LSDBi
Division III Proposal - 2026-5
CHAMPIONSHIPS -- AUTOMATIC QUALIFICATION -- MULTIPLE AUTOMATIC QUALIFIER MODEL
Convention Year: 2026
Date Submitted: June 30, 2025
Status: Defeated Final
Effective Date: August 1, 2026
POPL Number: 14
Official Notice Number: 2026-5
Source: Presidents' Athletic Conference and United East Conference.
Proposal Category: Membership Proposal
Topical Area: Championships/Committee
Intent: To develop a formula to provide multiple automatic qualifiers to multisport conferences that have 12 or more core members that sponsor a sport. Specifically: (1) Once a conference reaches 12 or more core members sponsoring a sport, the conference will immediately receive a second automatic qualifier in that sport; (2) If a conference falls below 12 core members sponsoring a sport, the conference will immediately lose their second automatic qualifier in the sport; and (3) The method by which the conference determines its conference representatives is the responsibility of the conference and shall be declared and outlined at the time of the automatic-qualifier declaration.
Administrative: Amend 31.3, as follows:
[Roll Call]
31.3 Selection of Teams and Individuals for Championships Participation. A list of the active institutions eligible for championships consideration shall be supplied by the NCAA president to the chair of each governing sports committee and to the athletics director of the host institution. This list should be observed carefully to ensure that no entries are accepted from or invitations extended to ineligible institutions.
[31.3.1 unchanged.]
31.3.1.2 Bracket Composition Brackets shall consist of automatic qualifiers and at-large participants. The number of at-large participants is determined by subtracting the number of automatic qualifiers from the total bracket size. There shall be a minimum of two at-large berths:
(a) Automatic Qualifiers -- Institutions that earn their conference’s automatic-qualification. The conference must satisfy the automatic qualification requirements per Bylaw 31.3.3 and no conference shall receive more than to receive one automatic berth per sport and conferences with 12 or more members sponsoring a sport shall receive two automatic berths (see Bylaw 31.3.3.1.1.2); and
[31.3.1.2-(b) unchanged.]
[31.3.2 through 31.3.3 unchanged.]
31.3.3.1 Requirements -- Division Championship. To be eligible for automatic qualification in a division championship, a member conference shall meet the following general requirements:
[31.3.3.1-(a) unchanged.]
(b) The conference shall have the responsibility of determining which team(s) or individual shall represent the conference in NCAA competition. Any competition to determine such, shall not be considered NCAA championship competition. The method by which a conference determines its conference representative(s) shall be declared at the time of the automatic-qualification declaration and shall be objectively outlined.
[31.3.3.1-(c) through 31.3.3.1-(h) unchanged.]
[31.3.3.1.1 unchanged.]
31.3.3.1.1.2 Second Automatic Qualifier. A multisport conference may immediately receive a second automatic qualification to a Division III championship, provided:
(a) The conference currently has an automatic qualification in the given sport; and
(b) The conference has 12 or more core members that sponsor the sport.
If, at any time, the conference has fewer than 12 core members in the sport, it shall immediately forfeit the additional automatic berth.
[31.3.3.1.2 through 31.3.3.1.5 unchanged.]
[31.3.3.2 through 31.3.3.3 unchanged.]
[31.3.4 through 31.3.6 unchanged.]
Rationale: With many institutions having to make strategic decisions about the long-term viability and sustainability of their institution, those aligning in larger athletic conferences to mitigate the landscape's instability see a significant decrease in access opportunities for automatic qualifiers. In today's formula, if 12 institutions function in two separate conferences of six, they are permitted access to two automatic qualifiers. If those same 12 schools combine their business operations to provide operational stability, they are only permitted access to one automatic qualifier. This is causing institutions to make decisions for the betterment of their institution, while at the same time creating a negative impact on recruitment, retention, and student-athlete experience. By creating a model that awards automatic qualifiers based on sport sponsorship numbers, student-athletes in all conferences will have more equitable access to championships. Additionally, in this model conferences will not be awarded multiple automatic qualifiers in all sports. Only in those sports in which their sponsorship is 12 core members or greater will receive the benefit.
Budget Impact:
Primary Contact Person:
Stephanie Dutton
, Commissioner
Email: stephanie@gounitedeast.com
Alternate Co-sponsorship Minimums:
No
Co-sponsorship - Conference:
Presidents' Athletic Conference
Co-sponsorship - Institution:
None
Position Statement(s):
Review History:
None
Convention Vote:
Date of Vote:
January 16, 2026
For: 83
Against: 377
Abstain: 1
Not Present:
Legislative References
| Division | Number | Title |
|---|---|---|
| III | 31.3 | Selection of Teams and Individuals for Championships Participation. |
| III | 31.3.1.2 | Bracket Composition |
| III | 31.3.3.1 | Requirements -- Division Championship. |