#10: Hawai’i Pacific selects College of the Sequoias (CCCAA) Women’s Basketball HC Ray Alvarado to the same role with the Sharks. (link) |
#9: Arkansas-Monticello cut the ribbon on its $1.3M Kenneth H. Hunt Athletic Performance Center this weekend. The project includes a 4K square-foot weight room and 3K square-foot athletic training area. (link, link)
|
#8: Delta State faces an $11M budget deficit and President Daniel Ennis says the solution requires personnel and budget cuts, more deferral funding and doubling the ongoing capital campaign which will increase the university’s endowment. (link)
|
#7: Nebraska-Kearney needs to cut 5-7% of its budget, per Vice Chancellor of Finance Jon Watts. The reductions will include $3M in instructional expenses and $2M in operational expenses. (link) |
#6: Shepherd is working to “rightsize” its operation, having found $3.8M in reductions for its $6M deficit over the next two years. (link) |
#5: Western Colorado taps Sam Houston State (DI) Deputy AD Greg Hinze for the same role. (link) |
#4: The DII Championships Committee recommended and discussed a variety of topics at this month’s meeting, including recommending the committee to be able to replace DII sport committee members or DII members on playing rules committees when individuals are not performing their duties, a $1.5M allocation for championship enhancements in the 2024-27 triennial budget including $209K in reserve for future initiatives, an opposition position to convention legislation that would allow eight softball contests in the non-championship segment. Items of note in the $1.5M allocation are $461K to expand the golf regional field from 48 to 72 and increase Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse from a 12 to 16-team bracket and and 16 to 24-team bracket, respectively. The committee also approved 2023-24 access ratios for Baseball, Women’s Soccer and Tennis, endorsed moving the Softball championship to align with the DI and DIII championships with support from coaches and asked the Swimming & Diving and Track & Field committees to review sponsorship and championship selection requirements. From the sport committees, Baseball is exploring keeping the DII championship in Cary, NC through 2038 and Football is continuing discussions around expanding the postseason bracket to 32 and a new super region alignment in 2025. Given the public discourse over the last few years about postseason selections, the committee emphasized confidentiality of regional advisory committee and sport committee members. Lots more. (link)
|
#3: Saginaw Valley State selects Louisiana-Monroe (DI) Senior Assoc. AD for Communications and Marketing John Lewandowski as its new AD, starting October 9. President George Grant: "John brings a wealth of experience and innovative ideas for how to increase the visibility and reputation of our university and its athletic programs. He has a strong work ethic and a successful track record of increasing attendance at home athletic contests, as well as growing social media following and community engagement for university athletic programs, and we expect him to do the same for SVSU." (link)
|
#2: Maryville AD Lonnie Folks will retire after five years leading his alma mater. President Mark Lombardi: “As we take a moment to honor the remarkable journey of Lonnie Folks, we are reminded of the power of dedication, leadership, and his transformative role in athletics by shaping the lives of our students. Lonnie’s tenure has been nothing short of a golden era of mentorship, growth, and community building at Maryville. His relentless pursuit of excellence, both on and off the field, has not only uplifted our athletic programs but also fostered an environment of access and opportunity where our students could excel academically and personally.” The university will announce a succession plan in the coming days. (link)
|
#1: Rockhurst has rolled out its new Hawks logo. AD Kristy Bayer: "From on-field performance to academic accolades, I truly believe Rockhurst University's student-athletes are the class of the Great Lakes Valley Conference and all of Division II. This new visual identity for our athletic programs reflects that stature. Unveiling it is a moment that a lot of our student-athletes and coaches have been anticipating for a while now, and to be able to share that moment with our friends, alumni and family members made it that much more special." (link)
|
