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Prospecting For Gold At Division II Level

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By BART O'CONNELL, Tribune correspondent

Published: December 17, 2007

Updated: 12/16/2007 11:22 pm

TAMPA - Erica Woodard's typical day begins at 6 a.m. when she walks through the doors of Tampa General Hospital for clinicals, similar to an internship.

The University of Tampa senior's sessions at Tampa General can go well into the afternoon. At night, she has a second job, practicing for the Spartans' women's basketball team. She is a three-year starter and one of the top rebounders in the Division II Sunshine State Conference.

The former Bloomingdale High standout from Valrico was regarded as a Division I prospect, courted by Howard, Mercer and Murray State. But instead of accepting a full athletic scholarship and going out of state, she called UT coach Tom Jessee and inquired about playing for the Spartans, close to home.

While it may sound strange that a Division I prospect would want to go to Division II, Woodard is proving that top athletes can have the same luxuries in either division, so long as they score as high in the classroom as they do when the horn sounds.

Her 4.1 grade-point average and Bright Futures Scholarship allowed Jessee to combine academic money with a partial athletic scholarship that funds full tuition, fees, room and board - more than $28,000 annually.

"If you want to go pro or something, you should probably be thinking about D-I," she said. "But if that's not important, there's no difference in D-II. Money is money. If they'll give it to you, then go where you'll be most comfortable."

The result is more choices and more opportunities for athletes like Woodard.

"We have to be creative," Jessee said. "For me, it boils down to need. If we have a chance to get an impact player who can cut it academically, we're going to package it any way we can."

Small Schools Step Up

Division II schools don't dish out the kind of money to athletes that Division I schools such as the University of South Florida do. That's because the cost of running the programs far exceed what is brought in through donations, ticket sales and merchandise.

But many schools - like UT and conference rival Saint Leo University in eastern Pasco County - are finding ways to compete, and in some cases draw Division I talent to their campuses.

Saint Leo is undergoing many projects designed to upgrade the campus and its facilities, including a 10-year plan that will raise all of its varsity sports to 75 percent of the NCAA Division II maximum for financial aid awards. Its athletic spending currently is more than that of UT, which has won four national titles in the past two seasons while funding its athletic programs at about 50 percent of the maximum, not counting academic grants and money raised by its coaches.

Saint Leo's baseball, softball, volleyball, men's soccer and men's and women's basketball programs are at 75 percent. Golf and women's soccer are next to go up. The budget increases have turned the Lions into a rising contender in those sports, and upheld the school's philosophies for excellence on the field and in the classroom.

"Athletics is like the front porch of a house. It's not the most important room of a house, but it is the most visible," Saint Leo athletic director Fran Reidy said. "People might first be attracted to the university because of the athletic department, and hopefully, that helps attract them to all the other great things that go on."

But athletic scholarships remain limited by the NCAA in many sports. The Lions' baseball program has 29 players, but only funds the equivalent of 6.75 full athletic scholarships. The maximum allowed is 9.00 in Division II and 11.70 in Division I. That amount often is divided up among many of the players, and it is rare for a player to receive a full athletic scholarship.

Because of that, there also is a premium on finding the best students, and a strong combination of both is what virtually all Division II coaches look for in recruiting. That creates a complex recruiting process that involves a lot of negotiation.

"Our coaches are recruiting high-quality athletes, and so are other schools, so we're constantly trying to beat the other's financial aid package," UT athletic director Larry Marfise said. "I get frustrated sometimes because some parents are short-sighted. We've lost kids to other schools for a couple hundred dollars."

A Standing Offer

With back-to-back Division II baseball championships to his credit, UT coach Joe Urso has had his share of success, but it has come after hearing a lot of rejection from many of the high school players he recruits.

Many times, Urso has been turned down by prospective players and told the reason was because they want to go to Division I. And he always has the same message.

"I tell them, good luck, and if it doesn't work out, you'll always have a home here at Tampa," Urso said.

Division I transfers are a big reason why the Spartans have been successful in baseball. UT has produced 13 players drafted by major-league clubs in the past two seasons, more than any other Florida school.

With seven former Division I players currently on his roster, Urso has had to raise money - between $80,000 and $100,000 a year - to supplement the 4.5 scholarships he receives from UT to entice those players to come. Up to 90 percent of that will go to scholarship money, with the rest to equipment and travel expenses.

While the reasons for transferring often vary - from homesickness to lack of playing time - the key to playing well is for players to be comfortable. Saint Leo catcher Braulio Pardo, a former Gaither High player who transferred this past offseason from USF, said that has been the biggest difference for him in his new surroundings.

"Most guys want to go to that big D-I school, but a lot of times they go there, and they don't play or it doesn't work out for whatever reason," Pardo said. "They don't get an opportunity, and that's what it's all about."

Bart O'Connell can be reached at boconnell@pop.tampatrib.com

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