Being eligible to play baseball for a Division III school, under the National Collegiate Athletic Association rules, means adhering to the rules for eligibility to attend school and play sports that each academic institution requires. Division III schools recruit and treat student athletes very differently than players in Division I and Division II schools.
Overall Eligibility
In Division I schools, according to the NCAA, students are eligible to play baseball if they have graduated from high school; earned 16 credits in core courses over one year's time; and if they maintain a minimum grade point average, which is linked to scores achieved on standardized tests. Division II players have to meet similar, though less stringent requirements, in order to play baseball. Except for the high school graduation requirement, none of these requirements applies to Division III players. The eligibility rules that apply for students playing Division I and II baseball, however, do apply to players transferring from a Division III school to a Division I or II school.
Division III Differences
One reason that baseball players for Division III schools do not have eligibility requirements is that no athletic scholarships are awarded at Division III schools. Also, Division III sports teams and athletic departments are not funded through outside or corporate sources. They are supported by the university in the same way the math department or the theater department is supported. Compared to Division I and II teams, therefore, Division III teams require less oversight in many areas, including player eligibility.
Numbers
College baseballs players are somewhat more likely to land in Division III than in either of the other two divisions. More than 11,200 students play baseball at 374 Division III schools. By contrast, about 10,400 players play at 298 Division I schools, and about 9,000 at 259 Division II schools.
Advantages of Division III
Even though Division III baseball programs don't offer scholarships, and the eligibility rules are easy to meet, there are advantages to playing ball for a Division III school. Baseball players at Division III schools have less pressure to perform. Players are taking the field not to chase eventual money or endorsements, but to develop as an athlete, a student, and a person.
References
- AllAmericanSportsRecruiting.com: NCAA III Recruiting Rules; Eli Herrera; 2011
- ROADMAP TO INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR STUDENT-ATHLETES NCAA Eligibility; 2009
- NCAA.org: What's the difference between Divisions I, II and III?; February 1, 2007
- NCSA Athletic Recruiting: How to Get Recruited for College Baseball; 2010
- SportsAtCollege.com: 5 Reasons to Choose NCAA Division III; March 10, 2011
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