There are 178,441 DIII student-athletes as compared to 459,253 in Division I and II combined from coast to coast. Division III, however, represents the largest division in the NCAA at 40 percent of the total membership.

The NCAA sponsors 28 Championship events with 14 for men and 14 for women. There are also eight National Collegiate Championships. Overall, CLU sponsors 20 intercollegiate athletic programs, which is above the average (17) of like institutions.

Cal Lutheran is one of the 80 percent of active institutions that are private with 20 percent of DIII schools on public campuses. Across the board the average enrollment of Division III schools is 2,734.

All of the schools that fall in the Division III category are expected to promote the model of discover, develop and dedicate. CLU is right on track with that mantra by succeeding academically and athletically while giving back to the community.

In 2013 there will be CLU 147 student-athletes inducted into the Scholar Athlete Society by holding a 3.40 or higher cumulative grade point average. This number is higher than it has ever been and numerous student-athletes throughout the season have earned both Academic All-SCIAC and other sport specific academic accolades.

CLU teams have been just as successful on the field, court, course and in the pool with 10 teams earning national rankings in 2012-13. Both men’s golf and women’s water polo have held No. 1 rankings in their respective polls this year. CLU teams have claimed four Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) titles thus far with four teams and one athlete advancing to NCAA Championship play. The spring sports have much hope to increase those numbers with more than half of the teams in the hunt for a league title.

Beyond those two areas, CLU students have also taken time to give back. One example is the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) that is headed in 2012-13 by Lauren Rasmussen. She and the other SAAC members have put together a community service project in conjunction with DIII Week.

The group is scheduled to do a Ball and Old Sports Equipment Drive throughout the week of April 8-12. Items will be collected both at the Welcome Desk of the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center during all hours of operation and in the Athletics Offices during operating business hours (9-5). Additionally, SAAC members will be stationed at the flagpole on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to collect items. All donations will be delivered to the Boys and Girls Club of the Greater Conejo Valley.

“The biggest thing with this event is that it is something that the SAAC wants to turn into an annual event during DIII Week and we are really excited about it,” Rasmussen said. “The connection to athletics with equipment collection, plus the opportunity to give back to the community by donating items that student-athletes are involved with competitively every day is very rewarding.”

Student Life will be sponsoring a series of student giveaways at a variety of athletic events during Division III Week as well.

Cal Lutheran sunglasses will be given out at Men’s Tennis against No. 1 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Friday at 2:00 p.m. at the Poulson Tennis Center to kick off the weekend. On Wednesday, April 10 the water polo team will host Caltech and rally towels will be handed out at the entrance to the Samuelson Aquatics Center. Women’s Tennis fans will have a chance to claim sunglasses on Friday, April 12 when the Regals host Occidental at 2:00 p.m. At Hutton Field softball will host Redlands where seat cushions will be available for student fans at 2:00 p.m. At 3:00 p.m. in Ullman Stadium baseball fans can obtain a stadium cup as the Kingsmen host Whittier. Additionally, free Shave It coupons will be distributed to the first 250 students at any of the games.

Finally, the dining commons will be offering sports themed meals and snacks throughout the week, including a nacho bar, Dodger Dogs, peanuts and popcorn, BBQ Tri-Tip sandwiches and soft pretzels with cheese sauce.

“Excitement is beginning to be generated around Division III week on campus,” Director of Athletics Dan Kuntz shared. “We are looking forward to being a part of this unique campaign to promote Division III and the student-athletes we support year in and year out.”

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Division III members passed legislation at the NCAA convention last Saturday allowing private communication with recruits through social networking sites like Facebook.

Coaches have been limited to phone calls, text messages, faxes and emails.

"There are not a lot of phone conversations that go on anymore and I don't think some kids even know what a fax is," CLU athletic director Dan Kuntz said. "Students are living and communicating in social media and I think the schools and coaches realize that. The one concern was privacy and not being intruded upon, but students are pretty savvy. When they don't want to be contacted, they know how to say not now."

Kuntz and James McHugh, the special assistant to the president for athletic affairs at CLU, represented the university at the convention in Grapevine, Texas.

Division III members considered 13 legislative proposals during the convention business session.

Along with the social media proposal, another proposal adopted was requiring confirmation of sickle cell trait status for all student-athletes no later than the 2014-15 academic year, including mandatory confirmation of status for all incoming student-athletes in 2013-14.

People with sickle cell trait have been shown to be more vulnerable than those without the trait to heat stroke and muscle breakdown when subjected to strenuous exercise under unfavorable environmental conditions.

Athletes can opt out of having the test, but will have to receive education regarding sickle cell trait status.

Given the concerns about costs, logistics and how the proposal related to other medical issues, the vote was close (254-200-15).

Not much will change at CLU as the university already required athletes to have the sickle cell trait test.

"There were a lot of conversations around this issue, but in the end it's really about the well-being of the student," Kuntz said. "If there is something we can do to help the well-being of the student, our mindset at CLU is to always do it. Our first priority is always to take better care of our students."

Kuntz said a topic he expects to be discussed in the future is establishing boundaries at the Division III level, where there are no athletic scholarships.

"Being less intrusive on students and offering a better work-life balance for the staff is huge," Kuntz said. "Division III is intended to have more restrictions because the emphasis is to allow student-athletes to be students. They need opportunities to study abroad and not have coaches on them year-round. We need to allow them to have a well-rounded experience."

Kuntz was attending the NCAA convention for the eighth time and can't wait to go back next year when it comes to San Diego.

"I think it's all fascinating because I can learn so much," Kuntz said. "There are so many good things and different ways to think about things and talk about these social issues that are in sports."

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On a warm, clear Indiana morning, the junior transfer completed the 6K course, that was uneven with some cardinal hills and loops, in a time of 21:28.0 to place eleventh in a field of 263.

Skiba felt good during the race and spoke to the experience afterwards saying, “There were a lot of runners to work with,” she went on, “And the energy from the crowd was electric.”

The CLU harrier concludes her first Division III season as one of the top runners in the country after placing eleventh to earn All-America status as the top-35 finishers take home that honor.

She was the top Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) finisher ahead of rival Lenore Moreno from La Verne. After competing tough all season in SCIAC and West Regional action, Skiba finally caught the Leopards senior who completed the course in 21:33.9. Both Bridget Blum (21:49.7) and Allison Barnwell (21:58.0) from CMS earned All-America status as well, placing 24^th and 33^rd, respectively.

Today the top individual finisher was Christy Cazzola from Wisconsin-Oshkosh, crossing the line in a time of 20:55.2.

Earning the team title was Johns Hopkins who combined for 158 points as the only team sub-200. The second place team was Wartburg (221) followed by Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) foe Claremont-Mudd-Scripps finished third as a team with 233 points.

Skiba also earned First Team All-West Region and First Team All-SCIAC in 2012.

Results: Final Results
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When Cal Lutheran distance coach Nicole Crawford asked Melissa Skiba her individual goal for the season, Skiba didn't need any time to think about her response.

Skiba wanted to finish in the top five at nationals.

The CLU junior has a great chance to accomplish that feat Saturday when she competes in the NCAA Division III Women's Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, Ind.

"I am really excited to race my first national race," said Skiba, an Oak Park High graduate. "It's an opportunity that I have wanted for a long time, and I am really looking forward to finally getting the experience."

Skiba is coming off her best performance of the season.

Last weekend at the West Regionals in Oregon, she finished in second place in a lifetime-best time of 20 minutes, 46.09 seconds.

Once she crossed the finish line on the 6-kilometer course, Skiba took a detour from her normally even-keeled demeanor.

"She was ecstatic," Crawford said. "To have her actually get really excited was great to see. She was able to step back and say, 'I had fun, and this was pretty darn good stuff today.' I think that positive attitude will help going forward with the belief in herself."

Skiba finished second at regionals to La Verne's Lenore Moreno (20:40.24), who has been her main competitor all season in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

They are two of the top runners in the nation, and are both expected to contend for the NCAA title.

"It's nice to have someone out there pushing the pace," Skiba said. "It's a good gauge for me to work off of her and know where I need to be. I like being pushed while racing because it only makes me stronger."

Skiba will have a bit of familiarity with the course in Indiana. She transferred to CLU from UCLA this year, and competed in a preseason race in Terre Haute for the Bruins as a freshman.

"It definitely helps because I kind of know my way around and I know what it looks like," Skiba said. "Just knowing the terrain is extremely helpful."

Skiba has gradually gained ground on Moreno throughout the season.

Crawford believes Skiba's progression is based more on psychological strides than physical ones.

"She has settled in and knows CLU is the place where she can grow as an athlete," Crawford said. "I think back in camp she was a bit ambivalent about her situation and had the fear of the unknown, which can be a scary thing. But she has gone from being reserved and quiet to being really confident in her role."

Having watched Skiba pursue her goal with such dedication, Crawford knows Skiba's prepared to make it happen.

"She is really the only person who is able to limit her potential," Crawford said. "She has great momentum going in and is an absolute gamer. By the time the gun goes off, she is out to win."

For the third time this year Skiba ran on the heels of La Verne’s Lenore Moreno, the SCIAC Athlete of the Year and newly crowned West Region champion. Two weeks after placing third at the SCIAC Championships to earn First Team All-SCIAC recognition, Skiba completed the 6K in 20:46.08 behind Moreno who crossed the line in 20:40.24.

Sophomore Chelsea Feller ran a 22:44.16 to place 43^rd followed by junior Natalie Bullock (23:09.88) who finished 60^th. Amanda Miller completed the course in 23:22.55 as a sophomore. Classmate Taelor Young was 95^th in 23:51.62 with junior Jessica Infald rounding out the CLU squad with a time of 25:21.37.

Cal Lutheran (265) placed 12^th as a team with an average time of 22:46.86. The Regals were just four points behind La Verne and 24 back of Whitworth (241).

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (40) won the team competition followed by Lewis & Clark (94) and Willamette (127) to round out the top three in the team standings.

Skiba will represent Cal Lutheran at the 2012 NCAA Division III Women’s Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 11:00 a.m. in Terre Haute, Ind.

Results: 12^thFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports

Melissa Skiba ran as part of the lead pack throughout the 6K course and finished third with a time of 23:01.32. Mid-way through the race she was second behind eventual SCIAC champion Lenore Moreno, but fell back to the third spot down the stretch. Moreno won the race with a time of 22:07.95, winning by more than 50 seconds. Second place went to Allison Barnwell of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with a time of 22:57.21.

In one of the best races of her collegiate career, sophomore Chelsea Feller outkicked numerous opponents to place 19^th with a time of 24:30.23, which earned her a Second Team All-SCIAC recognition.

Assistant Cross Country Coach Nicole Crawford talked to her race saying, “This was the biggest performance of Chelsea’s career. Moving up in the field and standings to earn all-conference as a sophomore is encouraging for her and for our team.”

Taelor Young was the third finisher for the Regals, clocking in with a time of 25:33.91.

The trio of Amanda Miller, Natalie Bullock and Chantal White ran as a group from the get-go and finished back-to-back-to-back with times of 25:47.17, 25:47.41 and 25:47.55, respectively.

Jess Infald rounded out the Regals running today with a time of 27:19.04.

Battling some illnesses earlier this week was apparent and hurt CLU in the final team standings, despite a number of stellar performances.

“Being slowed down by illness and finishing just three points away from Whittier and 11 from La Verne is encouraging to the future of this program,” Crawford said.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps earned the SCIAC title with 30 points, followed by Occidental (66), Pomona-Pitzer (103), La Verne (113), Whittier (121), Cal Lutheran (124), Redlands (176), Caltech (234) and Chapman (265).

The top ten performers are named First Team All-SCIAC with the finishers 11-20 earning Second Team All-SCIAC.

Cal Lutheran will send a team of six to Salem, Ore. for the West Regionals on Saturday, Nov. 10 at 10:00 a.m.

Results: 6^th(complete results not available at time of release)

Running as part of the lead pack from the gun, transfer Melissa Skiba got her first taste of SCIAC competition. The junior was second in a field of 106, completing the course in a time of 21:19.19, just 13 seconds behind the victor, Lenore Moreno, a senior transfer from La Verne.

Second across the line in the 6K for CLU was junior Natalie Bullock with a time of 23:17.91.

The sophomore trio of Chelsea Feller, Amanda Miller and Taelor Young ran together, finishing in 23:41.58, 23:49.46 and 23:59.87, respectively.

Sophomore Chantal White completed the course in 24:37.05 with junior Jessica Infald on her heels, crossing the line in 24:50.69 to round out the group.

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps earned an undefeated day at 8-0 as the Athenas had eight runners in the top 11. Pomona-Pitzer (7-1) and Occidental (6-2) were also ahead of Cal Lutheran (5-3) while Whittier (4-4), La Verne (3-5), Redlands (2-6), Caltech (1-7) and Chapman (0-8) rounded out the team scores.

Cal Lutheran will have just over two weeks to recover and prepare for the SCIAC Championships, which are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 27 at 8:30 a.m. Teams will toe the line at Prado Park.

Results: 4^th(complete results not available at time of release)

It was the first time Skiba and course record holder Annie Lydens met on the course and although Lydens dropped out mid-way through the meet, Skiba took an early lead on the defending Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) cross country champion. Lydens maintains possession of the course record of 21:03.9 set in 2009, but Skiba challenged it as she was on pace during the competition.

Skiba finished second to Kelly Thompson of Division II Cal State San Marcos with a time of 22:01.6, breaking up the Cougars top finishers as they took the first, third and fourth spots, going on to win as a team topping Cal Poly Pomona.

Chelsea Feller was the second Regals runner across the line in 23:48.1. The next three harriers hung together throughout most of the race with Taelor Young, Natalie Bullock and Amanda Miller finishing in 42^nd, 44^th and 46^th, respectively with times of 24:07.3, 24:17.8 and 24:23.2.

Rounding out the roster for CLU today were the sophomore-junior duo of Chantal White and Jessica Infald. White completed the 6K in 25:34.7 with Infald on her heels in 25:35.0.

The Regals ran an average race of 23:43.6 and finished above Whittier, Redlands, Caltech and Chapman from the league.

Cal Lutheran will resume competition on Friday, Oct. 12 when they host the first Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) event of the season. All nine teams will compete at the SCIAC Multi-Duals in La Mirada Park beginning at 5:00 p.m.

Results: 7^th

Halvaks describes his journey through Division III and how being a student-athlete at the Division III level has offered him opportunities he believes he would not have found anywhere else.

“As a retired cross country/track and field student-athlete at CLU and now assistant coach at Chapman, I appreciate how much the Division III student-athlete experience has to offer and has impacted my life,” he stated in the release.

In his recollection piece he talked to six attributes of Division III. Those words and phrases that he elaborated on are proportion, comprehensive learning, passion, responsibility, sportsmanship and citizenship.

He went on to say, “The six attributes of Division III used to be just words on poster in the athletic department, but now these have come full circle to help me realize the value of being a DIII student-athlete.”

Halvaks has taken his talents from the competitive field to the coaching sphere where he is currently serving as an assistant coach for the Panthers. He is sure to pass along the attributes that he learned as an athlete to his current and future student-athletes.

The Cal Lutheran junior can point to herself as an example.

Skiba transferred to CLU from UCLA this season, and instantly provided a jolt to the Regals cross country team.

The Oak Park High graduate captured a title in her CLU debut by winning the UC Irvine Invitational in a time of 18 minutes, 6.6 seconds

Over the weekend, Skiba placed second at the Westmont Invitational in 19:40.

"I really like the environment I am in right now," Skiba said. "I really like my teammates. They have a really positive attitude, which I love. Every time I go to practice, they just make me happy and make me laugh."

Skiba was not necessarily unhappy at UCLA, just not as happy as she's been at CLU.

She realized a smaller university is more suited to her personality, and CLU could provide her with more opportunities to pursue a teaching career.

"I had a good experience running at UCLA. I had a few injuries, but I think that was just part of getting used to a new program," she said. "I was running fine there. I just felt like I fit in better at a place like CLU with a good liberal studies program. I am not really a big science person and UCLA was centered around science a lot."

Skiba received a ringing endorsement about CLU from her older sister, Kristina, who ran for the Regals and became a teacher.

"She told me about the program here and I realized that is what I wanted to do," Skiba said. "I didn't really know what I wanted to major in until last year. But now I want to start my career and UCLA doesn't have a teaching program."

Skiba brings major Division I experience to CLUs' team. She ran two seasons of cross country and track for UCLA.

She arrived at CLU this summer with a reinvigorated spirit to match her running ability.

"I definitely feel like I am stronger than ever," Skiba said. "I feel like the flame is back and I really want to do well."

Although Skiba attracts the most attention at races, she remains the same humble star she was in high school.

"My main focus is just helping out the team the best I can," she said. "Running for Division III is new to me, so I don't really know a lot about my competitors yet. But I just really want to contribute to our team in any way possible."

Melissa Skiba again paced the CLU pack, placing second in the 5K with a time of 19:40. Teammate Natalie Bullock was the fifth finisher, clocking in at 20:59. Rounding out the Regals three was Chelsea Feller who ran a 22:09.

Instead of competing today at the UC Riverside Invitational, a flat, fast course, members of the team opted for a more hilly course as another preseason challenge.

Cal Lutheran will next compete on Saturday, Sept. 29 at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational. Athletes will line up at 7:45 a.m.

Competing in the CLU Violet and Gold for the first time, Skiba was as comfortable as she has ever been, clocking in at 18:06.6.

“I have never run this course before, but I felt strong and in control throughout,” Skiba shared after the race. “My CLU experience has been amazing so far; I love the people and the friendly environment. I was really proud of both the men’s and women’s teams today,” she added.

The next four finishers ran together throughout. Natalie Bullock was the second Regals harrier home in the 5K, finishing in 19:50.1, followed by Chelsea Feller in 20:00.3. Amanda Miller crossed the line in 20:14.6 and Taelor Young turned in a time of 20:18.7.

Rounding out the Regals team today was Chantal White who completed the course in 21:08.4.

Although CLU had a lower total time than Pomona-Pitzer, with an average time of 19:42.06, the Sagehens stole the top spot with a combined total of 33 points while the Regals scored 50 points.  

Cal Lutheran will be back on the course next weekend when they travel to compete at the 32^nd Annual UC Riverside Invitational. Teams will toe the line at 7:30 a.m.  

Complete Results: 2^nd

The new addition is no stranger to cross country as a transfer from UCLA. Melissa Skiba is slated to be the front-runner for the Regals after a two-year stint with the Bruins where she competed in both cross country and track and field. The Simi Valley native placed 30^th at the 2010 Pac 10 Championships.

Assistant coach Nicole Crawford spoke to Skiba’s ability saying, “She has an extraordinary amount of talent and beyond that is an absolute joy to be around.”

While Skiba is excited for her CLU debut, the remainder of the squad has already donned the Violet and Gold.

A trio of juniors in Natalie Bullock, Jess Infald and Ashley Frese return. Bullockwill play a key role both on the course, competing among the top five runners, and off providing team leadership. Infald, the CLU captain, is battling a training camp ankle injury, but should be back in fine form for SCIAC competition. 

A strong sophomore class comes back with a year of collegiate experience. Amanda Miller, Chelsea Feller and Taelor Young will all be key contributors this fall. Chantal White rounds out the roster for the Regals.

After one of the best preseason training regiments since Head Coach Matt Lea and Crawford have been at the helm the team is ready to compete.

“Coming back a week earlier was not only an opportunity to get some quality workouts under our belt before school and competition began, but it was a great opportunity for the athletes to start to formulate a sense of unity and a team culture,” Crawford noted.

The team chemistry will continue to grow throughout the course of the season, which has arrived following much anticipation.

Cal Lutheran gets the season underway on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 8:00 a.m. when they travel to the adidas/UC Irvine Invitational to compete with athletes from Divisions I, II and III.

With nearly 300 athletes scheduled to return to Thousand Oaks in the next three days, the campus is buzzing with excitement.

“After a successful 2011-12 academic year, the anticipation and promise of a new year of competition is upon us,” director of athletics Dan Kuntz shared. “Our coaches have used their respective off seasons to prepare for this day and the upcoming season. We are all excited to get things underway for 2012-13.”

Football welcomes over 100 athletes for camp, which is set to begin tomorrow in the team’s quest for a fourth consecutive SCIAC title. Athletes will have three weeks to prepare for the season opener on Sept. 8 at Pacific Lutheran in Washington.

The volleyball team will begin their pre-season regimen before suiting up as the first team to compete for CLU this fall. The Regals will play a pair of matches on Aug. 31 at La Verne against two strong teams as part of the Pacific Coast Classic to serve things up for 2012. CLU is after its third consecutive SCIAC title this year under the tutelage of seventh-year head coach Kellee Roesel.

Rounding out the returning teams on Saturday is the defending, undefeated SCIAC Champion women’s soccer squad. The Regals return 13 athletes and kick off their own 2012 campaign just hours after the volleyball team gets the competitive year going for the Violet and Gold. The women’s soccer team also seeks its third straight league title. CLU will travel to Oregon to play Linfield at 1:00 p.m. on Aug. 31.

Monday the final three teams will report with the men’s soccer squad, men’s water polo players and men’s and women’s cross country teams rounding out the fall sports.

Cal Lutheran men’s soccer looks to climb in the SCIAC standings in 2012. The Kingsmen welcome back more than half their roster from a year ago, including six seniors. CLU gets the season started at home on Monday, Sept. 3 at 2:00 p.m. against Pacific (Ore.).

Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams will prepare for the five-meet regular season with a team trip later this week after reporting to campus. The Kingsmen and Regals will run the fifth annual Cal Lutheran time trial on Aug. 31 before competition officially gets underway on Saturday, Sept. 8 at the Asics/UC Irvine Invitational. The SCIAC Multi-Dual meet is set for Friday, Oct. 12.

Rounding out the fall teams is the men’s water polo team. The Kingsmen have 13 players returning from a year ago when the team finished fourth in the league. CLU will dive into 2012 on the road at the Princeton Invitational Sept. 7-8 where they will face tough competition from the Ivy League schools.

Campus is glad to have the buzz back. Not only are the student-athletes ready to go, but the coaches and support staff are prepared and excited for the upcoming year of CLU sports.

Cal Lutheran concluded the year with a combined 317 points from the 20 Kingsmen and Regals teams sponsored. In the fall CLU tallied 123 points, adding 25 in the winter, before finishing out the spring with 169.

The Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup was developed as a joint effort between the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and USA Today. Points are awarded based on each institution's finish in up to 18 sports - nine women’s and nine men’s.

This year Cal Lutheran sent eight teams to post season play. After the fall semester, CLU was ranked 39^th after volleyball placed fifth, football tied for 17^th and women’s soccer tied for 33^rd. CLU dropped to 71^st after the winter, although women’s basketball finished tied for 33^rd.  In the spring CLU had four teams combine to climb up 20 spots to finished 51^st. The men’s tennis team tied for 17^th, men’s golf tied for 18^th, women’s track and field tied for 20^th and men’s track and field tied for 58^th.

CLU was the third highest Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) school recognized behind 14^th Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (610.5 points) and 35^th Redlands (417 points).

Middlebury (Vt.) earned the top honor by accumulating 1040.75 total points.

The Directors’ Cup has been in existence for 17 years. For a complete listing, click here.