| Athletic OfferingsDivision I schools are required to offer at least 14 sports, with a minimum of seven sports for women. At least two of these my essays programs must be team sports, and schools must sponsor sports in fall, winter, and spring. Division II schools must offer a minimum of 10 sports, with at least four for each gender, and Division III programs must offer a minimum of five sports for men and five for women.Scheduling of CompetitionsBecause Division I programs have a national rather than regional focus, schools schedule competitions across the United States. Each school competes in a minimum number of contests against other Division I schools; the minimum varies by sport. In contrast, Division II and III programs tend to be more regional in nature, requiring less travel by athletes. In Division II, a committee selects a predetermined number of teams from each region to participate in a competition for the national championship. This process guarantees that schools from every geographical region compete and limits the time and cost of travel. |
