nccs national volleyball championships

Divisional Structure

Changes for 2007 are highlighted in red

Men's Divisions

All men’s divisions will again be based on the school’s enrollment as opposed to USA Volleyball’s skill level designation. Enrollment numbers for schools will be according to the Department of Education’s statistics as of September 1, 2003. These same statistics will be used for both the 2006 and 2007 NIRSA Championships. Enrollment statistics will be reviewed in the fall of every odd-numbered year, and the statistics will be used for the following two NIRSA Championships.

Men’s Division I and I-AA will be designed to accommodate 4-year schools with combined undergraduate and graduate enrollments of 15,000 or more students. Schools with less than 15,000 students may choose to participate in Division I or I-AA if the team feels they can compete effectively. If these two divisions fill, other teams not entered, will remain on a wait-list for DI/DI-AA, and NOT be rolled over to DIII.

Men’s Division II shall be limited only to 4-year schools with combined full-time undergraduate and graduate enrollment of less than 15,000 students. Schools with more than 15,000 students will not be allowed to enter Division II.

Men’s Division III is first open to the teams that can enter ONLY that division including: “B” teams, who’s “A” team is in DI, DI-AA or DII; or Jr./Community Colleges, or other 2-year technical or trade colleges. This is the ONLY division these schools may enter. If there is still space after all of these schools are accommodated, DIII will be used as a roll-over division for DII schools only, unable to get into that division.

Following the entry deadline, the following guidelines will be used to place teams in the appropriate men’s divisions for the 2007 NIRSA Championships. All teams from a 4-year college/university with an enrollment of 15,000 or more, must choose the DI/DI-AA divisional option. By submitting their entry packet, teams automatically agree to accept the division they are placed in. The Division I ranking committee will place the top 48 teams based on record and strength of schedule into Division I. The remaining teams will be placed in DI-AA. If there are remaining Division I-AA spots, they will be filled, based on the postmark of the completed entry application, with teams from schools with enrollment under 15,000 who have selected Division I-AA as their first choice. If a team drops from Division I, the ranking committee will select a team from Division I-AA to move up. If a team drops or moves up from Division I-AA or Division II, the next eligible team, based on the postmark of the application, will be moved up from the DI/I-AA wait list or Division II. If a team has an enrollment of under 15,000 and chooses Division II, they would not be moved to DI-AA without their consent.

• Men's Division I:
  48 teams. Highest skill/competition level. Limit of 2 *former varsity athletes. Teams from 4-year colleges/universities placed by seeding committee.
• Men's Division I-AA:
  36 teams. Preference given to teams of 15,000+ enrollment. Limit of 2 *former varsity athletes. Teams from 4-year colleges/universities placed by seeding committee. Teams of 15,000 or more enrollment that do not get into DI/I-AA will remain on the wait list, and NOT be rolled over to DIII.
• Men's Division II:
  48 teams. Enrollment: less than 15,000 students at 4-year colleges/universities; Limit of 2 *former varsity athletes allowed.
• Men's Division III:
  24 teams. This division is the only option for "B" teams that have their "A" team entered in DI, DI-AA or DII; as well as Jr/Community college teams and all 2-year schools, including technical or trade colleges. If space is still available after these teams have been accommodated, DIII will rollover teams from DII only that don't get into that division. Limit of 2 *former varsity athletes.

Women's Divisions

All 4-year schools must select DI unless they are a “B” team, with their “A” team entering DI. “B” teams as well as all Jr/Community college teams and all 2-year schools, including technical or trade colleges must select DII. If space is still available in DII after these teams have been accommodated, and if there are more than 60 teams in DI, a committee will rank the top 60 DI teams and rollover the lower ranked teams into DII. By submitting their entry packet, teams automatically agree to accept the division they are placed in.

Women's Division I
60 teams. Higher level of play. Limit of 2 *former varsity athletes/team. Teams placed by seeding committee.

Women's Division II
24 teams. This division is the only option for "B" teams that have their "A" team entered in DI; as well as Jr/Community college teams and all 2-year schools, including technical or trade colleges. If space is still available after these teams have been accommodated, DII will rollover teams from DI that don't get into that division. Limit of 2 *former varsity athletes.