#10: The NCAA names Connecticut (DI) Senior Assoc. AD for Sports Medicine/Head Team Physician Dr. Deena Casiero as the association’s new Chief Medical Officer, starting August 12. President Charlie Baker: “Deena brings expansive expertise and comprehension of collegiate sports' health and safety, ideal for the role of chief medical officer. Her dedication in leading cross-functional teams will prove invaluable as she champions the well-being of student-athletes within the growing arena of sports medicine.” (link)
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#9: MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy pens a recent article for the NACDA magazine on the importance of Division II continuing to evolve while facing significant changes throughout collegiate athletics. Racy: "Resisting change will lead Division II to stagnation, recession, and downtrends as a membership division. During the past 20 years, very few organizations have lived out their brand strategy better than the NCAA Division II membership has done with 'Life in the Balance.' ... The featured of a balanced experience in Division II are not fixed, nor static, nor constant, and they must develop and change with time. The philosophy of our Division should evolve with the conditions and circumstances necessary to operate a competitive, safe, and meaningful intercollegiate athletics program at the Division II level. The challenge for the Division II membership is to listen to current and prospective student-athletes regarding how they define a balanced intercollegiate athletics experience. What a 'balanced' experience may have looked like 10 years ago is not the same as what those expectations are in 2024, and certainly not what they will look like in five years from now. The Division's identity must evolve with the changing nature of intercollegiate athletics. If it doesn't, many student-athletes will look for an intercollegiate athletics experience outside of our Division." (link)
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#8: MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy continues to voice his opposition to the possibility of DII changing its bylaws to allow non-football members to vote on football issues. Racy hopes the proposal fails to come to fruition as it did a decade ago, noting he hopes DII is more like DI than DIII on this matter. Further: “For football only schools, let's be more like Division I and maybe it means that we completely federate or provide autonomy in every sport, or more than just football. If you don't have volleyball, you shouldn't vote on a volleyball issue. If you don't have soccer, you shouldn't vote on a soccer issue. We should be having that conversation and heading in that direction, [rather] than an analysis of whether or not we want to get rid of this football-only vote that's been a part of division two for over 40 years.” Asked about the discussion of this “very anti-football type of move,” he hopes this is not in response to the passage of the week zero legislation at the 2024 NCAA Convention. Also of note, the MIAA’s revenue is up 15% year-over-year, per Racy. (link)
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#7: The LSC teams up with Linius to enhance its video experience across its sports network and social media. (link) |
#6: The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Dan Bauman wonders if more colleges will “dig deeper” into their endowments amid financial challenges. “The Chronicle identified at least nine institutions that, like Webster (DIII), have withdrawn larger-than-typical sums of money from their endowments to stay in compliance with bondholders, cover operations, or even finance capital projects. Many of these institutions found themselves in tough financial straits for similar reasons, like dwindling enrollment and shrinking net-tuition revenue. Others were beset by more-distinct circumstances. But the representatives of nearly all of the colleges The Chronicle spoke with said they think that more institutions will join their ranks, as more and more small, less well-endowed institutions reject long-held truisms about endowment management — that any withdrawals of funds beyond the industry’s preferred annual spending rate of 5 percent are to be categorically avoided — in favor of spending policies that are responsive to higher ed’s now much more competitive marketplace.” Other institutions referenced in the article include St. Joseph’s Brooklyn (DIII), Hartford (DIII), Wittenberg (DIII), Columbia College (NAIA), La Salle (DI), Guilford (DIII), Manchester (DIII) and Clarkson (DIII). (link)
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#5: UIndy taps Stetson (DI) Women’s Basketball AC Jama Sharp as its next HC. Interim AD D. Scott Gines: “We searched for an ideal role model, a leader who builds team cohesion, and someone with a track record for identifying prospects' inner potential and helping them reach their true potential. In this, we also wanted someone with a deep-rooted passion for Indiana basketball as a whole. […] Jama is real, in the moment, humble and confident, an adaptively competitive leader who knows the value of extra effort and blessings of education, and I am confident UIndy women's basketball is in great hands.” (link)
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#4: The GNAC selects Central Washington Assoc. AD for Compliance and Student-Athlete Services Laura Dahlby Nicolai as Assoc. Commissioner/SWA. (link) |
#3: Chico State AD Anita Barker will retire at the end of September after 22 years leading the Wildcats. Barker: “It has been my honor to serve Chico State for more than three decades, especially the past 22 years as the director of athletics. I have worked with so many dedicated and talented coaches, faculty, staff, administrators and student-athletes. I am so proud of all that we have accomplished during my time at Chico State. The Wildcat Family will always hold a special place in my heart.” Kaye/Bassman will assist Chico State with its AD search this summer. (link)
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#2: UT Tyler VP for Athletics Howard Patterson will retire in August, transitioning to a new role as Athletic Program Strategic Planning Administrator over the summer. President Kirk Calhoun: “Since 2001, athletics at UT Tyler has been synonymous with Dr. Patterson. He founded UT Tyler Athletics, launching 18 NCAA programs and leading the Patriots through the transition period to the NCAA Division III and then Division II levels. Dr. Patterson is a nationally recognized intercollegiate athletics leader and mentor. […] He is retiring as the longest-serving Athletics Director among UT System athletic programs.” Men’s and Women’s Tennis HC CHris Bizot will serve as Interim AD, starting June 1. (link)
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#1: Texas Permian Basin VP for Athletics Todd Dooley will exit after three and a half years leading the Falcons to pursue his passion of flying airplanes. President Sandra Woodley: “Todd Dooley's impact on our athletics program and the broader UTPB community has been significant. His leadership has not only brought us athletic success but has also strengthened our University's core values. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.” Former AD Scott Farmer will serve as Interim AD. Dave Campbell's Texas Football's Cory Hogue reported it first. (link, link)
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