Board of Visitors

Athletics Meeting November 16, 2023

The Athletics Meeting was held on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at 4:15 p.m. in Meeting Room 201 of the Freeman Center with the Chair of the Meeting Rector Lindsey Carney Smith, presiding.

Present Board Members

• Rector Lindsey Carney Smith, Esq., Chair
• Regina Brayboy
• William Estrada
• John R. Lawson
• LTC (R) Boris G. Robinson
• The Honorable Ronald L. Tillett

Absent Board Members

• Sean D. Miller

Present from the University

• William G. Kelly, President
• Adelia P. Thompson, VP of Advancement, External Engagement and the Arts

Others Present

• Jim Hanchett
• Christine Ledford
• Kyle McMullin
• Deborah Roundtree
• Mary Margaret Wells

At 4:15 p.m. Chair Lindsey Carney Smith, Rector called the meeting to order and welcomed everyone present.

Chair Lindsey Carney Smith called for a motion to approved the minutes from the September 15, 2023 Athletics Committee meeting. Boris G. Robinson provided the motion, seconded by Will Estrada. The minutes were unanimously approved.

Kyle McMullin began by providing an overview of the NCAA Championships and how the Pool process is completed and the means by which CNU and other Division III members gain entry into the NCAA Championships.

The C2C has access to Pool A (automatic qualifier) in a limited number of sports (men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball) but many of our sports need to earn bids to the NCAA tournament through Pool B (no access to an automatic qualifier) and Pool C (at-large).

We do not want to live in Pool B year to year. However, baseball has historically lived in Pool B. Other sports there is fluctuating membership in the various pools.

Each team builds their schedule to maximize the teams that they compete against that are regionally-ranked. Due to C2C membership, we schedule on a national scale to ensure quality opposition. D3 ranks schools within regions – we have learned to strategize by playing teams from all different regions and conferences.

Being in C2C has allowed our teams to have more flexibility in creating schedules that will benefit them in selection for the NCAA tournament.

Reviewed conference membership stipulations; we need at least 7 members.

Hosting tournaments – NCAA in D3 – are preliminary rounds are determined by the most deserving teams (500 mile rule).

The NCAA’s stated budget priority is to minimize travel expenses – 500 miles or more dictate that teams will be required to travel by airplane.

• The more we host the less we have to spend to take our players
• Travel party size and reimbursements (based on who is dressed out)

Discussed the impact of having athletic teams that compete in championships

• After VCU made the Final Four, the foundation had to pick up additional costs that are not reimbursable when the teams are competing in playoffs and national championships

Inquiry about if we have an Athletics Foundation.

Chair Lindsey Carney Smith – indicated that there will come a time when we have to identify additional resources and support to make sure that we can provide monies for the purpose of athletics.

We need to be able to send Pep Bands and cheerleaders when we compete in national championships.

The teams that often make it to the championships very often are private teams (Babson, Middlebury, John Hopkins, etc.)

In women’s basketball, private colleges have won national championships for the past 20 years.

Kyle McMullin provided additional information about the C2C Conference

• Pratt is leaving the conference – which will reduce the conference size down to 6 schools. We have until July 2026 – to maintain a conference size of 7 schools.
• The C2C is currently working with 5 schools that are in similar situations as CNU, but those schools have a strong desire for football to be a part of the solution.

At 5:20 p.m. Chair Lindsey Carney Smith called for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Will Estrada made the motion for the meeting to be adjourned and it was seconded by Boris Robinson.