Eliminate the barrage of articles & time-consuming searches.

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uReport is a patent-pending service that allows schools to tell their own stories through a human powered/AI assisted experience. It helps to create full AP-style articles about events and other athletic news that schools can easily publish and distribute.

"We believe that uReport can be a great fit for our schools, many of which have limited sports information staffing and resources. Any technology that has the potential to increase coverage and content while minimizing work load is a positive for our schools."

Eric Ward, Commissioner, WHAC; Mike Hall, Commissioner, SSAC

Eric & Mike serve on the leadership group of the Conference Alliance

that includes all NAIA conferences.

NAIA.jobs powered by CollegeSports.jobs ... New opportunities at California Baptist (DI) and St. Lawrence (DIII), 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 one year? Learn more about all job posting options HERE or contact jobs@driveandcompany.com

Missouri Valley AD Mike Machholz has resigned after more than three decades in Marshall. Machholz, who has been on suspension for the last three weeks, writes in a letter to coaches: ”Many rumors have been circulating and I want to end all speculations related to it. This was a complete accident where many students came onto the field of play during a game. When I attempted to run to the fray I accidentally pushed a student to avoid a collision. Ultimately this student suffered minor scratches from falling. As a result, I was sent home two days later after a video of the incident surfaced. […] I have been removed as Athletic Director of MVC and given two options after almost 35 yrs of loyal service: 1). Retire with 2 months pay and sign an NDA or 2). Take a 38% pay cut and two step demotion. […] I have never been above hard work and often cleaned the restrooms, among other things, as the AD, but I can not feel good about continuing to serve this institution when I no longer fit the current administration’s vision.” (link)

Siena Heights AD Sue Syljebeck joins NAIA.ticker’s Kristen Eargle for a Small College Conversation to discuss the Saints’ new sport programs, pain points of growing enrollment through athletics, what’s next for SHU and more. With a number of sports added during her time at SHU and Women’s Flag Football to come online this spring, Syljebeck says some new additions have allowed the university to tap into new markets, with just six of the 20 Flag FB student-athletes from Michigan and the others coming from Florida, Georgia, Texas and elsewhere. On the pain points in adding sports: “For us, facilities are the pain point. So I told you when I started we were 300 athletes and 600 students. We just came in at 807 athletes and 1,110 students on our main campus. […] Working with academics to see if we can have a practice time that our classes don't run so our students aren't having to choose between going to class and or practicing, which they must choose the class route, but it puts a strain on them that they're not going to be able to be at practice. So those are some of the pain points that I see, definitely especially winter in Michigan, we need indoor facilities. Syljebeck says SHU is still looking at potential sport additions and working to get existing sports in a better position, adding: “We've just revamped, with the help of admissions and a company, we've revamped our scholarshipping so our coaches now will have control of it like in a pot situation or a budget, so they're we're super excited about that.” Check out more on BOSCA. (link)

College of Idaho Men’s Basketball is partnering with the Jae Foundation to raise awareness for the foundation’s mental health awareness mission while the Yotes’ jerseys will feature the foundation logo. HC Colby Blaine: “The foundation has an impactful story to tell, and we are honored to help spread the message. With the addition of their logo to our jerseys and multiple Jae Foundation games throughout our season, we will be able to positively impact a lot of people in our community, our state, and around the nation. The foundation has played a large role in our continued success over the last three years. We are beyond thankful for the foundation encouraging us to have bold conversations about real topics. If sharing our experiences with others positively impacts one person, that's a win for everyone.” (link)

Quick Hits:

+ Former Huntington Track & Field HC Nick Johnson has been sentenced to one year in jail and another year of supervised release and probation after a felony sexual battery guilty charge last month. (link)

+ Former Monmouth (NCAA DIII) SID Chris Pio is out with his fourth iteration of his Nicknames and Mascots book series focused on the NAIA, titled Mustangs, Mariners and Moose: Nicknames and Mascots of the NAIA and other non-NCAA Groups. (link)

SBJ’s Ethan Joyce takes a look at how the Cleveland Cavaliers are approaching Artificial Intelligence and notes the team has a “business intelligence group that features three people with an AI focus: Senior Director/Development Operations Adam Schneider, Data Analyst Quinn Spangler and AI Solutions Architect Ben Levicki. The unit is considered the core of the Cavs’ effort to move forward with AI, pairing with a data operations group and an advanced analytics group in an effort to promote efficient growth.” Levicki’s role in particular appears to be unique in sports, and Cavs SVP for Business Strategy Kevin O’Toole says: “That role is focused on how do we take AI as a technology and implement it more effectively within our business. We have machine learning in other forms, but specific to generative AI, we started with building a lot of use cases. … It’s not just a technology role, but it’s one that has to implement business value.” As a franchise, the Cavs have been utilizing AI for the past five years and have used machine learning to develop a dynamic ticket-pricing model. But O’Toole notes AI is “evolving so rapidly that it's very difficult to stay ahead of that and understand how you can gain efficiencies, how you can drive revenue if it's constantly evolving? So having a resource in house that is staying abreast of the topic, whatever that topic is related to technology, gives us that advantage.” (link)

@1QLeadership Question: Can a team show consistent growth if most of the players come from the transfer portal?

From the 2023 AVCA Convention, Matt Buttermore, Head Volleyball Coach at Omaha, talks about what he valued about the volleyball day matchup, which pitted Omaha against Nebraska and saw record attendance and viewership. He also gives his thoughts on transfers and NIL.

• you don't know exactly how a transfer will fit in

• we can't try to do the same things we did last year

• if we keep growing great teams, the sport will continue to grow

The conversation wraps with Buttermore sharing advice for people who want to be in a head coaching role. 🎧 on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Interested in advertising a department opening in NAIA.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!) Associate Athletic Director - External and Corporate Relations (California Baptist University / Riverside, CA): Oversee external unit of the athletic department that emphasizes corporate sponsorships and sales, brand management, marketing, and other external units; and, possible sports supervision. (DI) More details HERE.

(NEW!) Head Coach - Women's Lacrosse (St. Lawrence University / Canton, NY): St. Lawrence University invites applications for a Head Coach for Women’s Lacrosse to direct the development, organization and management of all phases of this Division III Women’s Lacrosse program. (DIII) More details HERE.

Athletic Performance Graduate Assistant (Northwestern College / Orange City, IA): NWC is looking for an athletic performance graduate assistant to help design and implement strength and conditioning programs. More details HERE.

Head Coach, Men's Soccer (Midway University / Midway, KY): Midway University, located 14 miles outside Lexington, KY, is actively seeking a full-time head coach to lead our men’s soccer program. More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director of Human Resources (University of Southern California / Los Angeles, CA): USC seeks a Senior Associate Athletic Director for Human Resources to lead HR initiatives, drive leadership development, and align HR strategies with USC’s mission. (DI) More details HERE.

Vice President of Marketing (Florida Victorious / Gainesville, FL): Florida Victorious, Proud NIL Partner of the Florida Gators, is looking for a creative thinker with drive who can continue to increase brand awareness and participation in our organization! (DI) More details HERE.

Director of Integrated Marketing (NAIA.ticker/Drive & Company / Remote): Drive brand awareness of its publications & products, the cross-promotion of its portfolio and work in unison with our dozens of advertising partners to ensure positive results via marketing campaigns. More details HERE.

Deputy Athletic Director, External Affairs (Northwest Missouri State University / Maryville, MO): Deputy AD responsible for external arms of the department: corporate sponsorships, booster club, and fundraising specifically. (DII) More details HERE.

Executive Director (College Sports Communicators / Fully Remote, US): College Sports Communicators (CSC) is seeking a proven and innovative leader with passion for the college sports communications and content creation industry to serve as its next Executive Director. More details HERE.

Head Softball Coach (Colorado School of Mines / Golden, CO): Colorado School of Mines Department of Athletics invites applications for the Head Softball Coach. Mines is a public research university devoted to engineering and applied science. (DII) More details HERE.

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