INDIANAPOLIS --- NCAA Division II is rolling out several online and print resources to assist in bringing the division’s new strategic positioning platform to life on campuses, in conferences and throughout Division II communities.

The Division II Presidents Council has worked over the past two years developing the strategic-positioning platform to explain the value of Division II membership, identify the division’s key attributes and incorporate a visual campaign to give Division II a unique identity within the NCAA parent brand.

The new Division II visual identity was created to further reflect the characteristics of the division, which is centered on the “I Chose Division II” moniker and the six primary attributes of Division II – Learning, Service, Passion, Sportsmanship, Resourcefulness and Balance. A hexagon serves as the graphical theme and a quick visual representation of the relationship between all of these characteristics.

“Our member schools and student-athletes chose Division II for the opportunity to supplement their academic achievement with high-level athletic competition while maintaining a strong connection and service to their local communities,” said Charles Ambrose, chair of the NCAA Division II Presidents Council and president at Pfeiffer University. “By identifying the strategic platform, our members can transform the way we think about how we strengthen this identity. The power of the platform will only be realized when we see Division II schools personalizing it to their unique settings.”

To help schools implement the platform locally, Division II has developed an activation toolkit, a community engagement Web site and an online resource store. Each of these tools is designed to help bring the division’s strategic positioning platform to life on campuses, in conferences and throughout local communities.

The activation toolkit is a series of six books that outline communication strategies and recommendations for addressing various audiences, including prospective and current student-athletes, parents, coaches, university administrators, college presidents, among others. The toolkit provides scenarios and suggestions for how to integrate the Division II platform into everyday communications.

Division II has also launched an online purchasing store that provides each school and conference with a $1,000 allowance to purchase “I Chose Division II” visual resources, including banners, floor decals, field stencils and other materials. Through this program, which is unique to Division II, each of these materials will provide an opportunity for Division II branding and co-branding with the schools and conferences.

“The new ‘I Chose Division II’ theme and visual implementation has received very positive feedback during the successful launches at the Fall Division II Championships Festival and the 2007 NCAA Convention,” said Ambrose. “We hope these tools provide our member schools and conferences with an opportunity to benefit from the positive momentum and response at the individual campus and conference level.”

Community engagement is another Division II initiative aimed at bringing the division’s strategic positioning platform to life at the local level. Through this strategy, athletics can serve as the front porch in building relationships between community and institution.

Division II schools also have tools specifically focused on community engagement at their fingertips with the newly launched Division II Community Engagement Web site (http://www.diicommunity.org). The Web site features case studies highlighting successful community engagement programs from campuses across the country. Schools can find helpful information on how to assess their community profile, establish successful partnerships with community leaders, and implement a communications strategy, among other topics. The Web site also features counsel from recreation and leisure expert Richard Luker, chief strategy officer of Relay Sponsorship and Event marketing, on establishing and maintaining successful community engagement initiatives.

NCAA Division II is one of the three membership divisions at the National Collegiate Athletic Association, a volunteer organization comprising more than 1,200 institutions, conferences and affiliated organizations. Division II is a group of institutions and conferences that serve more than 75,000 student-athletes nationwide, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The emphasis for the student-athlete experience in Division II is a comprehensive program of learning and development. The Division II approach provides growth opportunities through academic achievement, learning in high-level athletic competition and the development of societal attitudes in service to the community. The balance and integration of these different areas of learning provide Division II student-athletes with a path to graduation while cultivating a variety of skills and knowledge for life ahead.

For additional information on Division II efforts, visit www.ncaa.org.

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