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🗞 Headlines. Federal Lawmakers Split on College Sports Solutions as Talks Continue.

🎶 Your Morning Pick Me Up. Bang The Drum All Day. Todd Rundgren

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“Both Democrats and Republicans agree that college sports’ current system of “unrestricted free agency” is a major problem that needs solving. The biggest hurdle: they don’t agree on how to solve it.

Lawmakers held a hearing over the future of college sports in the Senate on Thursday, but appear no closer to introducing legislation that could pass both houses of Congress.”

» Driving The News. “During the two-hour Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) hearing titled “Don’t Fumble Their Future: Positioning Student-Athletes for Success in School and Beyond,” senators on both sides of the aisle said they agreed that the problems brought on by NIL and limitless transfers should change. But Democrats favor collective bargaining as a potential solution, while Republicans oppose it.”

» Why It Matters. “Some Democrats argue giving players collective bargaining rights could solve issues in college sports for both schools and players. In the pros, collective bargaining agreements allow athletes to negotiate and agree on restrictions for compensation and player movement. Republicans countered that that would require making athletes employees—and said its unsustainable model because of added costs to universities for paying players and tax implications for athletes.”

» What They’re Saying. “(The SCORE ACT is) dead on arrival for me,” Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who previously introduced a bill that would give athletes collective bargaining rights. Part of the reason, in his view, is that the no-employee clause prevents collective bargaining. But Murphy says “it’s not the biggest problem with the SCORE Act. The SCORE Act is basically a wishlist for the NCAA and the conferences,” he said, adding that it “limits athletes’ compensation rights, and puts the schools and the NCAA back in charge in a way that I think is fundamentally immoral.”

» Quotable. “I constantly hear people ask, will Congress do something?” Cassidy said during his opening remarks. “We should tackle it. … This hearing is: How do we set up the student-athlete for success?”

It’s championship weekend in Division III men’s and women’s ice hockey as Hobart and Wisconsin-River Falls look to make history.

The Statesmen (29-0) look to become the first team to win four consecutive national championships since Middlebury captured five in a row from 1995-99. The Falcons (28-1) are trying to “three-peat” for the first time since Plattsburgh State turned the trick in 2015-16-17 and second time in NCAA championship history.

» Semifinals (M). Aurora (25-5-1) vs. Hamilton (21-5-2), 3 p.m.; UW-Stout (23-5-1) vs. Hobart (29-0), 7 p.m. | Frozen Four Notes

» Semifinals (W). Norwich (26-2) vs. Nazareth (26-1-1); Amherst (21-2-6) at UW-River Falls (28-1), 8 p.m. | Frozen Four Notes

» Watch on NCAA Championships Pass

““I would say it’s probably a very unique story.”

Jason Gilman never imagined that one phone call after his season with Division III Kean University ended would change the trajectory of his baseball career. Gilman, who wound up being a 16th-round pick in the 2025 draft by the Boston Red Sox, recalled the events that brought him to pro baseball.”

» Diamond Awareness. “To say things quickly changed for Gilman is an understatement. His 2025 season was one of complete dominance for the left-handed pitcher, helping to lead Kean University to a 41-11 record and making it all the way to the NCAA Division III College World Series. Gilman himself pitched like an ace for the team, going 14-1 in 15 games, 14 of them starts. He finished the season with a 2.08 ERA in 112 1/3 innings and struck out 150 batters while walking just 32.”

» Between The Lines. “His plans for the draft changed drastically with less than two weeks to go, Gilman prepared for his future, committing to Ole Miss to play a fifth year of baseball at the NCAA level. Instead, the Red Sox called and altered everything. After signing, Gilman did not get into any games but instead was assigned to the team’s complex in Fort Myers.”

» What They’re Saying. “A pitcher who only had Division III experience has now made his way to the best league in the world. He will likely pitch in affiliated ball once the minor-league season kicks off. For a pitcher who grew up loving baseball, nothing beats it. “I was a kid and I just started throwing a ball. Apparently, it was my first toy, so that’s pretty cool.” Pretty cool indeed.”

The latest Division III golf rankings are out and the Huntingdon men and Emory women hold down the No. 1 spots.

» Top 10 (M). 1-Huntingdon, 2-Washington and Lee, 3-Sewanee, 4-Carnegie Mellon, 5-Claremont-M-S, 6-Emory, 7-Methodist, 8-Mary Hardin-Baylor, 9-Illinois Wesleyan, 10-Aurora | Complete List

» Top 10 (W). 1-Emory, 2-Carnegie Mellon, 3-NYU, 4-Pomona-Pitzer, 5-Williams, 6-Amherst, 7-Washington U., 8-Washington and Lee; 9-Claremont-M-S, 10-Redlands | Complete List

» Ice Hockey. Hobart senior goalkeeper Damon Beaver was named the recipient of the 2026 Sid Watson Award, given annually to the best NCAA Division II-III men's ice hockey player in the country.”

» Baseball. “Pennsylvania College of Technology canceled the remainder of their baseball team's games, bringing an abrupt end to the season.”

» Swimming. “Due to ongoing issues created by the lack of an on-campus aquatic facility, projected increases in operating costs, and sustained challenges with roster size, Hanover College will discontinue its intercollegiate men's and women's swimming programs, effective immediately.”

» Volleyball (M). Juniata junior setter Will Sierer was named the AVCA Division III National Player of the Week. He had 114 assists in the three matches, averaging 10.36 per set, to go with a .400 hitting percentage.

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