NCAA and NAIA University Sports Divisions
We receive a lot of questions from Sport scholarship applicants wanting to know the difference between the NCAA and NAIA leagues. Here is an overview that attempts to add clarity and clear up some of the myths surrounding this subject.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA, and The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, or NAIA, are the two associations that govern sporting competitions between universities.
The NCAA, formed in 1906, is a larger association, representing bigger universities and colleges in the USA.
The NAIA, established in 1937, is a smaller association that represents small universities and colleges in the United States. The NAIA is an association of 291 small four-year colleges and universities throughout the country,
The NAIA was originally organised to give a sports forum to smaller schools that couldn't compete with the big and/or rich schools of the NCAA.
The NAIA is based in based in Kansas City, Missouri, whilst the NCAA has its headquarters in Indianapolis. This means that most of the schools in the NAIA are located in the East, Midwest and California.
When comparing their memberships, the NCAA has a larger membership than the NAIA.Nowadays the NAIA Colleges feel that they get more exposure competing for a NAIA championship than they would getting lost in a sea of schools with more resources in NCAA's Divisions.
The key difference is the huge amount of financial investment involved in NCAA Division I schools. All NCAA Division 1 schools must compete in a minimum of 14 sports for both male and females, with annual budgets reaching into the millions. This is why they are bigger institutions.
NCAA Division 1 schools generally have a larger enrolment than NAIA schools. The large State Universities and colleges can generate the financial resources required for NCAA membership. Small private colleges have fewer financial resources to invest in sport.
To give an illustration on the scale the NCAA organises 87 national championships a year, which includes 40 men championships, 44 women championships, and three co-ed championships. The NAIA on the other hand, has 23 championships a year, of which 12 are for men.
NCAA has three divisions, those are dependent on school size, while NAIA is a division all on it's own. NAIA schools are on the same level competition wise as Division 2 schools in NCAA. NAIA schools can also give out scholarships while D3 schools can't.
Another key difference is that the recruitment process of the NAIA has fewer restrictions than that of the NCAA. Also the NAIA does not have as complex rules as the NCAA which can make it easier for international students to apply.
In media terms the NAIA is the poor cousin as NCAA gets most of the media coverage for the big collegiate football games coverage. The Ivy League are all NCAA. It's all about name recognition and, unfortunately, NCAA schools still have better name recognition than the NAIA schools.
There are equally talented players and a "comparable level of play" in the NCAA D2/D3 and NAIA.
Overall, NAIA schools are good Colleges but just don't get as much attention as the NCAA schools. When choosing between D2 or D3 NCAA and an NAIA University, the recommendation would be to go for an NAIA school and get a good education and opportunity to play sport at a high standard.
