What It Means to Be Division III

        “Follow your passions and discover your potential”

 
The college experience is a time of learning and growth – a chance to follow passions and develop potential. For student-athletes in Division III, all of this happens most importantly in the classroom and through earning an academic degree. The Division III experience provides for passionate participation in a competitive athletic environment, where student-athletes push themselves to excellence and build upon their academic success with new challenges and life skills.

Student-athletes are encouraged to pursue the full spectrum of opportunities available during their time in college. In this way, Division III provides an integrated environment for student-athletes to take responsibility for their own paths, follow their passions and find their potential through a comprehensive learning experience.

Division III champions the student-athlete and allows them to achieve tremendous things in and out of the classroom. As such, six key areas can be focused upon to ensure that Division III encourages student-athletes to become leaders of today and tomorrow - Proportion, Comprehensive Learning, Passion, Responsibility, Sportsmanship, and Citizenship.

Our student-athletes live these practices of Division III each day. Saint Mary's College and the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association are helping to promote the values of Division III by showcasing athletes and teams who live out these attributes.  Be sure to come back and visit throughout the year to see what our athletes are doing in and out of the realm of competition.

 

Proportion: Appropriate relation of academics with opportunities to pursue athletics and other passions

     - Saint Mary's Student-Athletes - Not Your Average Summer Vacation

A handful of Belles lived in five different countries, covering four separate continents and learning more about life, adjustment, and balance than could ever have been taught in a classroom. (Read more)

 

Comprehensive Learning: Opportunity for broad-based education and success

   - Patsy Mahoney - The Big Picture

When senior basketball player Patsy Mahoney arrived on campus three-and-a-half years ago, she had full intentions to study engineering through the dual degree program offered between Saint Mary's and the University of Notre Dame. Three years later, she has traveled across Indiana State Road 933 for another academic pursuit. (Read more)

Passion: Playing for the love of the game, competition, fun and self-improvement

      - Audrey Dalrymple - Keeping Focus

There is a saying that no one swims because they like it. Between the physical and mental hurdles that go along with swimming, Audrey Dalrymple keeps her goals and perspective in focus in the pool while competing at an elite level. (Read more)

Responsibility: Development of accountability through personal commitment and choices

Sportsmanship: Fair and respectful conduct toward all participants and supporters

       - Saint Mary's Soccer - Striving to Defeat Domestic Violence

On Wednesday, October 26, there was more than the average amount of purple on the field at the Saint Mary's versus Albion women's soccer game at the Belles' home field. To the casual observer, it would have appeared that two teams with purple were squaring off on a neutral site. However, the Saint Mary’s soccer team was donning purple t-shirts during their pregame warm up to help raise awareness for domestic violence. (Read more)

Citizenship: Dedication to developing responsible leaders and citizens in our communities

Athletic Excellence: Competing for championships both on the conference level and nationally

     - Saint Mary's Tennis - Building a Tradition

More than a decade before Saint Mary's joined the MIAA, the Belles tennis team had already established themselves as a formidable force for any opponent. (Read more)

2010-11 Stories