortland (SUNYAC), PSU Harrisburg (UEC), Emory (UAA), Bethany Lutheran (UMAC), NC Wesleyan (USA South), La Crosse (WIAC).

» At-Large Selections (M). Chicago, Randolph-Macon, Tufts, CNU, WashU, Montclair State, Mount Union, Whitewater, Stevens Point, Catholic, NYU, F&M, Trinity TX, CMS, Bates, WPI, Platteville, Amherst, Johns Hopkins, Otterbein, Elmhurst

» Conference Tournament Champions/AQ (W). PSU Behrend (AMCC), Coe (ARC), Hardin-Simmons (ASC), Immaculata (AEC), Gettysburg (CC), Hunter (CUNYAC), Christopher Newport (C2C), Illinois Wesleyan (CCIW), LaGrange (CCS), JWU (CNE), Geneseo (E8), Emmanuel (GNAC), Transylvania (HCAC), Scranton (LAND), Union (LL), Southern Maine (LEC), Messiah (MACC), DeSales (MACF), Framingham State (MASCAC), Hope (MIAA), Ripon (MWC), Bethel (MIAC), Bates (NESCAC), Smith (NEWMAC), TCNJ (NJAC), Maine-Farmington (NAC), DePauw (NCAC), Wisconsin Lutheran (NACC), Whitman (NWC), Otterbein (OAC), W&L (ODAC), W&J (PAC), Merchant Marine (SKY), Millsaps (SAA), Claremont-M-S (SCIAC), Austin (SCAC), Webster (SLIAC), New Paltz (SUNYAC), St. Mary’s (UEC), NYU (UAA), UW-Superior (UMAC), Southern Virginia (USA South), La Crosse (WIAC).

» At-Large Selections (W). Oshkosh, Johns Hopkins, Denison, Bowdoin, John Carroll, Whitewater, Concordia MN, WashU, OWU, Platteville, Carroll, Chicago, Baldwin Wallace, Trine, River Falls, Cortland, Randolph-Macon, Gustavus Adolphus, Shenandoah, William Paterson, Saint Mary’s MN.

The Division III men’s wrestling championship field is nearly complete with 210 athletes qualifying by finishing in the top three in their weight class at one of seven regional events last weekend. The remainder of the field will be announced later today.

» Region I. 1-Springfield, 2-Williams, 3-Coast Guard | Results
» Region II. 1-Stevens, 2-Ithaca, 3-Lycoming | Results
» Region III. 1-TCNJ, 2-NYU, 3-Messiah | Results
» Region IV. 1-Roanoke, 2-Baldwin Wallace, 3-Ohio Northern | Results
» Region V. 1-UW-Whitewater, 2-North Central, 3-Chicago | Results
» Region VI. 1-Wartburg, 2-Loras, 3-Coe | Results
» Region VII. 1-Augsburg, 2-UW-La Crosse, 3-UW-Eau Claire | Results

Twenty-five conferences crowne team and individual champions last weekend as the postseason continues for Division III indoor track and field.

Complete team and individual results for each conference can be found at this link.

» A-R-C. Wartburg (M/W)
» CCIW. North Central (M), Elmhurst (W)
» CUNYAC.
» Centennial. Johns Hopkins (M/W)
» Empire 8. Geneseo (M/W)
» HCAC. Rose-Hulman (M/W)
» Landmark. Susquehanna (M), Scranton (W)
» Liberty. RPI (M), Ithaca (W)
» MAC. Lebanon Valley (M/W)
» Michigan. Calvin (M/W)
» Midwest. Grinnell (M/W)
» Minnesota. Bethel (M), Concordia (W)
» NACC. MSOE (M), St. Norbert (W)
» NJAC. Rowan (M/W)
» North Coast. Wittenberg (M), John Carroll (W)
» ODAC. Lynchburg (M), Washington and Lee (W)
» Ohio. Mount Union (M/W)
» Presidents. Geneva (M/W)
» SAA. Centre (M), Trinity (W)
» St. Louis. Greenville (M/W)
» SUNYAC. Cortland (M/W)
» United East. St. Mary’s (M/W)
» Upper Midwest. UW-Superior (M), Crown (W)
» USA South. Pfeiffer (M), Southern Virginia (W)
» Wisconsin. La Crosse (M/W)
» UAA. Chicago (M), Washington U. (W)

» Administration. “Former University of Wisconsin-Platteville athletic director Michael Knipe was fired after an investigation found he violated procurement rules, made unauthorized financial decisions and used university funds for personal purchases.”

» Infractions. An assistant softball coach at Eastern Connecticut provided impermissible benefits to two student-athletes, according to the DIII Committee on Infractions . Specifically, the coach provided cost-free housing and meals to one of the student-athletes for approximately one month and paid for round-trip airline tickets for both student-athletes. Eastern Connecticut was placed on probation for one year and will vacate individual and team records for any games in which ineligible players competed.”

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