Are athletics a positive or negative educational force? The viewpoint widely shared across academe is that participation in intercollegiate athletics has a positive impact on students and contributes to learning and moral development. Often, this notion is captured in the phrase "character development," a shorthand way to describe the individual development that stems from participation in athletics. To test this assumption, the author has examined the literature of sport and student development for the relationship between participation in intercollegiate athletics and student development, especially as it pertains to the developing moral reasoning. The author suggests that a more explicit and systematic approach to moral development is necessary for the learning benefits of student participation in sports to match its claims.