Editors’ Note: This feature appears as it was published in the fall 2013 edition of UT Dallas Magazine. Titles or faculty members listed may have changed since that time.
The UT Dallas athletics program has earned plenty of bragging rights in its 17 years in the American Southwest Conference, racking up multiple conference championships and NCAA tournament appearances.
Yet, misconceptions persist about the program – and Division III athletics in General – from the level of competition to recruiting student-athletes who can excel at the University.
Here are five things that might surprise you about Division III athletics at UT Dallas:
1. DIVISION III: MORE THAN GLORIFIED INTRAMURAL SPORTS
Don’t assume that because NCAA Division III schools don’t award athletic scholarships that their athletic programs are “small time.” The student-athletes at UTD are far from a “rag-tag bunch of leftovers who show up just wanting to be part of a team.” said Athletic Director Bill Petitt.
“There’s a perception out there that Division III programs are made up entirely of kids who were not good enough to get athletic scholarships.” Petitt explained. “But in reality, these are high-level kids, athletically and academically, who come here because they want to achieve success on multiple levels.
“I think the level of competition shocks people when they see it,” continued Petitt, who has worked at several Division I universities during his career. “I believe most of our teams could hold their own against many Division II, and even Division I, programs.”
Former assistant men’s basketball coach Travis Carruthers BA’07, who spends hours on the road recruiting each year, agreed.
“If we’re not going after the same guys who are getting scholarship offers from higher level schools, then we’re going after the wrong guys.” he said. “Our players have to be just athletic and physical to compete this his level.”
2. NCAA RULES APPLY TO DIVISION III SCHOOLS, TOO
Division I schools get much of the attention when it comes to NCAA regulations. But Division III programs are subject to just as many – although different – rules
“Because of the emphasis on the total student-athlete experience, many people are surprised to know that there is only a limited amount of time each year that Division III coaches can spend with their teams,” said Assistant Athletic Director Angela Marin, who handles compliance.
“The lengths of Division III seasons are strictly limited, so many teams only have a couple of weeks prior to each season to get prepared,” she explained. “Then, most of the sports also have a two-week window in the off-season when they can get together for training. But still, most of our coaches only get formal contact with their student-athletes for about 18 weeks in a year. You really have to hope you’ve got the kind of kids on your team who will work out and stay in shape on their own.”
For the NCAA, it’s all about the academics. “The NCAA does not allow Division III schools to offer any kind of special tutoring or academic assistance that’s not available to their general student population,” Marin explained. “But our coaches do a good job in monitoring academic progress. They encourage student-athletes to take advantage of UTD’s extensive academic resources if they need help.”
That kind of attention certainly pays off. UTD’s student-athletes continually surpass the NCAA’s minimum academic criteria. In 2014-15, for example, almost half of the University’s 260 student-athletes were named to the American Southwest Conference Academic All-Conference teams. And, as a group, student-athletes compiled a cumulative 3.16 grade-point average.
3. NOT YOUR TYPICAL DIVISION III SCHOOL
Of the more than 435 Division III schools – the NCAA’s largest division – UT Dallas is the second largest with more than 23,000 students. New York University, with more than 50,000 students, is the largest.
“A typical Division III school is a small, private college with under 2,000 students,” said Petitt, noting that 80 percent of these schools are concentrated in the East Coast and Great Lakes regions of the country.
The majority of schools in the American Southwest Conference, to which UT Dallas belongs, fit this model.
“At these conference schools, athletics is typically seen as a huge enrollment driver,” he explained. “A group of 300 student-athletes might account for 20 percent of their entire enrollment, so many of these schools invest heavily in their programs and facilities in trying to attract athletes to their campus.”
Additionally, many private schools package their academic and need-based financial aid offers to try to bring their costs more in line with public institutions like UTD.
“Still, I think UTD has much more to offer in terms of academic programs and campus facilities than a lot of the smaller-school competition,” Petitt said.
4. RECRUIING: A WHOLE OTHER GAME
Finding student-athletes who can excel for the Comets in athletics is a particularly challenging process for UTD coaches, and one that continues on a year-round basis.
Because UTD has some of the highest admission standards in the state, “The first question we always have to ask is, “can they get in?” said Comets men’s soccer coach Jason Hirsch BS’05, MBA’11.
“We are constantly looking for student-athletes who can complete athletically at this level, but they also have to have the academic background first to get into school here. If not, there’s no use wasting time on them,” he explained. “We can’t bend the rules a little to get someone we really want.”
That process becomes even more complicated when academic scholarships come into play.
“We’ve all seen kids who score well enough on the SAT or ACT to get admitted here, but don’t qualify for any academic scholarships,” baseball coach Shane Shewmake added. “That same score somewhere else will not only get them into school, but also get them a big financial aid package. That’s tough to compete with.”
Another obstacle is the “scholarship mindset” many high school athletes and coaches have in Texas.
“Everyone wants to be able to tell their buddies they got a scholarship to play somewhere,” pointed out Shewmake, who is competing for players with Division I and II and other four-year schools in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, as well as junior colleges that are offering at least some athletic scholarship money.
“What kids don’t realize is that most of these scholarships are only partial, particularly in sports like baseball, volleyball and soccer,” Shewmake said. “They may be getting just half their tuition covered, or something like that. There are very few full rides.
“So, even with some money, it still might be more expensive for them to go someplace else,” he concluded. “We have to help them see the big picture – that they can come here, get a great education and compete for championships.”
5. MONEY MATTERS
“A lot of people are surprised to learn that UTD Athletics does not receive a penny or taxpayer money from the state,” said Petitt. The program is primarily funded through a modest athletic fee charge to every full-time student, a fee that has not increased in several years.
“People at other schools just automatically assume we have this unlimited gold card and can do whatever we want just because we’re a large school. But that simply is not the case,” he continued.
For any additional needs, the athletics program must compete with more than 200 other student organizations for funding from the Student Activity Fee Committee, or raise the money through outside sponsorships or donations.
“We put together a budget every year, and have to find ways to make it work,” Petitt concluded. “But there is a finite amount of resources, and we have to do a good job of managing them.”
