From Kansas Horse Council–We received notice this morning in a letter sent from the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics Chair, Tim Hall, to the National Collegiate Equestrian Association at Baylor University in Waco, TX, that the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics has already voted to recommend removal of equestrian from the list of emerging sports for women in Divisions I and II.
“On behalf of the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics (CWA) I want to thank you and your colleagues for submitting a strategic action plan for the committee’s review related to how the emerging sport of equestrian can advance to championship-level sponsorship. Given NCAA legislative requirements and committee responsibilities and policy, the committee has been considering the status of the sport for the last several years.
In addition to this review, the committee has considered the lack of sponsorship in all three divisions, conversations with the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) and discussions with athletic directors with varsity equestrian programs. Based on this information, the committee has voted to recommend removal of equestrian from the list of emerging sports for women in Divisions I and II.
The emerging sports for women program identifies sports that both hold the promise of increased participation opportunities for women and that the membership considers appropriate potential additions to NCAA championship sports offerings. NCAA rules provide certain benefits with emerging sport status as well as expectations for sponsorship growth. Legislation allows 10 years for a sport to reach a reduced championship sponsorship target of 40 schools. The legislation also allows for exceptions to that time limit for steady growth. Equestrian reached its ten year limit in 2012, and the committee, in anticipation of that milestone, began examining sponsorship progress in the years preceding.
The committee and national office staff have attempted to sponsor legislation (2008) and seek Division III leadership support (2013-14) to persuade that division to recognize equestrian as an emerging sport. However, Division III is not supportive of the change. Additionally, growth in Divisions I and II have stalled at 23 institutions for the last three reporting years, leaving no argument for steady growth towards the target of 40. While the committee greatly appreciates the effort of the NCEA to grow sponsorship, the strategic focus on Division III recognition and overcoming misconceptions about programmatic costs did not persuade the committee that sponsorship trends will improve or that championship level sponsorship can be achieved.
The committee will report its recommendation to Division I leadership council and Divisions II and III management councils this fall. A legislative proposal will be requested for the 2015-16 NCAA legislative cycle with an anticipated effective date of August 1, 2017.
Removal from the emerging sports list and NCAA legislation does not preclude member institutions from sponsoring the sport as varsity or counting the sport in its gender equity efforts, although Title IX compliance should be discussed directly with the Office for Civil Rights. If adopted, equestrian programs would no longer be subject to NCAA rules nor would the sport count towards minimum sports sponsorship requirements per Bylaw 20.9.6.
Sports sponsorship financial benefits will not apply to the sponsorship of a sport not listed as NCAA championship or emerging. CWA policy allows a sport to seek a return to emerging sport status after removal after at least a 12 month waiting period. The typical proposal process would be in effect, though the minimum letters of commitment increases from 10 to 15.
The committee recognizes that this is disappointing news for the NCEA and schools currently sponsoring the sport. On behalf of the faculty, administrators and student-athletes from all three divisions who serve on CWA, I want to thank you for your efforts to grow the sport, and hope those that continue to offer the sport can increase its visibility and sponsorship support.”
Tim Hall, chair
NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics
