2026-27 D3 Schedule: Division III Postseason Calendar & Key Dates
The 2026-27 NCAA Division III athletics calendar spans the academic year, from the opening fall seasons through the spring D3 championship schedule.
For student-athletes, administrators, coaches, fans, recruits and their families, this page will track the major dates for the Division III sports covered by YD3: football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s soccer and field hockey.
Institutions mandate their own academic calendars, so there’s no single NCAA-wide D3 schedule for the start of classes, academic breaks or final exams. However, this calendar includes sport-specific playing-season rules and notable dates for everyone to mark down.
Unless otherwise noted, participating programs will host NCAA postseason rounds, with subsequent rounds held at the locations listed below.
This D3 schedule page will be updated if and when the NCAA announces new postseason dates and championship information.
2026-27 NCAA D3 Schedule & Athletics Calendar
September 2026
Fall competition is underway across Division III athletics.
Football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and field hockey move through their regular-season schedules, with exact competition dates determined by individual institutions and conferences under NCAA rules.
October 2026
The fall regular season continues across football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and field hockey, with conference races and postseason positioning becoming increasingly critical.
November 2026
November marks the beginning of the postseason calendar for YD3’s fall sports schedule.
D3 Field Hockey Schedule
Nov. 8: NCAA Selection Show
Nov. 11: First Round
Nov. 14-15: Second & Third Rounds
Nov. 20: Semifinals
Nov. 22: Championship
The NCAA D3 Field Hockey Championship will take place at McCooey Field in Geneva, N.Y.
D3 Men’s & Women’s Soccer Schedule
Nov. 9: NCAA Selection Shows
Nov. 14-15: First & Second Rounds
Nov. 21-22: Sectional Rounds
D3 Football Schedule
Nov. 15: NCAA Selection Show
Nov. 21: First Round
Nov. 28: Second Round
The D3 football postseason slate kicks off with preliminary rounds and leads to the January championship game.
December 2026
D3 Men’s & Women’s Soccer Schedule
Dec. 3: Semifinals
Dec. 6: Championships
The D3 schedule for men’s and women’s soccer semifinal and championship rounds will both take place at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
D3 Football Schedule
Dec. 5: Quarterfinals
Dec. 12: Semifinals
The final four is down to two following the quarterfinals and semifinals.
January 2027
D3 Football Schedule
Jan. 3: Championship
The pinnacle of the football season, known as the Stagg Bowl national championship game, is held at Salem Stadium in Salem, Va.
D3 Men’s & Women’s Basketball Schedule
Programs are deep into their D3 schedules as conference races take shape.
February 2027
Men’s and women’s basketball continue through their march toward conference tournament play later this month. These dates vary by league and institution.
Meanwhile, men’s and women’s lacrosse, baseball and softball programs begin their respective seasons, with D3 schedules also varying by conference and program.
March 2027
March marks the conclusion of the D3 basketball season and the continued transition into the spring championship calendar.
D3 Men’s & Women’s Basketball Schedule
March 1: NCAA Selection Shows
March 5-6: First & Second Rounds
March 12-13: Sectional Rounds
March 18: Semifinals
March 20: Championships
The men’s basketball championship will tip off at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh, while the women’s championship will occur at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
D3 Men’s & Women’s Lacrosse Schedule
Each program will ramp up its D3 regular-season schedule.
D3 Baseball & Softball Schedule
Regular-season competition carries on.
April 2027
Men’s and women’s lacrosse enter the heart of their regular seasons, with conference races and NCAA D3 postseason schedule positioning taking shape.
Baseball and softball programs continue their regular-season contests.
May 2027
May brings the NCAA postseason for YD3’s spring sports.
D3 Women’s Lacrosse Schedule
May 3: NCAA Selection Show
May 8: First Round
May 9: Second Round
May 15-16: Regional Rounds
May 29: National Championship
The women’s lacrosse national championship is scheduled at Johnny Unitas Stadium at Towson University in Towson, Md.
Notable for 2027: the NCAA will hold all three women’s lacrosse championship finals at the same site for the first time. Division II and Division III will play their championship games May 29, with the Division I semifinals and championship game completing the three-division championship weekend.
D3 Men’s Lacrosse Schedule
May 9: NCAA Selection Show
May 9: First Round
May 16-17: Second & Third Rounds
May 22-23: Quarterfinals & Semifinals
NCAA D3 Baseball
May 10: NCAA Selection Show
May 21-23: Regionals
May 28-29: Super Regionals
NCAA D3 Softball
May 17: NCAA Selection Show
May 20-22: Regionals
May 27-28: Super Regionals
June 2027
D3 Men’s Lacrosse Schedule
June 1: National Championship
This year’s men’s lacrosse national championship will occur at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Like women’s lacrosse, the NCAA men’s lacrosse championship weekend is a combined NCAA event featuring Division I, Division II and Division III championships. The NCAA has designated Philadelphia as the 2027 host site for all three men’s lacrosse divisions.
D3 Softball Schedule
June 3-9: Division III Softball Championship
The D3 championship round schedule and matchups are set for Workman Family Softball Field in Decatur, Ill.
D3 Baseball Schedule
June 4-11: Division III World Series
The softball championship round will take place at WellSpan Park in York, Pa.
These championships conclude the 2026-27 NCAA Division III athletic calendar for the sports covered by YD3.
2026-27 NCAA D3 Championship Schedule
| Sport | Selection Show | National Championship |
| Field Hockey | Nov. 8, 2026 | Nov. 22, 2026 |
| Men’s Soccer | Nov. 9, 2026 | Dec. 5, 2026 |
| Women’s Soccer | Nov. 9, 2026 | Dec. 6, 2026 |
| Football | Nov. 15, 2026 | Jan. 9, 2027 |
| Men’s Basketball | March 1, 2027 | March 20, 2027 |
| Women’s Basketball | March 1, 2027 | March 20, 2027 |
| Women’s Lacrosse | May 3, 2027 | May 29, 2027 |
| Men’s Lacrosse | May 9, 2027 | June 1, 2027 |
| Baseball | May 10, 2027 | June 4-11, 2027 |
| Softball | May 17, 2027 | June 3-9, 2027 |
Which D3 Championships Schedule Involves Multi-Division Events?
Most championships in this calendar are Division III-specific NCAA championships.
As noted, the exceptions are men’s and women’s lacrosse. That makes the 2027 D3 lacrosse schedule particularly significant, with both men’s and women’s championships bringing all three NCAA divisions together at a single venue.
NCAA D3 Academic Schedule & Athletic Events
Division III institutions establish their own academic calendars. Dates for the beginning of classes, academic breaks and final exams vary by school.
NCAA D3 legislation, however, sets sport-specific parameters for when programs can practice and compete. The D3 championship schedule and playing-season resources provide sport-specific requirements and postseason dates rather than a universal athletic calendar.
For school-specific academic dates, student-athletes should consult their institution’s official academic calendar.
IN THIS STORY
- 01. 2026-27 NCAA D3 Schedule & Athletics Calendar
- 02. September 2026
- 03. October 2026
- 04. November 2026
- 05. December 2026
- 06. January 2027
- 07. February 2027
- 08. March 2027
- 09. April 2027
- 10. May 2027
- 11. June 2027
- 12. 2026-27 NCAA D3 Championship Schedule
- 13. Which D3 Championships Schedule Involves Multi-Division Events?
- 14. NCAA D3 Academic Schedule & Athletic Events
- 15. More From YD3 Network
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