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» I’ve Got Friday On My Mind. 

» Happening Today: NCAA DIII Women’s Golf Championship final round. Committee on Women’s Athletics meeting.

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TOP STORY

1. He Left The SEC For DIII

by Matt Brown, Extra Points

“Brian Polian has been nearly everywhere in major college football.

He’s been a head coach at the FBS level (Nevada). He’s been an assistant for power programs like Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Stanford, and LSU. He’s worked under several of the most respected and accomplished head coaches in college football, like Jim Harbaugh and Brian Kelly. And even though he’s been in coaching for the last 25 years, he’s still not even 50 years old.

Polian was moved to an off-the-field role at LSU after previously serving as their special teams coordinator. If he had wanted to, he almost assuredly could have found another assistant coaching role in college football, or perhaps, the NFL.

But he decided to do something different, something you rarely see experienced FBS coaches do before they turn 50. He decided to go to D-III.”

» Field Awareness: “On May 2, Polian was announced as the new athletic director at his alma mater, John Carroll, a small, Jesuit school just outside of Cleveland.”

» We recommend signing up for Extra Points.

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GOLF (W)

2. Moving Day Becomes Do-Over Day

Moving Day. It’s the term used by golfers when referring to the third round of a four-day 72-hole tournament.

Thursday’s Moving Day became “do-over day,” as the NCAA Women’s Golf Committee canceled the entirety of the championship’s third round.

An email sent to all coaches stated, “round 3 will be officially canceled on the grounds of an unplayable hole for the entire tournament field. As play continued throughout round 3, it became apparent that the pin placement on hole 6 was too severe for play.”

The committee opted to wipe out all scores from Thursday’s play and complete the championship as a 54-hole event. The top 15 teams, as well as the top 12 individuals not on those teams and 6 additional players will compete Friday beginning at 8 a.m.

George Fox holds a five-shot lead over Claremont-M-S in the team standings, while Williams’ Catalin Yturralde holds the individual lead by two shots over Methodist’s Jillian Drinkard and Washington U.’s Sydney Kuo.

» Complete Results

FINANCES

3. Medaille, Trocaire Merger Off

by Janet Gramza, Buffalo News

“Trocaire College's acquisition of Medaille University has fallen through, the institutions announced Thursday afternoon, and it's not clear what the collapse of the deal means for the future of Medaille.

The two small private schools had been seeking to "integrate" since last fall and were on the verge of closing a deal that would allow Trocaire to acquire all of Medaille's assets including its Buffalo and Rochester campuses, as well as its programs, students, faculty and staff.”

» Situational Awareness: “Medaille agreed to the arrangement in hopes of preserving its 148-year legacy and unique programs rather than shut down completely in the face of financial woes and declining enrollment that were further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

» What’s Next: “Medaille's board of trustees will meet Friday to discuss how to proceed,” interim president Lori V. Quigley said, "and we will inform our students, faculty, staff and community of any decisions made."

» Quotable: “While this is an extremely disappointing announcement, it was a goal worth pursuing.” - Trocaire President Bassam Deeb

» Continue Reading

BASEBALL/SOFTBALL

4. Conference Championship Weekend

It’s the final weekend of the NCAA Division III baseball and softball regular seasons and conference championships and automatic berths to the postseason are on the line.

Baseball: 41 automatic berths (Pool A), 2 berths for those in a conference without an AQ, and 17 at-large spots.

» Who’s In: East Texas Baptist (ASC), Johns Hopkins (CC), Johnson and Wales (GNAC), Mitchell (NECC), Wheaton, Mass. (NEWMAC), TCNJ (NJAC), Husson (NAC), Lewis & Clark (NWC), Birmingham-Southern (SAA), Trinity, Texas (SCAC)

» Selection Show: Monday, noon ET

Softball: 43 automatic berths (Pool A), 1 berth for those in a conference without an AQ, and 18 at-large spots.

» Who’s In: Swarthmore (CC), Saint Elizabeth (CSAC), Simmons (GNAC), York (MACC), Misericordia (MACF), Husson (NAC), Eastern Nazarene (NECC), MIT (NEWMAC), Waynesburg (PAC), Berry (SAA), St. Thomas (SCAC), Penn State Berks (UEC)

» Selection Show: Monday, 1 p.m. ET

LACROSSE

5. USA Lax All-America Teams

USA Lacrosse Magazine named its Division III men’s and women’s lacrosse All-Americans on Thursday, highlighting the top performers of the 2023 season.

Women

A-Jordan Basso, Gettysburg
A-Rachel Delate, Messiah
A-Anna Devlin, TCNJ
A-Jane Earley, Middlebury
M-Madison Bray, Franklin & Marshall
M-Maddie Montgomery, William Smith
M-Caroline Sullivan, Gettysburg
M-Caroline Wise, Ithaca
D-Erica Barr, Middlebury
D-Emmy Bryden, York
D-Lily Macatee, Gettysburg
D-Eugenie Rovegno, Washington and Lee
G-Bella Garabo, York

» Complete Team

Men

A-Jack Boyden, Tufts
A-Will Byrne, Bowdoin
A-Cross Ferrara, Salisbury
M-DJ Dixon, Wesleyan
M-Jack Dowd, Salisbury
M-Kyle Howard, Gettysburg
FO-Mason Kohn, Tufts
LSM-John DeFazio, Salisbury
SSDM-Jake Titus, Union
D-Mike Grace, RIT
D-Joey Waldbaum, Tufts
D-Ryan Young, Christopher Newport
G-Dan Donahue, Union

» Complete Team

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NEWS

6. Lightning Round ⚡️

⚾️ Baseball. UW-Whitewater 2B Adam Cootway and Denison RHP Charlie Fleming were named the NCBWA Player and Pitcher of the Week.

🎂 Happy Birthday. Cake and candles for Tracy Menzel, Adam Reeb, Colleen Cassada, Tom Crowell, Tucker Glass, MaryJane Rogers, Katie Gonzales.

Do you know of someone celebrating an upcoming birthday? Drop us a line at [email protected]

TRANSACTIONS
7. Comings and Goings

• AVERETT - Lake Hojnacki and Ryan Curle named assistant football coaches

• CONCORDIA (Wis.) - Zach Zitur resigned as head women’s tennis coach

• EASTERN NAZARENE - Aaron Loredo named head men’s basketball coach

• GWYNEDD MERCY - Catie Jaskowak named head cross country coach

• NAZARETH - Traci Lian named associate athletic director. Diana Schmitt named head women’s lacrosse coach

• OLIVET - Chad Loveless named associate head men’s basketball coach

📬 Thanks for starting your day with us. Have a great weekend.
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