Division I (or D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-I schools are generally the major collegiate athletic powers, with larger budgets, more elaborate facilities, and higher numbers of athletic scholarships in comparison to Division II and III. This level was once called the University Division of the NCAA in contrast to the College Division; this terminology was replaced with the current numeric (I, II, III) divisions in 1973.

In football only, Division I was further subdivided into Division I-A (the principal football schools) and Division I-AA in 1978; these were renamed to "Football Bowl Subdivision" and "Football Championship Subdivision" in 2006. Subsequently, the term "Division I-AAA" has been used by some to delineate Division I schools which do not field a football program at all. Currently Division I contains 346 Institutions.

There currently is a moratorium on any additional movement up to Division I that is in effect until 2012. All Division I schools must field athletes in at least seven sports for men and seven for women (or six for men and eight for women) with two team sports for each sex. There are several other NCAA sanctioned minimums and differences that distinguish Division I from Division II and III.

Similar to 0 things you like: