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DECEMBER 22, 2025
composed by STEVE ULRICH
No publication covers NCAA Division III better. #whyD3

⏰ Almost Done For 2025 

🎶 Your Morning Pick-Me-Up.

🗞️ In Today’s Playbook. Cardinals, Falcons Fly High to the Stagg Bowl. NYU, WashU Top Women’s Basketball Spending in 2023-24. Claims, Recordings Spark Concern Over Heidelberg Women’s Basketball.

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Top Story

1. Flying High to the Stagg Bowl

Defending national champion North Central will meet Wisconsin-River Falls for the NCAA Division III football championship in two weeks in Canton, Ohio.

The Cardinals (14-0) advanced to the national final for the sixth consecutive season with a 41-21 victory against John Carroll (12-2). NCC jumped out to a 28-0 halftime lead and never looked back. QB Garret Wilson completed 18-of-23 passes for 324 yards and three TDs, while RB Donovan McNeal rushed 18 times for 160 yards. DL Eli Renick applied the capper to close the first half, picking off JCU QB Nick Semptimphelter and returning the theft 60 yards for a pick-six.

The wildest game of the playoffs took place in River Falls, as QB Kaleb Blaha connected with WR Blake Rohrer on a 79-yard touchdown pass with 47 seconds remaining to lift the Falcons (13-1) past Johns Hopkins, 48-41. Blaha threw for 520 yards and five TDs with Rohrer pulling in nine balls for 236 yards, finding paydirt three times. The two teams combined for 1,093 yards with Hopkins QB Bay Harvey accounting for 288 yards and four scores.

North Central and UW-River Falls will meet in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl on Sunday, Jan. 4, in Canton, Ohio. The game will be televised on ESPN at 8 p.m.

2. NYU, WashU Top Women’s Basketball Spending in 2023-24

How much did your school and its rivals spend on women’s basketball during the 2023-24 season?

Three UAA schools top the list - New York University, Washington University, and Brandeis University. Trinity University of the SAA is the top non-UAA spender.

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» Definition. According to the EADA and the U.S. Department of Education. “All expenses attributable to intercollegiate athletic activities. This includes appearance guarantees and options, athletically related student aid, contract services, equipment, fundraising activities, operating expenses, promotional activities, recruiting expenses, salaries and benefits, supplies, travel, and any other expenses attributable to intercollegiate athletic activities.”

» Money Doesn’t Buy Everything. Only three of the top 20 spenders made the Division III Sweet 16 in 2023-24 - NYU, Transylvania, and Scranton.

» Conference Call. AEC (Marymount $187,755), AMCC (Carlow $197,841), A-R-C (Loras $247,180), ASC (UMHB $310,306), C2C (CNU $398,033), CC (Franklin & Marshall $223,148), CCIW (Elmhurst $281,722), CCS (Piedmont $230,582), CNE (W. New England $257,242), CUNYAC (John Jay $102,143)

E8 (St. John Fisher $250,349), GNAC (Norwich $199,065), HCAC (Transylvania ($376,936), LAND (Scranton ($361,329), LEC (WestConn $296,402), LL (Union $323,997), MACC (Stevenson $185,577), MACF (Stevens $236,798), MASCAC (Worcester State $126,238), MIAA (Trine $344,282), MIAC (Gustavus Adolphus $256,591), MWC (Knox $270,185)

NAC (Husson $214,475), NACC (Benedictine $373,858), NCAC (DePauw $325,063), NESCAC (Hamilton $383,200), NEWMAC (WPI $297,566), NJAC (Montclair State $238,368), NWC (Whitman $327,401), OAC (ONU $306,629), ODAC (Randolph-Macon $252,765), PAC (Saint Vincent $233,921),

SAA (Trinity $433,135), SCAC (Colorado College $367,562), SCIAC (Occidental $284,580), SKY (USMMA $240,560), SLIAC (Westminster $155,164), SUNYAC (Oneonta $205,486), UAA (NYU $683,458), UEC (St. Mary’s $177,343), UMAC (Bethany Lutheran $138,090), USAS (Southern Virginia $182,496), WIAC (Eau Claire $360,843).

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3. Claims, Recordings Spark Concern Over Heidelberg Women’s Basketball

“Families connected to Heidelberg University’s women’s basketball program say they are seeking accountability from the university and the NCAA after raising allegations of verbal, mental and emotional abuse by head coach Erin Eaton.

Concerns about the program have circulated privately for months and in recent weeks, publicly as well, with families and others close to the team describing an environment they say went beyond demanding coaching and negatively affected players’ well-being.”

» Court Awareness. “Among the allegations are demeaning behavior, retaliation for speaking up and a lack of institutional response when concerns were raised.”

» Quotable. ““I think Heidelberg is blind to their own system and that appropriate action needs to be taken; we have now found out that there have been previous abuse charges filed at two different universities, and we will continue our fight to have this coach removed,” said attorney Martin J. Greenber in a statement.”

» What They’re Saying. “Heidelberg University remains firmly committed to providing a safe, supportive, and respectful environment for all students on the court, in the classroom, and across campus," in a statement responding to the allegations. "The University recently concluded an extensive, independent review of a complaint involving our Women’s Basketball program and Athletics administration. The investigation found no violations of NCAA policies or laws."

4. Lightning Round ⚡️ 

» Baseball. “Jacob Hirst got his call up to the big leagues in November and the former Central College baseball player will be an assistant coach for the New York Yankees during the 2026 season.

5. Comings and Goings

ALLEGHENY MOUNTAIN COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE - Announced Hobart will join as an affiliate member in men’s volleyball in 2027
CENTRAL - Elevated Conor Riordan to head men’s basketball coach
DALLAS - Removed interim tag from head men’s soccer coach Chase Reynolds
HOWARD PAYNE - Named Amy Farber Teal head women’s volleyball coach
KALAMAZOO - Promoted John Krajacic to head football coach
LORAS - Named Brandon Novak head football coach
LYON - Head women’s volleyball coach Kortney Cunningham resigned to take a new position
NICHOLS - Named Luke Elson head cross country/track and field coach
RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE - Named Francine Adamo as coordinator of student-athlete support
SAINT JOSEPH (Conn.) - Selected Elizabeth Wulf as head women’s ice hockey coach
SIMMONS - Named Maddie Castigliego as interim head softball coach
SPALDING - Selected Larry Owens as head baseball coach
STEVENSON - Announced Cullen Moore as assistant athletic director for facilities

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