#10: With 858 points, Ohio State led second-place Texas (758.75 points) in the updated LEARFIELD Directors’ Cup standings. Stanford is third with 754.50 points, followed by North Carolina (686.50) Alabama (634.25) in the top five. At the conference level, the ACC led all DI conferences with seven institutions in the top 25, including North Carolina (4), NC State (9), Virginia (10), Notre Dame (12), Louisville (15), Duke (17) and Pittsburgh (22). (link)
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#9: UTEP WBB HC Baker steps down after six seasons. Baker, the reigning Conference USA co-COY: “After careful consideration of a generous extension offer from UTEP and weighing my options moving forward, I have decided to end my tenure with the Miners. This has been a tough decision for me, but I think the time is right for me to move on to the next chapter of my life, spend more time near family, and begin searching for a new career path.” (link)
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#8: Action Network’s Rovell reports that LifeWallet, the publicly-traded company led by prominent Miami (FL) supporter Ruiz, is “in disarray. Amid million-dollar sponsorships for collegiate athletes, the company faces litigation from its original founder, missed a recent earnings call and has had its stock price fall so low that the Nasdaq may boot LifeWallet altogether.” Specifically, Rovell notes the stock opened last year at slightly above $10 per share but has dipped below $1 and remained there for the past two weeks. Furthermore, per Rovell, “Ruiz provided guidance that 2022 revenue would approach $1B. When the company first reported quarterly earnings, the numbers were paltry. Nine months of revenue yielded just $3.9M after projecting income of $992M. Operating losses were $118M. The company says the projected income will now come next year.” More. (link)
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#7: Virginia Tech Softball AC Gillis is no longer part of the staff, despite still being listed “in multiple places on the Tech athletics website,” according to the Roanoke Times’ Berman. Hokies AD Babcock explains that “we felt it was best that he no longer be on the staff” but declined to go into specifics except to add the decision came after a “process.” Babcock also noted Gillis remains a Tech employee because his letter of appointment has not expired. Hokies HC D’Amour also declined to go into detail, saying only: “I’ll just let Whit speak for it.” (link)
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#6: LSU’s NCAA Final Four hype video was narrated by Lil Wayne. “A lot can change in two years. All you have to do is believe.” (link) |
#5: Brown has released its new strategic plan, which includes the strategic priorities of competing with distinction; broad-based participation supporting campus wellness; personal growth through holistic development and sport performance; driving community engagement; and building infrastructure, optimizing resources and investing in people. Bears AD Calhoun: “We are pursuing bold goals while leading with our values, with integrity, an education-first mindset, and a strong culture of inclusion and belonging.” Full plan. (link)
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#4: Jim Nantz signed off after 32 years of calling the Final Four: “Everybody has a story. Everybody has a story to tell. Just try to tell that story, and be kind. Let me say one more thing. To everybody in college basketball, my family and all the viewers, thank you for being my friend.” (link)
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#3: Texas A&M-Commerce has gone official with the news of hiring Florida State Senior Assoc. AD Curry as its new AD. Curry: “The vision, alignment and commitment from President Rudin and the university leadership team to pursue championships and develop a first-class student-athlete experience are undeniable. This is an exciting time to be a Lion, and I look forward to engaging all our supporters and university stakeholders as we embrace this transformative opportunity together.” (link)
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#2: Iowa fully embraced the Texas vibe with Hawkeyes-branded cowgirl hats & jean jackets. (link) |
#1: “Crying Northwestern Kid,” the young Northwestern fan who was immortalized as a meme six years ago during March Madness, has turned that viral experience into a successful Harvard admissions essay. John Phillips, the son of ACC Commissioner and then-Northwestern AD Jim Phillips, explains the moment taught him a lesson about empathy, noting the social media world can be a cruel place. “People online and in-person routed me with false stories and negative comments: I was spoiled, I was over-emotional, I was a sore loser. Not a single person who criticized me knew my backstory or my heart. … I was passionate because this team was family to me. But the internet didn't know this when they spread my crying reactions everywhere." With some time and distance, Phillips eventually realized that “this doesn't have to be a negative thing. This can be a positive thing, and I could really embrace it.” (link)
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