Prospective NCAA® Division III Student-Athletes now able to utilize scholarship funds managed through USBC Smart Program
05/17/07
USBC Collegiate
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recently adopted legislation that will permit prospective Division III student-athletes to utilize scholarship funds managed through the United States Bowling Congress Scholarship Management and Accounting Reports for Tenpins (SMART) program.
The NCAA Division III Management Council Financial Aid Committee approved the legislation for prospective Division III student-athletes to receive educational expenses awarded by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) or a U.S. national governing body, per NCAA Bylaw 15.2.3.6 (educational expenses - U.S. Olympic Committee and National Governing Body).
The United States Olympic Committee is permitted to provide educational expenses to Division III student-athletes through an exemption premised on providing an alternative source of financial aid for student-athletes and to demonstrate the goodwill between the USOC and NCAA in reaching its collective goal of encouraging athletes to further their formal education.
With the recent NCAA legislation, USBC and other national governing bodies are in a position similar to the USOC in terms of amateur athletics hierarchy and are now permitted to provide educational expenses under a similar exception.
"This legislation, hopefully, will encourage NCAA Division III schools to add women's bowling programs," Director of USBC High School and Collegiate Jeanne Klescewski said. "We commend the direction that the NCAA has taken to work with the USOC and USBC in making this happen."
Currently, six of the 52 NCAA schools that offer women's bowling at the varsity level are Division III programs.
As of August 1, 2006, USBC began requiring all members and certified competitions to put their scholarship dollars into the SMART program, which offers the bowling community a centralized location to manage bowling scholarship funds as well as providing USBC members with a resource for inquiries about bowling scholarships.
The NCAA Division III Management Council Financial Aid Committee approved the legislation for prospective Division III student-athletes to receive educational expenses awarded by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) or a U.S. national governing body, per NCAA Bylaw 15.2.3.6 (educational expenses - U.S. Olympic Committee and National Governing Body).
The United States Olympic Committee is permitted to provide educational expenses to Division III student-athletes through an exemption premised on providing an alternative source of financial aid for student-athletes and to demonstrate the goodwill between the USOC and NCAA in reaching its collective goal of encouraging athletes to further their formal education.
With the recent NCAA legislation, USBC and other national governing bodies are in a position similar to the USOC in terms of amateur athletics hierarchy and are now permitted to provide educational expenses under a similar exception.
"This legislation, hopefully, will encourage NCAA Division III schools to add women's bowling programs," Director of USBC High School and Collegiate Jeanne Klescewski said. "We commend the direction that the NCAA has taken to work with the USOC and USBC in making this happen."
Currently, six of the 52 NCAA schools that offer women's bowling at the varsity level are Division III programs.
As of August 1, 2006, USBC began requiring all members and certified competitions to put their scholarship dollars into the SMART program, which offers the bowling community a centralized location to manage bowling scholarship funds as well as providing USBC members with a resource for inquiries about bowling scholarships.