New York, NY - Recent graduate and former track and field standout, Michael DeRise (Oceanside, NY/Oceanside) is featured in the June/July edition of Athletic Management, a magazine published six times a year that examines topics of critical importance to high school and college Athletic Directors.

In an article titled “Through Their Eyes”, a panel of six student-athletes from six different schools and sports were asked to discuss their experiences in competing at the NCAA Division III level. Each of them serves on a student-athlete advisory committee and are all upperclassmen. Their answers provide insight into how student-athletes from different types and sizes of schools and from different sports, currently view Division III and what they think about its future. The panel is comprised of Shawn Kerek a baseball player from Mount Union, Jamie Kressel a softball player from Washington U. in St. Louis, Tauqir Puthawala a men’s tennis player at Rhode Island College, Chad Languish a SUNY-Brockport football player, Stephanie Wujcik a women’s lacrosse player from Bryn Mawr and DeRise.

When asked what his biggest challenge will be transitioning to the “real world” and how participating in college athletics has helped him prepare for that challenge, DeRise talked about how he has learned a lot about discipline and teamwork through athletics, as well as performing under pressure. “Every person has to deal with pressure and adversity at some point in their career, and learning what it takes to overcome that and give your best effort can prepare you for whatever will come later in life.” DeRise graduated this June with a double major in Political Science and English and was a four year member of both the Hunter indoor and outdoor track and field teams as well as a two year member of cross country. He hopes to attend law school in the fall.

In recent years, there has been a large influx of smaller public/private institutions across the country seeking membership in NCAA Division III. As membership grows, many of these institutions are facing issues as they try to compete against larger, more established programs, which has created concerns for the well-being of the Division. The NCAA Division III Working Group on Membership Issues is currently working on proposals on how they could possibly split the division into two separate entities, either a Division IV or III-AA which would follow the model used with smaller Division I football programs that are recognized as Division I-AA. These proposals will then be voted on at the 2009 NCAA Convention.

DeRise was the CUNYAC SAAC President for two years and represented CUNYAC on the NCAA SAAC

- Hunter -