Edition #1817
November 2, 2026
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Lee AD John Maupin joined the Burn ‘Em Up Podcast to dive into his transition to VP for Athletics and Student Life, the new age-based eligibility model and more. Here are some of his most notable comments…
➤ On his new role: “I think it's neat that athletics and student life can have more connection under this umbrella. It hasn't been set up like this in a while and probably never with acting AD in this role. But similar to athletics, I felt like there's a good base of leadership there in student life that'll allow this to work together. … I think when the AD thing felt really overwhelming at times for me and because of some of the reasons that I mentioned, I had relationships in this space and so you feel the burden of wanting to do a good job for all the people that are in that area. So those same things exist in student life, but I think my experience of transitioning into an administrative role as director of athletics has really helped give me a little bit of peace.”
➤ Maupin on the new eligibility model: “Ultimately, I was a big fan of it. … It feels like we've been in this space for six, seven years now anyways because post-COVID, we were really in a fifth-year space. And so it was only in the last year that it was starting to pull back. So I just think all that came together and it was going to be hard to turn it back. A little bit of drama with how it all went down, but I think it's a real positive across the board because I think we were in a space where they were starting to take five years anyways.”
➤ How will that impact how the Flames build rosters? “I still think here that's just a big part of our model is high school recruiting and we've still seen a really high level of success with that. I don't think it changes much for us in the long term. I think in the short term, they are offering the opportunity to exempt some aid. … It may elevate our roster sizes in the short term, but I still think after that for us, the transfer portal has been a good option to add a key piece, but I don't think it is ever going to be our primary method of recruiting.”
➤ The key for Lee amidst the changing athletics and higher education landscape: “I think the key for athletics departments these days is being flexible. If you get too overcommitted to this is what's next, but then an opportunity presents itself and you're so committed to this that you miss that, I think that's a mistake. So I know people love really concrete ideas and plans, but the reality is we're considering a lot of things.” (link)
As we near fall championship selection shows, here are the latest NPI rankings for field hockey (link), football (link), men’s (link) and women’s (link) soccer and women’s volleyball (link).
Effective January 1, Colorado State Pueblo athletics will begin overseeing ThunderWolf Recreation. AD Paul Plinske, who will lead both units: “Both areas play an important role in the overall student experience, and by working more closely together, we can expand programming, maximize the use of our facilities and strengthen our connection with the Pueblo community. Our goal is to continue supporting our student-athletes at the highest level while expanding recreational and wellness opportunities for our entire student body. We also see tremendous potential to bring more people to campus through camps, clinics, tournaments and other special events. This transition is about collaboration, responsible stewardship of our resources and finding innovative ways to grow and better serve our students and community.” (link)
Division II hiring is up in 2026, according to the latest research from College.town and CollegeSports.jobs. Through October, DII job postings rose 9% compared with the same period in 2025, but that growth hasn’t been spread evenly across platforms. DII listings on CollegeSports.jobs jumped 27% year over year, while postings on the NCAA Market slipped 5%. The longer view points to a steady migration: CollegeSports.jobs has more than doubled its DII volume since 2023, while NCAA Market listings have fallen 41% over the same stretch. More on the advantages of an unlimited job bundle with College.town. (link)
Western Colorado is the latest to partner with Podium X to support student-athlete development. (link)
Felician will add women’s golf as its newest varsity sport in 2027-28 under the direction of Men’s Golf HC Ben DiNallo. (link)
People & Places…
➤ Lake Superior State selects Milwaukee (DI) Asst. AD for Business Operations Adam Thompson as its new Senior Assoc. AD for External Relations and Revenue Generation. (link)
➤ Post promotes Director of Athletic Compliance Kayte Mills to Asst. AD for Compliance and hires former American International Senior Assoc. AD Michael Lavato as Asst. AD for Internal Operations. (link, link)
➤ Shorter selects Admissions Counsellor Jenny Hernandez-Vega as Asst. AD for Compliance. (link)
➤ Johnson C. Smith Softball HC/Women’s Volleyball AC Chris McKenzie is no longer with the Golden Bulls. (link)
New survey data from Inside Higher Ed and Generation Lab found that across over 5K students and 310 institutions, 15% of students and 25% of male students are wagering on FanDuel, Draftkings, Kalshi or Polymarket. As the proliferation of gambling spreads, 31% of male and 25% of female students know peers who have experienced financial distress or academic fallout as a result of losses from online wagering. Similarly, a separate IHE/Hanover Research Survey found that 56% of student success leaders are not tracking digital wagering on their respective campuses. NASPA VP for Research and Policy Jhenai Chandler: “Digital wagering and gambling should be part of the standard prevention conversation on campus. It also belongs in our discussions about mental health, financial aid and financial wellness, because the consequences show up in all those places.” (link)
Economic pressures like inflation and housing unaffordability are driving a rise in financial nihilism among young Americans, pushing them toward sports gambling, cryptocurrency, and prediction markets like Kalshi, according to Politico's Victoria Guida. Recent research indicates that legalized betting displaces traditional household investments, while data from Citizens Capital Markets and Advisory shows median users of sportsbooks lose money on net. This coincides with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting a 0.7% decline in inflation-adjusted hourly wages between September 2025 and September 2026. Guida notes that federal lawmakers are now proposing guardrails, including legislation from Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) to ban live in-game betting advertisements and prohibit credit card deposits, while the American Institute for Boys and Men develops policy proposals for default deposit and time limits. American Institute for Boys and Men Gambling Policy Lead Jonathan Cohen on the economic desperation fueling the speculative behavior: “With a couple of Eagles parlays, I have a chance of making [that $10K] into $100K. Now I have a down payment.” (link)
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(Posted from most recent over the last 30 days)
(NEW!) Assistant Director - Annual Giving (Purdue University / West Lafayette, IN): Purdue For Life Foundation is seeking an Assistant Director-Annual Giving to serve as the primary athletics contact for approximately 500 mid-level donors and major gifts prospects. (DI) More details HERE.
Director of Athletics (University of Alabama at Birmingham / Birmingham, AL): UAB seeks an experienced athletics leader to drive competitive success, financial growth, compliance, and student-athlete development through strategic leadership. (DI) More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Birmingham? Click HERE.
Associate Director, Athletic Operations and Facilities (University of California, Merced (UC Merced) / Merced, CA): Senior leader overseeing game operations, facilities and sport supervision at the highest ranked academic institution in NCAA D2. More details HERE.
Director of Athletics (Susquehanna University / Selinsgrove, PA): Susquehanna University invites inquiries, nominations, and applications for the position of director of athletics. (DIII) More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Selinsgrove? Click HERE.
Associate Commissioner, Sports Administration and Championships/Men’s Basketball (Mountain West Conference / Las Vegas, NV): The Associate Commissioner will serve the Conference and its member institutions to oversee and lead all aspects of the Conference’s men’s basketball enterprise. (DI) More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Las Vegas? Click HERE.
Director of the Adams/Wyche Center for Academic Success (Frostburg State University / Frostburg, MD): Director of Athletic Academic Center. Responsible for Student-Athlete success, development, and well-being. More details HERE.
Senior Associate Commissioner for Institutional Services (Mid-American Conference / Cleveland, OH): The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is seeking an experienced, collaborative, and strategic leader to serve as Senior Associate Commissioner for Institutional Services. (DI) More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Cleveland? Click HERE.
Assistant Director of Sports Medicine/Athletic Trainer (Adams State University / Alamosa, CO): Assistant Director of Sports Medicine/Athletic Trainer. More details HERE.
Assistant Athletic Trainer (Adams State University / Alamosa, CO): Assistant Athletic Trainer at Adams State University. More details HERE.
Executive Associate Athletic Director/Director of Athletic Development (Fairfield University / Fairfield, CT): Seeking a dynamic, accomplished, and highly motivated Executive Associate Athletic Director/Director of Athletic Development to lead its athletic fundraising program. (DI) More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Fairfield? Click HERE.
Assistant Athletic Director for Business Operations (Albany State University / Albany, GA): Help shape the future of Golden Rams Athletics by leading financial operations, strengthening fiscal accountability, and supporting the continued growth of our 12 NCAA Division II programs. More details HERE.
Director for Athletic Communications (West Texas A&M University / Canyon, TX): Media/public relations. Record books, releases, previews & feature articles. Maintain Athletics website, historical records & stats. Supervise press box/scorer's table staff. Submit nominations. More details HERE.
Assistant Athletic Trainer (Frostburg State University / Frostburg, MD): Full Time Assistant Athletic Trainer. More details HERE.
Men's Assistant Coach (Swarthmore College / Swarthmore, PA): Swarthmore College Men's Lacrosse is hiring an assistant coach. Duties include recruiting, logistics and on field coaching. Send resume to [email protected] (DIII) More details HERE.
Head Coach – Men’s & Women’s Swimming and Diving (Roberts Wesleyan University / Rochester, NY): Build a competitive NCAA Division II swimming and diving program at Roberts Wesleyan University through strategic recruiting, dynamic coaching, and transformative student-athlete development. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Rochester? Click HERE.
Internal Operations/Facilities and Event Management Graduate Assistant (Fort Hays State University / Hays, KS): Fort Hays State University seeks a graduate assistant for internal operations and event facility management for the athletic department. More details HERE.
Deputy Athletic Director/Chief Development Officer for Athletics - (ATH00000504) (Southern Methodist University – SMU / Dallas, TX): The Deputy Athletic Director serves as the Chief Development Officer for SMU Athletics, providing strategic leadership for all philanthropic efforts supporting Mustang Athletics. (DI) More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Dallas? Click HERE.
Associate Director of Development - Major Gifts (Purdue University / West Lafayette, IN): Build meaningful relationships, inspire transformational giving, and help shape the future of Purdue Athletics through philanthropy, alumni engagement, and major gifts. (DI) More details HERE.
Associate Athletic Director for Sports Analytics (William & Mary / Williamsburg, VA): The Associate AD for Sports Analytics leads the department's strategy for data, analytics, and artificial intelligence across all 23 varsity sports. (DI) More details HERE.
Director, Governance and Compliance (Mountain West Conference / Las Vegas, NV): The Director, Governance & Compliance will serve the Mountain West Conference and its member institutions supporting the day-to-day aspects of the Conference’s governance and compliance services. (DI) More details HERE.
Assistant Softball Coach (Quincy University / Quincy, IL): Quincy University, an NCAA Division II institution and member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, invites applications for the position of Assistant Softball Coach. More details HERE.
Coordinator of Internal Operations (Kutztown University of Pennsylvania / Kutztown, PA): The Coordinator for Internal Operations, Athletics position is a full-time 10-month position within the Department of Athletics. More details HERE.