Knight Commission Calls for NCAA Action

 

written by STEVE ULRICH your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III   >> Hello Tuesday. Sugar Ray Leonard turns 66 today. I'm going to pause now and let that sink in. >> Today's Word Count: 952 >> Thanks for reading D3Playbook. Is your staff reading D3Playbook? Share the love and the info.   I know someone who would like D3Playbook TOP STORY 1.  Knight Commission Calls For NCAA Action Nancy Zimpher, Len Elmore, Amy Privette Perko The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics today recommended altering the NCAA’s annual revenue distribution to institutions to correct for racial and gender inequities. The NCAA awards 28 percent of its annual revenue distribution—more than $160 million—based on Division I men’s basketball teams’ wins and participation in the NCAA Men’s March Madness tournament. By stark contrast, the NCAA awards $0 for performance by women’s basketball teams in the tournament. The Commission reiterates its call for the implementation of a gender equity principle that would require any NCAA athletics performance-based revenue distribution to provide equal rewards for the performance of women’s and men’s teams.  The Knight Commission is also recommending a new Racial Equity standard to help close the graduation gap between White and Black Athletes. While the Academic Performance Program is an important step to affirm the educational mission of colleges and universities, too many schools with large racial graduation gaps among athletes still qualify for academic awards.  >> Court Awareness: Roberta Kaplan, founding partner of Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP, presented findings from the 2021 Kaplan Report, an independent gender equity analysis commissioned by the NCAA Board of Governors following the disclosure of glaring inequities between the Men’s and Women’s NCAA March Madness tournaments. Kaplan said that the NCAA’s current revenue distribution is “inconsistent with the NCAA’s stated commitment to gender equity.” >> TITLE: The Kaplan Hecker report noted that “the NCAA is a not-for-profit membership organization, not an ‘eat what you kill’ business enterprise.” As a consequence, it doesn’t matter which sport or sports generate the money in ensuring that revenue distributions are gender equitable.  >> Continue Reading A MESSAGE FROM BLUEFRAME TECHNOLOGY     Did you know BlueFrame Technology has advanced integrations with top automated cameras like the Hudl Focus? Showcase your teams and student-athletes with BlueFrame’s full streaming service priced perfectly for D3 budgets….or use their Production Truck software to stream with your current provider. Step up your game this year and STREAM LIKE A PRO with BlueFrame. Learn more today! FOOTBALL 2.  Starting From Square One  by Rachel Lenzi, Buffalo News "Anthony Homa considered walking on to the University at Buffalo football team, or going to junior college. When he received a message from Hilbert College’s football coaching staff about the prospect of joining the school's first football program, Homa was intrigued. What drew him to Hilbert wasn’t just the opportunity to play football. It was the chance to help build a program from scratch. “I see it more than just as, ‘This is the first program,’ because you can set things in stone right away, for 30 years. That’s the biggest reason I committed.” >> Field Awareness: "Hilbert has a goal of having 80 to 100 players on its first roster, all of whom are expected to be incoming freshmen. Since January, the program has continuously announced its committed recruits on its social media accounts – at least 60 players have committed, with the most recent additions coming Wednesday. Division III programs do not offer athletic scholarships." >> #BillsMafia: "Hilbert is hinging its hopes on the local passion for football in Western New York, as well as the dearth of Division III football programs in the region. When the Hawks open their inaugural eight-game schedule Sept. 10 against Denison in the Southtowns, they’ll be only the second Division III football program within a 30-mile radius of Buffalo, joining Buffalo State." >> What's Next: "Assembling that first roster also comes with a challenge. Hilbert’s staff has had cases where they try to recruit a potential athlete, with the thought that the person would make an immediate impact on the program, but then that recruit decides Hilbert might not be the right fit. Recruiting can be a cutthroat endeavor, as well, as Hilbert is vying with other Division III programs in the region with an established tradition, including Buffalo State, Brockport and St. John Fisher, to draw players." >> What They're Saying: “It’s the chance to be a part of something that’s built from the bottom,” said Alex Pond. “I’d rather go into a program that has nothing and make something happen, than go into a program and have to wait to have the chance to make something happen.” >> Read More Are you a marketer looking to reach decision makers who care about sports? Consider advertising with D3Playbook: Reach decision-makers in college and university athletics. Achieve your KPIs around business development, awareness, and product sales. A large segment of our audience earns six figures per year and makes business purchasing decisions. Let’s Chat BASEBALL 3.  Tournament Field Announced   Hunter Silvernail, Stevens | photo by Mike McLaughlin The 60-team field for the 2022 Division III baseball championship was revealed on Monday.  Four teams will compete at fourteen regional sites and two teams will compete at two regional sites. The four-team regionals will use a double-elimination format and the two-team regionals will play a best-of-five series. Forty-one conference champions qualified automatically. The other 19 were from conferences that did not have an AQ or at-large selections. Pool B (1): Salisbury    Pool C (18): Aurora, Baldwin Wallace, Brockport, Catholic, Chapman, Christopher Newport, Lynchburg, Montclair St., North Central, Oswego State, Pomona-Pitzer, Rochester, Rowan, Salve Regina, Stevens, Trinity (Texas), Wisconsin-Whitewater, Wooster Winners of the sixteen regional tournaments will qualify for eight, best-of-three series at the super regionals, Friday-Saturday, May 27-28. The eight super regional winners will then qualify for the pool play double-elimination championship at Perfect Game Field at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Friday-Tuesday/Wednesday, June 3-7/8, 2022.  >> Complete Release NEWS 4.  Lightning Round    Softball The NFCA announced its All-Region teams on Monday.   Happy Birthday Cake and candles to Gwynedd-Mercy head women's lacrosse coach Shannon Algeo. Belated wishes to Rivier head women's ice hockey coach Chris Czarnota.   Do you know of someone celebrating an upcoming birthday? Drop us a line at D3Playbook@gmail.com. TRANSACTIONS 5.  Comings and Goings   ALVERNIA - Kerry Smith named head women's bowling coach BOWDOIN - Megan Phelps named head women's basketball coach GREAT NORTHEAST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE - Joni Williamson named assistant to the commissioner KEUKA - Rick Ferchen announced his retirement as head baseball coach MARY BALDWIN - Felipe Juarez named head men's soccer coach MIDDLEBURY - Ali Paquette named assistant AD/director of athletic communications MORRISVILLE - Brittany Stroop resigned as head softball coach MOUNT ST. MARY - Steve Sosler stepped down as head baseball coach. Trevor Purcell named head baseball coach NEW JERSEY CITY - Shawn Tucker stepped down as director of athletics NICHOLS - Eric Gobiel stepped down as director of athletics ST. NORBERT - Andy Brandt stepped down as associate men's ice hockey coach SAINT VINCENT - Dan Szramowski named assistant men's basketball coach SUNY POLY - Announced addition of men's and women's golf as varsity sports beginning this fall 1 THING 6. A King-Sized Commencement Springfield College welcomed tennis legend Billie Jean King to speak at its 136th Commencement ceremony and it's one that graduates will certainly remember. “Champions learn how to adjust, and that is what you have all done as members of the Class of 2022,” added King. “We are all stronger together, and I congratulate you all on this amazing accomplishment.  Congratulations, and Go Pride.” At the conclusion of her speech, King invited the graduating members of the men's and women's tennis team to hit tennis balls into the crowd. Her appearance kicks off a year-long celebration at Springfield College of 50 Years of Title IX.   Thanks for starting your day with us. What did you think of today's newsletter?  Please invite your friends to sign up for D3Playbook

Sign Up for Free: D3Playbook

Copyright © 2022, D3Playbook.com All rights reserved.