Nothing Matters More Than September

D3Playbook MARCH 31, 2020 | written by STEVE ULRICH your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III Our goal is to keep you - the influencers in DIII athletics - apprised of what's happening around Division III - the games, polls, news, happenings, awards, calendar of events, and much more. We hope you enjoy d3Playbook and that you'll share this with your friends, colleagues and co-workers. >> Good Tuesday Morning. An important read to start your day. >> Today's Word Count: 1,139. Brief, concise, smart. >> Thanks for reading D3Playbook. Please recommend us to a friend or co-worker. Or share with your staff and bring them up-to-speed on what's happening in DIII. Subscribe to d3Playbook 1.  Nothing Matters More Than September by Paul LeBlanc, president, Southern New Hampshire University "Residential colleges and universities are scrambling to finish the academic year online, fretting over next fall’s enrollment, and struggling with cash flow challenges. What terrifies so many higher education leaders is a scenario in which the coronavirus persists into late summer and campuses are not permitted to reopen next fall. If the Class of 2024 is forced to start its college career from home and an online, the impact will be cataclysmic. In that scenario, institutions may offer to start first year students with online delivery, but there is little reason to believe that students will pay regular tuition for an online education. Not because well done online education is not of high quality, though what many of them are experiencing now falls well short of that standard given the hasty shift to online for many institutions. Students won’t pay regular tuition if they are not getting the coming of age campus experience that is what they value most about going away to college." >> Why It Matters: Students pay for the experience - athletics, student organizations, study abroad and more. They are also willing to pay for the brand name and the value-added network of fellow alumni. Are they as willing to pay for an "online" experience? >> What's Next: "For many colleges, there are two large infusions of cash revenue each year.  When students pay for the fall semester and then again for the spring semester. Cash flow gets very tight in the weeks before those tuition checks start coming in and less wealthy colleges often dip into a line of credit to carry them through. If they are denied normal tuition revenue this fall, as well as room and board revenue (room and board revenue often spells the difference between a deficit and a surplus for many institutions), they will be in crisis mode." >> Reality Check: If campuses are not open in September, expect program cuts, layoffs, halted capital projects, and then the closure of many institutions. >> Between The Lines: "The fallout will be worse for non-selective private institutions, the industry’s most vulnerable sector. Public institutions are harder to kill, but many have already struggled with massive budget cutbacks." >> A Must-Read 2.  An Open Letter to Students From the members of the NCAA Divisions I, II and III Student-Athlete Advisory Committees. DI, DII and DIII SAAC members wrote an open letter to NCAA student-athletes: https://t.co/W2L1D5ZrWt#UnitedAsOne pic.twitter.com/o2S0FOwnU6 — Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) March 30, 2020 "We are living in an uncertain and emotional time. Thousands of student-athletes feel heartbroken, sad, angry, confused and many more emotions. Everyone is experiencing unforeseen challenges and trying to navigate uncharted territory while facing major, life-changing and imperative sacrifices. While the cancellation of a senior season or a year of eligibility is monumental, as student-athletes, we are doing our part to be responsible citizens in the setting of a widespread COVID-19 outbreak in the United States and throughout the world. This is not about sports." >> Listen or Read the Complete Letter SPONSORED MESSAGE Would you like to sponsor this newsletter? Would you like to advertise an open position in your department for a head coach or administrator? Contact d3playbook@gmail.com to get your job opening in front of decision-makers in small-college athletics. 3.  Double The Fun courtesy of CCNY Athletics In 1949-50, the City College of New York men's basketball program accomplished something that had never been done before or since.  The Beavers won both the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and NCAA Tournament.  Saturday, March 28, marked the 70th anniversary of CCNY's historic achievement. After going 14-5 during the regular season, the Beavers were among the 12 teams selected to participate in the NIT, which took place entirely at Madison Square Garden—CCNY's home floor.  In the opening round, Head Coach Nat Holman's squad was drawn against the defending NIT champions from the University of San Francisco.  CCNY won that game, 65-46, to advance to the quarterfinals, where it would face the University of Kentucky, which had captured the last two NCAA titles (and would win the National Championship again in 1951) and entered the game ranked third in the country. The Beavers dominated the Wildcats from start to finish, earning an 89-50 victory.  It was the biggest loss in the 41-year career of legendary Kentucky Head Coach Adolph Rupp.  CCNY then defeated No. 6 Duquesne 62-52 in the semifinals to set up a matchup with top-ranked Bradley for the championship.  The Beavers knocked off the Braves, 69-61, to claim the NIT title. On the strength of that triumph, CCNY was awarded the last spot in the NCAA Tournament, which was only an eight-team event at the time.  The Beavers would once again play all of their games at Madison Square Garden, starting with a quarterfinal showdown against No. 2 Ohio State. It would turn out to be the closest game CCNY played during its historic run.  Floyd Layne scored 17 points and Norm Mager added 15, as the Beavers held on for a one-point victory, 56-55. Two days later, CCNY faced fifth-ranked North Carolina State in the East Regional Final. Led by Head Coach Everett Case, the Wolfpack had gone 26-5 en route to their fourth consecutive Southern Conference championship.  NC State proved to be no match for the Beavers, though. Ed Roman poured in 21 points to lead CCNY past the Wolfpack, 78-73, and set up a rematch with Bradley for the NCAA Championship. Ten days after beating the Braves in the NIT final, the Beavers did it again.  And this time, it made them the National Champions. Irwin Dambrot was named NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player after leading CCNY with 15 points in the 71-68 triumph. With the victory, the Beavers became the first team ever to win both tournaments in the same season.  Such a double is no longer possible under current NCAA rules, which means CCNY will remain the only team in history ever to accomplish the feat. 4.  Comings and Goings Cleive Adams named head football coach at Ferrum. Patrick Henry named head football coach at Averett. Paul Richards announced his retirement as head swimming coach at Dickinson. Matt Bremer named assistant football coach at St. Scholastica. Caressa DeRossett promoted to assistant softball coach at Alfred. 5. 1 Puzzle Thing photo courtesy of Getty Images "America Falls to Pieces Over Shortage of Jigsaw Puzzles," reports a Wall Street Journal A-hed by Michael M. Phillips (subscription): "Demand rises as pandemic keeps millions at home, but getting them isn't easy." Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt says: "Customers with time on their hands are looking for fatter books and more-complicated puzzles." "Of the top 10 items that shoppers searched for on Amazon.com last Tuesday, nine were antivirus cleaning supplies or personal-hygiene products (read: toilet paper). No. 7 was 'puzzles for adults.'" "More people were hunting desperately for jigsaw puzzles that day than Clorox wipes." Subscribe to d3Playbook

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DIII Experiences $7.6M Deficit

D3Playbook MARCH 30, 2020 | written by STEVE ULRICH your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III Our goal is to keep you - the influencers in DIII athletics - apprised of what's happening around Division III - the games, polls, news, happenings, awards, calendar of events, and much more. We hope you enjoy d3Playbook and that you'll share this with your friends, colleagues and co-workers. >> Welcome to a new week. >> Today's Word Count: 947 words. Short, concise, smart. A great way to start your day. >> Thanks for reading D3Playbook. Please recommend us to a friend or co-worker. Or share with your staff and bring them up-to-speed on what's happening in DIII. Subscribe to d3Playbook 1.  DIII to Experience $7.6M Deficit Division III will experience a $7.6 million deficit for the 2019-20 fiscal year as a result of the cancellation of the remaining winter and spring championships. Each division is expected to lose approximately 70% of its annual estimated revenue for the year, Kathleen McNeely, NCAA senior vice president of administration and chief financial officer, said during a meeting Tuesday of the Division III Strategic Planning and Finance Committee. The budget impact will reduce Division III’s revenue allocation this year to approximately $10.7 million, as opposed to $33 million. The division already had paid for all fall championships, a portion of winter championships and most of its nonchampionships initiatives. As a result, it spent about $7.6 million more than the $10.7 million in revenue it will receive. Division III spends approximately 75% of its annual revenue on championships and 25% on other initiatives, such as conference strategic grants and diversity grants. >> The Bottom Line: The committee voted to cancel all remaining staff-administered nonchampionships programs, such as Gameday the DIII Way Ambassador Program, DiSC programming, the CoSIDA Student Program and New Athletics Director Orientation, to save approximately $350,000. Staff already canceled the SWA Program, Institute for Administrative Advancement and the Next Steps Program. >> Quotable: “The financial loss for Division III will be significant, but money should never take precedence over life. We value people above all else,” Fayneese Miller, chair of the committee and president of Hamline, said. “The losses will impact money available for students and programming now and in the future, but Division III has done an incredible job in managing our resources and is uniquely prepared to weather the financial storm we face.” >> Go Deeper 2.  MacMurray Closes Doors The Board of Trustees of MacMurray College voted unanimously in March to close the 174-year-old institution at the end of the spring semester in May 2020. Board of Trustees Chair Charles O'Connell '69 said that despite the generosity of alumni giving and after extensive analysis and consideration, the Board determined MacMurray had no viable financial path forward amid declining enrollments, rising competitive costs and a small endowment. Mr. O'Connell expressed deep thanks and the full support of the Board to MacMurray President Dr. Beverly Rodgers for her stewardship since being appointed to the position in 2019. "Our students remain our top priority," Dr. Rodgers declared. "Faculty and staff have gone the extra mile in transferring all our classes to online and remote learning formats — practically overnight." She said that MacMurray has signed transfer agreements for its current students with seven area colleges. "We will assist all students in their transfer needs, helping them ensure they are able to complete their degrees. We will also support our faculty and staff in their transitions to other positions." The coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic disruption were recent factors that complicated MacMurray's financial condition, but they are not the principal reasons for the Board's decision to close, according to Mr. O'Connell. >> Worth Noting: According to a Form 990 filing from 2018, MacMurray had an endowment of approximately $19.8M at the end of the fiscal year. >> Go Deeper SPONSORED MESSAGE D3Playbook is looking for sponsors. NCAA Division III has a desirable demographic that can help your company thrive. Reach more than 700 influencers in NCAA Division III today. Contact d3playbook@gmail.com to get your company in front of decision-makers in small-college athletics. 3.  Presidents Fear Human, Financial Toll College and university presidents are deeply worried that the coronavirus crisis could wreak havoc on their institutions' finances in the near term and, especially, beyond. But right now, they say they're most concerned about the toll the crisis could take on the mental health of their students and employees. Here are some of the key findings of a survey of 172 presidents: Mental Health of students and employees at top of short-term concerns Financial stability and potential enrollment declines head longer-term worries Keeping students engaged with remote learning One-third of respondents see in-person classes starting again in fall. Four in 10 can't make a prediction. Federal stimulus funds needed to make up for losses. >> What They're Saying: "The things that lie ahead are ahead -- lots of gathering clouds on the horizon," Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council of Education, said. "But in the first instance, the students and stakeholder safety is the No. 1 priority of institutions." >> Keep Reading from InsideHigherEd.com 4.  Honored Matthew Wilkinson of Carleton, Dylan Cooper of UW-Eau Claire, Parley Hannan of Ithaca and Laura Darcey of Chicago were honored the the US Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as the Division III indoor track and field athletes of the year. Wilkinson was ranked first nationally in the 3K and 5K and was third in the mile. Cooper tied the DIII record in the heptathlon. Hannan led the Division in three events (mile, 3K, 5K) and anchored the top-ranked DMR. Darcey posted the fourth-best performance in DIII pentathlon history. >> Read More 5.  Comings and Goings Joe Hakes announced his retirement as athletic director at Illinois Tech at the end of the semester. Bre Lowe named head field hockey coach at Rensselaer. Cole Workman will not be retained as permanent head coach of the men's ice hockey team at St. Olaf. 6.  1 Peep Thing  No more Peeps are being hatched for at least a couple of weeks — but it shouldn’t affect Easter baskets. The Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based Just Born confections company said its production facilities there and in Philadelphia are closed through April 7. But the company says it had already produced and shipped the Easter supply of its signature marshmallow confection to outlets. Subscribe to d3Playbook

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Division III Down $22M

D3Playbook MARCH 27, 2020 | written by STEVE ULRICH your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III Our goal is to keep you - the influencers in DIII athletics - apprised of what's happening around Division III - the games, polls, news, happenings, awards, calendar of events, and much more. We hope you enjoy d3Playbook and that you'll share this with your friends, colleagues and co-workers. >> Good Friday Morning!  "Young man, there’s no need to feel down. I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground." >> Today's Word Count: 1,449. Smart, concise. An informative read that's just over 6 minutes. >> Thanks for reading D3Playbook. Please recommend us to a friend or co-worker. Or share with your staff and bring them up-to-speed on what's happening in DIII. Subscribe to d3Playbook 1. Division III Down $22M Division III will receive $22 million less from the NCAA than it did a year ago in a decision announced yesterday in Indianapolis. The NCAA receives most of its revenue from the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship television and marketing rights, as well as championship ticket sales. The revenue is used to provide distributions to member conferences and schools along with funding championships, national programs and other initiatives to support student-athletes. Division III will receive 3.18% of actual revenues, currently projected to be $10.7 million for the division, which is a $22 million decrease from last year. These amounts will be used to fund national programs. >> Situational Awareness: Division III budgeted 75 percent of its allocation to championships - a total of $26.5 million. $8.7 million - or 25 percent - is allocated to non-championship initiatives for 2019-20. >> Of Note: Included in the non-championships initiatives is $3.2 million to the Strategic Initiative Conference Grants, $1.3 million to the women and minority intern program, and $708,000 for the strategic alliance matching grant. >> Worth Noting: Division III has budgeted $41,000 for event cancellation insurance. >> What They're Saying: “As an Association, we must acknowledge the uncertainties of our financial situation and continue to make thoughtful and prudent decisions on how we can assist conferences and campuses in supporting student-athletes now and into the future.” - Michael V. Drake, chair, Board of Governors, president, Ohio State >> Be Smart: Division III has a mandated annual reserve of 50 percent of the annual overall budget - $16.1 million - as well as a $5 million insurance policy. >> Read The Entire Release from the NCAA source: NCAA Division III 2019-20 Facts and Figures 2.  Will Coronavirus Close Your College? by David Wescott, Chronicle of Higher Education Robert Zemsky is a professor of higher education at the University of Pennsylvania and a member of Whittier College's Board of Trustees. He recently co-authored a book with Campbell Baldridge and Susan Shaman entitled, The College Stress Test. In it, the co-authors calculated that just 10 percent of the nation's colleges faced severe market risk, while another 30 percent face some risk and are likely to struggle. That was before the coronavirus. Since the book’s release, Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded its outlook for higher education from stable to negative. A recent survey found that one in six high-school seniors who expected to attend a four-year college full time may now be reconsidering. The outbreak has broken the admissions calendar, cast yield models into chaos, and left academic leaders unsure of what comes next. >> Quotable: "Everything is up in the air. This whole tradition of, you know, you get your letter of acceptance and you go to an accepted-applicant event — all of that is gone. The yield process is going to be very weird. Colleges are not going to know what to do with their wait lists, for example. So what will happen on just the admissions front is a massive moment of confusion and uncertainty." >> The Big Picture: "The first question an institution should ask on the financial side is: How much real cash reserves do they have? The second question is: Are they going to be eligible for federal relief? An institution with a poor cash position and uncertain applicants is in real danger." >> Between The Lines: "Higher ed is full of smart people who ought to be able to figure our way out of this. But I do not see a great leader at one of these universities breaking the mold." >> Read the entire interview ($) 3.  Jostens Award   Awards season for NCAA Division III women’s and men’s basketball continued on Monday afternoon with the announcement of the 2020 Jostens Trophy recipients, as presented by the Rotary Club of Salem, Va. DePauw University star Sydney Kopp and Hamilton College standout Kena Gilmour are honored with this season’s top awards, which recognize the outstanding student-athletes in Division III basketball for excellence in the classroom, on the court, and in their respective communities. The Jostens Trophy is a joint creation of Jostens, Inc., of Minneapolis, Minn., and the Rotary Club of Salem, Va. The purpose of the award is to honor the true Division III student-athlete - the athlete that shows excellence in the classroom, on the playing floor and in the community. In addition to the Trophy, the Wooldridge Scholarship, a $1,000 donation, will be presented in the names of the winners to their institutions. The scholarship is named after Dan Wooldridge, a Salem Rotarian and retired Commissioner of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, as a way of honoring him for his long-time dedication to Division III athletics. >> Keep Reading SPONSORED MESSAGE Would you like to sponsor this newsletter? Would you like to advertise an open position in your department for a head coach or administrator? Contact d3playbook@gmail.com to get your job opening in front of more than 700 decision-makers in small-college athletics. 4. All-Americans US College Hockey Online (USCHO) has released its 2020 Division III All-America men's team. First Team F-Conlan Keenan, Sr., Geneseo F-Andrew Romano, Sr., Geneseo F-Conor Landrigan, Jr., Utica D-Daniel Fritz, Sr., Utica D-Christian Hausinger, Jr., UW-River Falls G-Tom Aubrun, Sr., Norwich Player of the Year: Tom Aubrun, Sr., Norwich, GK Rookie of the Year: Brandon Osmundson, Fr., Utica, F >> Complete Team The American Hockey Coaches Association released its 2020 women's All-America team. First Team F-Amanda Conway, Sr., Norwich F-Emma Crocker, Jr., Elmira F-Annie Katonka, Jr., Plattsburgh D-Samantha Benoit, Jr., Norwich D-Michaela Giuttari, Sr., Hamilton G-Caitlin Walker, Soph., Amherst Player of the Year: Amanda Conway, Sr., Norwich, F >> Complete Team 5.  Comings and Goings Melanie Schaefer named assistant director of athletic communication at Washington U. Rachel Palumbo named head field hockey coach at Catholic. Lily Hallock named head women's volleyball coach at Willamette. Ken DeWeese announced his retirement as head men's basketball coach at Mary Hardin-Baylor. Michael McGuire named assistant football coach at UW-La Crosse. Centenary (La.) announced addition of esports and STUNT as varsity programs beginning in the fall of 2021. Plymouth State adds men's swimming as a varsity sport beginning in 2020-21. 6.  1 Fun Thing “Y.M.C.A.” is a member of this year’s class of the National Recording Registry. That’s right, kids – that infectious stand-up-and-boogie disco classic, complete with a singalong chorus and over-the-top enthusiasm for a single-sex gym and fraternal living facility – is now in the official time capsule of American history. But where did the song come from? How did a giddy tribute to the Young Men’s Christian Association, a religious non-profit founded in 19th-century London, become one of the most instantly recognizable songs in late 20th-century America? For this, we need to go to the disco-crazed days of winter 1978-79, specifically to New York City’s nightclub and bar scene. “Saturday Night Fever,” set in Brooklyn, had rocked the world year before. Studio 54 reigned supreme for the city’s celebrities. Donna Summer and the Bee Gees ruled pop music. Manhattan’s Greenwich Village was a hotbed of gay life and fashion. Victor Willis (pictured above as the cop) - Mr. YMCA - agreed to sing lead and background vocals for an unnamed concept band that was the brainchild of Jacques Morali, a French record producer. Morali was gay and loved the flamboyant personalities he’d see at Village nightclubs. He eventually called his project the “Village People,” although Willis was the only person in the group, wasn’t gay and still didn’t live in the Village. Willis put pen to paper. He imagined a kid, not much different than himself, maybe 20, 21 years old, sitting on the corner of 63rd and Broadway, in front of the Empire. He saw it now from a slightly older perspective, as a guy who could offer advice to a kid like that. “I imagined somebody coming in town and, you know, maybe having blown all their money or couldn’t afford to go to the five-star hotels,” he says. “They were just sitting there not knowing which way to go with their life. So that was the first line.” Morali added the music. Horace Ott, a music-industry veteran with a long resume of hits, added the horn and string arrangements, giving the song the punchy blasts that heralded the chorus. It was done." >> Little Known Fact: Willis was married to Phylicia Ayers-Allen for six years. After divorcing, she married football star Ahmad Rashad, starred as Claire Huxtable in "The Cosby Show" and become a pop-culture icon all her own. >> No. 2: The song never hit No. 1 on the charts. Who was it behind? >> Worth Your Time >> Turn It Up (You Know You Want To) Subscribe to d3Playbook

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