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Celebrating Division II on #D2Day!

The GNAC staff celebrates #D2Day at the conference indoor track meet.

Happy #D2Day!

Of course, today is 2-22-22, and the good folks from the national office took advantage of the calendar to make it a day to celebrate Division II.

For the GNAC, the selection of this day was particularly great timing, as the conference is conducting one of its biggest championships of the year (indoor track and field) at the brand-new Podium venue in Spokane, Washington. The event features nearly 400 student-athletes from across the GNAC footprint.

This special day makes for an opportune time to share with other the defining characteristics of this division, whose motto is "Life in the Balance."

Thanks to the DII staff for developing the following content that details the characteristics that define Division II:

12 Characteristics That Set Division II Apart

1. Graduation rates. The Division II student-athlete graduation rate is consistently higher than that of the total student body. Division II also features a high number of first-generation college students, thus increasing access to education.

2. Academic emphasis. Division II’s regionalization philosophy in scheduling results in limited missed class time for student-athletes.

3. Athletics scholarships. The partial athletics scholarship model rewards athletics ability while allowing student-athletes to earn other sources of financial aid. A recent study on the financial impact of the partial-scholarship model found that in general, scholarship student-athletes benefit institutions’ overall academic profile, and the partial-aid model generates revenue for the school.

4. Balanced bottom line. The median expense for Division II athletics departments with football is roughly $6 million, while that figure is about $15 million for Division I Football Championship Subdivision programs and about $64 million for programs in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision.

5. Favorable admission rates. Division II membership is split almost evenly between public and private institutions. On average, Division II schools have the highest admission rate (70%, versus 62-63% in the other two divisions).

6. Community engagement. Through student-athlete leadership, Division II has enjoyed long-term and successful partnerships with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Team IMPACT and military groups. In addition, Division II conducts community engagement activities at all championships final sites.

7. Positive game environment. Division II members pledge to conduct athletics contests in a family-friendly environment that is civil and entertaining.

8. Unique geographical footprint. Division II is the only NCAA division with schools in Alaska (Anchorage and Fairbanks), Puerto Rico (Bayamon, Mayaguez and Rio Piedras) and Canada (Simon Fraser).

9. National championship opportunities. Division II features unparalleled opportunity for student-athletes to advance to national championship competition as a result of the division’s generous championship access ratios (the highest among the three NCAA divisions).

10. National Championships Festivals. Division II is the only NCAA division that conducts “National Championships Festivals,” Olympic-style events in which several national championships are held at a single site over several days.

11. Make It Yours. This student-athlete-driven brand enhancement strengthens awareness among external audiences by clearly communicating the experience Division II schools create for student-athletes.

12. Diversity and inclusion. Matching grants encourage access, recruitment, selection, and the long-term success of ethnic minorities and women in administration and coaching.

WWU Men's Hoops with the ESPN Play of the Day (must watch)

2-22-22: Celebrating Division II