D2.ticker Top Ten - the most clicked stories of the past week |
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#10: North Georgia selects Georgia College Baseball HC Nolan Belcher for the same role leading the Nighthawks. (link) |
#9: Queens (NY) names MCLA (DIII) Women’s Basketball HC Will Brown as the Knights’ next HC. (link) |
#8: West Liberty hires Coker Men’s Basketball HC Michael Lamberti as the Hilltoppers’ next HC. (link) |
#7: Missouri Western will discontinue Men’s and Women’s Track & Field effective immediately. AD Andy Carter: “This decision is in no way a reflection of their performance or commitment. It is a necessary step to address broader challenges, prepare for an ever-changing landscape in intercollegiate athletics and to ensure a sustainable future. I am a competitor. The thought of giving up or quitting our pursuit of a new track facility is not in my nature. However, I am a realist and we have just not been able to provide the necessary facilities to support these student-athletes. It was not the outcome any of us desired, but it is the responsible thing to do.” MWSU also notes the “decision will allow a much more robust investment in the MWSU cross country programs.” (link)
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#6: BOSCA Founder Jim Abbott pens on the future of small college athletics, writing in part: “Small college athletic leaders should be contemplating this scenario now. What would happen if the funding from the NCAA stopped or was dramatically reduced when the NCAA’s current television agreement expires in 2032? For Division 2 and 3 schools, this would likely require an increase in the amount of conference dues paid (or a decrease in services provided for the conference) and additional budget dollars available for post-season travel. In short, the cost of doing business would increase significantly for schools that are already facing enrollment drops and budget cuts. For the most successful schools, post-season travel alone could become a $500,000 or more annual expense. […] Whether there is a precipitous drop in the NCAA funding model or not, there is no denying that significant changes are on the horizon for small college athletics. The question is should you wait until your circumstances force you to address this or should you be planning for this eventuality now? […] When I contemplate the future of small college higher education, I believe more resolutely than ever that athletics will continue to be an important part of campus. That having been said, it must be reimagined in a way that allows the institutions to sustainably support it. Most likely this will mean a reorganization of schools to create more geographically centered conferences with like-minded and funded missions.” Abbott pinpoints two immediate impediments to this solution: conference buyouts that can range from $25K to $250K that limit the flexibility of schools and ego. “Ego is the biggest challenge in making a decision like this. It’s rare to see schools like Azusa Pacific (or Hartford and St. Francis) make a decision that is perceived as moving down. That having been said, do your alumni really differentiate a victory over Occidental College as opposed to Biola University? The answer is unequivocally no. […] The reality is that for many schools the environment that led them to transition years ago has now changed (or the makeup of the league they moved to has changed) and as a result, what seemed like a logical decision at the time isn’t so obvious anymore.” (link)
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#5: Lees-McRae promotes Assoc. AD Ed Winters to AD as Bobcats AD Marty Favret steps down for personal reasons. SVP for Enrollment Management Kevin Phillips: “Ed brings a great deal of experience that we need to continue our pursuit of excellence at the NCAA Division II level. As a former coach and current administrator, he is well respected among our coaches and staff and understands the needs of today's student-athletes and Lees-McRae College as an institution. He is the right person to follow Marty Favret, who guided us through a challenging time in the aftermath of the incredible damage caused by Hurricane Helene last fall.” (link)
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#4: As it celebrates its 25th season of competition, the GNAC rolls out its new brand. Details: “The refreshed logo captures the essence of the conference, featuring geographic elements synonymous with the league’s broad footprint across the Western United States and Canada. The six pine trees represent the five states and one Canadian province where the GNAC’s core members are located, with a mountain range in the background and a winding river connecting the elements centrally. The new logo maintains the league’s longtime primary colors of blue and green, in congruence with the region’s Pacific Ocean and expansive national parks and forests.” (link)
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#3: Welcome to College.town! Drive & Company has announced the launch of new brand identity – College.town – to serve as the unifying umbrella for its comprehensive suite of influential publications, products and services, including D1.ticker, CollegeSports.jobs, D1.dossiers, AthleticDirectorU and others. College.town Founder & CEO Matt Roberts: “Today marks an exciting new chapter for our company and, more importantly, for the community we serve. The creation of College.town is about more than just a new name. It’s about clarifying our commitment to being the central gathering place for the college athletics industry.” Welcome to the crossroads where ambition meets action. Welcome to the gathering place that powers the people who power college athletics. Welcome to College.town. (link)
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#2: Sioux Falls rolls out a new brand identity. AD Jon Hart: “This logo represents more than just a new look—it reflects the energy, pride and future of our athletics program. We've modernized our identity to better connect with today's students, while honoring the strength of our tradition and deepening of our roots in the Sioux Falls community. We can't wait for students, staff, alumni and fans to rally behind it.” Mongoose Sports assisted with the rebrand. (link)
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#1: Christian Brothers AD Chris Parker will resign at the end of the academic year to become the inaugural Region 2 Commissioner for the NJCAA. Parker has been leading the Buccaneers since June 2023. (link)
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