Who's Next?

D3Playbook JUNE 29, 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 Monday Morning   >> Editor's Note: D3Playbook is on its summer schedule, publishing twice per week on Mondays and Thursday (since you're not in the office on Fridays, wink). We will also bring any breaking news when it happens. >> Today's Word Count: 1,104 words ... a little more than 4 minutes of your valuable time.  >> 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.  Who's Next? Talk about a Friday news dump? The College of New Jersey announced its fall plans late Friday afternoon that included the cancellation of "all high-contact varsity, intramural, and club athletics scheduled for fall semester (including football, soccer, field hockey, basketball, wrestling, rugby, dance, and cheerleading)." A day after Johnson and Wales University dropped a bombshell that it was closing two campuses, including one in Denver that sponsored Division III athletics in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), it added Friday that it was ending its program immediately. And to top things off, Pratt Institute cancelled its sports program throughout the fall semester due to COVID-19.  >> Why It Matters: The ripple effects of these moves will affect the members of the New Jersey Athletic Conference, the SCAC and the Capital Athletic Conference - the new home for Pratt. >> Reality Check: As America struggles to corral the coronavirus, more and more institutions may have to come to the same conclusion. >> Be Smart: It will be a busy week for announcements.   2.  Champs Committee Update by Greg Johnson, NCAA   "The Division III Championships Committee decided 20 percent of teams per region will be included in regional rankings in all sports when a new regional alignment plan takes effect in 2021-22. Committee members, who met by videoconference Monday and Tuesday, made the decision after the adoption of the realignment plan earlier this year. Sport committees were asked whether a fixed number of teams or a fixed percentage of teams would be preferred for regional rankings. A fixed percentage was slightly preferred by sport committees and generally fell within the current allowable range of 15-21 percent. Sport committees that favored a fixed number for regional rankings had a slightly greater percentage range when choosing a number, which ranged from seven to 10 teams per region." >> Quotable: “We know all sport committees must work late into the night to get the bracket set for selection shows the following day,” said Kiki Jacobs, committee chair and director of athletics at Roger Williams University. “This time change cannot be looked at in a vacuum. The committee thought we should consider all sports in this conversation.”  Elsewhere ...  Committee members tabled proposals from the Division III Baseball and Softball Committees that requested both championships be moved back a week, which would have become effective in the 2022-23 academic year. The committee tabled a request from the Division III Women’s Basketball Committee to modify the deadline for conferences to submit their automatic qualifier for selection purposes. Continue Reading   3. Emerging Sports   by Gail Dent, NCAA "The NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program will grow by two sports this August, as acrobatics and tumbling and women’s wrestling are now approved in all three divisions. Additionally, STUNT has received a recommendation from the Committee on Women’s Athletics to join the program. Acrobatics and tumbling and women’s wrestling were recently approved for the emerging sports program in Division I and were approved in Divisions II and III in January. Both sports will join equestrian, rugby and triathlon as emerging sports Aug. 1. Acrobatics and tumbling anticipates 30 NCAA schools will sponsor the sport in 2020-21, while women’s wrestling will be sponsored by about 35 schools. STUNT recently received a recommendation to be added to the program. Committee members were pleased that the sport has seen a steady increase in the number of NCAA member sponsorships, is relatively inexpensive to sponsor and  provides participation opportunities for female student-athletes of all body types and from diverse sports backgrounds. Currently, nearly 20 NCAA schools sponsor varsity STUNT." >> What's Next: The Divisions II and III Management Councils will meet July 20-21 to consider the recommendation to add STUNT to the program. After reviewing the recommendation, each council will decide whether to sponsor a legislative proposal. If a council decides to sponsor a proposal to add STUNT, the membership of that division would vote at the 2021 NCAA Convention in January on whether to add the sport. >> Go Deeper 4. UMHB Appeal Denied   by Emily James, NCAA   "The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor must vacate wins in which a student-athlete competed while ineligible, according to a decision issued by the NCAA Division III Infractions Appeals Committee. In the NCAA Division III Committee on Infractions decision regarding Mary Hardin-Baylor, the committee found that football staff members, led by the head coach, violated recruiting and extra benefit rules by providing impermissible transportation. In its appeal, the university argued that the vacation of records penalty prescribed by the Committee on Infractions was excessive such that it constitutes an abuse of discretion. In its decision, the Infractions Appeals Committee noted the NCAA rule detailing when the vacation of records penalty can be applied does not require more than one of the outlined circumstances to be present in a case for the Committee on Infractions to prescribe it. After reviewing the arguments and case record, the Infractions Appeals Committee did not find the vacation of records penalty was excessive, and it affirmed the penalty." >> Read More on the Case   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.   5. Fall Academic Openings   Colleges and universities are beginning to unveil their plans for reopening for the fall semester. To add your institution to our list, please send a relevant link with the information to D3Playbook@gmail.com. August 17 - Washington & Jefferson August 20 - Gordon August 24 - Colorado College, Mount St. Mary August 25 - TCNJ August 26 - Emmanuel September 8 - Thomas   6.  Comings and Goings   Condolences to the family and friends of Bob Bonn, athletic director at Carthage from 1992 to 2018, on his passing.   Kathleen Harring named president at Muhlenberg. Ross Allen named president at Bethel. Jane Fernandes announced her plans to step down as president at Guilford effective next July. Lauren Packer Webster named athletic director at Franklin & Marshall. Diane Stephen named head women's lacrosse coach at Eastern Connecticut. Mike Clary named head men's golf coach at Rhodes. Russell Mackey named head women's lacrosse coach at Anderson. John Forman named head volleyball coach at Medaille. Beth Hubbard named interim head women's golf coach at UW-Oshkosh. Rob Purdy resigned as head women's tennis coach at Castleton. Hood joins East Coast Conference as associate member in esports. Piedmont College to become Piedmont University in 2021.   7.  1 Exercise Thing  Get your day started with some push-ups. And get a friend to join you. Have a great Monday!   Subscribe to d3Playbook

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Fall Ball Stall

D3Playbook JUNE 25, 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 Thursday Morning!   >> Today's Word Count: 1,361. Easy to read. Easy to digest. Getting you ready for the weekend. >> 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.  Fall Ball Stall   On Monday, Bowdoin and UMass Boston both announced that intercollegiate athletics would not take place during the fall semester. "Athletics is an important part of the Bowdoin experience for so many of our students. Unfortunately, given that we will not have all students on campus in the fall, we will not be participating in fall and winter varsity sports during the fall semester, said President Clayton Rose." He went on to comment and, perhaps, shine a light on the plans for the remainder of the NESCAC membership.   "The New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) is developing plans for fall, winter, and spring sports regarding the ways in which coaches will be permitted to engage with their teams, and we anticipate providing opportunities for our coaches to work with their student-athletes from each sport season in the fall. The conference’s most recent statement can be found later in this message. As I have already noted, I am hopeful that there will be an opportunity for the winter, spring, and possibly fall varsity athletes to participate and compete in some form after January 1."   UMass Boston interim chancellor Katherine Newman noted, "Student athletes are particularly sad about the loss of team sports, and we deeply regret the effect that our fall plan has on everyone involved in our athletics program. If there were a way to make a different decision in a manner that we feel is responsible, we surely would. Sadly, the virus is spreading amongst athletes in states that have opened up. We don’t want that to happen to our Beacons." >> Why It Matters: COVID-19 has not ebbed during the hot, summer months and has reached record numbers in various southern and western states. >> Between The Lines: The NESCAC has seldom split ranks on athletic decisions and we would be extremely surprised to see the remaining members compete during the fall semester. The Little East Conference does not have a similar history as its New England neighbors and now faces new administrative challenges. >> Yes, But: Although colleges have announced plans for resuming classes on campus - either in-person or remote - few have clearly defined policies for resuming athletic practices and competitions.  >> Be Smart: With new data and information on the virus daily, presidents, athletic directors and commissioners have another difficult decision to make on the Fall 2020 season.     2.  Taking Down #1 Twice in a Night   by Sal Maiorana, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle "It would be tough to argue that winning the 1990 NCAA men’s basketball Division III national championship isn’t the greatest athletic moment in the history of the University of Rochester. But one that certainly deserves a long look as runner-up occurred on Feb. 23, 2003, and I was fortunate to have a court-side seat. That Sunday afternoon, the Palestra played host to a doubleheader as the men’s and women’s basketball teams welcomed two powerhouse teams from Washington University, both having arrived on the banks of the Genesee River sporting undefeated records and ranked No. 1 in the country in the NCAA Division III polls. However, over the span of about five hours, the old gym rocked like it rarely has as the UR men pulled out a thrilling 83-82 overtime victory, and the women followed with a come-from-behind 82-73 triumph. Dennis O’Donnell, the long-time communications director at UR, emailed me recently about this day, and he shared the following anecdote regarding a quick exchange we had following the men’s game. “You finished your post-game interviews for the men and were getting ready to write,” O’Donnell recalled. “You asked me if I could promise you a women’s game just as good as that and I told you, ‘Sal, you’re talking to an old, fat guy. I don’t know if my heart can take another finish like that.’” >> Continue Down Memory Lane   3.  Undergraduate Experiences and Post-Graduate Outcomes   As a follow-up to their 2016 study, Gallup has produced a new report on the college experiences and life outcomes of college graduates who competed in NCAA athletics in Divisions I, II or III.  Gallup interviewed nearly 5,000 former NCAA student-athletes about their college experiences and current well-being, and compared the responses to 69,000 non-student-athlete graduates from the same colleges.  The study sought to delve deeply into the long-term experiences of U.S. college athletes, looking specifically at patterns across decades, NCAA membership divisions and a variety of athlete characteristics including gender, race/ethnicity, first-generation and transfer status. In the 2020 study, Gallup found that NCAA student-athletes engaged in important undergraduate experiences at higher rates than their non-athlete peers and are more likely to be thriving in many post-college domains. >> Go Deeper   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.   Subscribe to d3Playbook 4. Technology Rule for Track and Field by Greg Johnson, NCAA "The use of technology to view video during track and field competitions is among the recommended rules changes supported by the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Rules Committee. Committee members, who met by videoconference last week, proposed that only coaches could use hand-held technology devices for purposes of video review in field events and for timing in running events. Competitors could view the video with their coaches provided they did so in a specific area designated by meet management. The area would have to be in a location that does not interfere with other ongoing competition. If video is viewed outside of the designated area, it would result in a warning, and a second violation would result in a disqualification for the coach and competitor. The committee believes this allowed use of technology would align NCAA track and field competition with other national and international governing bodies in the sport." >> What's Next: "In recent years, committee members have discussed reorganizing the NCAA Track and Field and Cross Country Rules Book. This goal was completed at the conclusion of their 2020 virtual meeting.  When the rules book is published in the fall, the track and field and cross country communities will see a more user-friendly rules book that clearly differentiates indoor track and field, outdoor track and field, and cross country rules." >> Continue Reading   5. Fall Academic Openings   Colleges and universities are beginning to unveil their plans for reopening for the fall semester. To add your institution to our list, please send a relevant link with the information to D3Playbook@gmail.com. August 12 - Berea August 17 - Gettysburg, Hope, Penn College, St. Mary's (Md.) August 20 - Ursinus August 24 - Muhlenberg, Rosemont August 26 - St. Lawrence August 31 - Cabrini, Centenary (N.J.) September 1 - Connecticut College September 2 - Bowdoin (first-years, new transfers ONLY), Endicott September 7 - Colby-Sawyer September 8 - Middlebury, Tufts >> Be Smart: What does an earlier end to the fall semester - prior to Thanksgiving - mean for those participating in winter sports? Just one more question to add to the ever-growing list.   6.  Comings and Goings   Mark Biermann named president at Blackburn. Dale Rudd named associate athletic director of sports medicine at Concordia University Texas. Julio Barroso named assistant to the commissioner at the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Walter "Mac" Sykes named head men's golf coach at North Carolina Wesleyan. Devon Quatrocchi named head women's basketball coach at Colby-Sawyer. Cassidy Rourke named head field hockey coach at Elmira. Steve Schafer named head men's basketball coach at Augustana. Melissa Fracker named head softball coach at UW-Superior. Bryan Rainwater resigned as head tennis coach at McMurry. Chris Breaux named head coach. Ben Horwitz named assistant men's basketball coach at Hobart. Jake Gosselin and Jilly Waso named assistant men's soccer coaches at Alvernia. Kevin Ruple announced his retirement as director of athletic communications at Baldwin Wallace. Jeff Miller named director. Albion will add men's and women's wrestling, along with esports, as varsity programs.   7.  Tweet of the Day   I was absolutely mesmerized by this and I think you might be too. Have a great weekend!   Subscribe to d3Playbook

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Can The Band Play On?

D3Playbook JUNE 22, 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 Monday Morning   >> Editor's Note: D3Playbook is on its summer schedule, publishing twice per week on Mondays and Thursday (since you're not in the office on Fridays, wink). We will also bring any breaking news when it happens. >> Welcome: We added six representatives of the NCAA Division III FAR Advisory Group and Division III FARA leadership to our subscriber base today. We hope you enjoy our newsletter. >> Today's Word Count: 1,355 words ... a little more than 5 minutes of your valuable time.  >> 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.  Can The Band Play On? The Carnegie Mellon University Kiltie band ... a tradition since 1908   by Dan Wolken, USA TODAY   "At the barest of bare minimums, the Michigan Marching Band could play “The Victors” with 32 people. If necessary, a song that would typically showcase more than 200 students lined up almost shoulder-to-shoulder to form a block "M" could be whittled down to the basics and still play that tune every college football fan would recognize.  “We aren’t going to do that,” said John Pasquale, the director of Michigan Marching and Athletic Bands. “But that would cover all the parts necessary.” But just like the football teams they share the stage with every Saturday, there’s a big question that will hang over college marching bands this fall: How do you do it safely?" >> The Big Picture: “If you want to disseminate an aerosol,” said Dr. Henry Hoffman, otolaryngologist and professor at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, “blowing something out around people is probably a pretty good way to disseminate it.” >> Quotable: "We just don’t know really from the science at this point how safe or risky it might be to play wind instruments together,” Dr. Adam Schwalje said. “There are some things that are in favor of marching bands -- playing outdoors where the winds might disperse any aerosols … but I think there’s a lot of other types of question marks about behaviors that go along with playing instruments, like swabbing instruments, blowing them out, getting rid of the condensation that accumulates in a safe way. >> Be Smart: “We didn’t cover this in any of our undergraduate ‘How to be a band director’ classes,” said Brian Britt, the director of the Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band. “We’re trying to think through, how do we rehearse safely? What are the protocols in that going to look like? What is game day going to look like at home? >> The Final Word: Just one more troubling piece of the COVID puzzle for great DIII marching bands such as Adrian, Alma, Carroll, Carnegie Mellon, Christopher Newport, Gettysburg, Grove City, Lebanon Valley, Linfield, Manchester, Monmouth, Moravian, Mount Union, North Central, Olivet, Saint Vincent, Westminster (Pa.) and many others. >> Keep Reading   2.  Campus Reactions to Racial Injustice   Click here or on the picture to listen.   3. NCAA Expands Confederate Flag Policy   The NCAA Board of Governors has expanded the Association’s Confederate flag policy to prevent any NCAA championship events from being played in states where the symbol has a prominent presence.  The policy previously barred the awarding of sites determined in advance of a championship in states that displayed the Confederate flag. However, if a college or university team earned the right to host a championship game based on its tournament seeding or ranking -- considered a nonpredetermined award -- the team could host on its college campus or in its home territory.   Mississippi is the only state currently affected by the Association’s policy.  >> What They're Saying: “Competing in an NCAA championship is a special experience for college athletes who compete at the highest level and we are grateful for the college athlete voice leading to this decision,” said Mark Emmert, NCAA president. “We must do all we can to ensure that NCAA actions reflect our commitment to inclusion and support all our student-athletes. There can be no place within college sports where any student-athlete is demeaned or unwelcome.” >> Why It Matters: "The Executive Committee reviewed the policy in 2014, per a request by the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee.  The policy remained unchanged, which allowed schools competing in sports such as baseball, softball, lacrosse and later women’s basketball the opportunity to host preliminary non-determined championship events in their home state, which included Mississippi. That will no longer be allowed under the expanded flag policy."   4. The DIII Experience by Chloe Hamer, Pitzer College   Hamer, a soccer player from Santa Barbara, Calif., writes about what she sees as the differences between Division I and Division III. She offers a tip of the cap to those who earn an athletic scholarship, while also noting the advantages of the non-scholarship Division III experience. >> The Hype Around Division I: "For starters, there’s the excitement about committing. As a high school athlete, there is nothing more glorious than the moment you receive a call from a coach inviting you to commit to play your sport for their school. Following that call is the period where you get to tell all your nagging relatives and competitive friends that you have finally solidified your destination and achieved what is likely the most important goal of your young life." >> The Not-So-Hype: "Committing to play a sport for a DI school is essentially committing to a job. Your athletic scholarship depends on performance and keeps you from quitting no matter your level of passion for your sport, unless you are willing to take the financial blow of having to actually pay for your own education. With almost zero time outside of practice and games, your sport becomes your identity, forcing you to deprioritize not only your social life, but academic and extracurricular experiences as well." >> A True Student-Athlete Experience: "Perhaps the biggest attraction of playing for a DIII school is that the dual title, “student-athlete,” is taken extremely seriously, with some schools even proclaiming themselves as “scholar-champions” (which is a little premature to declare at the beginning of a season, in my opinion). Athletes who choose to go DIII likely value their academic experience as much, or more, than their athletic one." >> The Key Stat: "The DIII athletic experience is the only one that both emphasizes and allows the importance of well-roundedness and versatility." >> The Final Word: "The only real mistake that an aspiring student-athlete can make is to remain in the dark about the different experiences that each division has to offer and choosing to play for a school without checking in with themselves on what they really want from their time in college. And who knows? Understanding the difference may mean that your next Instagram caption will proudly champion the hashtag #d3bound." >> Keep Reading   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.   5. Fall Academic Openings   Colleges and universities are beginning to unveil their plans for reopening for the fall semester. To add your institution to our list, please send a relevant link with the information to D3Playbook@gmail.com. August 20 - Hendrix August 24 - Franciscan, Virginia Wesleyan August 26 - St. Lawrence August 31 - Houghton, Springfield, Wesleyan (Conn.) September 2 - Worcester State September 8 - Salve Regina   6.  Comings and Goings   Mark Misiak named interim athletic director at SUNY Potsdam. Alex Postpischil named head women's volleyball coach at NVU-Lyndon. Kelly Rider named head women's ice hockey coach at Curry. Dani Bishop named head softball coach at Brandeis. Angela Sheets named head softball coach at Greenville. Jimmy Stika named head men's volleyball coach at Fontbonne. Justin Pearch named head wrestling coach at Aurora. Jordan Burke named assistant men's soccer coach at East Texas Baptist. Patrick Rotchford named assistant football coach at Cortland. Rebecca Tomaszewski named assistant women's lacrosse coach at New England College. Paula Miller announced her retirement as head women's swimming and diving coach at Ithaca. Roger Williams announced discontinuation of men's polo as a varsity sport. Fontbonne announced its suspension of men's and women's tennis as varsity sports.   7.  1 Turtle Thing  Photo: Fairfax County Police Department via AP A 65-pound alligator snapping turtle with a face only its mother could love has found a new home at a Norfolk zoo after freaking out residents in northern Virginia, AP reports. The turtle, dubbed Lord Fairfax, was repeatedly crossing a residential road in the Alexandria area, according to Fairfax County Police. State fisheries folks say the turtle is just a juvenile and could eventually grow as big as 200 pounds.   Subscribe to d3Playbook

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