Junior transfer Sam Bono came to Adrian from Oakland University (NCAA DI). In 2009, she was 2nd on the team in Goals (6) and T-4th in Assists (3).

Sometimes these players were initially pushed toward these schools for good reasons, sometimes they weren’t.  Several of them were lured by token athletic scholarships, while others just wanted to prove they could play at the highest level.  Part of what I love about coaching at the DIII level is that I can give these athletes a second chance to find the right college and make up for lost time.

As valuable as a big school experience can be, most of our potential transfers have similar experiences involving big rosters and limited opportunities.  Few DI or DII programs offer reserve teams, so it’s common for 1/3 of the roster to never see the field in a given year.  For NAIA transfers, we sometimes find that the players want an environment where athletics is taken a little more seriously, or want to attend a school with a more vibrant campus and social community.  At the end of the day, it all boils down to “fit”.

The most important thing for prospective transfer students to decide is whether or not their current situation is capable of making them happy…  Outside of soccer, do you love the school?  Was soccer the main reason that you chose to attend?  How much would your college experience change if you had a major role on the team?  If answering these questions makes it apparent that the situation can’t be resolved, it might be time to move on.

For information about transferring to Adrian College, please contact your school’s NCAA/NAIA compliance officer to obtain a release form.  NCAA regulations limit the contact that Adrian’s coaching staff can have with you until a release form from your institution is received.

Freshman Lauren Cozzi brought her DI-level skills to the Adrian midfield in 2009, starting every game and earning an All-MIAA nomination in the process.

There is a major misconception that the divisions are clear indicators of skill… e.g. that all DI players are better than all DII players, and so on.  This is absolutely not the case.  We currently have several DI caliber players at Adrian College, as does any strong DII or DIII program.  The truth is that each division has a purpose and accompanying strengths and weaknesses.

Division I and II athletics offer a risk/reward scenario for athletes.  If you are one of the best players on the team, you can have a great career against top talent.  However, you can also easily find yourself as a squad player on a roster of 35+ who rarely touches the field.  Soccer at the DI and DII levels is a massive commitment… players should be prepared for the majority of their college experience to revolve around being an athlete, regardless of how big their roles are on the team.  These institutions are generally very large… offering great resources, but limited faculty interaction.

Division III is the NCAA’s “student-athlete” division; focusing first on the “student” and second on the “athlete”.  DIII is the largest college division in the country with 449 member institutions, nearly as many as DII and NAIA combined.  The popularity of DIII centers around developing a high level of play with limited offseason obligations for students, allowing them to easily participate in student organizations and have a well-rounded college experience.  As small private schools, these institutions tend to initially be more expensive than DI or DII schools, but often offer substantial academic and need-based grant and scholarship programs.

NAIA is an organization that was founded before the NCAA split into multiple divisions.  The original intent was to provide a place for small colleges to compete, a need which has been lessened as the NCAA has created DII and DIII.  As a result, many schools have left the NAIA in favor of competing in the NCAA.  Some of the remaining NAIA schools market themselves as “DI” or “DII” since a few NAIA sports have subdivisions, however, there is only one division of NAIA soccer.  Given the wide variance of school size and resources, some NAIA programs are capable of competing with NCAA DII teams while others struggle against NCAA DIII opposition.

For me as a coach, NCAA DIII is the right “fit”.  It allows me to have a positive impact on the lives of college students on a daily basis, while also building a program that competes at a high level.  My players don’t get lost in the shuffle, and I can have a strong relationship with just about everyone on campus, from the night-shift custodian to the president.  My job responsibilities are not limited to my sport, and while it may mean a little extra work, I enjoy the opportunity to be a part of campus community as a whole.

There is also something special about being a part of the NCAA… before I was a player or coach of the game, I was a fan… and it’s rewarding to be part of the organization that I’ve supported for all these years.