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JUNE 26, 2025 | composed by STEVE ULRICH

What administrators, coaches, parents and fans are reading. #whyD3
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TOP STORY
1. NCAA Panel Recommends Allowing DI College Athletes to Bet on Pro Sports

by Steve Berkowitz, USA TODAY

“A top NCAA policy-making group on Tuesday, June 24 voted to recommend that the association change its rules to allow Division I athletes and athletics staff members to bet on professional sports events, the association announced.

The move by the NCAA Division I Council will not become final until the group concludes meetings on June 25 and will not take effect unless similar governance groups representing Division II and Division III later this summer approve the move and will require formal adoption in October. However, this past April, the Division III Management Council “took action to support, in concept, noncontroversial legislation deregulating betting on professional sports.”

» The Big Picture. “The NCAA’s announcement said that under the Council’s recommendation, college athletes and staff members would continue to be prohibited from betting on college sports and from sharing information with bettors about college sports events. The NCAA also said it would continue to keep NCAA championships free from "advertising and sponsorships associated with betting."

» What They’re Saying. "NCAA rules prohibiting sports betting at all levels were written and adopted at a time when sports gambling was largely illegal nationwide," Illinois athletics director and Division I Council chair Josh Whitman said in the NCAA's statement. “"As betting on sports has become more widely accepted across the country, Division I members have determined that further discussion of these sports betting rules is warranted, particularly as it relates to the potential distinctions between betting on professional versus collegiate sports.”

» Keep Reading

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LACROSSE (W)
2. Women’s Lacrosse Rules Committee Recap

The end of the stick slam in women's college lacrosse could be near.

The NCAA Women's Lacrosse Rules Committee announced proposals on Monday with aims to improve the pace of play. A proposal to end stick checks after goals headlines the recommendations.

Committee members, who met last week in Indianapolis, approved the following measures:

• Expanding one-minute releasable penalties in the midfield to all over the field, except in the critical scoring area.

• Using an advantage signal for one-minute releasable penalties, when applicable, which would allow teams the opportunity to play on. The one-minute penalty could be negated if a goal is scored during the advantage or administered at the conclusion of the advantage period.

• Running the clock on 8-meter free positions, except for the last minute of each quarter or overtime.

• Setting up 8-meter free positions only at the two adjacent hashes on both sides of the center hash.

• Upgrading dangerous contact penalties to a nonreleasable yellow card.

• Flagging shooting space fouls in the critical scoring area.

» Stick Checks and Draws. “The committee proposed ending stick checks after goals are scored. Also, teams would have 30 seconds after a goal is scored to be ready for the ensuing draw at midfield. If a team isn't ready for the draw by the end of the 30 seconds, possession would be awarded to the other team. Overall, draws would occur only at the start of the game, at the start of overtime and after goals are scored. The team having possession of the ball at the end of the first, second and third quarters would maintain possession when the next quarter starts.”

» Read More

NCAA
3. DI Council Introduces Proposals to Add 2 Women’s Championships

by Meghan Durham Wright, NCAA

“The Division I Council on Wednesday voted to introduce proposals that, if also supported by Divisions II and III, would establish NCAA championships for women's stunt and women's acrobatics and tumbling.

If the proposals are adopted by all three divisions, championships committees would begin work in stunt and acrobatics and tumbling in January 2026, with the first championship for each sport expected to occur during the spring season in 2027.”

» Fencing. “At the recommendation of the Sports Oversight Committee, the council voted to separate the scoring at the fencing championships to recognize champion teams in both men's and women's fencing. For this change to take effect, it must also be supported by Divisions II and III because fencing operates as a National Collegiate Championship involving teams from all three divisions.”

» Flag Football. “The council also introduced a proposal to add women's flag football to the Emerging Sports for Women program following recommendations from the Committee on Women's Athletics and the Strategic Vision and Planning Committee.”

» Continue Reading

TITLE IX
4. Suscha Named NCAA VP of Championships Governance and Policy

by Olivia Brown, NCAA

“Liz Suscha has been named the NCAA's vice president of championships governance and policy. With nearly 18 years of experience at the national office, Suscha spent the past eight years as the managing director of championships and alliances.

In her new role, Suscha will set the strategic direction for and manage issues affecting Division I, II and III and National Collegiate championships (other than Division I basketball and football). She will serve the governance structure and membership to facilitate and provide leadership in the consideration of championships policies and legislative changes. Additionally, she will provide leadership to the championships staff, serving as liaison to Division I sport oversight committees (other than basketball and football) and the Division II and III Championships Committees.”

» Background. “Suscha began her career at the national office in 2007 as an assistant director of championships and alliances. During her time at the NCAA, she has worked on a variety of sports across all three divisions and, for a period of time, led the Division III championships program.”

» Quotable. "Liz has been a linchpin in our championships department and to our membership for nearly two decades. She's earned this opportunity, and we're fortunate to elevate someone as talented as her at the national office," President Charlie Baker said.

» Read More

NEWS YOU CAN USE
5. Lightning Round ⚡️ 

» Finances. “The Kean University Board of Trustees voted this week to apply in-state tuition rates to students from several surrounding states, expanding access and opportunity for students across the region. The new rates apply to students from New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.”

» Tuition. “The tuition discount rate at private nonprofit colleges for first-time, full-time undergraduates reached an average of 56.3% in the 2024-25 academic year, according to preliminary data from the National Association of College and University Business Officers.”

» Tennis. “The Intercollegiate Tennis Association named MIT senior Jay Lu the recipient of the 2025 ITA Sally Ride STEM Award. The award as endowed by Tam O'Shaughnessy was created to honor a female student-athlete who demonstrates zeal, dedication, and perseverance towards her tennis training and competition, STEM studies, and long-term goals.”

» Wrestling (W). “The format for the inaugural NCAA women's wrestling championship has been approved. All three NCAA divisions, Division I, Division II and Division III, will compete together in the inaugural NCAA women's championship event. The field will be comprised of 180 competitors across 10 weight classes (18 wrestlers per weight class).”

TRANSACTIONS
6. Comings and Goings 

ADRIAN - Eric Enright named head women’s rugby coach
ALBRIGHT - Announced addition of women’s flag football as a varsity sport in 2026-27
AMHERST - Eddie Effinger named head men’s ice hockey coach
BELHAVEN - Patrick Robey named head baseball coach
CAIRN - Mike Landis named head women’s flag football coach
CARROLL - Ericka Hess named head softball coach
CASE WESTERN RESERVE - James Rosenbury named senior director of athletic development and assistant athletic director
CENTRAL - Conor Riordan named head men’s basketball coach
COLORADO COLLEGE - Manya Whitaker named president
GOUCHER - Riley Holmes named director of athletic communications
HEIDELBERG - Mike Summey named head men’s basketball coach
HOWARD PAYNE - Adam Bright named director of athletics
KEYSTONE - Jesse Novatski named head women’s soccer coach
MEDGAR EVERS - Kelvin Bigelow named head men’s basketball coach
NICHOLS - Caryn Sibiskie named head women’s volleyball coach
NORTH PARK - Karl Soderstrom resigned as head women’s tennis coach
RANDOLPH-MACON - Bryan Hearn named director of golf
REGENT -Announced addition of beach volleyball as a varsity sport
RIPON - Sam Hopp named director of athletic communications
ROSE-HULMAN - Seth Woodason named interim athletic director
SAGE - Geri Seif named head women’s lacrosse coach
ST. MARY’S (Md.) - Brittney Morris resigned as head women’s lacrosse coach to take head position at Xavier
ST. OLAF - Tyler Lindstrom named head men’s ice hockey coach
SHENANDOAH - Alex Reeves named head wrestling coach
STEVENSON - Kathy Railey announced her retirement as head women’s lacrosse coach
THIEL - Henry Gorton named head men’s volleyball coach. Eric Visgitis named head women’s volleyball coach
URSINUS - Derek Nelson named head track and field coach
WILMINGTON - Michael Branch named head swimming coach
WISCONSIN-EAU CLAIRE - Kyle Seyer named director of tennis. Courtney Puhl named head women’s lacrosse coach
WISCONSIN-STOUT - Erin Sullivan named director of athletics
WISCONSIN-SUPERIOR - Nick Piazza named head women’s soccer coach

1 THING
7. DIII Champions by Decade

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