Frequently Asked Questions

What is Division III? 

Athletics competition at more than 1,000 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada is governed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which maintains three divisions to offer “level playing fields” for the smallest liberal arts colleges and the most committed and funded major-university athletics programs.  The largest division in terms of number of schools and number of participants is Division III, which comprises more than 170,000 student-athletes at 444 mostly smaller institutions.

Colleges and universities in Division III place the highest priority on the overall quality of the educational experience and on the successful completion of all students’ academic programs.  They seek to establish and maintain an environment in which a student-athlete’s athletics activities are conducted as an integral part of the student-athlete’s educational experience, and in which coaches play a significant role as educators.  They also seek to establish and maintain an environment that values cultural diversity and gender equity among their student-athletes and athletics staff.

Does Division III offer scholarships? 

Division III does not offer financial aid to any student on the basis of athletics leadership, ability, participation or performance.

What should a recruit and their parents know about Division III?

  • Division III athletics provides a well-rounded collegiate experience that involves a balance of rigorous academics, competitive athletics, and the opportunity to pursue the multitude of other co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities offered on Division III campuses.
  • Division III playing season and eligibility standards minimize conflicts between athletics and academics, allowing student-athletes to focus on their academic programs and the achievement of a degree.
  • Division III offers an intense and competitive athletics environment for student-athletes who play for the love of the game, without the obligation of an athletics scholarship.
  • Division III athletics departments place special importance on the impact of athletics on the participants rather than on the spectators. The student-athlete’s experience is of paramount concern.
  • Division III athletics departments are dedicated to offering broad-based programs with a high number and wide range of athletics participation opportunities for both men and women.
  • Division III places primary emphasis on regional in-season and conference competition, while also offering 36 national championships annually.
  • Division III affords student-athletes the opportunity to discover valuable lessons in teamwork, discipline, perseverance and leadership, which in turn make student-athletes better students and responsible citizens.
  • Division III features student-athletes who are subject to the same admission standards, academic standards, housing and support services as the general student body. The integration of athletics with the larger institution enables student-athletes to experience all aspects of campus life.

What sports are offered at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps? 

CMS offers 21 intercollegiate sports – 11 for women and 10 for men.  They include baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s golf, women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track & field, women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s water polo.

What conference is CMS in? 

CMS is a member of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC).  The other eight members of the SCIAC are California Institute of Technology, California Lutheran University, Chapman University, University of La Verne, Occidental College, Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, University of Redlands and Whittier College.

 What are the Claremont Colleges?

The Claremont Colleges form a mutually beneficial partnership to offer joint academic programs and cross-registration in courses, to cultivate special curricular strengths on which the others may draw, to encourage contact and cooperation among faculty and students from different campuses, and to combine physical facilities and extracurricular programs.  Each of the Claremont Colleges has its own student body, faculty, administration, campus, curricular emphasis, and individual style and purpose.  The Claremont Colleges include Claremont Graduate University, Claremont McKenna College, Harvey Mudd College, Keck Graduate Institute, Pitzer College, Pomona College and Scripps College.

I am interested in playing a sport, what should I do or who should I contact? 

Potential student-athletes should contact the head coach by phone or email (staff directory).  They should also fill out a prospective student-athlete questionnaire for each sport they are interested in.