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D2.jobs...New opportunities at Lake Erie (x8), below. 190 different universities and conferences turned to D2.jobs in 2023. All time, 416 have utilized D2.jobs to maximize their reach in advertising open positions. Post your department-wide openings with D2.ticker/D2.jobs and/or with Coaches.wire/Coaches.jobs, where thousands of administrators start their days and where tens of thousands of coaches get news and updates about their respective sports. Want unlimited job-postings for a year? Learn more about all job posting options HERE or contact jobs@driveandcompany.com

Lincoln Memorial promotes Senior Assoc. AD for Internal Operations/Director of Men's and Women's Golf Travis Muncy to AD, effective immediately. EVP for Administration Jody Goins: "Travis Muncy has been an integral part of the LMU athletics community for over 20 years, and we are thrilled to welcome him into this new role as Director of Athletics. His dedication to excellence both on and off the field, along with his deep understanding of internal operations, make him the ideal candidate to lead our athletics department into the future." (link)

Dartmouth (DI) men’s basketball student-athletes are university employees and are therefore eligible to unionize under U.S. labor law, according to the NLRB Regional Director Laura Sacks, who finds: “Because Dartmouth has the right to control the work performed by the Dartmouth men’s basketball team, and because the players perform that work in exchange for compensation, the petitioned-for basketball players are employees within the meaning of the [National Labor Relations] Act. Additionally, I find that asserting jurisdiction would not create instability in labor relations. Accordingly, I shall direct an election in the petitioned-for unit. … Like the graduate student research assistants and teaching assistants in Columbia University (DI), and like the football players in Northwestern University (DI), the basketball players at issue here perform work which benefits Dartmouth. While there is some factual dispute as to how much revenue is generated by the men’s basketball program, and whether that program is profitable, the profitability of any given business does not affect the employee status of the individuals who perform work for that business. The basketball program clearly generates alumni engagement—and financial donations—as well as publicity which leads to student interest and applications. The Employer concedes that the players are representing Dartmouth when they wear Dartmouth-branded clothing and uniforms. While students at Dartmouth take part in many extracurricular activities, major media outlets do not pay for the right to broadcast and distribute video of the vast majority of those activities.” Full downloadable 26-page decision can be found here. (link)

Tulane (DI) Sports Law Director Gabe Feldman shares the following takeaways: The fact that all Ivy League (DI) schools are private makes it more likely that the full NLRB will uphold the ruling because all Ivy athletes will have the ability to unionize. Although collective bargaining in pro sports is b/w the players union and the entire league, the Regional Director held that it's ok for the union to represent a single team and negotiate with a single school. … The key to the employee status is that Dartmouth exercises significant control over the basketball players' work, including travel, practice and play time, and ‘special permission is required for a player to even get a haircut during a trip.’ The Dartmouth basketball players perform work in exchange for ‘compensation’ despite the fact that they don't receive athletic scholarships. Instead, they receive many other benefits, including early admissions reads, apparel, meals, lodging, etc. ‘Employee status will be found where there is a rudimentary economic relationship,’ and payment/compensation ‘need not be large or otherwise significant in amount.’” Feldman also notes the ruling is “careful to explain why it wouldn't make student musicians, etc. employees (because they're not subject to the same control as athletes and don't have to ask permission to get a haircut), but it could make most college athletes employees, even in DIII.” (link, link); Find more on the Dartmouth-NLRB decision. (link).

After U.S. District Court Judge Clifton Corker noted yesterday that, despite denying the TRO request from the AGs of Tennessee and Virginia, the NCAA’s rules likely violate antitrust law by reducing athletes' market power, headlining attorney Tom Mars points out that “given the length of time that’s passed since the NCAA conducted an Allegation Review Board meeting and then met with Tennessee officials, one has to wonder whether the NCAA has ‘blinked’ and decided not to issue an NOA, which is typically issued shortly after an ARB meeting.” Sportico’s Michael McCann also weighs in on Corker’s ruling: “While the NCAA averted a judicial order that would have immediately compelled profound changes to amateurism in college sports, that order seems likely to be issued later. Unless the NCAA adopts a major restructuring along the lines proposed by NCAA president Charlie Baker—and does so soon—it faces the prospect of a federal judge ordering the association to change fundamental rules.” McCann notes Corker found “sufficient evidence” the NCAA’s NIL-recruiting ban “likely harms competition” and operates as an “absolute ban on competitive bidding, which the Supreme Court [has] found to be anticompetitive on its face.” (link, link)

U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) have reintroduced The NCAA Accountability Act, which establishes guidelines for how the NCAA handles its infractions and investigative process. Specifically, the bill seeks to “establish due process protections for student-athletes, coaches, and universities that are under investigation by the NCAA for rule violations.” The bill would also require the NCAA to complete an investigation within a one-year period of time from when the school first receives a notice of investigation. The NCAA would also be prohibited from investigating alleged violations that occurred more than two years before the actual notice was sent to the school. In addition, the legislation authorizes the DOJ, through an administrative law judge, to fine the NCAA or individuals on staff up to $15M for violating the provisions of this bill. Blackburn: “The NCAA’s history of backroom deliberations that produce unfair punishments for athletes, coaches, and universities has gone on long enough. … The NCAA Accountability Act brings much-needed consistency and transparency to the NCAA, ensuring that everyone is operating under the same set of expectations for rule violations." (link)

Fox, ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery are creating a joint streaming platform to share sports assets, according to the Wall Street Journal’s Joe Flint and Isabella Simonetti, who report the service will be available to ESPN+, Hulu and Max subscribers. Each company will own one-third of the product, which is expected to launch later this year. (link); Disney CEO Bob Iger: “The launch of this new streaming sports service is a significant moment for Disney and ESPN, a major win for sports fans and an important step forward for the media business. This means the full suite of ESPN channels will be available to consumers alongside the sports programming of other industry leaders as part of a differentiated sports-centric service. I’m grateful to Jimmy Pitaro and the team at ESPN, who are at the forefront of innovating on behalf of consumers to create new offerings with more choice and greater value.” The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch reports the “joint venture has not yet finished its research on where [the price] will land. But for some guidance, based on those briefed on the deal, the likelihood is it will be priced between where a standalone RSN might charge for its monthly offering (think $20-30 monthly depending on where you live) or what you might pay for bundled services (think $75 and up). Could that mean around $50-55? We’ll learn soon.” The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand adds that while the deal is a three-way split in ownership, the “fees that each company will receive are based on what they earn in their cable deals and with services, like YouTube TV. … This means that ESPN, which receives the highest fees, will receive a higher percentage from each subscriber to the new venture.” (link)

The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics today voted to recommend DI, DII and DIII sponsor legislation to add a national collegiate women's wrestling championship. If approved by the membership, women's wrestling will become the sixth sport to earn NCAA championship status through the Emerging Sports for Women program, joining rowing (1996), ice hockey (2000), water polo (2000), bowling (2003) and beach volleyball (2015). The recommendation also includes establishing a Women's Wrestling Committee, which would begin its work in January 2025 to allow time to prepare for a championship in winter 2026. NCAA President Charlie Baker: "The rise in sponsorship and participation numbers for women's wrestling is yet another proof point of the rapid growth of women's sports. The sport is also a growing Olympic pipeline, helping produce multiple medalists at the 2020 Games. The NCAA is excited to continue investing in the sport to help it grow and provide more opportunities for student-athletes." (link)

Vivature CEO Mouzon Bass and President Lance West Wilson, along with physician Robert Brent Scott, have been indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud, conspiring to commit healthcare fraud, and conspiring to commit money laundering. Another physician, Kyle Carter, has been charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud. The indictments allege that from roughly 2014-2023, Bass and Wilson used Vivature to submit false claims to private insurance carriers purporting that physicians, like Scott and Carter, were providing medical services for injured student-athletes at universities across the country. According to the DOJ, the services were actually performed by athletic trainers employed by the universities who were specifically excluded from insurance companies’ reimbursement policies. In total, the defendants are alleged to have collectively obtained more than $70M, which they used to purchase property, including a multimillion dollar home, lakehouse, and an international residence; and bought a multimillion dollar yacht. (link)

Deal Digest:

+ Alabama-Huntsville announces a collaboration with Influxer to support student-athlete NIL opportunities, education and training. (link)

+ The SAC partners with Officially Human to provide member schools with resources geared at increasing respect and positive treatment of sport officials. (link)

+ The Peach Belt inks a partnership with Gameday Logistics. (link)

Coaches.wire:

+ Delta State Women’s Soccer HC Joel Robinson is no longer leading the program. (link)

+ Maryville hires Illinois-Springfield Men’s Soccer HC Adam Hall for the same role with the Saints. (link)

+ Notre Dame College Women’s Soccer HC Mike Shiels has accepted the same position at Hiram (DIII). (link)

+ Pittsburg State alumnus Nick Long has been named the first full-time Men’s Golf HC as the university restarts its program starting in 2024-25. (link)

Quick Hits:

+ Illinois-Springfield Assoc. AD for Strategic Planning and Finance/SWA Allison Thornley is headed to Illinois State (DI) as its new Senior Assoc. AD for Internal Operations. (link)

+ Central Oklahoma has upgraded the video board at Chad Richison Stadium, with the help of SNA Displays. (link)

More Higher Ed:

+ Simon Fraser President Joy Johnson will remain in her role through August 2030. (link)

+ In addition to stripping Saint Augustine’s accreditation, SACSCOC has placed Christian Brothers, Saint Leo and Virginia Union on probation. (link)

+ Notable requests from the Minnesota state legislature for facility upgrades include nearly $72M for Winona State to replace old facilities and build the state’s first net-zero energy building, $39.5M for Minnesota Duluth to renovate a trio of facilities and more. (link)

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(Posted from most recent over the last 30 days)

(NEW!) Graduate Assistant, Women’s Basketball (Lake Erie College / Painesville, OH): LEC is an NCAA Division II program that competes in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). This is a ten-month, two-year appointment pending successful evaluation at the end of year one. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Graduate Assistant, Strength & Conditioning/Sport Performance (Lake Erie College / Painesville, OH): LEC is an NCAA Division II program that competes in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). This is a ten-month, two-year appointment pending successful evaluation at the end of year one. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Graduate Assistant, Men’s Lacrosse (Lake Erie College / Painesville, OH): LEC is an NCAA Division II program that competes in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). This is a ten-month, two-year appointment pending successful evaluation at the end of year one. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Graduate Assistant, Wrestling (Lake Erie College / Painesville, OH): LEC is an NCAA Division II program that competes in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). This is a ten-month, two-year appointment pending successful evaluation at the end of year one. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Graduate Assistant, Women’s Lacrosse (Lake Erie College / Painesville, OH): LEC is an NCAA Division II program that competes in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). This is a ten-month, two-year appointment pending successful evaluation at the end of year one. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Graduate Assistant, Women’s Soccer (Lake Erie College / Painesville, OH): LEC is an NCAA Division II program that competes in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). This is a ten-month, two-year appointment pending successful evaluation at the end of year one. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Graduate Assistant, Volleyball (Lake Erie College / Painesville, OH): LEC is an NCAA Division II program that competes in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). This is a ten-month, two-year appointment pending successful evaluation at the end of year one. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Graduate Assistant, Sports Information (2 Positions) (Lake Erie College / Painesville, OH): LEC is an NCAA Division II program that competes in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). This is a ten-month, two-year appointment pending successful evaluation at the end of year one. More details HERE.

Event & Sport Operations Graduate Assistant (DePaul University Athletics / Chicago, IL): Supports game operations for men's and women's basketball, coordinates special events, and assists with travel logistics for various Olympic sports within DePaul Athletics. (DI) More details HERE.

Assistant Director for Sports Performance (Edward Waters University / Jacksonville, FL): Assist the Director for Sports Performance in developing, coordinating, and administering a comprehensive sports Nutrition and Wellness Program for Edward Waters University Intercollegiate sports. More details HERE.

Head Women’s Soccer Coach (Edward Waters University / Jacksonville, FL): Women’s Soccer Coach will provide comprehensive instruction and leadership to student athletes and develop a competitive program within the (NCAA) and (SIAC) conferences. More details HERE.

Head Athletic Trainer (Edward Waters University / Jacksonville, FL): The Head Athletic Trainer implements the administration of athletic care within the required guidelines to ensure athletes receive proper athletic conditioning, training, and emergency care. More details HERE.

Head Women's Soccer Coach (Minnesota State / Moorhead, MN): Leadership, operation and management of MSUM Soccer Program. Minimum 2 years college coaching or 5 years HS/Club coaching within past 8 years with a proven level of success. Some teaching in HPE. More details HERE.

Assistant Commissioner (River States Conference / Footprint of the Conference / Middletown, OH): The primary day-to-day responsibilities include communications, facilitating website, awards and event coordination. Primarily work from home. (NAIA) More details HERE.

Associate Director, Creative Services & Digital Media (America East Conference / Boston, MA): Assist with all aspects of creative services, primarily graphic design and video content; Influence brand growth, social media and communications strategy; Located in Boston's lively Seaport District. (DI) More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing & Communications (St. Mary's University / San Antonio, TX): Inquiries, questions, and nominations can be forwarded to Dr. Kurt Patberg, Vice President of Mammoth Sports Consulting at kurt.patberg@mammothconsulted.com. More details HERE.

Assistant/Associate Commissioner (Conference Carolinas / Greenville, SC): Headquartered in Greenville, SC, the conference seeks applications for two positions as Assistant/Associate Commissioner with experience and skills in external relations and athletics communications. More details HERE.

Head Men's Volleyball Coach (Wheaton College (MA) / Norton, MA): Looking for a motivated and passionate individual to serve as the inaugural Head Coach of Men’s Volleyball. This individual will build, recruit, and lead our newly created intercollegiate program. (DIII) More details HERE.

Vice President & Director of Athletics (Louisiana Tech University / Ruston, LA): Reporting to the President and as a member of the President’s Cabinet, the VPAD will lead and guide the department to competing as a high-level Group of Five athletic department. (DI) More details HERE. The D1.dossier for this position is available HERE.

Head Baseball Athletic Trainer (University of Kansas / University of Kansas Health System / Lawrence, KS): Position to start June 2024**** Under the direction of the Head Team Physicians, responsible for the athletic training needs of the student-athletes of the Baseball Team. (DI) More details HERE.

Men's Soccer Assistant Coach / Goalkeeper Coach Part-Time (9 months) (24-35) (Francis Marion University / Florence, SC): PT Men's Soccer Assistant Coach & Goalkeeper Coach assists Head Coach with training members of the men's soccer team, recruiting, mentoring, as well as monitoring academic progress. Trains Goalkeepers. More details HERE.

Director of Intercollegiate Athletics (Arkansas - Little Rock / Little Rock, AR): Little Rock is now accepting applications for their Director of Intercollegiate Athletics position. Jobplex (a DHR Global company) is overseeing the search process on behalf of Little Rock. (DI) More details HERE. The D1.dossier for this position is available HERE.

Director, Athletic Communications (Texas A&M University-Kingsville / Kingsville, TX): The Director of Athletic Communications, under general direction, manages the development and implementation of most athletic marketing promotions and public relations programs directed to numerous internal and external constituencies. More details HERE.

Director of Athletics and Recreation (American University / Washington, D.C.): The Director of Athletics and Recreation is responsible for the athletic budget, personnel, strategic planning, fund-raising, marketing, sports facilities, and overall management. (DI) More details HERE. The D1.dossier for this position is available HERE.

Commissioner (Northwest Conference (NWC) / Forest Grove, OR): Reporting to the President’s Council, the Commissioner will lead strategy development and conference operations in support of the mission, values, and student-athlete educational focus of the NWC. (DIII) More details HERE.

Assistant AD/Director for Creative Strategy and Social Media (Abilene Christian University / Abilene, TX): This position will oversee all facets of the department’s digital and social media efforts as it relates to graphic design, photography and videography to tell the story of ACU Athletics. (DI) More details HERE.

Conference Commissioner (East Coast Conference / West Babylon, NY): The East Coast Conference (ECC) Commissioner is the Chief Executive Officer of the conference. This individual will provide strategic and operational leadership. More details HERE.

Sport Information Director, Assistant (Texas A&M International University / Laredo, TX): The Assistant Director, Sports Information, under general supervision, assists in publicity efforts for all sponsored sports, including writing press releases and feature stories. More details HERE.

Director of Athletics (Albion College / Albion, MI): This position is responsible for the overall leadership, vision, and oversight of the College's intercollegiate athletics and recreational programs. (DIII) More details HERE

Commissioner (University Athletic Association / Rochester, NY): Reporting to the President Council, the Commissioner is the principal administrative officer of the UAA and will work collaboratively with the Presidents to develop and execute a strategic plan. (DIII) More details HERE.

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