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#10: Western Washington will enact a series of structural and personnel changes that will see 25 positions cut this month, the majority of which are vacant, and 30 next academic year as it cuts $18M or 8% of its operating budget. There will be no change to athletics in the restructuring, as it will still report directly to President Sabah Randhawa. (link)
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#9: Alabama-Huntsville President Emeritus Robert Altenkirch and his wife Beth have created an endowment in honor of Softball HC Lorraine Stuedeman. (link) |
#8: Bemidji State teams up with FanWord to use FanWord Assist to more efficiently tell its story. (link) |
#7: Illinois Springfield selects Iowa (DI) Asst. Director of Compliance Scottie Moler as Assoc. AD for Compliance. (link)
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#6: The Daily Herald’s Mike McGraw chats with Roosevelt leaders about the transition to DII, with AD Michael Cassidy telling McGraw: “We thought it was a good move. It's a differentiator for our athletic department. We're Chicago's only NCAA Division II school. We just started athletics at Roosevelt in 2010, so I think this was part of our maturation process. I think we prepared ourselves well.” Cassidy added that the Lakers have no plans to move Football or Morris Field out of Arlington Heights, rather he hopes stadium expansion is in the cards for Roosevelt. More. (link)
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#5: The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel’s James Burky dives into the departure of Colorado Mesa Track and Field HC Brad Gamble and Cross Country HC Shane Niksix over the summer. The change came after friction between coaches and administration, with student-athletes expressing concerns over the manner in which the announcement was made – via a Zoom call in early June. According to Burky, student-athletes’ frustrations were sparked by the lack of an explanation by administrators about the move and the manner in which it was communicated. Burky adding: “In the meeting, McDermott said: ‘The money has been there for this program. Whether it’s been spent or not, it’s hard for me to say. But there is money there, there (are) scholarships there.’ Sources told the Sentinel that scholarship finances appeared to be a point of contention at the administrative level and between the track and field and cross country programs. Sources also said there were concerns over academic ineligibility and the rate of stress fractures in athletes.” President John Marshall on the handling of the personnel change: “One of our campus values is humility. And I think bringing that spirit of could we do things better? Did we do things as well as we possibly could have? I think we can always do things better. And I think you can look back and say we can always improve what we’re doing,” Marshall said. “If they’re concerned, that is valid. And if they’re concerned about it, then it’s real. And I think our task is to do our best to listen, try and address what we can. If it’s personnel-related, there’s limits to that.” (link)
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#4: Northern Michigan’s Superior Dome Showdown against Michigan State (DI) brought 11,500 fans to NMU. The event is believed to be the largest indoor event in the Upper Peninsula ever. AD Rick Comley: “[It was] 100% worth it, and to me, you can’t even measure the value because it’s the broadcast, it’s the national exposure it’s getting, it’s the reaction. In the building at the time, everybody had a smile, it didn’t matter where you were from. We had people from Sault Ste. Marie to Ironwood, to Iron Mountain to Lansing.” Men’s Basketball HC Matt Majkrzak: “The whole weekend had a dream-like quality to it. Everything was awesome and checked every box of what we were hoping to pull off. A Division II school hosting an event of this magnitude, I don't know how many could pull it off.” (link, link)
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#3: The DII Committee on Infractions has found former King Men’s and Women’s Volleyball HC Ryan Booher provided $4,500 in impermissible benefits to three student-athletes to cover differences in scholarship funds from what was promised and paid for impermissible meals for prospective student-athletes during unofficial visits. As a result, King has been hit with three years probation, a 0.03 and 0.07 scholarship reduction for women’s volleyball in 2024-25 and men’s volleyball in 2025-26 respectively, a three-year show-cause for Booher, vacation of records between January 2021 and October 2023 and more. (link)
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#2: Lenoir-Rhyne has tapped Collegiate Sports Associates to assist with its search for the next AD. Senior Executive Director of Development Andy Anderson will chair the 11-member search committee that includes two athletics administrators, two HCs, Bears Club President Matt Winters and more. (link)
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#1: The Hickory Daily Record’s Sarah Johnson gets comments from Lenoir-Rhyne supporters about the departure of VP of Athletics Kim Pate. Support John Moretz, whose name is on the Bears’ Football stadium, says he is reconsidering future donations to the institution and where they may be directed, stating: “This is not a decision that is good for the whole community of LR. I cannot go anywhere, to church, to Backstreets (restaurant), to any public place without people going, ‘What in the world is going on at LR?' […] But while I’ll support LR the question as to where it goes depends on how those who govern listen … Right now, the governing body, to me, is not making the proper decisions that support the community and what I think LR is here to do. […] I know the conversation among many is to give to the [Bears Champions Collective]. It is a safe place to invest in LR and make a positive impact with student athletes.” Former Bears Club President/football alumnus Bob Fincher adds: “The Board's silence and inaction, particularly in light of President (Fred) Whitt's ongoing involvement with the athletic department -- which has experienced significant leadership turnover -- are deeply concerning. […] For the university, or for any business, to not have safeguards in place that prevent an outgoing leader, senior leader, CEO, president, whatever, to not have safeguards in place that prevent an outgoing leader from making legacy decisions is negligent on the part of the board. It’s a lack of oversight and it gives me great concern. I would say the same thing for an incoming president or leader.” (link)
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