Student-athletes “taking the road less traveled:” Social Comparison Theory and the academically elite NCAA Division III institution

What It Means to “Win” in Small College Athletics: Strategic Contingency Theory and Alternative Success

“…Division III athletics departments, in general, have fewer coaches, smaller budgets, less commercial attention, and lack of traditional sport-related revenue streams (e.g., broadcasting rights deals, corporate sponsorships, ticket sales) than higher levels of NCAA athletics and professionalized sport and wins and losses do not necessarily have the same financial impact (Covell at el., 2013;Katz et al, 2021;Nichols et al, 2020;Schaeperkoetter et al, 2015;Paule-Koba & Farr, 2013;Zvosec et al, 2021a;Zvosec et al, 2021b;Zullo, 2021).…”

“…NCAA Division III athletics is often under-researched, which is notable given that Division III institutions, on average, have a higher percentage of student-athletes than their Division I and Division II brethren (Kerschner & Allan, 2021;Willner, 2019;Zvosec et al, 2021a). Because there are not athletic scholarships at Division III institutions, the types of financial aid packages, the timeline of such packages, and the admissions processes and timelines of each institution can create a Division III recruiting process that is can be murkier logistically than at the Division I level (Bandré, 2011;Nichols et al, 2020;Schaeperkoetter et al, 2015).…”

“…Given the diversity of Division III institutions and proposed typologies of Division III institutions (academically elite, large public, mission-driven privates, and liberal arts; Katz et al, 2015; academically elite national universities, academically elite liberal arts national colleges, non-academically elite liberal arts national colleges, regional public institutions; Zvosec et al, 2021a), examining the role of athletics success and how success is defined and operationalized is critical for the future of small college athletics.…”

“…The on-campus experience as it relates to the role of athletics on Division III campuses is likely far different for both student-athletes and the general student body relative to Division I institutions (Katz et al, 2021). Even though the athletics experience at Division III institutions may not generate as much fan interest or revenue streams as Division I institutions, Division III athletics can still add institutional value in a variety of ways (e.g., Covell et al, 2013;Katz et al, 2021;Nichols et al, 2020;Schaeperkoetter et al, 2015;Zvosec et al, 2021a;Zvosec et al, 2021b). Understanding how "value added" manifests itself is particularly important as insti-tutions work to develop their own definitions of athletics success (Katz et al, 2015;Katz et al, 2021;Nichols et al, 2020;Nixon et al, 2021;Zvosec et al, 2021a;Zvosec et al, 2021b).…”

“…In their study on the student-athlete experiences of non-revenue sports at the Division I level and all sports at the Division III level, Paule-Koba and Farr (2013) importantly noted, "While on the surface it may appear that pumping money into the athletic program would hurt the institution, without these programs, students who base their college decision on athletics will take their talents and tuition dollars elsewhere" (p. 211). As Division III athletics departments may bear the weight of contributing to institutional enrollment and tuition goals (e.g., Covell et al 2013;Willner, 2019;Zvosec et al, 2021a;Zvosec, 2021b), understanding how athletics success is defined and operationalized is important when considering the role of athletics in the future of small colleges.…”