NCAA Announces One-Time National Meet Cap Increase
Weeks of speculation and waiting are over. The NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving committee has officially announced that the cap, or total number of athletes allowed at the national championships, is being temporarily increased for one year for both men and women. According to the following memo, an additional 14 women swimmers will be invited to the meet, making the total 246, and an additional 28 men, making the total 253. Although the rational for the change is cited as the change in technical suit rules that went into effect half-way through the season, there is no rational for increasing the meet by more for the men than for the women. The number of divers invited to the meet remains the same. Memo from the NCAA S&D Committee below.
VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL
MEMORANDUM
March 3, 2009
TO: Directors of Athletics, Senior Woman Administrators, Conference
Commissioners, and Head Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving
Coaches of Conferences and Institutions that Sponsor NCAA Division III
Men’s and/or Women’s Swimming and Diving.FROM: Tom Till, chair
NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Committee.SUBJECT: One-time Increase to Competitor Cap.
The NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Committee met via teleconference Tuesday, February 24, to review information regarding the ramifications of the interpretation effective December 19, 2008, defining the uniform as one swimsuit or garment. It was decided that the timing of this interpretation may have created an unfair competitive advantage for those student-athletes who competed prior to December 19 wearing more than one suit.
After extensive deliberation, the NCAA Division III Championships Committee approved the swimming and diving committee’s request for a one-time increase (14 for women, 28 for men) in the competitor caps for the 2009 NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships:
- 2009 Women’s Championships 246 participants (up from 232)
- 2009 Men’s Championships 253 participants (up from 225)
The number of divers selected to each championship (22 women, 22 men) remains unchanged.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this memorandum, please contact me or D’Ann Keller, NCAA associate director of championships at 317/917-6222.
TT:kmh
cc: NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Committee
Selected NCAA Staff Members
