#10: West Georgia taps Georgia Southern (DI) Women’s Soccer AC Mallory Sayre as its next HC. (link) |
#9: Salem will reinstate Men’s and Women’s Swimming in 2023-24 after a one-year hiatus, as well as launch a future Men’s Wrestling program. (link) |
#8: Midwest Sprint Football League selects New Haven Interim AD Ron Prettyman as its new commissioner following the resignation of current Drive & Company (D2.ticker parent company) COO/former Fontbonne (DIII) VP for Athletics Maria Buckel. Calumet College of St. Joseph (NAIA) President/Search Committee Chair Amy McCormack: “Ron has extensive leadership in collegiate athletics, and his past experience at the NCAA organizing championships and with administration duties align well with those of the MSFL commissioner. His energy, enthusiasm for the growth of the league, and his professional experience will be of great benefit as we expand the Midwest Sprint Football League in size and visibility.” (link)
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#7: Ouachita Baptist has begun work on its Track & Field complex that is set to be complete this summer. (link) |
#6: Cal Poly Humboldt is still searching for a Softball HC ahead of the season’s first pitch on February 2 after parting ways with long-time HC Shelli Sarchett. AD Nick Pettit telling the Times-Standard’s Dylan McNeill: “It’s not an ideal time to be looking for a head coach for a softball team. The problem is most softball coaches have jobs right now so you have to be a little creative. […] We’re keeping everything open at this time as far as possibilities. We have a lot of support from the university and flexibility there to be creative to make sure to make a decision that’s going to serve the student-athletes in the best way possible.” (link)
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#5: Bridgeport selects Pace Asst. AD for Communications Jim Sheehan for the same position. (link) |
#4: The NCAA has signed a new eight-year championship media rights agreement with ESPN, starting September 1, 2024 that will include domestic rights to 40 NCAA championships including DI Women's Basketball, DII Football and increased coverage of DII Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball and Women's Volleyball, and international rights to those 40 events and the DI Men's Basketball Tournament. SBJ's Ben Portnoy reports the deal is worth an average of $115M per year, up from the current total of around $40M per year, with "at least 25% of that value (around $28.75 million) includes production and marketing costs assumed by ESPN." NCAA President Charlie Baker: "The NCAA has worked in earnest over the past year to ensure that this new broadcast agreement provides the best possible outcome for all NCAA championships, and in particular women's championships. Over the past several years, ESPN has demonstrated increased investment in NCAA championship coverage, and the Association is pleased to continue to provide a platform for student-athletes to shine. Having one, multi-platform home to showcase our championships provides additional growth potential along with a greater experience for the viewer and our student-athletes." (link, link)
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#3: Saint Rose AD Lori Anctil chats with the Times Union’s Mark Singelais about leading the Golden Knights through their final year. “To get to this point and to build it up where I feel like it’s at a really good spot and then to find out that’s it, it’s over, has been tough. But what I’m holding on to is all the experiences I have had that have just made me a better person and a better athletic director. That’s the part that I’m focusing on right now. […] I think it was important for [our student-athletes] just to hear from me and know that I ultimately wanted what was best for them. It was tough to get through, though. It was emotional. I needed to give them information, too, that would be helpful for them as they were trying to figure out their next steps and the decision they were going to be making.” Looking ahead, Anctil and Saint Rose coaches are working to help student-athletes find their next school, adding that no one has left the department yet. As for her own future: “I’m not 100 percent sure at this point. I’m trying to do the right thing here, but also take my own advice which I’m giving to others, which is, you’ve got to do what’s best for you. You’ll know when the timing is right.” (link)
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#2: Grand Valley State, Colorado School of Mines, Wingate, Charleston (WV) and West Texas A&M sit atop the final Fall standings of the LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup. (link)
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#1: Black Hills State AD Scott Larson will resign this week after stepping into the role in September, citing personal and family issues. Long-time Women's Basketball HC Mark Nore will serve as Interim AD through the 2023-24 academic year. (link)
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