D2.ticker Top Ten - the most clicked stories of the past week |
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#10: Mercy AD Matt Kilcullen, Jr. will retire at the end of this academic year after a dozen years leading the Mavericks. President Susan Parish: “Over the past 12 years, Matt Kilcullen has been an outstanding leader for Mercy University Athletics, guiding the department through one of its most successful periods in its history. His vision and steady leadership elevated our programs at the conference and national levels while keeping the student-athlete experience at the forefront.” (link)
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#9: The NAIA COP Executive Committee has unanimously withdrawn the 2026 legislative proposal for a fifth season of competition, which comes after NCAA DII referred its own legislative proposal back to the governance structure last week. President/CEO Jim Carr, in an email to members: “The NAIA is committed to a thoughtful decision-making process, and this pause allows us to evaluate five seasons of competition more comprehensively, ensuring that we consider the implications for all parties involved. After more assessment, the COP will determine whether to bring forth a proposal in the future.” (link)
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#8: PSAC Commissioner Steve Murray joins BOSCA Founder Jim Abbott to reflect on his career as he retires this summer. After nearly three decades leading the league: “Being a Pennsylvania kid, getting to live here and work with these schools in my league, I believe that they have the right balance of athletics and education and the priority of the mission of educating our kids. I couldn't have landed in a better place and been here, found a better place for my personality and what I think is important in the world.” More from Murray...
➤ With a limited number of members joining and leading the league during his tenure, the PSAC currently has a fine of triple damages for exiting before being in the league for seven years. One pivot for Murray has been shifting the fine, especially for a school that wants to move to DI, from a punishment to covering the costs for scheduling changes and the impact on other members, noting: “If you’re going to move to Division I, if a Division II conference says it’s a million-dollar fine, they’re going to find a million dollars. It’s a question of ethically, what can you ask to protect yourself for those who remain?”
➤ On the transfer portal, coaches in the league have expressed concern, but Murray’s research found that around 20-25% of PSAC student-athletes entered the portal over the last few years, and around a third landed at another institution. Further, Murray found that there’s actually a net gain of student-athletes entering the league via the portal.
➤ As he looks into the future, Murray notes the PSAC has options planned for a potential loss of NCAA revenue, with options for members to pick up all, half, or none of the NCAA revenue. “I think anybody that doesn't have that in the back of their mind someplace in writing – it's just a one-pager for us – I think you're crazy as a conference commissioner, because I think there are some realities there.” Murray also believes DII is in the best place of the three divisions, as there’s less divisiveness than the other two divisions, and “I think that our philosophy is more together in Division II.” (link)
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#7: Nebraska-Kearney AD Marc Bauer joins ESPN Tri-Cities’ 'Doug and Daddy Show' to discuss system-wide budget cuts, the transfer portal and more. UNK is facing a 3% cut in 2027-28 and 2028-29, with a $200K decrease in athletic scholarships. Bauer: “We have to dip into getting more in sync with the University of Nebraska Foundation and connecting with our donors in terms of what our needs are if we want to continue to excel at a very high level. So the challenges are there, obviously, but at the same token, the means are there. We have to continue to get people involved and help support us at a very high level. We will get through this. Are things going to be maybe not exactly how our coaches want them? Yes, and that's the thing that I think we have to be most aware of and most cognitively cognizant of, because we don't want to lose coaches. That costs a lot of money. Obviously, when programs lose coaches, you will tend to see them slide backwards a little bit, and we don't want to slide backwards. We want to be competing for championships.” In the face of those cuts, Bauer is discussing adding women’s wrestling with around 20 programs in a 300-mile radius, but: “it’s very difficult to in the midst of cuts that are going on. … I just think that we have to show what it would do for the university.” More from Bauer. (link)
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#6: Frostburg State will hire a new Women’s Volleyball HC as HC Peter Letourneau is no longer with the Bobcats. (link) |
#5: Check out West Alabama’s new football locker room. (link) |
#4: Kutztown Asst. AD for Compliance Cam Wein is no longer with the Bears. (link) |
#3: Concord promotes Co-AD/Women’s Soccer HC Luke Duffy to be the Mountain Lions’ full-time AD, while stepping away from coaching. President Bethany Meighen: “Concord is grateful to both Luke Duffy and Tesla Southcott for coaching and serving as co-ADs when Kevin Garrett retired. Moving to one AD will streamline leadership responsibilities and allow athletics to move from a period of transition towards a focused future of growth. … Coach Duffy has built an outstanding coaching career at Concord, and his decision to step into the full-time athletic director role is a powerful example of leadership and service. We are grateful for the impact he has had as a coach and excited for the vision he brings to this next chapter.” Co-AD Tesla Southcott will move into a new role as Asst. AD/Women’s Basketball HC/SWA. (link)
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#2: Saginaw Valley State has suspended Women’s Basketball HC Jenny Pruett and AC Rob McDonald “pending an investigation into an allegation of misconduct,” per MLive’s Hugh Bernreuter. Men’s Basketball AC Dylan Liddell will serve as Interim HC. (link)
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#1: William Jewell VP for Athletics/Men’s Basketball HC Chris McCabe will step down leading the Cardinals to continue leading the MBB program and transition to a new role as Assoc. AD overseeing external relations and special projects. President Drew Van Horn: “Chris has done a fantastic job holding two important roles at the College. While I understand his desire to focus on coaching and his student-athletes, his successor will have big shoes to fill. I am excited that he will remain in leadership for the Athletics Department. He has accomplished so much on and off the court, and we are proud to have him as part of the Jewell family.” (link)
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