D2.ticker - Eliminate the barrage of articles & time-consuming
searches. Efficient D2 athletics news every M/W/F.

Sport Management Solutions offers top-tier athletic communication services that significantly influence the engagement of each school’s target audience. Whether it’s crafting bios, recaps, or maintaining a website, partnering with us is akin to having an extra member on your athletic communications team! Contact us today to build a custom solution for your department.

D2.jobs powered by CollegeSports.jobs... New opportunities at College of New Jersey (DIII), Gannon and South Carolina (DI), below. Post your department-wide openings with CollegeSports.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

House v. NCAA:

+ U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken will not rule on the House settlement following yesterday's hearing, citing her hesitations with the proposed rules around boosters and third-party restrictions, adding: "It seems to me likely enough that there will be a settlement, even if there’s some changes to what’s been agreed to so far.” NCAA counsel Rakesh Kilaru subsequently remarked: "Based on your comments, we have to talk about whether we have a deal." During the hearing, Wilken suggested she would give preliminary approval to the Hubbard portion of the case and is "reluctant to stay Fontenot case," while encouraging the NCAA to request the Colorado judge overseeing that case to delay Fontenot. Fox Sports' Bryan Fischer adds: "NCAA counsel says they don’t want to finalize Hubbard settlement without doing House. House plaintiffs say it’s not an issue." Attorneys are scheduled to bring an amended settlement back before Wilken in three weeks. (link, link, link)

+ According to Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger and others, Wilken voiced particular concern over language in the settlement that specifically prohibits school boosters from compensating athletes through endorsement deals, as well as language prohibiting pay-for-play. Wilken is skeptical the NCAA could or should enforce such a rule and told Kilaru: “I think we’ve got problems with this. I don’t have an idea of how to fix this. I will throw it back on you all to come up with something better and consistent. Keep in mind that taking things away from people doesn’t work well.” Kilaru noted that such language is a “central part” of the settlement and told Wilken that “without it, I’m not sure there will be a settlement to submit.” Dellenger also reports: “Kilaru made clear that the NCAA wants all three cases – House, Hubbard and Carter – to be approved or there is no agreement to settle any of them. Hubbard is in the best position to be approved, but the judge, based on Kilaru’s comments, did not approve it.” During the hearing, plaintiffs’ attorney Jeffrey Kessler informed Wilken that plaintiffs and defendants were “not trying to make anything prohibited [in the settlement] that was not already prohibited. This was not designed to eliminate NIL from boosters currently prohibited.” To which Wilken responded: “That may be your view, but I’m not sure that is the NCAA’s view.” After the hearing, one power conference president told Dellenger: “It’s truly madness. There is no reason to settle under these circumstances. Go to trial and take our chances on appeal.” (link)

+ Sportico’s Michael McCann observes that Wilken “also expressed worry about a hypothetical person – ‘a six-year old playing kickball on asphalt’ – who, if they eventually become a college athlete a dozen years from now, will be subject to the settlement. Kessler and Kilaru insisted the athlete would have a voice on settlement terms since new class representatives would be added as the years go on. Kessler also argued that college sports will be better for the six-year-old with the settlement than without since the settlement offers ‘an incredibly improved system with billions of dollars of compensation, no scholarship limits and not having to wait to bring their own antitrust cases,’ which would require many years of litigation.” McCann reiterates that “Kilaru repeatedly told Wilken that his client agreed to a deal as is and is not necessarily willing to move forward with another deal, which presumably would necessitate making more concessions on NIL in order to satisfy Wilken.” (link)

+ Kessler tells ESPN’s Dan Murphy that he’s comfortable with Wilken’s suggestion to remove the new language about NIL collectives from the settlement. "We are perfectly fine with those changes. It's now up to the NCAA. Hopefully, they'll agree to them. If the deal falls apart, we go back to trial. If they want to face that, it's a decision they have to make.” (link); Kessler also says he wants Wilken to set a deadline because there's a chance they can't reach a new settlement and the cases go back on the docket, per Sportico’s Michael McCann, who adds: “Pretty stunning development. This NCAA settlement that's been talked about like a done deal now has a good chance of collapsing.” (link)

+ NCAA President Charlie Baker today wrote in a letter to the membership: “Last night’s hearing did not go as we hoped. The court posed worthwhile questions that the NCAA began working through immediately last night with our partners in the conferences. … Our next step will be responding to the court’s questions. As we prepare to do that, we will discuss the issues with the appropriate NCAA governance groups, including student-athletes and campus and conference administrators. Regarding the Fontenot and Cornelio lawsuits, we are advocating to address these claims, which are the same as the ones at issue in the House, Carter and Hubbard cases. However, the Colorado cases are being litigated by different plaintiffs’ lawyers from those in California. Our belief is that either the federal judge in California or the federal judge in Colorado will recognize the duplicate claims and view the settlement to have addressed the student-athlete claims in all cases." Full letter. (link)

+ The NCAA says in a statement: “The settlement agreement the NCAA and autonomy conferences submitted to the court was the product of hard-fought negotiations that would bring stability to and sustainability to college sports while maintaining an education-based model that equips hundreds of thousands of students every year with with degrees and tools to succeed throughout their life. That continues to be our goal and the NCAA and autonomy conferences will carefully consider the court’s questions, which are not uncommon in the context of class action settlements.” (link)

Central Oklahoma AD Stan Wagnon chats with The Oklahoman’s Joe Mussatto about the Bronchos’ future and says of a possible jump to DI: “There’s probably a study somewhere on a shelf that we could point back too. We probably need to pull it off the shelf and say, ‘Where are we now?’ […] It’s all up in the air until we get that clarity of what’s gonna happen at the highest level. […] I think you’re going to see us use athletics to better the overall brand and identity of the university. Whether that entails moving to Division-I or not, I don’t think we’ve answered that question … but we’re willing to ask the question and then answer it for ourselves.” On the state of DII: “The Division-II membership now is not what it used to be. Most of the new schools coming into Division-II don’t look like UCO. There’s a lot of them that are private, there’s a lot of them that don’t play football, so I think it’s wise for us to pay attention to the landscape and be ready for the next opportunity that comes our way.” Asked about President Todd Lamb’s aspirations for UCO: “I think he has aspirations for UCO and what it could become. We’re the third-largest university in the state, and I think he wants us to start acting like it.” (link)

Teamworks has acquired Zelus Analytics, a sports intelligence platform which helps elite sports organizations by blending rich data sources to inform roster construction, player development, game preparation, and in-game strategy decisions. Teamworks Founder/CEO Zach Maurides: “Whether it’s deciding who to recruit, trade, start, or develop – teams effectively using all the data at their disposal have a clear competitive advantage. It was critical for us to find the best in the business and bring that to our customers. It didn’t take us long to realize Zelus was that company.” On how Zelus will fit into the Teamworks Operating System: “Integrations with popular ball and player tracking data providers capture, clean, and transform millions of data points into an analytics-optimized format. […] Integrations with Teamworks AMS and Nutrition will enable teams to connect off-field preparation with on-field outcomes to drive future performance. In the ever-changing world of collegiate athletics, Zelus will integrate with Teamworks Recruiting to drive data-backed player evaluations and inform athlete earnings decisions.” (link)

Indiana (PA) Football HC Paul Tortorella chats with the Indiana Gazette’s Matthew Burglund about the “trickle-up” consequences of roster limits coming to DI as a result of the proposed House settlement. Tortorella says the increase from the 85 FBS scholarship limit to a roster limit of 105 “will make it hard to recruit. You’re going to have to recruit differently.” Further: “Everybody in Division II will be hurt by this. It’s not like we’re just going to be affected. It’s going to water down the talent level, but it’s going to water down the talent level for everybody in Division II. […] The days of guys staying at their school and playing three or four years in Division I are over. The guys that aren’t playing are going to want to leave. The guys that are playing, if they are good, are going to want to leave for more money. So it leaves you with average players that are playing a little bit and can’t go anywhere else, and that’s who will be available to us.” (link)

Facility Features:

+ New Mexico Highlands unveils a new court at John A. Wilson Complex with varying shades of purple. Co-AD Shanna Halalilo: “The general idea was coming up with something that was going to set us apart. I think we’ve all seen courts that have their own style but what we were going for was something unique. We wanted it to celebrate who we are.” The $440K upgrade comes alongside a $154K investment in upgrading the acoustics in the Wilson Complex. As for what’s next for NMHU, Halalilo says the focus will shift to lights for baseball and softball, a new track and a new scoreboard and lights at Sanchez Family Stadium. (link)

+ Southwest Minnesota State will start selling alcohol at The Schwan Regional Event Center this season. (link)

Membership Moves:

+ The MPSF will add Men’s and Women’s Wrestling to its portfolio this season, with Cal Poly Humboldt, Menlo, San Francisco State, and Vanguard to compete on the men’s side and Menlo and Vanguard to compete on the women’s side. (link)

+ Kutztown accepts an invitation to join the MEC in 2025 as an associate member in Acrobatics & Tumbling. (link)

Coaches.wire:

+ Colorado School of Mines Softball HC Mike Coutts steps down after three seasons at the helm to accept the same position at Rhode Island (DI). (link)

+ Check out this morning’s edition of Coaches.wire, which today includes changes to coaching staffs across 33 different collegiate sports. (link)

Deal Digest:

+ Minnesota Duluth partners with Teamworks Influencer to launch the UMD Bulldogs Exchange and expand its student-athlete NIL program. (link)

+ Southern Connecticut State inks an extension with SIDEARM Sports through 2028 as the Owls roll out their revamped website. (link)

+ A-G Specialty Insurance has acquired Gallagher’s Bollinger TPA Services. A-G Specialty Insurance CEO Dixon Gillis: “Adding Gallagher’s Bollinger TPA into our organization represents a major step forward in our mission to provide unparalleled insurance solutions. Their deep industry knowledge, combined with their commitment to excellence, aligns perfectly with our values and vision.” (link)

More Higher Ed:

+ Wheeling taps COO Diana Vargo as its next president. (link)

+ Saint Augustine's has secured funding to conduct classes this fall and is working to receive more to cover overdue salaries and student refunds, per WRAL, who adds SAU has a fall enrollment of 200. (link)

Interested in advertising a job opening in D2.ticker? Click here to submit your position. Post your department-wide openings with CollegeSports.jobs, where thousands of administrators coaches get news and updates about the world of college sports.

(Posted from most recent over the last 30 days)

(NEW!) Assistant Athletic Trainer (The College of New Jersey / Ewing, NJ): Responsibilities of the Assistant Athletic Trainer include assisting in providing athletic training services to varsity intercollegiate athletes. (DIII) More details HERE.

(NEW!) Assistant Coach, Men's & Women's Swimming (Gannon University / Erie, PA): The assistant coach will assist in coaching, managing, and directing all aspects of a competitive, NCAA Division II, intercollegiate swimming program. More details HERE.

(NEW!) Assistant Women's Tennis Coach (University of South Carolina / Columbia, SC): Assistant coach will support the women’s tennis program at the University of South Carolina by assisting with coaching, recruiting, and providing essential logistical support. (DI) More details HERE.

Vice President for Athletics (Hanover College / Hanover, IN): The vice president for athletics at Hanover College oversees all aspects of Hanover’s NCAA Division III athletic program. (DIII) More details HERE.

Associate Athletic Director of External Relations (Lewis University / Romeoville, IL): The Associate Athletic Director for External Operations position will collaborate with internal and external constituents for strategic planning of the athletic department and university. More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Athletic Development and External Affairs (Texas A&M International University / Laredo, TX): Assists Development Officers and Institutional Advancement in securing philanthropic support for athletics. More details HERE.

Athletic Trainer (Texas A&M International University / Laredo, TX): The Athletic Trainer prevents, cares and treats injuries to athletes using necessary knowledge of injury patterns and modern principles of athletic training. More details HERE.

Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach (Grand Valley State University / Allendale, MI): Position serves as the leader of the NCAA intercollegiate women’s lacrosse program that recruits and retains quality student-athletes who achieve student-athlete success on and off from the field. More details HERE.

Director of Athletics Communications (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) / Kansas City, MO): The Director of Athletics Communications is responsible for the leadership and oversight of the department's day-to-day operations. (NAIA) More details HERE.

Director of Athletics Media Relations (Coker University / Hartsville, SC): Director of Athletics Media Relations. More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Trainer (University of Texas at Dallas / Richardson, TX): UTD seeks experienced and energetic athletic trainer who will provide education, assessment, treatment and prevention services for athletic-related injuries and illnesses. More details HERE.

Assistant Men’s and Women’s Swimming Coach (Grand Valley State University / Allendale, MI): Reports to the Head Swimming and Diving Coach and assists in all aspects of the program, including and not limited to, coaching, recruiting, camps and swim lessons. More details HERE.

Director of Advancement & Stewardship (Rose Bowl Stadium / Pasadena, CA): The Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, the 501c3 of the Rose Bowl Stadium, is recruiting for a Dir. of Advancement & Stewardship to support the preservation, protection and enhancement of America's Stadium. More details HERE.

Head Softball Coach (Adelphi University / Garden City, NY): The head softball coach is responsible for the recruitment and retention of quality student-athletes. More details HERE.

Director of Intercollegiate Athletics (University of Indianapolis / Indianapolis, IN): The University of Indianapolis (UIndy) seeks an experienced, relational, and strategic leader to serve as the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics (AD). More details HERE.

Director of Athletics (Knox College / Galesburg, IL): Reporting to the President and serving on the President’s, the Director of Athletics oversees operations of the College's intercollegiate athletics program, as well as campus recreation. (DIII) More details HERE.

Ticket Sales & Service Manager (Pepperdine University / Malibu, CA): The Ticket Sales and Service Manager is responsible for managing the Pepperdine Athletics Ticket Office needs for indicated sports regularly, while managing postseason ticketing needs for all sports. (DI) More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director for Partnerships & Fundraising (Northwest Missouri State University / Maryville, MO): Position is responsible primarily for building the corporate sponsorship base and running fundraising events for the department and individual sport programs. More details HERE.

Deputy Athletics Director / Chief Revenue Officer (University of California – Los Angeles – UCLA / Los Angeles, CA): Lead our revenue-generating efforts & bring your strategic thinking skills, deep understanding of the industry, proven leadership success, & strong constituent engagement abilities to UCLA’s program. (DI) More details HERE.

Assistant Softball Coach (St. Mary's University – Texas / San Antonio, TX): This position teaches and instructs on the technical and motivational aspects of softball. As well as develops, coordinates and supervises the practice and training of student-athletes. More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Trainer (University of Illinois at Springfield / Springfield, IL): The primary function of this position is to be Assistant Athletic Trainer working under the supervision of Head Athletic Trainer providing support for intercollegiate athletic teams at UIS. More details HERE.

Visiting Assistant Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track and Field Coach (University of Illinois at Springfield / Springfield, IL): This position is eligible for a tuition waiver as well as a stipend for on campus housing for 2024-25. More details HERE.

Associate Athletic Director for Compliance (University of Illinois at Springfield / Springfield, IL): The Associate Athletics Director for Compliance will strategically plan, implement, manage, and enforce all aspects of NCAA, GLVC, and UIS compliance for all UIS intercollegiate sport programs. More details HERE.

Assistant Baseball Coach (Missouri Western State University / St Joseph, MO): The Assistant Baseball Coach will assist the Head Baseball Coach w/ all aspects of our baseball program. Will coach and monitor the development and wellbeing of student athletes. Also Recruits talent More details HERE.

Head Acro-Tumbling Coach (Emmanuel University (Georgia) / Franklin Springs, GA): Emmanuel University, located in northeast Georgia, is accepting applications for an immediate opening for a full-time Head Acrobatics and Tumbling Coach. More details HERE.

Unsubscribe

D2.ticker, Louisville, KY 40207 USA