{"id":281,"date":"2026-02-27T01:13:41","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T01:13:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitalwriting.cornellcollege.edu\/leveltheplayingfield\/?p=281"},"modified":"2026-03-03T02:01:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T02:01:06","slug":"benefits-of-college-athletics-comparing-di-and-diii-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalwriting.cornellcollege.edu\/leveltheplayingfield\/2026\/02\/27\/benefits-of-college-athletics-comparing-di-and-diii-sports\/","title":{"rendered":"Benefits of College Athletics: Comparing DI and DIII sports"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The time commitment of being a college athlete.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

College athletes dedicate so much of their time to their respective sport. Hours at practice, hours at lift, hours at film. Their schedules are demanding, often requiring early mornings and late nights. So what is it that pushes these athletes to sacrifice so much of their time to playing a sport? In addition to the fact that athletes love their sport, there are many other reasons to be involved. The perks of playing college athletics are diverse and vary by school division and funding. Moving forward, I\u2019m going to compare the experience of playing a DI sport and playing a DIII sport. For future college athletes reading this, I hope to provide insight into how these different levels can affect your future success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DI Athlete Perks and Benefits<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Scholarships and Cost of Attendance Checks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

 A Division 1 school may offer you a full scholarship, probably one of the biggest benefits to playing. This means you receive all your schooling, textbooks, room and board paid for. You are basically being paid to go to school and play a sport. The number of scholarships that programs give out depends on many factors, including the particular sport and the funding the school has for athletics. Some top tier schools are even able to give athletes \u201ccost of attendance\u201d<\/a> stipend checks. These are additional checks an athlete receives to spend on anything. The theory behind these stipends is that full ride athletes are generating millions of dollars for the college and they should receive some of that money back. These checks also supported athletes in other ways, such as providing funds for groceries, school supplies and gas. One athlete Jamari Taylor<\/a> said they used their check to help out on expenses for his mom and little brother. This benefit allows athletes to worry less about their family and focus more on their academics and athletics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gear and NIL<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In addition to the scholarships and money they receive, some DI athletes also receive all the equipment and gear they could possibly need. In a TikTok posted by Sophie Van Name<\/a> she showed the gear she got at the College of William and Mary. At one point in the TikTok she shared that she got 5 pairs of shoes for free at the start of the volleyball season. Being a DI athlete also makes it easier to receive NIL deals, compared to athletes at the DII and DIII level. These deals can pay athletes in cash or through free products. Harper Murray for example is a Nebraska volleyball player who has an NIL deal with Adidas and for her birthday Adidas gifted her six pairs of Adidas shoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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@sophia_vanname<\/a>

Happy vball Christmas #volleyball<\/a> #gearhaul<\/a> #volleyballgirls<\/a> #athlete<\/a> #d1<\/a> <\/p> \u266c original sound – SOPHIA VAN NAME<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote>