The NCAA ~....---March_-~--~~_..._~-~ 19.1986. Volume 23 Number~~ 12 Offkinl._.- Publication of t ational Collegiate Athletic Association Sports participation continues to increase Participation by men and women Among the 19 men’s sports, I2 in intercollegiate athletics at NCAA showed gains in sponsorship, two member institutions continued to in- were unchanged from the year before crease in 1984-85, according to par- and five declined. The big gainers ticipation and sponsorship data re- were cross country and soccer, each viewed by the NCAA Long Range up I I. and indoor track, up seven. Planning Committee in its February The biggest decline in sponsorship meeting. was in wrestling, which dropped I7 Comparing the participation figures teams. from 1983-84 and 1984-85, as reported Of the 15 women’s sports, I I by member institutions on their insti- showed sponsorship increases, one tutional information forms, the total was unchanged and three declined. number of men participating in The biggest increases were in softball NCAA-recognbed sports increased See .~porrs. puEe 1.5 by 5.8 percent, from 186,008 to 197,446, while the women’s total jumped 7.4 percent, from 82,449 to NCAA signs 89,062. Of the total number ofparticipants, Dact with 68.9 percent were men and 3 I. I per- A cent were women. Meanwhile, the number of sports American sponsored by member institutions The NCAA and American Airlines increased for both men and women in have reached a three-year agreement Divisions 1 and Ill but decreased that names the company as the official slightly for both in Division II, possi- airline for NCAA championships. bly reflecting the early effects of Divi& NCAA President John R. Davis sion II’s reduction of its sports spon- and Eugene E. Rondeau Sr., national sorship criteria for men and women manager of company meetings and from six sports to four. conventions for American Airlines, Down to 16 teams Participation announced the agreement. The average squad size increased in As the official airline for NCAA championships, American will pro- The Divtiion I Men’s Basketball Championship field is down to I6 teams, and North Carolina State all 19 men’s sports, with the biggest vide air transportation for NCAA will be counting on Nate McMillan to help the Wolfpack advance to the Final Four in DalIas. gains occurring in ice hockey (up 4. I6 committee members and student-ath- participants per team), football (3.55), letes during NCAA championships. baseball (2.61). rifle (2.36) and lacrosse American will provide special fares Underdogs enjoy their finest hour (2.13). All women’s sports also increased for team travel and for staff who are than ninth in its regional made the of an upset can be in the eyes of the scouting, recruiting or attending meet- By James M. Van Valkenburg in average squad size, although most ings, including NCAA and NACDA NCAA Director of Sracistics Sweet 16, while this year Cleveland beholder; but purely in terms of the gains were small. The largest were in difference in seeding numbers, this Conventions. This 48th Division I Men’s Basket- State, seeded 14th; DePaul. seeded lacrosse (up 2.2), swimming (1.48), l2th, and Louisiana State, I Ith, all tournament already has produced the Under terms of the agreement, ball Championship is the first one in skiing (I .44) and indoor track ( I .30). history to use a shot clock, and many are in the Sweet 16. two biggest upsets of the decade. In men’s sports, the largest total American Airlines also will make Quality? We realize the magnitude They were Cleveland State, seeded annual contriburions to NCAA sports coach& predicted the clock woulb numbers of participants were in foot- l4th, over third-seeded Indiana in the development and youth programs, reduce upsets to a minimum because ball (48,634). baseball (22, I 17). out- East regional and Arkansas-Little such as the National Youth Sports it favors the more talented team. door track (20,1X9), indoor track Reck, also a 14th seed, over third- Program. Some purists even predicted that a In the News ( 15,697) and soccer (15.390). Among American Airlines offers NCAA Villanova-over-Georgetown stunner seeded Notre Dame in the Midwest the women’s sports, basketball had Champions member schools a service network (in the 1985 title game) would never regional. the most participants (I 1,248). fol- Championships results in Divi- In each case, it was a difference of that flies to 130 airports in II8 cities happen again. lowed by outdoor track (IO,9 14). vol- sions I and Ill men’s and women’s I I places in the seeding. Only one worldwide, including 100 domestic Those coaches may be hiding today, leyball (9,533). softball (9,410) and because this 1986 NCAA tournament indoor track, Division I wrestling, I other game in the entire decade of the stops. In 1985, American boarded has produced upset records galore- men’s and women’s rifle, Division more than 41 million passengers on both in quantity and in quality-that II men’s and women’s swimming, down &ore than eight places in seed- Sponsorship its 300 airplanes. American has a fleet surpass anything that has happened Division Ill women’s swimming, ing-Navy (13) over LSU (4) a year For the membership as a whole, consisting of planes ranging from the in the decade of the 1980s. and Division Ill men’s and wom- ago, a difference of nine places. Four- sponsorship of men’s sports increased I IS-passenger Boeing 727 to the Quantity? Only seven of the I6 en’s basketball. Pages 6-10. teen games in the first two rounds saw by I9 teams-up by 35 in Division I McDonnell Douglas DC-IO, which teams seeded first, second, third or TV ratings the lower seed winning-one more and 5 I in Division Ill but down by 67 seats 3 13 passengers. than last year--but those 14 involved NCAA member schools may call a fouth in the four regionals are in the CBS Sports comes out on top in Division II. a total of 8 I places in seeding, vs. 70 special toll-free number to receive Sweet 16, heading into the regional for the third straight year in the For women, the overall Increase semifinals. That is a record for the college basketball television rat- places last year. was 164 teams-up 75 in Division I specific information about American 1980s. surpassing the eight in 1981. :--,. “-.-.. n Villanova, after all, was seeded and 94 in Division I I I but down five in Airlines’ new program: l-800-433- And in 1981, no team seeded lower Division II. 1790. Sports sponsorship and participation, 1983-84 and 1984-85 Men Women Inrlitutionb Participants Average Squad Inrriturionr Pmlicipimt* Average Squad Sprt 83-84 84-85 *I- 83-84 84.85 +/- 83-84 84-8s +/- Sport X)-R4 84-85 +/- W-84 84-85 +/- 83-84 a4-85 l /- Basebilll 650 652 +2 20,357 22.117 l 1.760 31 32 33.93 r2.61 Basketball 746 751 +5 10.66X I I .24X +5x0 14.30 1498 +.6X Basketball 749 752 l 3 12,759 14.190 l 1.431 I7.03 18.87 +1.x4 cross Country 500 541 +41 5.955 6.573 +61X II 91 12.15 +.24 Cross country 683 694 +I1 I o.oYs 10.720 +625 14 7x I545 l 67 FelKtng 71 67 -4 I .36X I .407 l 39 19.27 21.00 + I .73 Fen&y 65 62 -3 696 6X6 -10 10.7 I II.06 +.3s Football so7 so3 -4 47,220 4X.634 *I,414 93.14 96.69 +3.55 Field Hockey 257 251 -6 6.009 6,042 +33 23.38 24.07 +.69 Golf 591 595 l 4 7,205 7.497 +292 12.19 12.60 +.41 GOlf I20 123 t.7 I.103 I.135 +32 9.19 9.23 +.04 Gymnawcr 71 65 -6 I.165 I .067 -9X 1641 1642 l 01 160 IS0 -IO 2.102 2.036 -66 13.14’ 13.57 +.43 Ice Hockey 122 I24 +2 3,906 4.486 +5x0 32.02 36 IX +4.16 Gymna*ticr LXrOSSe 141 144 +3 4.X20 5.229 l 409 34.18 36.31 t2.13 LXPXX I I4 II4 __ 2.96 I 3.21 I +2so 25.97 2x. I7 +2.20 Rifle P8 RH __ 941 I.148 l 207 10.69 13.05 +2.36 Skung 36 37 +I 555 624 +69 I5 42 16.86 l 1.44 Skiing 46 SO t4 949 I.125 +I76 20.63 22.50 +I.&? SOCCCF 133 165 +32 3.092 3,967 +87s 23 25 24 04 +.79 soccer 533 544 +I1 14,37 I 15.390 +I.olY 26.96 2X.29 il.33 Softball 451 493 +42 x.rsx 9,410 +I.152 18.31 I909 +.7X Swlmmmg 378 381 l 3 8.097 x.575 t47x 21.42 22 51 l I .09 TenIlLS 700 694 -6 w.002 X.389 *3x7 Il.43 12.09 l .66 Swmmmg 370 374 +4 7.019 7.647 +62X IX97 20 4s + I .4x Track, Indoor 446 453 .7 15,034 15,697 +663 33.7 I 34.65 +.94 Tennis 657 667 +I0 7sxx 7.764 iI76 Il.55 I I.64 +.09 Track. Outdoor 579 5x1 +2 19.42 I 20. I x9 +76X 33 54 34 7s +I 21 Track.