D2.ticker - Eliminate the barrage of articles & time-consuming
searches. Efficient D2 athletics news every M/W/F.
North Georgia will break ground June 3 on its long-awaited convocation center which is being built to replace the smaller, outdated Memorial Hall as the university's primary event center when it opens in 2018. UNG received $3.5m from the state legislature for planning and design funds in 2015 and $29.3m this year in construction funding. However, the university still needs $2.5m for the athletics areas of the facility. VP For Advancement Tarnowski: "While we are thrilled and honored to have this incredible facility coming to our campus, we also know that private and corporate support is going to be imperative if we are going to have full use of it for our athletic teams. We are pleased to have the opportunity to raise $2.5 million through the help of UNG's dedicated alumni and supporters, whose love, pride and passion for this institution are second to none." - link
Millersville has named Delaware Valley (DIII) MBB HC Stitzel to the same position. AD Gallagher on the two-time MAC Freedom (DIII) Coach of the Year: "We wanted a coach that fit our values and department culture. It was important to have someone that aligned with my vision for the basketball program. Casey has a clear plan for restoring the rich history and tradition of the program and getting it back to a championship level. I'm confident that Casey will do this by recruiting the right type of students that fit academically at Millersville while also being able to compete athletically at the highest level." - link
Texas A&M-Commerce has signed WBB HC Burton to a three-year contract that goes through the 2018-19 season with opportunities in the agreement to extend it through 2021. Burton's teams accumulated 30 wins and a .526 winning percentage during his first two years, both programs highs for a coach during his first two seasons. - link
Wheeling Jesuit's Cardinal Athletic Club presented a $50k check to the university to be used toward resurfacing the track at Bishop Schmitt Field. The gift will be part of WJU's second Overdrive Challenge, which is a one day fundraising event on May 27 designed to raise $200K. All gifts made toward the track resurfacing will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Cardinal Athletic Club. - link
California of PA WTEN HC Montana, which reached the DII Sweet 16 for the 10th straight year, has turned to recruiting international players via an alumni pipeline and video highlights to bolster his roster. Montana estimates that 85% of the time he offers scholarships to international players without meeting them. And then there are the cultural benefits of int'l recruiting: "It's awesome because you have cultures from all over the world, and you see how someone expresses themselves in one way versus how someone expresses themselves in another way. I love having dinner with the team on away trips because we tell stories. I think it's very educational. Our players learn from each other. I learn from them." - link
19 Chestnut Hill alumni talk about why they have taken various athletic positions at the school (1 admin, 18 coaching) after graduating. MBB AC McFadden: "More than anything, the sense of family hasn't changed from 2006 to now. From the day I arrived as a scrawny freshman guard to a first year coaching novice, Chestnut Hill has been more than a college experience; it's been home." - link
The NCAA has banned North Alabama's softball team from using dugout props during games. The NCAA made the ruling after UNA's DII Women’s College World Series win earlier this week. HC Cozart on the ruling: "It is a little (disappointing) because it’s us. It’s our personality, and I love our personality. It’s a big reason we are here. But I understand it’s a policy and they want to do what is right for all the teams." - link
NCAA championships updates:
+ Saint Leo frosh S-A Bernard won SLU's first national title in any sport, breaking the tournament record at -13 to capture the individual title at the Men’s Golf Championships. The medal match play quarterfinals are set for this morning. - link
+ Rollins has a commanding lead after Day 2 at the Women's Golf Championships. - link
+ Florida Southern and Adelphi are set to face off in the women's LAX championship game tomorrow. - link
+ North Alabama awaits the winner of Humboldt State and Armstrong State to play for the national championship at the Women's Softball Championships. - link
+ Armstrong State will take on Saint Leo in one semifinal while Ferris State and Hawaii Pacific will face off in the other semifinal at the Men's Tennis Championships. - link
+ Armstrong State will play Hawaii Pacific in one seminal while Saint Leo and BYU-Hawaii will do battle in the other semifinal at the Women's Tennis Championships. - link
+ Day 1 of the baseball regionals was yesterday. - link
Two more conferences revealed their all-sports trophy winners:
+ Augustana earned the NSIC US Bank All-Sports Award for the fourth time in the past six years. - link
+ Nova Southeastern captured the women’s Sunshine State Conference Mayors’ Cup. The Sharks last won the all-sports trophy following the 2007-08 academic year. - link
+ Saint Leo claimed the men’s Sunshine State Conference Mayors’ Cup all-sports trophy for the third time in four years. - link
In its final season before starting the transition to DII membership, the #1 seeded Auburn Montgomery (NAIA) softball team defeated #2 seeded Central Methodist to earn the right to head back to Sioux City, Iowa to defend their NAIA National Championship. - link
Admin and Olympic sport coaching movement:
+ Gannon has hired Ashland Grad Asst. SID Rex to be the assistant AD for media relations. - link
+ Flagler has named Fitchburg (Mass.) State (DIII) S&C Richards to be the school's new director of sports performance. - link
+ Brevard has promoted baseball AC Walsh to HC. - link
+ Delta State has hired former prep school coach Sheekey to be the new HC of the women's soccer program. Sheekey has spent the last three years in charge of the Louisiana Olympic Development program. - link
+ Newberry has named Coker wrestling HC Wainwright to the same position. - link
+ Tarleton has promoted AC Cumpian to be the new HC of the softball team. - link
+ BYU-Hawaii has promoted AC Dümmar to be the new HC of both the men's and women's soccer teams. - link
+ Upper Iowa has announced that the contract of Baseball HC Danker will not be renewed. - link
+ Cal State East Bay women's swim team HC Loorz has been named the new UNLV (DI) men's and women's swimming and diving HC. - link
Recently released facility pics:
+ Turf being laid for CSU Pueblo FB. - link
+ Photo galleries of Pace's Ianniello Field House Grand Opening event and the event celebrating the re-dedication of Finnerty Field and the dedication of Calaicone dugout. - link (grand opening event), link (Finnerty Field)
Sport and department fundraising events:
+ Concord will hold its sixth annual Concord Athletics Golf tournament on October 14. The entry fee for a four-player team is $200 and hole sponsorships are available for $100. - link
+ Minnesota State Moorhead will hold the 37th Annual Dragon Open golf tournament on June 6. Entry fees are $100 per golfer and sponsorships range from $250 to $1,200. - link
+ Registration is now open for Roberts Wesleyan's ninth annual Redhawk Scholarship Golf Scramble. Entry fee for the July 15th event is $99 per player. The tournament raised more than $30K last year. - link
+ The 20th Annual University of Bridgeport Department of Athletics Golf Classic will be held on September 26. Entry fees are $250 per player and sponsorships range from $250 to $1,500. - link
+ Angelo State will host the 2016 Ram Club Golf Tournament on June 13. The entry fee is $150 per player and sponsorships range from $150 to $750. - link
+ Emporia State is holding an online silent auction to raise money for the Hornet Athletics scholarship fund. - link
Presidents and chancellors in the news:
+ The Board of Trustees at Dallas Baptist has selected DBU VP and Cook School of Leadership Dean Wright to be the school's new president. - link
+ Attorneys for the Conservative Christian group Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a lawsuit against Cal State LA Prez Covino and others over what it alleges are the university’s “unconstitutional policies and practices” stemming from a protest-ridden on-campus speech earlier this year by author and political commentator Ben Shapiro. - link
+ The next president of Edinboro will be announced this coming Monday, May 23. The two remaining candidates are SUNY Oswego Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Clemo and Rochester Insititute of Technology College of Applied Science and Technology Dean Walker. - link
+ The state Higher Education Policy Commission approved the hire of incoming West Virginia State Prez Jenkins despite expressing concern about a growing trend regarding incentives in presidents’ contracts. - link
In other general academia news:
+ Lake Superior State Prez Pleger recently told the school's Board of Trustees that he is confident that new enrollment analytics will help the university with its recruitment efforts. - link
+ Pittsburg State has submitted a proposal to the Kansas Board Of Regents that increases tuition $128 a semester for full-time undergraduate students paying in-state rates. The tuition hike would take effect this fall. - link
+ The UNC Faculty Assembly has sent a letter to UNC system Prez Spellings and forwarded it on to key lawmakers voicing their concerns regarding a piece of legislature being called the Access to Affordable College Education Act. The letter analyzed the bill’s provisions and intent, concluding that it would hurt the ability of four DII schools to provide high-quality education and “may require campus closures." - link
+ Glenville State is continuing to use the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program to make international connections in an online learning environment. - link
+ Goldey-Beacom's accreditation has been reaffirmed by The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. - link
+ The New York Institute of Technology has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education through the 2021 academic year by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. - link
