Presidents Council Recap

Elects New Leadership. Approves Per Diem Increase

Author

Steve Ulrich
August 07, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 14 minutes

AUGUST 7, 2025 | composed by STEVE ULRICH
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🌊  Vacation Week Winding Down. We’ve moved the office to Emerald Isle, N.C. this week. Don’t wanna come back.

🗞️ In Today’s Edition. DIII Presidents Council Recap. WashU Grads Go From DIII to MLB. College Sports and Private Equity. Budget Cuts. DIIICA Names New President. Surfing Dogs.

📆 What’s Happening Today. The NCAA Board of Governors holds a virtual meeting.

TOP STORY
1. Presidents Council Recap

by Olivia Brown, NCAA

“At its August virtual meeting, the NCAA Division III Presidents Council elected the current vice chair, Marc Camille of Albertus Magnus, as chair. Suzanne Davis of Greenville was elected vice chair.

They will assume their council leadership positions with the close of the 2026 NCAA Convention.

The council gave final approval to a recommendation to increase the championships per diem. This action increases the per diem provided to those participating in Division III championships in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 academic years to $150 for those with traveling teams and $60 for those with host teams.”

» Quotable. "Given the current financial burdens facing many Division III institutions, coupled with rising costs, increasing the championships per diem made sense. Also, it becomes even more impactful understanding that more than two-thirds of the division is having a championships experience," said council Chair Jim Troha, president of Juniata.

» Eligibility. “The Presidents Council received an update on the Management Council's discussion of the current eligibility standards regarding the use of a season for Division III student-athletes and those transferring into Division III from other divisions and associations. The council noted the importance of having this discussion broadly with the membership to gather feedback that will inform next steps.”

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NEWS
2. From DIII to the Majors

by Thomas Wehner, Washington U.

“For everyone who has ever put on a Washington University in St. Louis baseball uniform, memories of wins and losses, road trips with teammates, and those early-season batting practices outside are some of the best times of their lives.

A selected few have earned the right to continue their baseball careers beyond Danforth Campus in the major leagues.

In 2021, and for the first time in nearly 25 years, the Bears saw not just one but two players earn a contract to further their professional careers.”

» Field Awareness. “Caleb Durbin was selected 427th overall when he was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 14th round of the MLB draft while teammate Ryan Loutos signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as an undrafted free agent.”

» Why It Matters. “That is where it leads to this past weekend. For the first time in 24 years, MLB had former D3 teammates face off against each other in the majors. The last time was when Eric Owens and recent Baseball Hall of Famer Billy Wagner, teammates at Ferrum College (Va.), faced off against each other eight times from 1996-2001.”

» Quotable. "It meant a lot to both of us," said Owens, who is currently the head coach at Ferrum. "But we knew what we were doing, both being Division III guys against each other, but we didn't see each other as D3 guys; we saw it as we each made it, and we were big leaguers."

FINANCES
3. College Sports Is ‘New Frontier’ for Private Equity

by Ben Horney, Front Office Sports

College sports is the “new frontier” and private-equity firms are working hard to figure out how to get in, although their entry point remains unclear, partners from RedBird Capital and Carlyle Group told Front Office Sports.

Julia Wittlin, a partner at private-equity firm RedBird Capital Partners, didn’t hold back when asked about PE interest in college sports on a panel at last week’s Huddle in the Hamptons.

“That’s a controversial question,” she said. “Look, I’m just going to say it: College sports is the new frontier. … Everyone is kidding themselves if they think that’s not the direction of travel.”

» In The Know. “Private equity has already broken into pro sports and even youth sports. But it has been slow going for PE in college as players and schools figure out the right path.”

» Yes, But. “One hurdle is the obvious sensitivities around putting private-equity money into schools, according to Chuck Baker, who co-chairs the entertainment, sports, and media practice of law firm Sidley Austin. He recently told FOS that while private equity “is excited to get into the college sports sector, university conferences and their boards are being properly diligent.”

NEWS YOU CAN USE
4. Lightning Round ⚡️ 

» Budget Cuts. “Robert Bohrer II, Hiram College’s president, said in a Monday interview that the college needs to make between $3 million and $4 million in cuts. He said it's not clear yet how many of its 257 full-time and part-time staff could be cut, but the college is trying to minimize the impact on personnel by eliminating unfilled positions. The cuts will be steepest, as high as one-fourth of budgets, in "non-revenue areas."

» Baseball. Jeff Gosney named national coordinator of baseball umpires.

» Commissioners. North Coast Athletic Conference commissioner Keri Luchowski was named president of the Division III Commissioners Association.

TRANSACTIONS
5. Comings and Goings 

1 THING
6. Surfing Dogs Hang Ten

photo by Eakin Howard/AP

“The annual World Dog Surfing Championships took place near San Francisco on Saturday. Thousands of spectators flocked to Pacifica State Beach to watch pooches ride the waves solo, in pairs or with human companions. The dogs were judged on balance, time on the board and any tricks they performed.” 

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