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Bluefield State interim AD Hart has been selected to be the new commissioner of the USA South Athletic Conference (DIII), bringing with him nearly a quarter century of experiences as a DIII AD/coach. During his brief BSU tenure, Hart oversaw an upgrade to the athletics website, improvements to the baseball and softball facilities, as well as the Athletics Hall of Fame transitioning to Athletic Department guidance. In addition to his duties at BSU, Hart served as special consultant for Athletics Staffing and Consultants in the area of enrollment and retention. - link
Disappointing conclusion to a previously noted saga, as Franklin Pierce WBB HC Leedham is out of a job because her last-second shot for a visa was denied by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. FPU AD Kirsh, "We appealed and that was denied, so she’s not allowed to work (in the U.S.). It was a formal process. Jennifer and the university participated. We tried. The major issue is concern about an American losing an opportunity to have a job.” - link
Arkansas-Fort Smith has hired Mississippi State (DI) Asst Coach Lovato to be the school's new WBB HC, a role in which she has served at two NJCAA stops, UAFS AD Smith cited Lovato's "demeanor, her confidence and her belief in her system," along with her "proven track record of success" as reasons she was the choice "to continue to make UAFS women's basketball a presence on the national level." - link (release), link (press conf video)
Simon Fraser has named MBB Asst Coach Hanson as interim HC. AD Hanson (no relation) on the announcement, "I have appointed Steve Hanson interim head coach so that the men's basketball program can continue with its recruiting, camps and operations. ... We want to maintain a level of continuity within our program while we look for our next head coach." - link
We bury our head in shame over this being old news by now, but Lenoir-Rhyne MBB HC Odom has been named to the same position at UMBC (DI). Odom, who comes from a coaching family, as his father was previously HC at Wake Forest (DI) and South Carolina (DI), broke down as he talked about the people that he left behind at his old school, "I'm confident I'll love you guys the same way." - link, link (press conf video)
The Augustana A-Club announced that the 2016 Augustana Athletic Auction raised a record $138k this year. AD Larscheid on the success of the event that attracted 500+ attendees and had 200+ items up for bid, "We are truly thankful for the outstanding support from our donors and friends. ... The evening was a celebration of Augustana athletics while also generating funds for student-athlete scholarships. The results of the auction impacts all 19 of our sport programs." - link
The 16th Annual Scholarship Dinner & Auction generated over $60k for Metropolitan State. The event featured keynote speaker former Denver Broncos wide receiver Rod Smith and was emceed by Reed Saunders, "the voice of Coors Field." - link
The CIAA was presented with the Charlotte Regional Partnership Jerry Award last week for its significant and ongoing contributions to the regional economy. Commish McWilliams, "This award demonstrates that the Charlotte community values a diverse and strategic partner, like the CIAA. I am thankful that choosing Charlotte as our home has proven beneficial for the conference and also the community through economic vitality for sustainability, long-term growth, job creation, and investment opportunities." - link
The students at West Texas A&M have voted that the name of the new 12,000-seat football stadium will be Buffalo Stadium. The Stomping Grounds and Thunder Stadium were the other two finalists. Construction of the new stadium is anticipated to begin in 2017 and will take an estimated year to complete. - link
The grand opening of the new Ianniello Field House as well as the re-dedication of Peter X. Finnerty Field will be done at Pace on April 30th. The Ianniello Field House is a 14,010 square-foot facility that includes a S&C center, VIP room, locker rooms and a sports medicine component. Ianniello, the COO at the CBS Corporation, made a $2m commitment one year ago. The newly renovated Finnerty Field, which includes field turf, two enclosed dugouts, a new press box located behind home plate, seating located in front of the press box, and lights, opened before the fall semester and serves as the home field for the Pace baseball and field hockey teams. - link
West Florida has backed up the deadline for the public to can gain the priority points necessary to purchase FB season tickets to coincide with the team's spring game, with Assoc AD Berg explaining that "we felt if somebody walks up to the spring game, we wanted to give them the opportunity to get tickets, instead of saying it's too late." The school reiterated its expectation that UWF will sell out of tickets through season ticket purchases and that there will be no need for a public sale of individual game tickets. - link
New '2D on D2': Josh Looney, a name we all know and trust from his time at the NCAA, started as a DII student-athlete and has found his way to East Stroudsburg as the Athletic Director. Here is the first part of his story. Listen by clicking the link. - link (length - 4:41)
Weekly #scachat on Twitter discusses areas to address as strategic priorities for small college athletic departments, how to measure departmental academic success (including measureable goals), how athletic departments contribute to financial stabilty and bottom line of university, addressing competitive success in a strategic plan, and other ways an athletic department contributes to the campus community. - link
Minot State AD Hedberg says "if finances weren't a part of it, it's a no-brainer," to take hockey from a club sport to DI. Less than five years removed from MSU's full DII introduction, Hedberg estimates his athletic budget would double again with the transition to DI men's and women's hockey, and that the move could happen in the next 10-20 years, although he doesn't want to cut any other sports to do it. MSU has $5-10m in pledges, but will potentially need $32-37m, following the Arizona State (DI) private donation model, to make the transition happen. MSU Moorhead serves as a cautionary tale about the process after it didn’t hit its funding goals earlier this decade. - link
Minnesota State Mankato is is using GoFundMe to raise funds to replace the grandstand at Tink Larson Field, which was recently reduced to ashes in a fire. - link
Recently released facility pics:
+ Video of refurbished grandstand at Municipal Stadium, home of Post baseball. - link
+ The latest photos from the Armstrong State tennis court project. - link
+ Sporturf has unveiled the midfield logo they will use for the Maryville lacrosse field. - link
The Regency Athletic Complex at Metropolitan State Denver received recognition from the Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc. at the 55th Annual Downtown Denver Awards Dinner as a project that had a significant impact on the center city in 2015. Prez Jordan on the recognition, "This award is a testament to the vision and work that went into bringing this project together. ... With support from partners in the public sector, we were able to turn a blighted plot of land into an urban oasis, restoring a pocket of the city and enhancing the health, wellness and spirit of the community." - link
Stanislaus State HC Gibson-Rossi, Wingate Asst Coach Hayes, and Colorado Mesa Asst Coach Skaff were recipients of the American Volleyball Coaches Association's 2016 Thirty Under 30 Awards. - link
Profile of Assumption field hockey S-A Mendes, who underwent a life-saving stem cell transplant for MDS in December of 2015. Assumption HC Lahey says that supporting Mendes has “immediately set a tone for our season: Don’t sweat the small stuff, and commit to each day like it was your last.” - link
In NCAA initiative news:
+Nova Southeastern held a week's worth of activities on campus as part of the It's On Us initiative. - link
+ Missouri S&T held a Make-A-Wish wish reveal. - link
UC Santa Cruz (DIII) students will once again decide whether they want to pay a significantly higher fee to support their university's intercollegiate sports program in an online poll that will open in mid-May. If the students decide against the fee this year, the campus likely will wind down the intercollegiate athletics program next year, making Santa Cruz the first school in the UC system to cut its athletics department, which currently operates at a $600k/year deficit. - link
Presidents and chancellors in the news:
+ The Board of Trustees at Adams State voted unanimously to renew President McClure's contract for the next three years. - link
+ The Board of Trustees at Drury has announced that Hendrix (DIII) President Cloyd will be the DU's 18th president. - link
+ Taylor (NAIA) VP for University Advancement Sells has been named the new president at Ouachita Baptist. - link
In other general academia news:
+ In an effort to avert a massive faculty strike scheduled to begin next week across all 23 California State University system campuses, officials and the faculty union have reached a tentative agreement on a 10.5% salary increase spread over three years. - link
+ With a new round of donations, West Virginia State has exceeded the $18m fundraising goal of its first-ever capital campaign. The school has raised $19.6m for its “Realize the Promise, Deliver the Future” campaign, which has brought in money for scholarships, academic programs, campus improvements and other projects. - link
