Finding Your Place: NCAA Division II
Overview
Many student-athletes and their parents make the
mistake of shunning D2 institutions, limiting their search to just D1
schools. The great majority of players
playing basketball at the collegiate level are not playing D1 ball and, for a
variety of reasons, many are drawn to D2.
D2 is gaining in popularity as attested by continued increases in
attendance and media attention. What kind
of player is best suited to play D2?
Generally, a good D2 player is one who may be known locally and/or
regionally rather than nationally, referred by a high school coach, and good
enough to earn a partial scholarship from a mid-tier D1 school.
Generally speaking, NCAA DII institutions have
the following in common:
·
Are public
institutions (approximately 60%)
·
Offer more
undergraduate and graduate majors than NCAA D3/NAIA schools
·
Have enrollments
averaging 5,000 students
·
Emphasize a
balance between athletics/academics
·
Budget their
athletic programs like other academic departments
Generally speaking, NCAA DII basketball programs have
the following features:
·
Have smaller
recruiting budgets than D1
·
Have assistant
coaches with less experience than D1, but more than D3/NAIA
·
Recruit in-state
or regionally
·
Play before
smaller crowds than D1; have limited media coverage
· Abide by similar recruiting rules governing D1
·
Have higher
graduation rates for athletes than D1
College Characteristics
Institutions belonging to D2 do so for a number of reasons. Generally, size, geographic location, and tradition are important factors. Schools in close proximity to one another help cut down on expenses and time spent away from campus for away games. Some schools retain their D2 affiliation due to a long tradition and established conference rivalries. Finally, the D2 philosophy provides a perfect “fit” for some schools. D2 members believe in offering intercollegiate athletics as part of a university’s educational mission and funding athletics within an institutionally approved budget. On this latter point, D2 sports programs have relatively small budgets compared to D1 and rely more on fund raising events to bolster their programs.
The typical D2 institution is smaller than the
typical D1 school and averages 5,000 students.
Schools with as little 2,000 students are very common and while schools
with enrollments greater than 10,000 are rare, they do exist. For example,
Proponents of D2 institutions frequently cite their
medium size as a major draw; not so big as to be impersonal, but big enough to
offer many of the same advantages as D1. Because of their size relative to D1
schools, teacher-to-pupil ratios are lower, thereby providing students with
greater individual attention. Unlike
many D3 or NAIA institutions, D2 campuses - which tend to be larger – may offer
a greater variety of on and off campus activities. This could be important to the player coming
from a small school / small town environment.
Finally, with larger enrollments there is more diversity among the
student body.
As most D2 schools are public institutions, tuition
can be very reasonable for both in-state and out of state students. For
example, Arkansas Tech, which has a highly regarded women’s program, charges
$13,000 for tuition plus room and board for out-of-staters. Since about 40% of D2 schools are private or
religious based, however, a significant number carry a higher price tag. For example,
Division II schools generally offer more varied
degrees and areas of study than D3 or NAIA.
For the average size D2 school, one can expect course offerings in about
40-50 majors at the undergraduate level and a modest number of graduate
programs. Schools with larger
enrollments, of course, offer more.
Recruiting/Scholarships
Coaches at the D2 level generally adhere to similar recruiting rules as DI. While many of the top-notch D2 programs compete for D1 recruits, they do so within the state or region because of limited recruiting budgets. As a result, it is common to find D2 team rosters filled primarily with in-state/within region students. As D2 coaches do not venture far from home looking for talent, most out-of-the-area recruits are observed via videotape, occasionally at AAU tournaments or high school shootouts. The top D2 programs attract their share of elite prospects who believe they will get more minutes or realize they can play immediately for a contender. In either case, unfortunately, D2 coaches have to contend with the pervasive and false image among prospective recruits that D2 basketball is inferior to D1. For the uninformed, playing at a prominent D2 school can be just as competitive as playing at a mid-to-lower D1 level. Furthermore, many prospects choose D2 over D1 because they may receive greater playing time as a freshman or sophomore.
In D2, the equivalency rule designates no more than
10 full scholarships. Unlike D1
basketball where the prospect is often given a “full ride” among the 15
or 13 scholarships permitted, D2 coaches often divide their scholarship money amongst
deserving team members. For example, a
coach may give five full scholarships and ten partials (50%) and, unlike D1
schools, some players may receive no scholarship
money at all. For athletes at the D2
level, it is much more prevalent for parents to pick up the uncovered cost of
their son’s or daughter’s education. At
this level you will also find more student-athletes having to supplement their
tuition with a part-time job. Thus,
resident tuition rates are sometimes a major factor in choosing D2 schools
within state.
Like D1, athletic scholarships are only guaranteed for one
season though, in practice, scholarships are often extended for three
additional years or four when redshirting. At the D2 level, the
decision over how much to award may not be left entirely to the coach; each
conference or individual institution may restrict how scholarship money is
divided.
Rules/Eligibility
Rules governing D2 basketball are similar to those for D1, though the academic requirements are a little less stringent. For example, in addition to passing high school and completing “core” courses, high school recruits must achieve a 2.0 GPA and have scored at least an 820 on the SAT or a 68 on the ACT. There is no sliding scale in D2. D2, unlike D1, has a "partial qualifier" status. A partial qualifier is one who either achieved a 2.0 GPA in their high school core courses or scored an 820 on the SAT or a 68 on the ACT. A partial qualifier can still receive a full or partial scholarship and practice with the team his/her first year. However, a partial qualifier cannot play any regular seasons games.
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 teachers to teach to the
average. If a student-athlete came in
with a 950 SAT and 2.3 GPA, for example, and the average SAT and GPA scores for
non-athletes is 3.0 and 1100 respectively, that student-athlete may need extra
help. When deciding which schools to attend,
student-athletes are wise to take this into consideration and find out what
resources are available to help ensure greater success in the classroom.
The following are some of the more important rules
for D2. (Readers will note there is
little information regarding evaluation periods, one of the most complicated
aspects of recruiting. Viewers are
encouraged use CBSAguide’s link the to NCAA’s website for more information).
· Players intending to play at the D2 level must register with the Eligibility Clearinghouse as early as possible, generally at the start of one's junior year.
·
Graduate from
high school with a 2.0 GPA and a minimum 820 SAT (except for partial
qualifiers)
·
After September
1 of one’s junior year of high school, coaches may send letters, e-mails and
faxes to prospective recruits as often as they like.
·
Starting June 15, following one’s junior year of high school, coaches may telephone
prospective recruits once per week.
·
A college player
becomes ineligible if he/she participates in any organized basketball
competition outside of school.
·
Coaches may
telephone high school and club coaches at any time.
·
D2 programs may
host tryouts and prospective recruits can try-out after their senior year.
They can also attend summer
camps at which coaches are free to talk with campers (prospective
recruits). Players may be employed at
such camps.
·
Prospective recruits, parents or high school or club coaches may call 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.
· Alumni, boosters or other university representatives may contact a prospective recruit within the appropriate recruiting period (on campus only) and enrolled students may also contact a recruit if part of the college’s admissions program directed at the non-athlete.
· College coaches can make off-campus contact with prospective recruits or their parents beginning June 15 after one's junior year.*
·
Recruited
players are permitted five paid official, on campus visits (one per
institution) and unlimited unofficial visits
· Coaches are allowed three contacts per recruit but an unlimited number of evaluations during the appropriate period*
*The term “contact" generally
refers to speaking with a player, for example, during a home visit, while an
“evaluation” is watching a player, for example, during an AAU tournament.
Coaching Background
Resumes of head coaches at the D2 level can vary tremendously as do the reasons coaches choose D2. Like D3 and NAIA head coaches, D2 coaches may prefer the smaller-school environment, different on-campus responsibilities, or fewer headaches when it comes to recruiting. Most D2 head coaches are paid to coach full-time, however, with salaries averaging $40- $50k per year, a few teach or have other responsibilities as well (e.g., athletic director, coaching another sport, sports information director, etc.) Some D2 coaches augment their salaries by running successful summer camps. Unlike D1 head coaches who have assistant coaches that do most of the recruiting, D2 head coaches spend considerably more time doing their own recruiting. However, the top D2 programs do rely on assistants for much of the recruiting.
Coaching differences at the D2 level are more
apparent at the assistant level. While
most programs have a full-time paid assistant, some schools still have assistants
that are part-time and either volunteer their time or hold a second job on the outside or on
campus. Historically, assistant pay for
part-time coaches has been low
which suggests those assisting do it because they love the game and wish to
garner some experience that will promote their own career paths. The top
assistant coaches at the D2 level will usually have varied duties - including
recruiting - whereas top assistant coaches at the D1 level tend to be specialists
(e.g., coaching post players).
Generally speaking, an athlete is likely to get better skill (position)
instruction at the more successful D2 programs; little at mid-to-lower
tier D2 programs.
Schedule/Practices/Games
D2 programs are highly competitive and many schools
can compete against mid-tier NCAA Division I programs. It is common for D2 teams to schedule one or
two D1 opponents during the preseason.
Like D1 and D3, D2 practices can begin after October 15. However, team conditioning supervised by the
coaching staff may begin at the beginning of the institution’s academic year
(i.e., August or September).
In season (Oct 15 thru last game) practices are limited to 20 hours per week with at
least one day off from all athletic related activities during the season. However, “voluntary” activities, before,
during, and after the season may add to the number of hours a student-athlete
spends on his/her sport. Generally
speaking, the amount of practice time (voluntary and mandatory) that is
expected from a D2 athlete is probably less than most D1 schools. Practices are typically 5-6 days a week,
2-3 hours a day. Most programs require
strength and conditioning and possibly study hall.
D2 schools can schedule 27 contests plus two exhibition games and one scrimmage. Additionally, more D2 v. D1 match-ups are being scheduled in the preseason. This has helped D2 programs gain more notoriety while providing a lucrative source of income. For example, Northern Kentucky scheduled games with Kentucky, Cincinnati, and Ohio State which brought in nearly $40,000 -- an amount which exceeds the operating budgets of most D2 programs.
D2 programs develop strong
rivalries within their own conference/region.
Compared to D1, league opponents are usually located within
shorter distances, thereby cutting down on the number of overnight stays or time
spent traveling to and from schools.
(Seldom do D2 programs fly and traveling with the men's or women's team on
doubleheaders helps cut costs.)
This can be a huge advantage to the serious student-athlete. While the top programs do participate in
pre-season tournaments far from home, most - but not all - D2 schools do less traveling in
the pre-season or during league play than their D1 counterparts. Finally, unlike higher-level NCAA
schools, it is not uncommon for some D2 schools to schedule games to permit
women and men’s teams to play back-to-back.
Like D1, post-season play consists of a National Tournament with 64
teams for both men and women.
Conclusion
Among the more successful D2 programs, the caliber of
play and level of competition can mirror that of mid-tier NCAA D1 programs.
Generally, a good D2 player is one who may be known locally and/or regionally
rather than nationally, referred by a high school coach, and good enough to
earn a partial scholarship from a mid-tier D1 school. Compared to D1, most D2 programs offer
greater opportunity for players to come in right away and get quality minutes
in their freshman and sophomore years.
Contributors to the above article include:
Shanan Rosenberg, Men’s Basketball Coach,
Vanessa Bain, Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach,
Lisa Liberty Becker, author, Net Prospect: “The Courting Process of Women’s College Basketball Recruiting”, Wish
Publishing, 2002
Ken Shields, former Head Men's Basketball coach, Northern Kentucky U.,
Highland Heights, KY
Jen Nance, Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach,
Ashland
FYPDIVII.doc
12/06