#10: Mount Olive Softball HC Mandy Sansbury resigns after nine seasons to pursue an AC position at IUPUI (NCAA DI). AC Luke Shamblin has been appointed Interim HC for 2024. (link) |
#9: The SIAC is bringing its Football championship game to Atlanta on November 11 and will host its Women’s Volleyball championships in ATL that same weekend. Commissioner Anthony Holloman: “This is the headquarters of the SIAC. Certainly, we have Morehouse and Clark Atlanta in the city, but we have seven of our institutions will be a three-hour drive in Atlanta. Atlanta is very important to us. I’m excited that the city of Atlanta will partner with us on this venture. And we look forward to playing different sports and championships in the city. The SIAC is coming to Atlanta to take over. […] I think for several years we have had a championship game and not necessarily had our best two teams. And then when you play a game and you don’t know where the location is to the week before the game, it is hard to generate any buzz, sell tickets or have any activities planned that enhance the student-athlete experience. So we think there will be added value and it will generate some excitement. So it’s a championship game of the SIAC and not a game — another game — between two teams.” (link)
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#8: Central Missouri recently celebrated the start of construction on the Randall and Kelly Harbert Collegiate Golf Center at Mules Golf Club. (link) |
#7: Wisconsin-Parkside names Minnesota State Mankato VP for Student Success, Analytics and Integrated Planning Lynn Akey as its 7th chancellor. (link) |
#6: Gulf South Commissioner Matt Wilson tells Main Street Sports Today: “For us, it’s super important to keep that tight geography. We’re expanding our geography a little bit [adding Trevecca Nazarene], but we’re really excited about where that addition may lead us down the road in the future. I’m optimistic over the next 18 to 24 months that the Gulf South won’t be 12 members. There will be more.” On the league’s media rights deal with FloSports, Wilson believes soccer, baseball and softball will be added “sooner than later as AI camera technology takes over and makes it easier and better for folks to do things.” (link)
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#5: Augusta unveils plans for a number of upgrades to Christenberry Fieldhouse that will include the new Harris Sports Performance Center, updated mezzanines, larger donor spaces, a new sound system and lighting and more. AD Ryan Erlacher: "The exterior renovations to Christenberry Fieldhouse will elevate our arena to rival some of the best in the NCAA DII landscape. We wanted an impressive, modern, and sleek design that would not only welcome in our students, fans, and supporters, but also create a more exciting atmosphere during gamedays. The much-needed refresh will provide students with a top-quality experience while participating in events on the Forest Hills Campus." (link)
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#4: Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger reports the “commissioners of the NCAA’s four HBCU conferences sent a letter last week to the Congressional Black Caucus imploring them to pass legislation addressing NIL & athlete employment, which the commissioners say would have a ‘staggering impact’ on their schools.” From the letter: “Pending regulatory decisions and plaintiffs’ attorneys threaten to change the face of college sports without our voices, and more importantly, without the voices of the student-athletes being considered. … Like the majority of our Division II and mid-major peers, most HBCUs do not generate significant revenue and rely heavily on school-appropriated funds and donations. Therefore, classifying student-athletes as employees would have a staggering impact on our athletic programs and schools.” Full letter. (link)
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#3: Saint Rose cut the ribbon on the new astroturf and upgrades to Sullivan Field. (link) |
#2: The NCAA releases a review of the five DII proposals to be considered at the 2024 NCAA Convention in Phoenix this January. The proposals include permitting week 0 football games, allowing eight Softball contests in the nonchampionship segment, reducing the minimum number of institutions sponsoring a sport for championship access to 35 for men’s and women’s sports and allowing a three year grace period for those that fall below the new threshold, providing AQ privileges for all conferences in all sports besides FB and for FB, allow all sponsoring conferences representation in the postseason bracket for the highest-ranked team if one is not represented. (link)
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#1: DII has announced the 231 nominees for the 50th Anniversary Gold Award which will be given to one male and one female at the 2024 NCAA Convention for their positive impact on the division. (link)
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