D2.ticker - News from Monday, August 8 & Tuesday, August 9, 2016

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The NCAA DII Presidents Council "easily" approves two financial aid proposals, one which would do away with term-by-term financial awards and another which allows for increases in athletics-related aid "at any time, for any reason." A third proposal, amending legislation so that only institutional aid would count toward team and individual equivalency limits, sparked more discussion but was also ultimately approved. Pittsburg State Prez Scott, who also served as the council's chair calls financial aid a "complicated issue" and says he was "really proud of the presidents at the table. They really dug into it -- they studied it and they asked a lot of questions." - link

The Charleston Gazette-Mail takes a look at the rapid ascension of MEC football highlighted by Shepherd's national runner-up finish last year, which Charleston HC Kirkland says has paid dividends on the recruiting trail: "I can go out there and say, hey, our one loss in the regular season was to a team that played in the national championship game. That's a pretty big statement to make." In addition to Shepherd's finish last year, Charleston's inclusion in the playoffs and Concord's march to the semis in 2014 have contributed to the "rising tide" of the MEC, which coaches like West Virginia State HC Anderson think will get the attention of the playoff selection committee: "Any time anyone from your league can make the playoffs and do well, your league is looked upon a certain way nationally. You want [playoff success] to be the expectation based on the strength of the league." - link

The merging of Albany State and Darton State under the ASU banner has left some unanswered budgeting questions in the athletics departments. Compounding the problem, the new iteration of ASU has yet to hire an AD, further obfuscating an already murky budget picture as the two programs, both of which have instituted recent cost-cutting measures, continue to operate independently until the merger becomes official in January. ASU WBB/VB HC Skinner: "We don't know how that's gonna work, that's the part everybody's trying to figure out. What if there's some additional money that's left over? Where does it go? Who gets it? How do we spend it? We don't have an athletic director right now, so nobody knows." Full story. - link

Northwest Missouri State and the city of Maryville have proposed a partnership to construct a $20M Northwest Multipurpose Complex to be used by both the university and the community. Maryville City Manager McDaniels says the city intends to cover its end by collecting $3.45M over the next 23 years from a 5% bed tax on hotel bills. NMSU AD Tjeerdsma says the 137K-sq-ft indoor facility, which will include a 100-yard turf field, 300m track, meetings rooms and spectator seating, will be especially beneficial for the baseball, softball and track teams while Prez Jasinski says the "expanded partnership fits into both of our strategic and comprehensive plans as we address health and wellness; competitiveness; attracting, engaging and retaining students; providing expanded partnership opportunities between the community and the university; and throughout, uplifting tourism and economic development." If approved, the facility should be completed by next summer. - link

Concordia announces the Jimmy Sayegh Scholarship and Prize Fund, to be endowed by the parents of the late Concordia MBB player who passed away in 2010. The award will be given to a student in good standing with the biology program, in which Sayegh was enrolled during his time at Concordia. Prez Nunes: "The legacy of students like Jimmy epitomizes, in a premiere way, what 'Small school. Big impact.' means." AD Marquez: "One of the best gifts for still being alive is having the great fortune of being part of truly phenomenal moments that positively impact the welfare, the maturing, and the opportunities for our student-athletes." - link

Installation of new surfaces for the track and soccer pitch at Biola's Al Barbour Field, along with new nets and throwing rings for the T&F team at McNally Field, were completed last week. Renovations for Freedom Field, home of the softball team, will include new lights and be completed by 2017. Photos inside. - link

In admin news:
+ Arkansas Monticello AD Ratliff is named chairman of the NCAA DII WBB Committee. - link
+ Grand Valley State names Wallace assoc AD and SWA. Wallace currently works in the GVSU financial aid office. - link
+ Texas Woman's University names Lubbock Christian Assoc AD and SWA Walters asst AD for communications. - link
+ Newberry Asst AD for Athletic Communications Manck resigns to take a similar position at Texas A&M-Commerce; Brevard media relations director Stewart will join Newberry as director of athletic communications. - link

In broadcast news:
+ College Sports Weekly will feature the Southern New Hampshire athletics department in its August 11 episode. The program will air 19 times and be available in 130M homes. - link
+ Nebraska Kearney renews its partnership with NRG Media to continue airing MBB, WBB, VB and softball games on the radio. AD Plinske: "The coverage provided by our radio affiliate has been outstanding. Not many Division II schools can compare." - link

Digital media updates:
+ The MIAA partners with SIDEARM Sports to launch its redesigned league website. Commish Boerigter: "I believe our new and improved website will be user-friendly and attractive for use by our members as well as to the casual and very loyal MIAA fans." - link
+ South Dakota Mines has also partnered with SIDEARM Sports for the redesign of its new website. - link
+ Rockhurst and SIDEARM Sports launch the Hawks' new website. - link
+ Azusa Pacific, which partnered with SIDEARM Sports, unveils its new athletics website today. - link

The NCAA is spending $2M to enhance the benefits of its catastrophic injury insurance program. The amended policy increases coverage for the first ten years from $125K to $175K to account for rising costs associated with things like home or vehicle modifications. In addition, the policy will cover $70K for the next ten years, an increase from $50K, with similar increases included throughout the duration of the plan, which covers student-athletes for life. Fomer Luther football student-athlete Nelson, who suffered a spinal injury in 2010, says the new plan will "significantly" improve his independence: "I am thankful to the NCAA...and I am appreciative that they were willing to listen and make the necessary improvements to the policy." - link

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Brain cramp last issue, but Sunday's #scachat on Twitter covered revenue generation through an athletics website, generation of external revenue and its impact on operating expenses, end of summer projects to help get prepped for start of school year, student-athlete and department orientation activities, and themes/expectations conveyed to student-athletes at start of school year. - link

Not technically DII, but St. Cloud State Asst VP of Safety and Risk Management Cashman, while not endorsing the notion yet, leaves the door open to expanding the sale of alcohol beyond the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. City council members Monday voted in favor of special legislation which would permit the sale, pending public hearings on licensure, in buildings adjacent to the center. Cashman: "I think we would hope to have that opportunity in the future." [...] "We feel like we did a very good job managing our alcohol games last year...and we're going to operate under that same process and understanding this year." - link

In Olympic sport coaching movement:
+ Carson-Newman names former Tennessee strength and conditioning HC Long director of sports performance. - link
+ West Virginia Wesleyan names former Penn student-athlete and Indiana State grad assistant Jett as HC of strength and conditioning. - link
+ Eckerd announces the transition of Softball HC Beauregard to Baseball. - link
+ Missouri-St. Louis SFTBL HC Levin has accepted the same position at Belmont (DI). - link
+ Western State (CO) names Chowan WSOC HC Bell to the same position. - link
+ Nova Southeastern names Barry golf AC Carlin HC of men's golf. - link
+ Bluefield State names Bluefield College Softball AC and Asst SID Dillon interim HC of Softball and VB. - link
+ Minnesota State promotes WTEN AC Perez to HC. - link
+ Hawaii Pacific names Goulding HC of men's and women's golf and promotes VB AC Tumaneng to interim HC through 2016. - link

Mansfield will offer a special 125th anniversary football jersey to football alumni and their families. AD McCloskey: "Our committee wanted to do something very special for the 125th year celebration. For the first, and perhaps only time in program history, Mansfield football players and their families will have the opportunity to wear a Mountaineer football jersey with names on the back. We hope it's as special to them as they are to us." Jerseys cost $100 with proceeds to support Mansfield football special events. - link

Adams State is adding an SLV decal to its football helmets for the upcoming season as a way to significy the importance of San Luis Valley to ASU football. HC Rosenbach: "We wanted to do something to represent where we live, not just where we go to school. The people of the San Luis Valley provide us with great fan support and are extremely active in Grizzly Club. We are their team and the new decal shows our appreciation for all they do." - link

In ticketing news:
+ Kentucky State season FB tickets are priced at $65 for general admission, $75 for reserved seating. Individual tickets for the upcoming game against range from $10 to $50. - link
+ Truman State chair-back seat season FB tickets are priced at $50 while the TruPass, which includes a general admission seat for each home FB and BB game are priced at $80. Alternatively, FB-only and BB-only TruPasses are priced at $30 and $60, respectively - link
+ Limestone season FB tickets will be priced at $60 per adult, $45 per student or child and $50 for senior citizens. Limestone also offers a price reduction and inclusion of a parking pass for a $25 donation to the Saints Club. - link

Recently released facility pics include:
+ New VB/BB court design at Post. - link
+ New press box at Ohio Dominican (video included). - link
+ New video boards at Cal State San Marcos. - link
+ New track at Concord. - link

Does improving athletics program stature have a causal relationship with improved academics? The answer is a "qualified yes," according to a Forbes article contributed by the Center for College Affordability and Productivity (CCAP), which found a "statistically significant positive relationship between membership in Division I-A [the powerhouse schools athletically] and academic reputation." There is a tradeoff, though: most DI schools lose money on athletics, money that could have been applied to academics, thereby also improving academic perception: "It turns out that roughly half the reputational gains from athletic participation are wiped out from the reduced spending on academics. In the case of some schools, it would completely wipe those gains out." TL;DR: Spending money on athletics hoping it will simultaneously improve academics is "not a crazy [approach], but one with some real costs and risks." - link

In general academia news:
+ Add Tampa and Nebraska Kearney to the ever-expanding list of tobacco-free campuses - link (Tampa), link (UNK)
+ Ohio Valley is moving forward with the development of a clean energy facility to begin next year and completed by 2018 or 2019. - link

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(Posted from most recent over the last 30 days)

Associate Athletics Director - Strategic Engagement (Texas A&M University-Commerce / Commerce, TX): The Associate Athletics Director – Strategic Engagement is responsible for leading and managing the revenue generating units, including Lion Sports Properties, ticket sales/service, and marketing. More HERE.

Assistant Athletics Director - Compliance (Texas A&M University-Commerce / Commerce, TX): The Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance directly manages NCAA compliance. Position is also responsible for managing rules education for student-athletes, coaches and administrators. More HERE.

Director of Athletics (CETYS Universidad / Mexicali, Baja California, México): Dir.of Athletics will guide the development and implementation of a comprehensive intercollegiate athletics program for CETYS capable of competing as a member of NCAA DII. Must be fluent in Spa & Eng. More HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director for External Affairs (University of Arkansas at Monticello / Monticello, AR): Responsible for achieving the annual fundraising goals through efficient and effective leadership and management of annual programs and corporate sales. More HERE.

Assistant Compliance & Game Day Operations (University of Montevallo / Montevallo, AL): The purpose of this position is to assist in the daily operations of the department’s compliance program and to assist in management and coordination of all game day operations. More HERE.

Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant (Quincy University / Quincy, IL): Assist in all aspects of the communications office, including serving as the primary contact for several sports. Bachelor's degree required. StatCrew, graphic design, video experience preferred. More HERE.

Head Coach - Strength & Conditioning (West Chester University / West Chester, PA): Responsibilities: Design, implement, and monitor strength and conditioning programs (strength, power, speed, and agility) appropriate for the specific needs of each athletic team. More HERE.

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