Head of the Class: Division II and III

The Scoop: D-II schools, usually medium-sized and state-funded, offer athletic scholarships but not all the D-I benefits. Most competition is regional (expect buses instead of planes) and national media attention is rare. With you coach's approval, you can play more than one sport, but scholarship athletes aren't likely to have time for two.

Athlete Perspective: "I had offers to go D-I, but knew I wouldn't get much playing time," says Julie Stockwell, a senior forward on Stonehill College's basketball team. "And I didn't even think about D-III because I'm from a big family and needed a scholarship. So a D-II worked out well: I averaged 10 minutes a game my freshman year, started my sophomore year and was an All-American my junior year."

1. UC Davis
Davis, Calif.
530-752-1111
www.ucdavis.edu

Undergrad enrollment: 19,343
Women's varsity sports: 12
Women's club sports: 22
Women's intramural sports: 14
Athletic scholarships for women: 86 partials
NCAA women's titles: 2

Hot Sports: Cross-country, hoops
Cool facts: Davis just celebrated 50 years of women's sports. San Francisco is a mere hour away.

2. Abilene Christian
Abilene, Texas
915-674-2440
www.acu.edu

Undergrad enrollment: 4,643
Women's varsity sports: 6
Women's club sports: 1
Women's intramural sports: 21
Athletic scholarships for women: 44 full (no partials)
NCAA women's titles: 20

Hot sports: Track, tennis
Cool facts: Intramurals range from rodeo to flag football.

3. Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg, Pa.
570-389-4050
www.bloomu.edu

Undergrad enrollment: 6,964
Women's varsity sports: 9
Women's club sports: 14
Women's intramural sports: 11
Athletic scholarships for women: 22 full (no partials)
NCAA women's titles: 7

Hot sports: Field hockey, softball
Cool facts: Jan Hutchinson, field hockey's winningest coach, also coaches softball (team has made the NCAAs 17 straight times).

4. Adams State College
Alamosa, Colorado
(719) 587-7011
www.adams.edu

Undergraduate enrollment: 8,435
Women's varsity sports: 6
Women's club sports: 6
Women's intramural sports: 19
NCAA Women's championships: 7

Hot Sports: Cross country, track and field
Cool Facts: The Grizzlies can run--they've taken the past seven straight NCAA cross country titles. Maybe they're inspired by the scenery; Adams is located between Colorado's Sangre de Cristo and San Juan mountain ranges. Wilderness enthusiasts obviously thrive in this setting, as those who to be can learn cheaply, thanks to the Rec center's low-cost equipment rentals.

--Gil Lopez

5. North Dakota State
Fargo, North Dakota
(800) 231-NDSU
www.ndsu.nodak.edu

Undergraduate enrollment: 9,626
Women's varsity sports: 7
Women's club sports: 6
Women's intramural sports: 7
NCAA Women's championships: 5

Hot Sports: Basketball, volleyball, track
Cool Facts: All five NCAA championships have come from the women's basketball team, whose rivalry with in-state foe North Dakota may be the best in D-II. Some of the top-notch facilities include the golf simulator in Fargo's Sports Bubble, which lets you "play" up to 23 PGA courses, and the brand new Bison Sports Arena Strength and Conditioning Complex, which features 14 lifting platforms, 10 bench presses, 10 squat power racks and a large area for running and plyometrics.

--Gil Lopez

Division III

The Scoop: Most students probably chose D-III schools, many of which are private, based on academics rather than athletics; there are, in fact, no athletic scholarships. Two- and three-sport athletes are more common than in the larger schools, as are athletes who participate in other activities. Media attention is slim to none, and national travel is usually limited to tournament play.

Athlete Perspective: "I chose Williams because I could play two sports," says senior Cara Shortsleeve, who plays ice hockey and lacrosse. "Plus, I wanted a school I'd want be at even if I were injured and couldn't play again." Rashida Allen, a junior basketball player at NYU adds: "The level of competition varies; some D-III schools could compete against D-I schools, while some are more like high school teams."

1. College of New Jersey
Ewing, N.J.
609-771-2230
www.tcnj.edu

Undergrad enrollment: 5,853
Women's varsity sports: 10
Women's club sports: 6
Women's intramural sports: 8
NCAA women's titles: 27

Hot sports: Lacrosse, field hockey, softball
Cool facts: Lacrosse and field hockey coach Sharon Pfluger will be one of two female coaches inducted into the NCAA Hall of Champions, opening next year. The outdoor recreation class, covering sports from whitewater rafting to bowling, is a fave.

2. Cortland State
Cortland, N.Y.
607-753-2011
www.cortland.edu

Undergrad enrollment: 5,252
Women's varsity sports: 13
Women's club sports: 6
Women's intramural sports: 47
NCAA women's titles: 12
Hot sports: Cross-country, soccer, field hockey, track
Cool facts: Women have won 12 of the school's 13 NCAA titles.

3. Middlebury College
Middlebury, Vt.
802-443-5000
www.middlebury.edu

Undergrad enrollment: 2,273
Women's varsity sports: 17
Women's club sports: 20
Women's intramural sports: 9
NCAA women's titles: 3

Hot sports: Lacrosse, ice hockey
Cool facts: The ice hockey team is 72-0 in the last four seasons.

4. UC-San Diego
La Jolla, Calif.
(858) 534-2230
www.ucsd.edu

Undergraduate enrollment: 9,804
Women's varsity sports: 11
Women's club sports: 35
Women's intramural sports: 40
NCAA Women's championships: 15

Hot Sports: Volleyball, soccer, tennis, swimming
Cool Facts: Since 1990, the women Tritons have racked up ten national championships; water polo has four, soccer has three, volleyball has two and tennis has one (volleyball's seven total titles shares an NCAA all-division record). The campus features a multitude of facilities for recreational athletes, including an archery range and a climbing center, and the beach is just a quick jog away from campus.

--Gil Lopez

5. Williams College
Williamstown, Mass. (413) 597-4982
www.williams.edu

Undergraduate enrollment: 2,014
Women's varsity sports: 15 (plus eight JV)
Women's club sports: 10
Women's intramural sports: 7
NCAA Women's championships: 2

Hot Sports: Tennis, swimming
Cool Facts: Although their mascot is a purple cow, women at Williams take their sports seriously: of the 15 women's varsity sports, only one-the six-year-old ice hockey team-has a career losing record. And students hit the books with the same intensity they hit the fields: for two years running, Williams won the Jostens Award, given to the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference school that best displays both academic and athletic excellence.

--Gil Lopez

Note: No athletic scholarships in D-III

Also: Division I

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