11/06/25 09:56:00
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11/06 09:55 CST Pilot program allows some Division III athletes to compete for
schools they no longer attend
Pilot program allows some Division III athletes to compete for schools they no
longer attend
By STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer
De PERE, Wis. (AP) --- Cora Anderson and Madison DeCleene spent their first two
years at Division III St. Norbert College believing their academic pursuits
would force them to end their athletic careers earlier than they wanted.
An NCAA pilot program gave them another chance to keep competing.
The program allows D-III athletes to continue playing at schools they no longer
attend under certain conditions. Anderson and DeCleene remain on the track and
field team for St. Norbert -- where they spent their first two years -- even
though they now attend nearby Bellin College. The two schools are located about
10 miles apart outside Green Bay, Wisconsin.
"Now I'm able to achieve my full potential by pursuing both my academic goals
and my athletic career as well," said DeCleene, who also runs cross country for
St. Norbert. "Before, it was thought that you could only choose one. Now I can
do both."
DeCleene and Anderson are taking part in an academic partnership that enabled
them to spend two years at St. Norbert before heading to Bellin to study
nursing. Bellin doesn't have varsity sports, which made the two athletes
elgible for the pilot program; a formal academic agreement between the two
schools is also required.
Jim Troha, chair of the NCAA Division III Presidents Council, said the program
tries to address changes in higher education.
"It recognizes existing academic programs and provides flexibility to expand
participation opportunities for our student-athletes," Troha said in April.
"The council also wants to be exceedingly clear: We have only approved a pilot
program. We will assess this program over the course of this next year and
decide its future."
Anderson and DeCleene are two of only three athletes nationwide currently in
the program, whose participation requires NCAA approval on an individual basis.
The opportunity surprised both athletes.
DeCleene and Anderson participated in their teams' postseason senior activities
as sophomores last year because they assumed they wouldn't be able to continue
competing once they transferred. They joined St. Norbert seniors in giving
speeches at the postseason banquet, where they also received banners typically
given to seniors.
Anderson remembers St. Norbert track coach Don Augustine pulling her aside when
she was thanking him for all he'd done for her the last two years.
"He said, ?You know, there might be a way for you to continue competing,'"
Anderson said. "I was taken aback by it because this whole time I had come to
the acceptance that I wasn't going to be able to."
DeCleene got a similar message.
"I immediately went into the next room and I just started happy-crying to all
my teammates," DeCleene said. "I immediately called my parents and I was like,
?I can run.' I was just so excited. I had a grin on my face the rest of the
day. I just couldn't stop smiling."
The transfer portal has changed everything about building rosters in college
sports, with name, image and likeness compensation also playing a huge role in
Division I. Earlier this year, Albany men's basketball coach Dwayne Killings
informally floated the idea of players coming to his program for seasoning
before going back to their schools better prepared to compete at a higher level.
DeCleene and Anderson are now pioneers in an unusual experiment, attending
classes on one campus while participating in practices and meets at another
school.
"Athletically, it's a little bit of a challenge," St. Norbert assistant
athletic director for compliance Mike Wallerich said. "You have to be flexible
with your schedules. The coaches, too, not just the athletes."
DeCleene said she runs on her own for an average of about 5-6 miles two days
each week during cross country season to make up for St. Norbert team practices
she's unable to attend due to her coursework at Bellin.
The situation is trickier for Anderson, who competes in field events. She
doesn't have the equipment or land at home to practice throwing a javelin or
discus. Anderson noted that she can practice her footwork on her own when she
can't throw.
Anderson said the opportunity to continue playing sports remains well worth it
even the schedule juggling.
"One of the things that really pushed me through high school was being a
four-sport athlete," Anderson said. "I'm very blessed to be able to continue
competing throughout college. Even if it's not as much as I thought it would be
because I can't make every practice, it's still very nice to get the
opportunity to continue."
Scheduling make this pilot program more feasible for athletes in some sports
than others.
"For soccer practice or basketball or football practice, you can't really do
multiple days a week where you're on your own," Augustine said. "I think it's
going to benefit some of the individual sports. If you get a golfer or a tennis
player or track and field or cross country athletes, some of those sports are
going to see a little bit of a bump maybe more than some of the team sports."
While the NCAA has emphasized this is only a test of this program, DeCleene
says she'd like to see it become more widespread. She wants more athletes to
have this chance.
"It truly is the best of both worlds," DeCleene said. "Up until this point, it
was thought you could only pursue your academic career or your athletic goals.
Now this program is proof you are able to wear both hats and grow and flourish
in both areas, to experience your full potential without any limits
essentially."
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AP college sports: https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports
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