Just as level of play, time commitment and skill vary between Division I and Division III schools, so do the rules and regulations put in place by the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). At Division I and Division II schools, student-athletes must meet eligibility standards set in place by the NCAA. At the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, this looks different.
At the Division III level decisions regarding eligibility requirements are left up to the universities to decide. Here at UWL student-athletes adhere to the rules set in place by the NCAA, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) and the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA).
UWL student-athletes get the information they need regarding eligibility through the UWL Athletics Code of Conduct and a yearly mandatory meeting with the Deputy Director of Athletics, Erin Hanson. This meeting gives athletes a refresher course on NCAA rules for all divisions and specific expectations UWL has for its athletes.
These expectations include a strict no-drugs and no-alcohol policy, a minimum GPA requirement of 2.0, Title IX policies and more. For both minor and major violations of the Code of Conduct, head coaches work with Director of Athletics Kim Blum to find a reasonable punishment for the broken rule. If the insubordination is serious enough, other parties, such as law enforcement, may become involved.
With enforcement left up to Blum and the respective head coach, it is up to each head coach to determine team rules and how to implement them. Each coach at UWL has their own philosophy on how to make sure their athletes adhere to NCAA policies.
UWL Women’s Basketball Coach Moran Lonning said, “I don’t have specific rules really for anything, we strive to create an environment where our girls choose accountability.”
Lonning emphasized that she prioritizes the character of individual athletes. “I think through the recruiting process as well I’m trying to navigate finding really high-character young women,” she said.
Lonning believes participation in athletics is a privilege and those who don’t treat it that way shouldn’t be a part of the department. Other coaches at UWL share this same view.
UWL Volleyball Coach Deb Sazama said, “The NCAA to an extent is our law and if you break the law, there are punishments for your decisions.”
While both coaches aren’t afraid to crack down on those who commit major violations of the rules instilled by the NCAA, they are also aware that sometimes people make mistakes. Sazama isn’t opposed to giving second chances regarding a minor infraction, she said, “Sometimes our sport is what helps people do the right thing.”
Structured schedules and the looming thought of letting a team down help to create an environment where student-athletes not only strive for what is best for themselves but also for their teammates.
UWL Men’s Basketball Coach JT Gritzmacher instills in his players that “the pain of discipline is going to be less than the pain of regret.”
Rather than a list of rules to follow, the basketball team has an all-encompassing saying: “Represent the L”. This phrase is meant to set a standard for their sport in all facets of life, a philosophy centered around players being disciplined for the good of the team.
The UWL athletic department holds the sentiment: “Building Champions. In Sport. In School. In Life”. This saying is deeply rooted in every athletic team on campus. It is the foundation of the culture the athletic department strives for and is something all coaches, athletes and advisors know by heart.
Sazama made her final comments on punishments in sports. She said, “It’s so much of the culture that you build within your program… you get what you tolerate.”
In the entirety of the time these three coaches have been at the head of their programs, there have been only minor academic issues within their teams. They attest they feel no need to micromanage their players because of the relationship between themselves and the team. All three coaches praise their players’ characters and the culture they’ve built on their teams because of it. While there will always be rules and regulations in place, it seems the student-athletes at UWL have yet to clash with them.
