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Amherst’s Hixon Enshrined In Hoop Hall of Fame

Plus: PROP Recap, 50 Years at Lyco For Wiser, The Oregon Cup

Author

Steve Ulrich
August 14, 2023

AUGUST 14, 2023 | written by STEVE ULRICH

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» 😃 Good Morning D3! Back and refreshed from vacation. And we’re back to our regular weekday schedule.

TOP STORY
1. Amherst’s Hixon Enshrined In Hoop Hall of Fame

by Trevor Hass, Boston.com

“David Hixon joked with his wife, Mandy, before Saturday’s Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony that his portion of the festivities would be like an “owl convention.”

With NBA legends from Dwyane Wade to Dirk Nowitzki also making it official, folks in the audience and around the world would turn to one another and say: “Hoo? Hoo? Hoo?” when Hixon took the stage.

To basketball fans in New England, Hixon has thrived as a titan and visionary for decades. To basketball fans around the world, he became a household name when he earned his spot among the best of the best.”

» Court Awareness: “Hixon, who led Amherst College to 20 NCAA tournaments, seven Final Fours, and two national titles in 42 years, became the third coach in NCAA history to surpass the 800-win mark. He finished his career with two National Coach of the Year awards, five conference Coach of the Year nods, and eight conference titles.”

» What They’re Saying: “I am a Division 3 guy. Guys like Coach Hixon are my idols. That’s real basketball.” - Gregg Popovich, San Antonio Spurs head coach, former coach at Pomona-Pitzer (1979-88), also named to Hall of Fame.

» The Final Word: “My story is a 50-year love affair with a school and sport,” Hixon said."

RULES
2. Playing Rules Oversight Panel Recap

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel met last Thursday and approved new rules for softball and ice hockey.

» Softball: PROP approved a new rule allowing both feet of pitchers to disengage from the playing surface during their delivery when pushing off the pitcher's plate. The pitcher's pivot foot can become airborne with one push from the pitcher's plate. However, pitchers will not be allowed to replant their pivot foot, resulting in pushing off from a second point and the pitcher being farther away from the pitcher's plate.

» Pace of Play: The time between when the next pitch must be thrown will be reduced from 25 seconds (10/10/5) to 20 seconds. Also, teams will have the option of using a visible action clock. The batter must still be ready to hit within 10 seconds, or a strike will be assessed to the batter. If pitchers do not begin their windup before the rest of the time expires, a ball will be awarded to the batter.

» Ice Hockey. Having too many players on the ice when a goal is scored on the ensuing play was removed from the list of plays that can be reviewed by video in NCAA men's and women's ice hockey for the 2023-24 season.

A MESSAGE FROM D3PLAYBOOK

A new day is dawning for D3Playbook and we’re excited to share more in the upcoming days. I thank you for all your continued support over the past four years and look forward to bigger, better things for the 2023-24 academic year.

COACHING
3. A Golden Career For Wiser

by Steve Lloyd, WNEP-TV

“Back in 1970, Bud Whitehill recruited Steve Wiser out of Bald Eagle Area High School to come to Lycoming College for football and wrestling. Little did anyone know at the time it would be the start of a 50-year relationship with the wizard.

A term given to Coach Wiser once he got into coaching the Warriors defense beginning in 1977 as the defensive coordinator. Twice earning the #1 national ranking in total defense leading Lyco to 12 NCAA playoff appearances and playing twice for a Division III National Title along the five-decade run.”

» Field Awareness: A social studies teacher in the Williamsport Area School District for 32 years Wiser retired in 2006 but never gave up the love for football even with all of the changes since 1974. After 50 years of coaching at Lycoming, Coach Wiser is on a year-to-year contract and with good health and still quality recruits coming in there's really no end in sight.”

» Quotable: “And I will continue to coach. I have a very supportive wife. And that is important. I tell people all of the time if you are going to get into coaching you better have a supportive wife. That is the key. I am very blessed.”

NEWS
4. Lightning Round

🗞 News. The NCAA Division III Manual for the 2023-24 academic year is now electronically available. Hard-copy versions of the manual will not be distributed, nor will they be available to purchase through NCAA Publications. Instead, schools and conferences may use LSDBi to download electronic versions of the standard manual or other custom reports (e.g., sport-specific) and print such versions as needed.

🏈 Football. Four Oregon-based Northwest Conference colleges and universities have announced the creation of the Oregon Cup, a non-conference football series featuring familiar conference foes. Football teams from Willamette University, George Fox University, Pacific University, and Lewis & Clark College will compete for the Oregon Cup beginning this year. Two games featuring the four teams will be played during the second week of the season, with opponents and locations rotating each year.

TRANSACTIONS
5. Comings and Goings

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