MAY 12, 2025 | composed by STEVE ULRICH

What administrators, coaches, parents and fans are reading. #whyD3
Send tips to [email protected] and/or via DM

☀️  Hello, Monday.

🗓️ What’s Happening Today. Three selections shows are on tap at NCAA.com - Softball (11 a.m. ET), Baseball (noon) and Rowing (5 p.m.). The men’s golf selection release will also be made available.

📰 Are You Enjoying D3Playbook? Support our work. It’s just $8 for championship month. We appreciate your support.

Fact-based news without bias awaits. Make 1440 your choice today.

Overwhelmed by biased news? Cut through the clutter and get straight facts with your daily 1440 digest. From politics to sports, join millions who start their day informed.

Sign up now!

TOP STORY
1. Tennis’ Elite Eight

Four teams placed their men’s and women’s teams into the national quarterfinals of the NCAA DIII tennis championships - Chicago, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, Emory, and Johns Hopkins.

» Regional Finals. Babson d. Bowdoin, 4-3; Claremont-M-S d. Trinity, 4-0; Denison d. Swarthmore, 4-2; Johns Hopkins d. Middlebury, 4-2; Tufts d. RPI, 4-1; Emory d. Sewanee, 4-0; Case Western Reserve d. Kenyon, 4-0; Chicago d. Gustavus Adolphus, 4-0.

» Quarterfinal Matchups (5/19). Claremont-M-S vs. Babson; Denison vs. Johns Hopkins; Tufts vs. Emory; Case Western Reserve vs. Chicago.

» Interactive Bracket

The NCAA DIII women’s tennis team championship tournament began yesterday with five opening-round matches. Twelve other first-round matches are slated for today.

» Regional Finals (W). Wesleyan d. Carnegie Mellon, 4-0; Chicago d. Gustavus Adolphus, 4-1; Claremont-M-S d. Amherst, 4-2; Emory d. Washington and Lee, 4-0; Johns Hopkins d. Middlebury, 4-2; Washington U. d. Kenyon, 4-0; Pomona-Pitzer d. Trinity TX, 4-0; Bowdoin d. MIT, 4-0.

» Quarterfinal Matchups (5/20). Chicago vs. Washington U.; Wesleyan vs. Pomona-Pitzer; Emory vs. Bowdoin; Claremont-M-S vs. Johns Hopkins.

» Interactive Bracket

LACROSSE (M)
2. Dickinson Stuns #2 Salisbury in OT

Have a weekend, Luke Whalen.

Dickinson’s sophomore attackman scored the game-winning goal with 1:09 remaining in overtime as the Red Devils stunned second-ranked Salisbury, 11-10, handing the Sea Gulls their first loss of the season.

Whalen also scored the OT game-winner the previous night in the 8-7 win vs. Denison.

Three other higher-seeded teams fell on Sunday, as #6 York, #7 Wesleyan and #8 Washington and Lee saw their seasons come to a close.

#1 Tufts d. #15 St. Lawrence, 14-8; #9 Gettysburg d. #8 Washington and Lee, 14-12;
#10 RPI d. #7 Wesleyan, 13-7; #4 Christopher Newport d. #19 Lynchburg, 22-10;
#3 RIT d. #20 St. John Fisher, 17-13; #5 Bowdoin d. #12 Amherst, 16-5;
#16 Dickinson d. #2 Salisbury, 11-10 (OT); #11 Cortland d. #6 York, 10-6.

» Quarterfinal Matchups. Tufts vs. Gettysburg; Christopher Newport vs. Bowdoin; Dickinson vs. RPI; RIT vs. Cortland. (host teams in italics)

» Interactive Bracket
» See the Digital Game Program

LACROSSE (W)
3. Herons Topple #9 Mammoths to Highlight First Weekend

#22 William Smith traveled to Massachusetts and ousted #9 Amherst from the DIII women’s lacrosse tournament with a 13-12 triumph. Kayla Quirk scored four times for the Herons.

One other game was decided in the final seconds, as #13 Salisbury received a goal from Audrey Harrington with :07 left to squeeze past #19 Haverford, 9-8.

» Results. #21 Chicago d. Wooster, 23-7; #1 Middlebury d. Ithaca, 20-5;
#6 St. John Fisher d. John Carroll, 21-5; #4 Colby d. #25 Endicott, 17-1;
#8 York d. #24 Plymouth State, 20-5; #20 Denison d. Lake Forest, 23-4;
#2 Tufts d. Scranton, 17-5; #7 Wesleyan d. #23 Babson, 15-5;
#22 William Smith d. #9 Amherst, 13-12; #5 Gettysburg d. #25 Trinity, 13-11;
#13 Salisbury d. #19 Haverford, 9-8; #17 Stevens d. #14 TCNJ, 15-9;
#12 Rowan d. #18 WestConn, 20-5; #3 F&M d. Messiah, 15-11;
#16 Pomona-Pitzer d. #17 Colorado College, 23-10; #11 W&L d. #10 Sewanee, 19-5.

» Sweet 16 Matchups. Middlebury vs. Chicago; York vs. William Smith; Colby vs. Stevens; Wesleyan vs. Rowan; Tufts vs. Pomona-Pitzer; St. John Fisher vs. Salisbury; Franklin & Marshall vs. Denison; Gettysburg vs. Washington and Lee. (host teams)

» Of Note. Rowan’s Elaina Corson scored a school-record 10 goals as the Profs downed Western Connecticut, 20-5. Her 10 goals came on just 12 shota.

» The Printable Bracket
» See The Digital Game Program

BASEBALL
4. Who’s In

The field is complete … now we wait to find out where teams will play as the 64-team NCAA DIII softball bracket will be revealed today at 11 a.m. ET.

Who’s In (42). Pitt-Greensburg (AMCC); Marymount (AEC); Nebraska Wesleyan (A-R-C), East Texas Baptist (ASC); Illinois Wesleyan (CCIW); Swarthmore (CC); John Jay (CUNYAC); Belhaven (CCS); Western New England (CNE); Alfred (E8); Johnson & Wales (GNAC); Transylvania (HCAC); Moravian (LAND); Ithaca (LL); UMass Boston (LEC); MASCAC (Worcester State); Trine (MIAA); Messiah (MACC); Lebanon Valley (MACF); Lake Forest (MWC); Saint Mary’s (MIAC); Husson (NAC); Concordia WI (NACC); DePauw (NCAC), Tufts (NESCAC), MIT (NEWMAC), Rowan (NJAC); Linfield (NWC); Mount Union (OAC): Virginia Wesleyan (ODAC); Westminster (PAC); Berry (SAA); St. Thomas (SCAC); Chapman (SCIAC); Farmingdale State (SKY); Greenville (SLIAC); Cortland (SUNYAC); Washington U. (UAA); Penn College (UEC); Bethany Lutheran (UMAC): Pfeiffer (USA South); Oshkosh (WIAC).

» NPI At-Large (22). Christopher Newport (2), Huntingdon (8), Redlands (9), Texas Lutheran (10), Salisbury (11), UW-Whitewater (12), Gettysburg (15), Case Western Reserve (20), Baldwin Wallace (21), Ramapo (23), Simpson (25), Randolph-Macon (29), Central (32), Lewis & Clark (33), Eastern (34), Williams (36), UW-Stevens Point (37), RPI (38), Emory (39), George Fox (40), Wartburg (42), UW-Eau Claire (45).

» First Four Out. Springfield, Rochester, Claremont-M-S, Trinity TX.

» NCAA Scoreboard

TRACK AND FIELD
6. Three Conference Meets Wrap Up Conference Campaign

The conference championship season has concluded and now we wait for the selections to be confirmed on Friday via press release.

American Rivers. (M/W) Wartburg. Midwest. (M) Monmouth; (W) Illinois College. Minnesota. (M) Bethel; (W) Gustavus Adolphus.

» USTFCCCA Championships Central

NEWS YOU CAN USE
7. Lightning Round ⚡️ 

» Endowment Tax. “House Republicans are considering a major expansion of taxes on college and university endowments, with some paying exponentially larger tax rates based on a sliding scale of wealth, according to four people granted anonymity to share details of the GOP’s tax package, which is being hammered out privately. Endowments valued at $750,000 or less per student would be taxed at the current 1.4 percent rate on their investment income, according to two of those people. Endowments valued between $750,000 to $1million per student would be taxed at a 10 percent rate and those greater than $1 million per student would be taxed at a 20 percent rate.”

TRANSACTIONS
8. Comings and Goings 

CARTHAGE - Tarkyia Mensah named head women’s wrestling coach
CENTENARY (La.) - Chris Dorsey resigned as head men’s basketball coach
GWYNEDD MERCY - Amber Wood named head volleyball coach
MOUNT ALOYSIUS - Tyler Sisler named head women’s soccer coach
PENN STATE HARRISBURG - Amanda Walker named head women’s volleyball coach
VTSU CASTLETON - Ted Shipley retired as head baseball coach
WARTBURG - Russell Malterud named head clay target sports coach

📬 Thanks for starting your Monday with us.
Please invite your friends to sign up for D3Playbook

Copyright © 2025, D3Playbook.com All rights reserved