The Division III Presidents and Management Councils approved a mental health partnership to directly deliver Mental Health First Aid training to all NCAA Division III head coaches and athletic trainers.
The approved partnership with the Mental Health First Aid program aims to equip head coaches and athletic trainers with tools and skills to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health challenges.
As part of the partnership, Mental Health First Aid will give a two-hour virtual and five-hour on-campus training to head coaches and athletic trainers on Division III campuses who choose to participate. Participants will have the opportunity to recertify in the future.
"Student-athletes experience unique stressors, including performance pressures, academic challenges and injuries. We want to aid our membership in improving mental health on campus, and we believe that this partnership with Mental Health First Aid will significantly help. These trainings will focus on building mental health literacy, supporting the long-term mental wellness of teams and reducing the stigma around mental health," said Jim Troha, president of Juniata and chair of the Presidents Council.
The councils also discussed additional key Division III topics, noted below.
Coaches Connect Program
The Management Council discussed and supported the continued development of a Division III Coaches Connect Program. This program would increase communication and enhance coaches' engagement and education. The mission of the Coaches Connect Program is to prepare coaches to make informed decisions, collaborate with athletics administrators and conference offices, and take ownership and responsibility for the growth and future of their sport.
Final approval is expected in the spring. If approved, Division III will implement the program for three select sports in the fall of 2025 and evaluate the program's effectiveness in the summer of 2026.
Presidents Council Futures Subcommittee
In its inaugural meeting, the Division III Presidents Council Futures Subcommittee discussed its proposed purpose and key objectives, which include monitoring the higher education landscape and its impact on Division III intercollegiate athletics, identifying revenue disruptions and scenario planning, optimizing revenue opportunities and providing input on the division's strategic plan. The Presidents Council provided feedback and direction to the subcommittee regarding its purpose and responsibilities.
Livestreaming of Division III championships
The Management Council reviewed the results of the division's initiative to livestream all Division III team championships. During the fall, ncaa.com and Hudl partnered to livestream a total of 210 Division III championship competitions for free. Viewers of the championships watched a combined 11.5 million minutes of live content, compared with 2.3 million minutes in the fall of 2023. Overall viewership increased by 40%.
Among the top video streams were the field hockey championship, which was promoted through the NCAA Fan Database and saw a 158% increase in viewership, the women's cross-country championship and the men's soccer championship.
Membership Committee to revisit graduate student eligibility proposal
A proposal to create an exception to permit a student-athlete who graduated from a Division III school and is enrolled at a nonmember institution that has a formal academic relationship with a Division III institution to continue to participate was initially sponsored by the Management Council for the 2025 Convention.
However, the Presidents Council chose to send the proposal back to the Management Council for further review. The Presidents Council supported the concept in general, as it intends to expand participation opportunities and provide flexibility for schools that do not offer the specific graduate program, but members felt the proposal needed further clarification. The Management Council has referred the proposal back to the Membership Committee for further review. It is anticipated that any clarifications and possible recommendations would return to the councils to review during their April or summer meetings.
