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D1.dossiers... Southern Utah has a Senior Associate AD for Administration opening on new AD Doug Knuth's staff. The dossier for the opportunity is now available. $249 for an entire year of subscription. Eastern Washington's AD post is up next. (link)

MOAA Executive Director Johnson joins AthleticDirectorU’s Brown for a discussion about MOAA’s goals of developing a diverse leadership pipeline and placing more people of color into top roles within the industry, the evolution of the organization’s work, the challenges facing college athletics and more. Johnson emphasizes that those who work in college athletics must do so because they want to, telling Brown: “Some people need to make a hard choice about whether they really want to be in this field or not. A lot of people say, ‘I love athletics, I want to go do that.’ Once they get in, they realize maybe this is not where I need to be, and that’s another evaluation point.” It’s also important for individuals to do self-evaluations, as Johnson points out MOAA’s mission is not to direct, but rather to assist. “What we’re saying is, ‘Here’s some things you need to know.’ How you use them, if you choose to use them, is just as important.” Full interview on ADU. (link)

UCLA MBB HC Cronin didn’t mince words after the MBB Selection Committee released its projected seeding, which slotted the Bruins as the two seed in the East while Arizona was the second seed in the West. “When we left the Pac-12, it cost a lot of people millions of dollars and there was going to be fallout. I even talked to my old AD, (current USC/former Cincinnati boss) Mike Bohn, about it, and I think it’s a direct result of it. Now, I’m not going to put the pieces together for you on how that affects that, but comical — if you ask my one-word answer on that ranking? Comical.” (link); Cronin also suggested the transition to the Big Ten will see the Bruins go from “lame duck” to the “new guy,” adding: “But I understand. We had to do what we had to do. The world is changing. NIL’s here. Soon players are going to get paid. They’re going to be deemed employees. The whole NCAA thing is going to change. So, UCLA had to do what they had to do…but a lot of people lost a lot of money. You start talking about people losing $10 to $20M per year, there’s a lot of hard feelings. That’s my opinion. I’m going to coach the team and let [Bruins’ AD] Martin Jarmond fight that fight.” (link)

The Spokesman-Review’s Grippi on Gonzaga’s potential conference affiliation decision: “Whatever decision they make comes with its set of dangers. Money is nice, but after the initial courtship by the Big 12 or the Pac-12 or the Big East, what will the day-to-day reality look like? [...] Without the resources the newest mega-conferences will be able to provide, can [MBB HC] Few and whomever follows him be able to attract those players as the landscape changes? And is there really an option out there which will allow the basketball program to continue its upward trend? That’s the trick, isn’t it? Identifying the right option. The past two decades, Few and the Zags have made a million basketball-related choices. Most have been the right ones. The next one? It just might be the most important. The potential is there to reach the next level, to win a national title or two. But the wrong pick could lead to becoming the next Syracuse or Georgetown, once key national players now fighting for the occasional upset that earns a mention on Sports Center.“ (link)

Eastern Kentucky AD Roan on progress of the ASUN-WAC mashup to become an FBS league potentially as early as this year: “We’re in the process of trying to get all the approvals, the requisite approvals, necessary to become a single-sport football conference. [...] EKU wants to compete at the highest level we possibly can. The things we are doing are designed to ensure that.” Roan goes on to note the attractiveness of the Colonels scheduling the likes of Western Kentucky, Marshall, Middle Tennessee, Appalachian State, Miami (OH) & Ball State once the move is complete. (link)

Idaho AD Gawlik stops short of explicitly stating Boise State turned down a request for a FB matchup, but tells the Coeur d’Alene Press’ Nelke that the Vandals have reached out, and “we’re not playing them, so what do you think that means?” Gawlik adds: “I think it’d be good; maybe they (the Broncos) play Idaho State one year, and Idaho the other year. I’ll just put it this way — Idaho football and basketball is open to playing Boise State.” (link)

Texas finished FY22 with a surplus of $14.13M on $239.29M in revenue and $225.15M in expenses. The Longhorns FB program accounted for 67.9% of the athletic department's revenue and nearly 23% of its expenditures, spending $51.55M and bringing in $162.45M. Revenue sources for FB included donations ($49.11M), media rights distributions ($21.86M), and royalties, licensing, advertisements and sponsorships ($29M). Ticket sales for volleyball ($578,036) outpaced those of WBB ($468,946), though WBB was the biggest earner ($2.826M) and spender ($8.388M), among women’s sports. Department-wide contributions totaled $74.91M with ticket sales surpassing $57M. (link)

Toledo MBB HC Kowalczyk voices his frustration over the MAC’s all-conference team selection process. “It’s the league office’s unbelievably poor decision to take out the media voting and now you get the head coaches. It’s just 12 head coaches. There’s jealousy, there’s bias, there are agendas. We’re not very well-liked, I’m not very well-liked, so be it. The fact that our league office did that, shame on them. That’s a big mistake. That’s wrong.” Kowalczyk’s remarks come within the context of Rockets student-athlete Dennis having been left off the all-conference preseason teams. Bowling Green HC Huger, for one, appears to have been swayed, saying after this weekend’s matchup: “I’m voting him for MVP. That’s where I’m at with him.” (link)

Kent State AD Richmond visits with @1QLeadership, digs in on the topic of being transformational in an industry filled with transactions. Richmond talks about the process of ensuring action behind the department's guiding principle of being student-centered, coach-led, and administrator-supported. He talks about how Alston Awards are earned, and relates the current state of athletics to the economic principle that every free market in a capitalistic system finds its balance. The conversation wraps with advice on existing in an environment where values don't align. Richmond: “The foundation should be transformational relational. There will be some microtransactions but they can't be your foundation. [...] At some point in time, people will always look for substance. [...] You can't abdicate building culture as a leader.” (link)

Indiana sold out Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall for Sunday’s WBB matchup with Purdue, marking the first time the arena has been sold out for a WBB game in its history. The Hoosiers prevailed, winning at least a share of the Big Ten crown for the first time in 40 years. (link)

A crowd of 45,423 gathered to watch the Ohio State vs. Michigan outdoor Men’s Ice Hockey game on Saturday at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland. It was the largest crowd to ever attend an OSU hockey game, topping the previous record of 45,021 from the 2014 season. (link)

Any debates about which college team makes the best entrance have been put to rest, as Air Force baseball cadet-athletes took the field for their opener via parachute. Awesome. (link)

New Mexico State FB HC Kill has some fresh ink after making good on a promise to his players that he’d get a tattoo if the Aggies won the Quick Lane Bowl. This is not a small tattoo! (link, link)

Good news from Evansville, as USI MBB student-athlete Henry is listed in stable condition after collapsing on the court Saturday. Henry has returned to campus and is reportedly in good spirits under medical observation. (link)

In case you missed Sunday's email...

The Men’s Basketball Selection Committee released its Top 16 yesterday before the hardwood action began. Top four seeds: Alabama, Houston, Purdue & Kansas. Next four: Texas, Arizona, Baylor & UCLA. Third quartet: Tennessee, Virginia, Iowa State & Kansas State. Fourth quartet: Indiana, Marquette, Gonzaga & Xavier. Bradley AD/committee chair Reynolds with the company lines: “We judge each team on its own merits. [...] We could see some change. It will be interesting to see how the next three weeks unfold.” (link, link)

The Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Graney contends that the Big 12 should be the future conference home for UNLV. Rebels AD Harper: “Nothing new at this point. Obviously, we hold true to the (Mountain West), the conference we’re in now. At the same time, we hold true to living in Las Vegas and the Sports Capital of the World and the things we bring to the table as a very attractive institution.” Graney: Harper actually has deep ties to the Big 12. He’s from Texas and played at Kansas State when the league was the Big Eight. He was then an assistant athletic director at the university when expansion arrived in 1994. He also worked in the Pac-10 and saw that league transition into the Pac-12. His contacts are countless. He isn’t overly worried about the insinuation that UNLV and a Power Five league wouldn’t marry due to the school’s not-so-successful football program, citing its attractive facilities in the Fertitta Football Complex and Allegiant Stadium. The Rebels also have a new coach in Barry Odom, who won some at a major college level when at Missouri. … So for now, UNLV sits and waits and works behind the scenes to best position itself. To sell the country’s 40th-ranked market as one capable of bringing enough interested eyes to the equation. As one in an ever-growing professional sports town. As one prepared for such a jump.” (link)

JohnCanzano.com’s namesake on the Pac-12’s media deal(s) progress: “It prompted me to reach out to a few well-placed Pac-12 sources late on Friday. I posed the question as an analogy, though. If the Pac-12’s media-rights negotiation were a baseball game, what inning would it be in? The answer, from a source, came back: ‘… seventh.’ Top of the inning? Or bottom? Game going to go quickly? Or drag some? Can we get a pitch clock? As long as it’s not extra innings, I’m good with that.“ Also, Canzano on the potential of Fresno State heading to the Big 12: “I lived and worked in Fresno early in my newspaper career. It struck me as a midwestern town in the middle of California. Great people. A lot of pride. Agricultural community that sits geographically between LA and the Bay Area and captures 1.7 million TV households. Fresno State looks like a no-brainer for the Big 12.” (link)

Buffalo reported $40.192M in revenue against $39.537M in expenses for FY22, the highest total in both categories among all MAC schools (Eastern Michigan data not available) according to Sportico’s College Athletic Departments Financial Database. Student fees ($10.0M), guarantee games ($1.32M from Nebraska, among them), donations ($1.10M), ticket sales ($1.01M), and licensing, etc ($938K) were the biggest money makers. On the flipside, coaching salaries ($7.27M), team travel ($3.24M), recruiting ($757K), and guarantee game payments ($459K) were the largest expenses for the Bulls last year. (link)

UConn could see $24M worth of work to Rentschler Field over the next two years if the Connecticut lawmakers approve a public-funding vehicle worth $12M in each of the next two years. What you need to know: “...renovations at Rentschler — new roofing, concrete repairs and technology upgrades, among them — that would form the foundation of a larger, $63 million plan. The overall plan would stretch out over five years and was developed by a high-profile sports stadium consultant last year aimed at ensuring the venue, which turns 20 this year, keeps up with evolving Division I standards.” However, House Republican leader Candelora says Rentschler needs love, but he’s also concerned about the Huskies overall budget situation: “The bigger question, I think, that we would have to seek answers to is the level of deficiency that UConn has been running over the past year and how we fix that operating deficiency before we start continued investments in the programs. A $53 million deficit is very troubling and problematic.” (link)

Cleveland State generated more than $470K as part of its Giving Day, $136K of which will go toward upgrades for Woodling Gym projected to total $1M. Vikings AD Garrett: “It’s a 50-year old building that needs lots of attention. [...] We’ll pick off projects one by one as we raise the dollars.” Enhancement plans include a new sound system, branding & graphics, technology items, new furniture for study areas, locker room revamps, weight room & training rooms, plus a new interactive lobby. (link)

New Hampshire Governor Sununu outlined two one-time capital investment proposals for projects at UNH: renovations to the Whittemore Center (home to the hockey squads) and the establishment of a Blockchain Quality Assurance Center at the UNH-Interoperability Lab. The proposed $8M state investment in Whittemore will help complete an ongoing $30M renovation to the facility. Wildcats’ AD Rich: “There are benefits to both the state and UNH with a revitalized Whittemore Center. This investment in one of the state’s largest venues for sporting and entertainment events will help bring more visitors and revenue to the state of New Hampshire. It will be a great asset for attracting and retaining outstanding student-athletes while also driving admissions and building pride in our state and the university.” (link)

Iowa State plans to ask the Iowa Board of Regents this week for its blessing on a $12M renovation of the Scheman Building, including the lobby, events spaces and bathrooms. According to Senior Assoc. AD/Operations Jorgensen, it's the athletic department's goal to create a club space for athletic-related events within Scheman similar to Johnny's at Hilton Coliseum. No formal timeline, but nothing would start until the end of the 2023-24 basketball season. Originally slated to be part of a larger project covered by revenues from the planned CYTown entertainment district, it looks like the Cyclones will pick up the tab for this particular upgrade, instead. (link)

The Illinois State Board of Trustees approved a $550K overhaul to the athletics business offices. Details: “The work in CEFCU Arena, on Room 150, will allow the athletics business office to move into there, in turn allowing the women’s basketball and volleyball offices to move into the former athletics business office. The move is meant to ensure the women’s offices are in line with the men’s basketball office size.” (link)

Ray and Lynne Pernsteiner, parents of the late former Jacksonville student-athlete Julia Pernsteiner who committed suicide in her dorm room in November 2021, are suing the school and former Track & Field/XC HC Grigg for “berating and bullying her.” The wrongful-death lawsuit cites JU negligence as well as breach of contract and failure to follow requirements of Title IX protection against sex discrimination, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The suit also accuses Grigg, who resigned in July, of intentional infliction of emotional distress and says JU shares responsibility for harm Grigg did. He dismissed Pernsteiner from the team two months prior to her death. (link)

The MBB game between North Florida and Austin Peay yesterday in Clarksville ended in a fight between student-athletes from both squads. The incident was triggered by Ospreys’ forward Aybar fouling Govs’ counterpart Copeland in an attempted blocked shot in the closing seconds of the game, which was met by a host of Austin Peay players rising to Copeland’s defense. It took arena security, UNF coaches and players to pull Aybar away, and he made one attempt to break free. The melee was broken up within 40 seconds and the teams were ordered to go to their locker rooms. The doors to both locker rooms share a common hallway and ClarksvilleNow.com reports players from both teams confronted each other there. The statements from both camps indicate their disappointment in the events and say they will work with ASUN officials to determine next steps. (link)

Philanthropic donations to higher education increased by 12.5% last fiscal year to a total of $59.5B, according to the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, which notes the YoY increase is the largest since 2000. In FY21, giving rose 7%, after declining by less than 1% the year prior. Broken down by donor, 61% of charitable donations came from organizations, 22% came from alumni and 16% came from individuals who were not alumni. Total charitable gifts across all sectors in the U.S. hit a record-breaking $485B in calendar year 2021, according to the latest report from the Giving USA Foundation and the Lilly Family School. (link)

Also Noticed…

+Tamaya Ventures, a firm owned by the Pueblo of the Santa Ana, announces an NIL partnership with three New Mexico student-athletes: XC runner Upshaw (Navajo); WBB player Chavez (Cochiti/Laguna); and WBB player Bates (San Felipe Pueblo/Sioux/Navajo). Each student-athlete has their own custom line of merchandise and the NIL agreement is the first of its kind between a tribal owned entity and Native American DI student-athletes. (link)

+ Nicholls and Sacramento State announce a home-and-home FB series for 2023 (Thibodaux) and 2024 (Sacramento). (link)

+ Dayton adds Central State (DII) to its 2023 home FB slate. (link)