#10: Hanover officially names Kentucky Wesleyan (DII) VP for Athletics Mark Shook to the same role. President Lake Lambert: “We are thrilled to have such an experienced athletics director join Hanover College who can help build on our strong foundation. Athletics is a critical part of the holistic education that Hanover delivers to its students and I'm confident that Mark embraces that vision.” Spelman Johnson assisted with the search. (link)
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#9: Elmhurst Football HC Mike Murray resigns after two seasons at the helm to pursue another coaching position. (link) |
#8: Wisconsin Lutheran AD Skip Noon will retire at the end of the academic year after 27 years leading the Warriors. WLC President Daniel Johnson: “Skip's significant contributions to Warriors Athletics over the past 30-plus years cannot be overstated. We are grateful for his exceptional Christian servant leadership, accomplishments as an administrator and coach, and positive impact on WLC student-athletes, coaches, and staff past and present.” (link)
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#7: The Coast-to-Coast will add exploratory member Johnson & Wales Charlotte as its seventh full member starting in 2025-26. President Richard Mathieu: “Joining the C2C will elevate JWU Charlotte by giving our student-athletes the opportunity to compete against teams nationwide, excel in academics and leadership, and strengthen our impact while reflecting our core values.” Of note: “The Wildcats will be immediately eligible to compete in all C2C championships and are on pace to become a full NCAA Division III member for the 2028-29 academic year.” (link)
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#6: Sportico's Daniel Libit: "@EDcivilrights drops long-awaited Title IX/NIL guidance, putting onus on schools to ensure college athlete pay–even from outside sources–is gender-equity complaint. Big development 2 weeks before House settlement objections due." (link) More from Libit: "In a nine-page 'fact sheet' released Thursday, OCR clarified that, under Title IX, NIL money paid to college athletes should be held to the same gender-equity standards as athletic scholarships. Specifically, it stated that the amounts paid to athletes through NIL deals should be considered part of a school's athletic financial assistance, just as grants-in-aid and cost-of-attendance funds are. ... OCR further stressed that even when NIL payments are made by third parties, such as booster clubs or collectives, schools remain responsible for ensuring that these funds do not create sex-based disparities." (link) Full memo from the Department of Education. (link)
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#5: The SAA rolls out its new brand identity. Commissioner Stacey LaDew: “We feel confident that this new look positions our league positively for the future. It tells our story while highlighting the drive and commitment to excellence that defines all of our members. […] Launching this reimagined brand during such an exciting period of growth underscores the momentum within our conference.” (link)
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#4: St. John Fisher unveils an updated and expanded brand identity for the Cardinals through a partnership with Dixon Schwabl + CO. Interim AD Jen Granger: “We are thrilled to unveil these new logos as part of our commitment to broadening the array of marks available for our teams and coaching staff. This process has been a collaborative effort, involving input from our dedicated coaching staff as well as Fisher’s marketing team and other athletics staff, and has resulted in a cohesive and dynamic expanded logo system. With the addition of ice hockey to our sports lineup, we saw a perfect opportunity to reset and enhance our branding.” (link)
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#3: Bates selects Deputy AD Will Rothermel as Interim AD. Rothermel joined the Bobcats in September after serving as Assoc. VP & Chief Athletics & Recreation Officer at Saint Joseph's (ME) for two and a half years. (link)
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#2: Caltech AD Betsy Mitchell will step down this spring after 14 years leading the Beavers. Mitchell: “Over the past 14 years, the challenge of building this entire department, our athletic program, physical plant and reputation of Caltech Athletics has been the penultimate accomplishment of my professional career thus far and a real joy. […] We have quite literally built every single facet of this program into a respectable, successful integrated, educational program, of which, we can all be proud.” (link)
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#1: Denison AD Nan Carney-DeBord announces her retirement later this spring after 14 years leading the Big Red. President Adam Weinberg: “To say that Nan has been a transformational athletic director would be an understatement. Under Nan’s leadership, Denison has developed one of the premier Division III athletic programs. I have immense gratitude for the legacy Nan leaves behind and respect for the work she has done on behalf of the college.” (link)
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