2023 NCAA Division III football season explained

Type:	NCAA Division III
Year:	2023
Number Of Teams:	240
Preseason Ap:	North Central (IL)^[1]
Championship:	Salem Football Stadium Salem, VA December 15, 2023
Champion:	Cortland

The 2023 NCAA Division III football season was the component of the 2023 college football season organized by the NCAA at the Division III level in the United States. The regular season began on September 2 and ended on November 12. This was the 50th season that the NCAA has sponsored a Division III championship.

North Central (IL) were the defending national champions.

The season's playoffs was played between November 19 and December 15, culminating in the national championship—also known as the Stagg Bowl—at the Salem Football Stadium in Salem, Virginia.^[2]

Conference changes and new programs

Membership changes

Team	Former conference	New conference	Source
Catholic	NEWMAC	Landmark	^[3]
Eastern	Independent	MAC	^[4]
Finlandia	UMAC	University closed	^[5]
Juniata	Centennial	Landmark	^[6]
Keystone	ECFC	Landmark	^[7]
Lycoming	MAC	Landmark	^[8]
Lyon	Sooner (NAIA)	Independent	^[9]
Moravian	Centennial	Landmark	^[10]
Salve Regina	CCC	NEWMAC	^[11]
Southwestern	ASC	SAA	^[12]
SUNY Maritime	ECFC	NEWMAC	^[13]
Susquehanna	Centennial	Landmark	^[14]
Whittier	SCIAC	Program dropped	^[15]
Wilkes	MAC	Landmark	^[16]

Other headlines

• September 23 – Shenandoah's Haley Van Voorhis became the first woman to play a non-kicking position in NCAA football, coming on as a safety in the first quarter of the Hornets' game against Juniata.^[17]
• October 4 – Anna Maria College announced it was leaving the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference and joining the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference for the 2025–26 academic year.^[18]
• October 10 – Dean College announced it was leaving the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference and joining the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference for the 2025–26 academic year.^[19]

Rankings

See main article: 2023 NCAA Division III football rankings.

Postseason

Teams

See also: List of NCAA Division III Football Championship appearances by team.

Automatic bids (28)

Automatic bids
Conference	School	Record	Appearance	Last
American Rivers	Wartburg	10–0	16th	2022
American Southwest	Hardin–Simmons	9–1	12th	2022
Centennial	Johns Hopkins	10–0	12th	2021
CCIW	North Central (IL)	10–0	15th	2022
Commonwealth Coast	Endicott	9–1	5th	2022
ECFC	Alfred State	6–4	1st	—
Empire 8	Cortland	9–1	12th	2022
HCAC	Mount St. Joseph	9–1	7th	2022
Landmark	Susquehanna	10–0	5th	2022
Liberty	Ithaca	8–2	21st	2022
MASCAC	Western Connecticut	7–2	4th	2001
Michigan	Alma	10–0	5th	2022
Middle Atlantic	Delaware Valley	9–1	12th	2022
Midwest	Illinois College	9–1	2nd	2011
Minnesota	Bethel (MN)	8–2	12th	2022
NEWMAC	Springfield	9–1	9th	2022
New Jersey	Christopher Newport	7–3	11th	2014
North Coast	DePauw	10–0	5th	2022
NACC	Aurora	10–0	8th	2022
Northwest	Whitworth	9–0	5th	2018
Ohio	Mount Union	10–0	34th	2022
Old Dominion	Randolph–Macon	10–0	6th	2022
Presidents'	Grove City	10–0	1st	—
SAA	Trinity (TX)	9–1	15th	2022
SCIAC	Chapman	6–3	4th	2019
Upper Midwest	Minnesota Morris	7–3	6th	1981
USA South	Belhaven	9–1	1st	—
Wisconsin	Wisconsin–La Crosse	9–1	14th	2022

At-large bids (4)

At-large bids
School	Conference	Record	Appearance	Last
Wisconsin–Whitewater	WIAC	9–1	20th	2022
Union (NY)	Liberty	9–1	13th	2019
Wheaton (IL)	CCIW	9–1	14th	2022
Coe	ARC	9–1	10th	2016

Bracket

* - Host team

Bowl games

Division III had 13 bowl games, featuring teams that did not qualify for the Division III postseason tournament.

Date	Time (EST)	Game	Site	Television	Teams	Affiliations	Results
Nov 18	11:00 a.m.	Centennial-MAC Bowl Series	Campus sites		Franklin & Marshall (7–3) King's (PA) (8–2)	Centennial MAC	Franklin & Marshall 30 King's (PA) 7
	12:00 p.m.			Muhlenberg (9–1) Lebanon Valley (6–4)	Muhlenberg 23 Lebanon Valley 7
		Whitelaw Bowl		RPI (7–3) Widener (7–3)	Liberty MAC	RPI 49 Widener 21
		Lynah Bowl		Washington & Jefferson (8–2) Merchant Marine (7–2)	PAC NEWMAC
		New England Bowl		Salve Regina (8–2) Anna Maria (5–4)	NEWMAC ECFC	Salve Regina 37 Anna Maria 34
				Western New England (7–3) UMass Dartmouth (9–1)	CCC MASCAC	Western New England 37 UMass Dartmouth 7
		Cape Henry Bowl		Wilkes (4–6) Bridgewater (7–3)	Landmark ODAC	Wilkes 35 Bridgewater 17
		Cape Charles Bowl		Lycoming (4–6) Washington & Lee (8–2)		Lycoming 20 Washington & Lee 17
		Cousin Subs Lakefront Bowl	Raabe Stadium Wauwatosa, Wisconsin		Monmouth (IL) (8–2) St. Norbert (7–3)	MWC NACC	Monmouth (IL) 21 St. Norbert 14
	1:00 p.m.	Chapman Bowl	Campus sites		Utica (8–2) Hobart (8–2)	Empire 8 Liberty	Utica 10 Hobart 6
	2:00 p.m.	Centennial-MAC Bowl Series		Ursinus (7–3) Stevenson (7–3)	Centennial MAC	Ursinus 31 Stevenson 13
	3:00 p.m.	Culver's Isthmus Bowl	Bank of Sun Prairie Stadium Sun Prairie, Wisconsin		Wisconsin–Platteville (6–4) Augustana (IL) (8–2)	WIAC CCIW	Wisconsin–Platteville 36 Augustana (IL) 10
	5:00 p.m.	Bushnell Bowl	Campus sites		Carnegie Mellon (9–1) Brockport (8–2)	PAC Empire 8	Carnegie Mellon 37 Brockport 7

Coaching changes

Preseason and in-season

This is restricted to coaching changes that took place on or after May 1, 2023, and will include any changes announced after a team's last regularly scheduled games but before its playoff games.

School	Outgoing coach	Date	Reason	Replacement	Previous position
Lebanon Valley	Joe Buehler	May 4, 2023	Retired^[20]	J. R. Drake	Lebanon Valley defensive coordinator (2018–2022)
McDaniel	Demarcus White	June 8, 2023	Resigned^[21]	David Sartin	McDaniel offensive line coach (2021–2022)
Willamette	Isaac Parker	September 8, 2023	Fired^[22]	Tim Rude	Willamette defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (2022–2023)
Adrian	Jim Deere	October 17, 2023	Resigned^[23]	Harry Bailey	Adrian offensive coordinator and running backs coach (2016–2023)

End of season

This list includes coaching changes announced during the season that did not take effect until the end of the season.

School	Outgoing coach	Date	Reason	Replacement	Previous position
Concordia (IL)	Andy Lambert	N/A	N/A	Chase Hankins^[24]	Concordia (IL) offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2022–2023)
Hampden–Sydney	Marty Favret	August 20, 2023 (effective at season's end)	Retired^[25]	Vince Luvara^[26]	Washington & Jefferson defensive coordinator (2016–2023)
Bethel (MN)	Steve Johnson	October 30, 2023 (effective at season's end)	Retired^[27]	Mike McElroy^[28]	Bethel (MN) defensive coordinator (2017–2023)
Westminster (MO)	John Welty	November 7, 2023 (effective at season's end)	Retired^[29]	Luke Butts	Lake Forest defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2017–2023)
Nichols	Dale Olmsted	November 10, 2023 (effective at season's end)	Resigned^[30]	Vinny Marino^[31]	Nichols offensive coordinator (2022–2023)
Carthage	Dustin Hass	November 13, 2023	Resigned^[32]	Matt Popino^[33]	Endicott assistant head coach and defensive coordinator (2022–2023)
Ohio Northern	Dean Paul	November 13, 2023	Retired^[34]	Andy Fries^[35]	Rose–Hulman offensive coordinator and offensive line coach (2020–2023)
Dubuque	Stan Zweifel	November 14, 2023	Retired^[36]	Ryan Maiuri^[37]	Central (IA) assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach (2023)
Adrian	Harry Bailey (interim)	November 17, 2023	New coach hired^[38]	Joe Palka	Saline HS (MI) head coach (2012–2023)
Belhaven	Blaine McCorkle	November 28, 2023	Hired by Northwestern State^[39]	CJ Nightingale^[40]	Wheaton (IL) defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach (2020–2023)
Norwich	Mark Murnyack	November 30, 2023	Resigned^[41]	Bill Russell^[42]	Norwich associate head coach, special teams coordinator, and linebackers (2014–2023)
Union (NY)	Jon Poppe	December 2, 2023	Hired by Columbia^[43]	Jon Drach^[44]	Wilkes head coach (2018–2023)
Willamette	Tim Rude (interim)	December 11, 2023	New coach hired^[45]	Aric Williams	Montana Tech defensive coordinator (2022–2023)
Eureka	Kurt Barth	December 20, 2023	Resigned^[46]	Randy Starks^[47]	Loughborough defensive line coach (2023)
Wilkes	Jon Drach	December 29, 2023	Hired by Union (NY)	David Biever^[48]	Wilkes associate head coach and offensive line coach (2019–2023)
Wilmington	Corey Fillipovich	January 3, 2024	Resigned^[49]	Kevin Burke^[50]	Minnesota Morris associate head coach and offensive coordinator (2020–2023)
Johns Hopkins	Greg Chimera	January 4, 2024	Hired by Penn^[51]	Dan Wodicka^[52]	Johns Hopkins defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2022–2023)
Ferrum	Cleive Adams	Before January 9, 2024	Became school's athletic director	Kevin Sherman^[53]	Buffalo wide receivers coach (2022–2023)
Delaware Valley	Duke Greco	January 10, 2024	Hired by West Chester^[54]	Mike Isgro^[55]	Delaware Valley special teams coordinator and running backs coach (2015–2023)
Millsaps	Cory York (interim)	January 24, 2024	Permanent replacement^[56]	Brandon Lechtenberg	Central Oklahoma defensive coordinator and linebackers coach (2022–2023)
Maritime	Mickey Rehring	February 9, 2024	Resigned^[57]	Jamel Ramsay^[58]	Nassau CC head coach (2017–2023)
Misericordia	John Davis	February 17, 2024	Resigned^[59]	Tyler Cottle (interim)^[60]	Misericordia defensive coordinator (2021–2023)
King's (PA)	Skyler Fultz	February 19, 2024	Resigned^[61]	Mike Cebrosky	King's (PA) associate head coach and defensive coordinator (2023)
McDaniel	David Sartin (interim)	February 22, 2024	Permanent replacement^[62]	Skyler Fultz	King's (PA) head coach (2023)
Fitchburg State	Zach Shaw	April 1, 2024	Resigned^[63]	Izzy Abraham^[64]	American International associate head coach, special teams coordinator, and running backs coach (2022–2023)
Rowan	Jay Accorsi	April 12, 2024	Retired^[65]	Pat Ruley^[66]	Susquehanna associate head coach, defensive coordinator, and inside linebackers coach (2023)

See also

• 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season
• 2023 NCAA Division I FCS football season
• 2023 NCAA Division II football season
• 2023 NAIA football season
• 2023 U Sports football season
• 2023 junior college football season

Notes and References

1. Web site: D3football.com Top 25, 2023 preseason . D3Football.com . December 15, 2023.
2. October 14, 2020 . From 2022-2025, Stagg will break the mold . D3Football.com . en.
3. Web site: University . Catholic . Cardinal Football Joins Landmark Conference . March 19, 2023 . The Catholic University of America . en.
4. Web site: MAC Realignment Set for 2020-21 . March 19, 2023 . Eastern University Athletics . May 9, 2019 . en.
5. Web site: Moody . Josh . March 2, 2023 . Finlandia University Announces Closure . March 19, 2023 . Inside Higher Ed . en.
6. Web site: February 10, 2022 . Landmark Membership to Expand; Lycoming & Wilkes to Join in '23 . en.
7. Web site: Kelly . Chrisann . April 1, 2022 . Keystone College football program to join Landmark Conference . March 19, 2023 . Keystone College . en-US.
8. Web site: Lycoming to join Landmark Conference in 2023 . April 16, 2023 . Lycoming College Athletics . February 10, 2022 . en.
9. Web site: Athletics . Lyon . Lyon College to transition from NAIA to NCAA Division III . March 19, 2023 . . February 10, 2022 . en.
10. Web site: June 10, 2006 . Moravian to join Landmark Conference ** Lehigh Valley Report . March 19, 2023 . The Morning Call . en-US.
11. Web site: NEWMAC Welcomes Salve Regina University as Newest Member Effective July 1, 2023 - WPI Athletics - WPI Athletics . March 19, 2023 . athletics.wpi.edu.
12. Web site: Southwestern University to Join Southern Athletic Association . March 19, 2023 . www.southwestern.edu . en.
13. Web site: Maritime Football Set to Join the NEWMAC for 2023 Season . March 19, 2023 . Maritime College Athletics . June 23, 2021 . en.
14. Web site: Landmark Conference To Sponsor Football With Addition Of Lycoming, Wilkes . March 19, 2023 . Susquehanna University Athletics . en.
15. Web site: November 25, 2022 . Whittier College announces discontinuation of football program . March 19, 2023 . ABC7 Los Angeles . en.
16. Web site: Wilkes University to Join Landmark Conference in 2023-24 . March 19, 2023 . Wilkes University Athletics . en.
17. News: Haley Van Voorhis becomes first woman non-kicker to play in NCAA football game . Alex . Scarborough . ESPN.com . September 23, 2023 . September 23, 2023.
18. October 4, 2023 . Anna Maria College Accepts Invitation to Join MASCAC . en.
19. Web site: Dean College Football to Join MASCAC in 2025 . October 12, 2023 . Dean College . en.
20. Web site: December 20, 2023 . Joe Buehler '89 Announces Retirement as LVC Head Football Coach . January 13, 2024 . Lebanon Valley College Athletics . en.
21. Web site: Times . Carroll County . June 8, 2023 . McDaniel College names David Sartin interim head football coach following resignation of Demarcus White . December 21, 2023 . Baltimore Sun . en-US.
22. Web site: Gilman . Mark . September 11, 2023 . Willamette abruptly dismisses Isaac Parker as Football Coach . November 16, 2023 . Gilman on Sports.
23. Web site: October 17, 2023 . Harry Bailey Named Interim Head Coach of Adrian College Football; Jim Deere Resigns . November 16, 2023 . Adrian College . en.
24. Web site: February 7, 2024 . Chase Hankins Appointed CUC Football's 21st Head Coach . February 7, 2024 . Concordia University Chicago Athletics . en.
25. Web site: November 11, 2023 . Marty Favret Announces 2023 Will Be His Final Season . November 16, 2023 . Hampden-Sydney College . en.
26. Web site: December 7, 2023 . Hampden-Sydney Names Vince Luvara New Football Head Coach . February 7, 2024 . Hampden–Sydney College Athletics . en.
27. Web site: October 30, 2023 . Steve Johnson Announces Retirement at End of 2023 Football Season . November 16, 2023 . Bethel University Athletics . en.
28. Web site: November 20, 2023 . Mike McElroy Named Next Head Football Coach . January 10, 2024 . Bethel University Athletics . en.
29. Web site: January 3, 2024 . Luke Butts Named New Westminster College Head Football Coach . en.
30. Web site: Head Football Coach Dale Olmsted to Step Down After a Decade of Leading the Bison . November 29, 2023 . Nichols College Athletics . en.
31. Web site: Vinny Marino Named 15th Head Coach Of Nichols Football . January 11, 2024 . Nichols College Athletics . November 28, 2023 . en.
32. Web site: November 13, 2023 . Carthage Football Head Coach Dustin Hass Resigns . November 16, 2023 . Carthage College Athletics . en.
33. Web site: Carthage Hires Matt Popino as Head Football Coach . January 5, 2024 . Carthage College Athletics . en.
34. November 13, 2023 . Dean Paul leaves position as head coach of the Ohio Northern Football program . en. onusports.com.
35. Andy Fries named head Football coach at Ohio Northern . January 11, 2024 . onusports.com . December 11, 2023 . en.
36. Web site: November 14, 2023 . Zweifel to Step Away as Spartans Head Football Coach . November 16, 2023 . University of Dubuque . en.
37. Web site: December 28, 2023 . University of Dubuque Names 21st Head Football Coach . December 29, 2023 . University of Dubuque . en.
38. Web site: November 17, 2023 . Joe Palka Named 24th Head Coach of Adrian College Football . November 18, 2023 . Adrian College . en.
39. Web site: October 26, 2023 . NSU names Blaine McCorkle head football coach . November 28, 2023 . Northwestern State University Athletics . en.
40. Web site: December 31, 2023 . Belhaven Athletics Announces CJ Nightingale as Head Football Coach . January 2, 2024 . Belhaven University Athletics . en.
41. Web site: November 30, 2023 . Football: Coach Murnyack steps down after 13 years as head football coach . December 1, 2023 . Norwich University . en.
42. Web site: December 1, 2023 . Football: Coach Bill Russell Named Head Football Coach . December 1, 2023 . Norwich University . en.
43. Web site: December 2, 2023 . Jon Poppe Named Head Football Coach . December 2, 2023 . Columbia University Athletics . en.
44. Web site: Jon Drach Named Union College Head Football Coach . December 29, 2023 . Union College Athletics . en.
45. December 11, 2023 . Aric Williams Hired as Head Football Coach at Willamette University . en.
46. Web site: Samuels . Doug . December 20, 2023 . Longtime Eureka College leader resigns . December 20, 2023 . Footballscoop . en.
47. Web site: January 29, 2024 . Former NFL Pro Bowler hired as new head football coach at Eureka College . February 7, 2024 . Peoria Journal Star . en.
48. Web site: December 29, 2023 . Wilkes Athletics Names David Biever as Next Head Football Coach . January 10, 2024 . Wilkes University Athletics . en.
49. January 4, 2024 . Corey Fillipovich Steps Down as Quakers Head Football Coach After Seven Years With the Program. January 16, 2024 . Wilmington College Quakers . en.
50. February 13, 2024 . Kevin Burke Tabbed as Quakers New Head Football Coach . February 15, 2024 . Wilmington College Quakers . en.
51. Web site: January 4, 2024 . Chimera Steps Down as Head Football Coach . January 5, 2024 . Johns Hopkins University Athletics . en.
52. Web site: February 1, 2024 . Dan Wodicka Named James F. Margraff Head Coach of Football . February 3, 2024 . Johns Hopkins University Athletics . en.
53. Web site: January 9, 2024 . Sherman Named Head Football Coach at Ferrum . January 10, 2024 . Ferrum College . en.
54. Web site: January 8, 2024 . West Chester Tabs Duke Greco to Lead Gridiron Program . January 10, 2024 . West Chester University Athletics . en.
55. Web site: January 26, 2024 . Delaware Valley University Elevates Mike Isgro '10 to head football coach. January 28, 2024 . Delaware Valley University Athletics . en.
56. Web site: January 24, 2024 . Millsaps College Athletics Names Brandon Lechtenberg Head Football Coach . January 25, 2024 . Millsaps College Athletics . en.
57. Web site: Brice . John . February 6, 2024 . Sources: State University New York-Maritime College head coaching job coming open . March 28, 2024 . Footballscoop . en.
58. Web site: March 27, 2024 . Jamel Ramsay Tabbed to Lead Maritime Football Program . March 28, 2024 . Maritime College Athletics . en.
59. Web site: February 7, 2024 . John Davis Stepping Down as Misericordia Football Coach . February 19, 2024 . Misericordia University Athletics . en.
60. Web site: February 28, 2024 . MU Names Tyler Cottle Interim Head Football Coach . March 1, 2024 . Misericordia University Athletics . en.
61. Web site: February 7, 2024 . Football's Fultz Steps Down; Cebrosky Promoted to Head Coach . February 23, 2024 . King's College Athletics . en.
62. Web site: February 22, 2024 . WELCOME BACK! Fultz Named Head Football Coach at McDaniel . February 24, 2024 . McDaniel College . en.
63. Web site: April 1, 2024 . Fitchburg State Announces Departure of Head Football Coach . en.
64. 2024-04-23 . Israel "Izzy" Abraham Named Head Football Coach . en.
65. Web site: 2024-04-12 . Jay Accorsi Announces Retirement as Rowan Head Football Coach After 22 Seasons of Leading the Profs . 2024-04-13 . Rowan University Athletics . en.
66. Web site: 2024-06-26 . Pat Ruley '13 Named the Eighth Head Football Coach in Rowan History . 2024-06-26 . Rowan University Athletics . en.