Over the weekend, 2,000 people flocked to the Field House to watch the men’s and women’s basketball teams win their league championships. This comes at a time of lots of internal debate over the future of Division III, and a Division IV or Division III-B may soon become a reality. There may not be the same school spirit for Wash. U. sports as there is at Division I universities, but it is weekends like this past one that prove that people will go to Wash. U. sporting events, and moving even further down the NCAA ladder would be a mistake.
An article in the Feb. 13, 2007 issue of the New York Times detailed the growing disagreements between schools in Division III. D-III is the largest division in the NCAA with 420 members and these 420 schools have disagreed on many issues, ranging from money to the very goal of collegiate sports. The schools come from all across the country and include small, lesser known schools like Fontbonne as well as Wash. U. Clearly, D-III schools all have varying interests, and the possible split has grown out of that.
The article stated, “Some prominent conferences and academic elites, like Williams College in Massachusetts and Washington University in St. Louis, seem resistant to change.” This is the appropriate position for the University to take. For starters, athletics are a valuable recruiting tool. When courting prospective athletes, the University can point to 116 University Athletic Association titles and 12 D-III national championships that Wash. U. sports teams have won in the past 20 years. This high stature in D-III could help convince academically gifted athletes to come to Wash. U. Being in D-IV or DIII-B would not have the same allure, especially if schools like Emory were to stay in D-III. Even if Emory switched divisions, staying in D-III would give Wash. U. yet another recruiting edge over Emory.
Staying in D-III would also help school spirit. This would need to be coupled with persistent efforts by groups like Red Alert and the Athletic Department, similar to those of Thurtene and the Athletic Department this weekend. School spirit is essential for a University and currently, it is one department in which the University is lacking. It helps bring students together and increases pride in the University.
Much like D-III as a whole, Wash. U. students come from across the country and varying walks of life, with very different interests. The one uniting factor we all have is that we go to Wash. U. and we can all root for Wash. U. sports teams. By staying in D-III, and likely at the top of D-III, Wash. U. would be able to recruit stronger athletes than would be possible in a proposed D-IV. With that would come more UAA and maybe even NCAA championships, providing more for Wash. U. students to gather together to root for instead of just preparing for the next exam.
One way to help get higher attendance in the Field House and more school spirit on a consistent basis would be to hold pep rallies at Happy Hour. Happy Hour is already well attended, and that would not change if a pep rally was held at the same time. Meanwhile, it would be a good way to introduce students to the teams and help create buzz for upcoming games. Giving away free food or prizes at games is always a good option as well.
Much praise should be heaped on Thurtene and the Athletic Department for getting so many students into the Field House this weekend. If Wash. U. were to drop out of D-III, it may not be possible for this to happen again. Given the strength of athletics as both a recruiting tool and a way to increase school spirit, cheapening athletics would most certainly be a mistake.