New Division III Fees, College Lacrosse Championship Outlook

A new NCAA registration fee and the potential extension of a joint national championship highlight two developments in Division III athletics, with implications for all student-athletes and, specifically, women’s college lacrosse programs.

Louise McCleary, the NCAA Vice President of D3 athletics, addressed these topics in a recent NCAA Division III presentation, explaining the financial considerations behind the eligibility change and giving a glimpse into the future of title competition.

NCAA Introduces Fee for D3 Student-Athlete IDs

Beginning this month, domestic student-athletes entering the Division III eligibility process must pay $5 to establish a Profile Page and obtain an NCAA ID.

Incoming D3 student-athletes must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center, though the account type depends on their residency status. Domestic students are required to create a Profile Page, and international student-athletes must fill out an Athletics Certification Account.

The latter carries an $85 fee, according to the November edition of the Division III Monthly Update.

McCleary said Governance and Member Services was recently tasked with finding budget savings. Department officials weighed whether to reduce existing programs and initiatives or identify new revenue streams, including the $5 Profile Page fee.

Funds collected from the new charge will help limit the number of budget cuts necessary within her department.

It was indicated within Governance and Member Services that there needed to be a savings, and the savings was either going to be a reduction to policies, programs, or initiatives that were supported from the survey that went out to the association, or could there be new revenue opportunities?

College Lacrosse Could Retain Joint Women’s Championship

Beyond eligibility changes, McCleary expressed optimism about the future of the joint NCAA women’s lacrosse championship, which is currently scheduled to bring all three divisions together over the next two seasons.

The inaugural event is set for May 28-30, 2027, at Towson University’s Johnny Unitas Stadium. Subaru Park in Chester, Penn., will host the 2028 championship.

McCleary indicated that the arrangement is likely to extend beyond its initial two-year commitment, following a model already established for men’s lacrosse.

Supporting that outlook, the NCAA’s 2029-31 women’s lacrosse site-selection specifications prioritize combined title bids for all three divisions. A joint Division II and III event serves as the next option if suitable bids for an all-division championship are unavailable.

For D3 programs, continued collaboration would provide another chance to contend for national titles alongside additional high-level institutions.