Explaining NCCA divisions

Hey guys, I'm a junior and my coach mentioned about the prospect of playing college sports. He talked about NCCA divisions but I didn’t quite understand. Can anyone breakdown the differences between the NCCA divisions for me? Like, which division is the most competitive and which colleges fall into each division? Thanks, y'all!

Absolutely, happy to explain. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is divided into three major divisions, each representing a different level of competition: Division I, Division II, and Division III.

Division I is typically the most competitive in terms of athletics. It consists of larger schools with robust athletic budgets. They can offer full athletic scholarships to students. Some well-known Division I schools include universities like Stanford, Duke, or University of Alabama.

Division II is a bit less competitive than Division I, and the universities are typically medium-sized. They can still offer athletic scholarships, but not as many full scholarships as Division I. Also, the focus is more balanced between academics and athletics. Some Division II schools include Michigan Technological University or University of California, San Diego.

Division III is the least competitive of the three when it comes to athletics, but that's not to say the athletes aren't skilled. Division III schools don't offer athletic scholarships, but can definitely provide academic scholarships and need-based financial aid. These schools tend to have a much greater focus on academics over athletics. Some Division III schools include Johns Hopkins University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Remember, though, the division isn't everything – what's most important is finding a college that's a good fit for you, both academically and athletically!