#10: SMU has new Hollman Lockers in the football locker room. Check ‘em out. (link)
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#9: San Diego has hired UC Santa Barbara Deputy AD Jessica Goerke as Deputy AD/COO/SWA. (link)
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#8: Pittsburgh AD Heather Lyke has agreed to a multiyear extension, according to Pittsburgh News Now’s Mike Vukovcan. Further details have yet to be reported. (link)
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#7: Bud Light is releasing limited-edition college team cans featuring 26 schools. See them here via Action Network’s Brett McMurphy. (link)
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#6: Rutgers had been “besieged for months by complaints about head gymnastics coach Umme Salim-Beasley,” who student-athletes say was protected by former AD Pat Hobbs, according to NJ.com’s Brian Fonseca, who reports seven former RU gymnasts and one who remains on the team “described a program in chaos, plagued by allegations of favoritism, bullying and revenge by Salim-Beasley, who fostered a ‘toxic’ environment.” Fonseca also reports the gymnasts “allege Salim-Beasley was unsympathetic toward athletes who experienced mental health issues and physical injuries, tried to take retribution on gymnasts who raised concerns about her coaching methods, and kept churning a roster consistently among the biggest and least successful in the Big Ten. The former gymnasts said Hobbs was dismissive when they sought help from him, yet at the same time they noted that Hobbs was a frequent visitor to team meets, practices and events, and appeared to take an unusual interest in the program.” From one gymnast who met with Hobbs: “We felt very isolated. We felt so hopeless. We were screaming at the top of our lungs: ‘Help us, help us, help us,’ and no one was answering. No matter what we did or said, nothing was being done. We were not being taken care of properly. We are telling the athletic director, we are telling Ethics and Compliance, and they ignored us.” Lots more. (link)
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#5: Austin Peay co-OC Patrick Kugler has resigned, a day after his arrest in connection to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) undercover operation into human trafficking. Govs AD Gerald Harrison: “It’s disappointing when you have things like that, these aren’t issues you plan for or anticipate happening. I’m really proud of (head) coach (Jeff) Faris and how he’s handled the crisis and has been able to pivot quickly. We have a standard here, that kind of situation does not meet our standard, regardless of where this goes. And we want to surround our student-athletes with the best possible people. We’ve turned the page.” (link)
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#4: The Big 12 and Connecticut are in “serious negotiations” about the Huskies joining in all sports except Football in 2026, with Football to join in 2031, per Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger, who adds the two sides met in-person last week and Commissioner Brett Yormark will make a presentation to league presidents next week. Dellenger: “As part of any agreement with the conference, the school would need to increase its investment in the football program to a certain degree before joining the Big 12, at earliest, when the league’s new television deal begins in 2031.” Further, the conference is “in deep negotiations” with Allstate on a naming rights sponsorship and in discussion with multiple private equity partners “offering them a percentage stake in the conference for an immediate cash infusion of as much as $50 million to each school.” (link)
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#3: Have a look at Texas’ new video board, which will debut at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium this weekend. (link)
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#2: Villanova unveils a refreshed visual identity. Wildcats AD Mark Jackson: "The Villanova Athletics brand is incredibly strong, and these updates build upon the rich history, tradition and success of our athletic programs. Our student-athletes, fans and the entire Villanova community take great pride in representing Villanova, and I look forward to seeing the updates embraced by Nova Nation.” Villanova worked with VPCo. on the design. Have a look. (link)
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#1: Northwestern names Villanova AD Mark Jackson as its next AD, effective September 1. Northwestern President Michael Schill: "Mark has been extraordinarily successful at Villanova in supporting students' athletic and academic achievements. After talking to him, I trust that he will prioritize the welfare of our student-athletes and give them the support they need to succeed. I am fully confident in Mark's ability to lead Northwestern Athletics to new heights and am excited to see how he will transform our program." ESPN's Pete Thamel reported the news first. (link, link)
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