i Jeffrey L. Engbers Health Exercise and Sports Science This ...

The first intercollegiate athletic competition was held in 1852, when boats from
Harvard and Yale raced on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire (Shulman & Bowen,
2001). As the popularity of and problems within athletics increased, the NCAA was
formed in 1906. At the time of its inception, the purpose of the NCAA was to regulate
football rules - partly due to an increase in violence (“NCAA History,” n.d.a). Although
the NCAA was formed as only a rule-making body for athletic programs at elite colleges
and universities (Washington, 2004), it expanded to include championships. In 1921 they
held their first championships: the National Collegiate Track and Field Meet. For the next
50 years additional rules committees were steadily formed, more championships held,
and the membership grew (“NCAA History,” n.d.a). In 1973 the association's
membership was divided into three competitive Divisions – I, II, and III. Just five years
later subdivisions 1-A and 1-AA were created under Division I (“NCAA History,”
n.d.a).
Division III institutions do not allow athletic-based scholarships (NCAA, 2007).
These institutions must sponsor at least five sports for men and five for women. There are
also minimum competition requirements for each sport. Emphasis at this level is placed
on regional in-season and conference competition as opposed to national competition.
Student-athletes receive no financial aid related to their athletic ability. The athletic
department is funded like any other department on campus. Of the three NCAA
Divisions, Division III emphasizes the concept of the student-athlete the most (NCAA,
2007). The following descriptions of Division I and II show the differences of Division
III.
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