#10: The Membership Committee has reintroduced a recommendation to permit student-athletes to compete while enrolled at an institution with a formal academic agreement, so long as specific criteria are met. (link)
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#9: Bryn Athyn President Sean Connelly pens a letter detailing the changes the college is making to support its long-term viability. As you know, athletics will be discontinued in favor or a new club sports model. Connelly states Bryn Athyn’s athletics expenses comprised 12% of the college’s expenses, escalating to 21% when accounting for overhead, which is 400-700% higher than the national benchmark for non-football DIII members. Overall, 20 FTE positions will be eliminated – 11 in athletics, 4 in information technology and 5 in student and institutional support areas – as the college faces a cumulative operating deficit of $48.7M since 2007 and a “true deficit” of $3.4M. Connelly: “The core of our mission —our academic offerings and our extraordinary faculty —remains intact. No instructional positions were eliminated. This was by design. Our students deserve the depth, challenge, and inspiration that only this faculty can provide. And so, we turn toward the future. Nobody embraces change for its own sake. But sometimes, change is the only path to survival. And survival, when aligned with vision, can give way to renewal. We’ve trimmed back not to retreat, but to give our roots room to breathe —and from that resilience, new growth will come.” (link)
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#8: Pomona-Pitzer AD Miriam Merrill sits down with BOSCA Founder Jim Abbott to dive into the challenges and opportunities for Division III and small college athletics and lots more. Merrill identifies the trickle down of changes from DI as the key challenge, adding: “One of the things that we have to think about is try to think five steps ahead in worst case scenario is if things were to change and some of the money that we've had historically is no longer there how do we survive? I think we're seeing that now with some of the institutions and some of the conferences thinking about sponsorships with media right, and ours is one of them the SCIAC is now behind a pay wall with FloSports and that sponsorship was really about forecasting where we probably need to start to move as Division III so it's not this reactive response to ‘Oh my gosh these institutions have broken off and now where's the money going to come from?’” Should such an event happen without a long-term financial solution, Merrill believes regional competition would be feasible while the solution is determined. Further: “Right now, it's critical for us to capture quantitative data about who is watching, how they're watching, and how that could potentially leverage what revenues might get lost if folks decide to leave us.” Abbott ponders if there is a broader strategy to collaborate across DII, DIII and NAIA, especially given the significant number of programs in California that span all three affiliations. Tons more on BOSCA. (link)
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#7: The Championships Committee is recommending the creation of a DIII Coaches Connect Program that would “enhance the education and engagement of Division III coaches in governance and championships.” Topics for future discussion include FB AQ conferences for 2025-26, per diem increases, championship bench sizes and an exception for the AQ deadline for Volleyball citing the impact of NPI. (link)
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#6: SCAC Commissioner Dwayne Hanberry sits down with D3football’s Pat Coleman to discuss the departure of McMurry and Schreiner for the ASC. Hanberry notes he did hear from presidents that financial offers were made to depart the SCAC, as he continues: “Listen, I told my presidents, I've never sat in their chair. I've never had to answer to a board of trustees. I don't know what kind of pressure is on them, and I know a lot of people right now in higher ed are dealing with financial situations. I get it; so far be it for me to judge anyone for any decisions they make. With that said, you hope that people will be as straightforward with you and tell you what they're thinking at any given moment so you can try to plan accordingly.” On future membership moves, Hanberry: “The SCAC has never really made decisions based on football and football alone. We just haven’t - good, bad, or indifferent. We try to view things holistically. Of course, we acknowledge the importance of football, and certainly, I can tell you, one of our priorities is going to be to try to shore it up and get us back on the path to an AQ, but we won't make decisions that are strictly from the football side; we just won't.” Asked about a potential football scheduling agreement, Hanberry notes an agreement was in place prior to the ASC’s hire of Commissioner David Flores, but “for whatever reason, once the commissioner's change was made, I'm certainly not putting this at David's footsteps. I don't know what he knew when he came in and what he didn't know, but by the time he came aboard and he and I had a discussion, the parameters of that relationship had changed 180.” Full convo. (link)
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#5: Swarthmore promotes Men’s Basketball Assoc. HC Shane Loeffler to HC. AD Brad Koch: “Shane's overall disposition, passion for the game, and commitment to the ideals of the College have been evident since he arrived on campus as a former student-athlete. His ascension through the coaching ranks and earned credibility has prepared him for this moment, and I believe he will benefit our men's basketball program in very positive ways.” (link)
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#4: With the NEHC membership dispersing to the Little East, SUNYAC, UCHC and more, Salve Regina Men’s and Women’s Hockey do not reportedly have a home for 2025-26. Per D-III Hockey News, the Seahawks have applied to various leagues but not yet been accepted. (link)
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#3: Current and former Marymount swimmers filed a complaint against HC Chris Natoli alleging abusive behavior, “a pattern of forcing athletes to continue competing against doctors' orders,” and creating a “dangerous and toxic environment.” The university issued a statement to WUSA9 that reads in part: “The university follows a thorough, impartial review process in accordance with university policies, and after a comprehensive review found no merit to the allegations. An independent third-party investigation reached the same conclusion, and the coach remains in good standing with the university. Out of respect for all parties involved, we will not comment further on individual cases beyond affirming our commitment to a thorough and fair process.” In response, now multiple current student-athletes have spoken with the local news outlet defending Natoli. (link, link)
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#2: Alverno AD Katari Key is no longer leading the Inferno after four and a half years. Women's Soccer HC Corey Thompson is serving as Interim AD. (link)
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#1: Rosemont will merge with Villanova (DI) starting in 2027 with the merger to be complete in June 2028 as Villanova University, Rosemont Campus. Rosemont President Jim Cawley: “We are committed to securing the best possible options for our students, faculty and staff and believe this merger with Villanova offers the best opportunity to ensure that the Rosemont College history and legacy endures.” On the timing of the move: “During the transition, the first phase of which will start in 2027, Rosemont College's educational and many extracurricular activities will continue as planned—supported by Rosemont faculty and staff. Rosemont students who have not completed their degree by 2028 will have multiple options, which include the ability to transfer to Villanova’s College of Professional Studies where they will have the opportunity to complete a degree.” (link); The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Susan Snyder adds on athletics: “Rosemont’s sports teams will continue to play Division III athletics through spring 2026 and then sports will transition to the club level, the college said. The college plans to identify Division III colleges that will allow for athletes to transfer.” (link)
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