NCAA DIII Week Begins With Visit From Louise McCleary ’87, Director of NCAA DIII
WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Wellesley College Athletics will join NCAA Division III institutions from across the country in the annual celebration of NCAA Division III Week, Monday April 3 through Sunday, April 9, 2017. Division III Week is a positive opportunity for all individuals associated with Wellesley College Athletics to observe and celebrate the impact athletics and student-athletes have on campus and in the surrounding community.
Wellesley's celebration of Division III Week will begin with a special visit to campus, as Louise McCleary '87, a former volleyball, basketball, and lacrosse student-athlete at Wellesley and the Director of Division III at the NCAA, will meet with student-athletes, coaches and administrators and Wellesley College President Paula Johnson on Monday, April 3, to discuss a range of topics, including current and future trends in the NCAA and among Division III institutions.
McCleary's meeting with President Johnson, which will also include Bridget Belgiovine, Wellesley's Director of Athletics, and Patrick Summers, Executive Director of the New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference, is part of the NCAA's Chancellors and Presidents Engagement Program. The Chancellors and Presidents Engagement Program aims to provide higher education leaders with information about NCAA policies, governance structure and resources, to ensure chancellors and presidents can advocate for student-athlete success in college.
McCleary joined the NCAA national office as the director of Division III in early February 2012. She works with Division III Vice President Dan Dutcher in overseeing the division's governance committee structure (particularly the Presidents and Management Councils), developing and implementing the division's strategic plan and managing the division's operating budget, among other assignments. A 20‐year veteran in athletics administration, including the last 15 years at Division III institutions, she is also the chair of the Wellesley College Athletics Hall of Fame selection committee and a member of the Friends of Wellesley College Athletics National Committee. McCleary has a bachelor of arts degree in political science and American studies from Wellesley College and a master's in sport management from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
How Can I Get Involved?
Students are encouraged to send their best NCAA Division III Week snaps, using the Wellesley Athletics geofilter at the Keohane Sports Center and athletics fields, to Wellesley using Snapchat. At the end of the week, a winner will be chosen and will receive a free Wellesley/NCAA Division IIII co-branded winter hat!
In addition, special content, including profiles of both current and former student-athletes, will be featured throughout the week on wellesleyblue.com, as well as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram in celebration of Division III week.
On Wednesday, April 5, Wellesley's third #EarnTheW day of the year will also fall on National Student-Athlete Day and will include a free t-shirt giveaway for students (while supplies last), as softball hosts Coast Guard at 2:30 PM, lacrosse hosts MIT at 4:00 PM and tennis hosts Tufts at 4:00 PM. The Wellesley Student-Athlete Advisory Committee has also invited the Wellesley Widows a cappella group to perform the national anthem prior to the lacrosse game.
Check out the schedule below for a preview of the content that will be featured this week and be part of the conversation using the hashtags #D3Week, #NCAAD3, and #whyD3 on social media.
NCAA Division III Week on WellesleyBlue.com:
Tuesday, April 4: Alumna Athlete Interview
Wednesday, April 5: #EarnTheW Day with free t-shirts at Blue Lacrosse, Softball, and Tennis
Thursday, April 6: Wellesley Crew Special Video Feature
Friday, April 7: Current Student-Athlete Profile
Saturday, April 8: 'Seven Sisters Saturday'
Sunday, April 9: Current Student-Athlete Profile
Links & Resources:
NCAA Division III: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube
Wellesley Athletics: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram