Edition #1807
October 9, 2026
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During this week’s MIAA Basketball Media Day, Commissioner Mike Racy expressed his support for potential changes to the championship bracketing model for basketball that would move from eight-team regional tournaments to four-team regional tournaments and protect the top eight NPI-ranked teams in their own bracket. “The smaller, four-team pods provide more opportunities for teams to host regional tournaments. And we’ve been asking for a long time, the idea of moving teams out of regions if it would create top team matchups early in the tournament.” Racy also supported the implementation of a 15-day basketball transfer portal window. (link)
Alaska Anchorage AD Michael Bazemore sat down with Alaska Sports Talk to discuss his new role, elevating the fan experience and more. Key takeaways…
➤ On his move from Montana State Billings, his alma mater, to UAA: “It was one of those things where the opportunity aligned where I feel like I was going to be able to stretch myself in some areas that I'm not consistently able to tap into or wasn't able to tap into in Billings. And also I felt as though just my background and my skillset, I felt like there's a commonality in terms of just my competitive approach and feel as though it can be a very good arrangement and a very good alignment between my skills as well as coming here and leading this department.”
➤ Managing similar challenges across multiple schools: “I think one would be staffing, I think, which is obviously in past history, not bringing up any of those things, but I recognize just the difference in capacity with administration staff and just what was previously versus what is now and just learn, okay, how do we still navigate the different things we got to navigate and obviously do it at a high level with just a different staffing model?”
➤ Improving the fan experience: “Having that [outside perspective] I think is definitely key for us because our supporters and our fans are seeing our operations and our games from a different perspective than what we see. We're focused on making sure it's running and obviously everyone's having a good time. And so our vantage point is no different, but our fans want to just come, have a good time, not have to hassle, not feel as though they're being nickled and dimed and not want a hassle to just come and enjoy a game.” (link)
“FanWord has allowed us to be more efficient with our timing, both personally and in the workplace, and be consistent on the content that we’re getting out.”
— Clay Roe, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications, Florida Southern College
Clay and his team partnered with FanWord last year to keep up with the ever-growing demands of the profession. In just five months, Florida Southern created new workflows that reclaimed 45 minutes each game night and averaged 40 work hours saved per month. Since then, they’ve produced over 1,000 pieces of content. Read the FSC Case Study
FanWord Assist, the industry-leading AI-powered storytelling platform, helps athletic communications teams produce high-quality, accurate, and customizable game recaps, player bios, award nominations, feature stories, transcriptions, staff bios, incoming freshman bios, and much more in a fraction of the time — all in your program’s voice, keeping you 100% in control.
More than 250 programs across the country already run on FanWord. As the new academic year kicks off, see how FanWord Assist can help you save time, tell more stories, and even get home a bit earlier on a Friday night.
Savannah State unveils plans for a new Winston and Alma Pittman Field House at T.A. Wright Stadium after a major donation from the Pittman family. The new facility will include a weight room, film room, offices and more. President Jermaine Whirl: “Hopefully we start construction early spring 2027. The idea is, hopefully, that this facility be ready for fall in time for the football season next year. So a pretty aggressive timeline. But we're working towards it.” (link)
West Liberty has reopened its Edgar Martin Tennis Complex after necessary renovations to multiple courts thanks to a major contribution from former tennis pro Betsy Nagelson McCormack. (link)
Edward Waters announced over $33M in capital investments through 2028, which will include a nearly 200-bed residence hall and a new track & field facility. The city of Jacksonville has put $2M towards the track & field project with the university to cover the remaining costs. The majority of the $33M comes from a 30-year loan through the Department of Education’s HBCU Capital Financing Program. (link)
Former DII member Cheyney has announced its plans to rejoin the NCAA as the university has broken ground on a $36.5M, 50K square-foot athletic complex that would include a 2,500-seat arena, track and soccer field. University officials hope to rejoin the association before the facility opens in fall 2028. (link)
Lynn saw a 34% increase in the number of student-athletes, with 143 new student-athletes this academic year. (link)
Effective this year, the NCAA, TNT Sports and Veritone have expanded highlight rights around NCAA championships. Members will now be able to post 12 live video posts (max 30 seconds) and 8 live GIFs per game, previously 4 and 0, and up to 6 minutes of post-event content per contest, previously 2. All members will be provided one seat with access to Grabyo to clip content. (link)
Lake Superior State teams up with Influxer to expand NIL opportunities for student-athletes. (link)
Chadron State promotes Men’s Wrestling AC Taygen Smith to HC. (link)
Lincoln (MO) students and alumni have sued the state of Missouri over inequitable funding compared to Missouri (DI), the state’s other land-grant institution after a 2023 state study found Lincoln was underfunded by over $361M between 1987 and 2020. From the lawsuit: “Missouri’s failure to appropriate the required state match did not merely leave a gap in Lincoln University’s funding. It forced Lincoln to cannibalize its own core institutional operating budget to survive.” The plaintiffs are seeking an injunction requiring a dollar-for-dollar match of all lang-grant funds allocated to Lincoln moving forward; a $584M “Lincoln University Remedial Fund,” representing $223M in nominal dollars the university was underfunded plus $324M in prejudgement interest; and more. (link, link - full lawsuit)
From yesterday’s CFO.ticker: Small private institutions are slashing published tuition rates to boost enrollment and counteract rising skepticism over higher education costs, Bloomberg's Amanda Albright observes. Emory & Henry reduced tuition from near $40K to $19,990, while Concordia-St. Paul, which saw undergraduate enrollment climb over 70% after a 33% cut in 2013, announced a further $5,500 reduction. Albright notes a NACUBO survey of over 250 private colleges revealed an average tuition discount rate of 57% for first-time students, and E&H President Lou Fincher says: “We just knew that we couldn’t be a school with a price tag of $40K and attract students, particularly those in the socioeconomic groups that are in our region. We couldn’t continue on that same path.” (link); Also of note, bond yields are pushing to historic highs, with the US 10-year Treasury hitting 5.34%, its highest mark since 2002, with Citigroup attributing the 60- to 100-basis-point surge to inflation pressures stemming from the Middle East, rising government debt that recently pushed the US national total to $40T, and corporate borrowing to fund AI investments that averaged $466B in the first half of the year. Full edition. (link)
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(Posted from most recent over the last 30 days)
(NEW!) 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.
(NEW!) 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.
(NEW!) 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.
(NEW!) 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.
Aquatics and Facilities Coordinator (Black Hills State University / Spearfish, SD): This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated professional who enjoys leadership, event operations, facility management, and collaboration in a dynamic collegiate athletics environment. More details HERE.
Deputy Director of Athletics, Title IX Coordinator (California State University – San Marcos / San Marcos, CA): Come join an amazing NCAA DII institution competing in the CCAA conference who values the student-athlete experience, academics, athletics, and the holistic development of our student-athletes. More details HERE.
Assistant Vice President, Licensing & Trademarks (University of Houston / Houston, TX): Lead the University of Houston System's licensing & trademarks strategy, protecting institutional brands and driving revenue through high-impact partnerships and innovative licensing programs. (DI) More details HERE.
Faculty | Athletic Training/Kinesiology (University of Mary / Bismarck, ND): The Assistant Professor is responsible for teaching assigned courses, advising students, advising research projects, maintaining/obtaining contemporary expertise, and other duties as assigned. More details HERE.
IPP Strength and Conditioning Program Specialist (University of North Georgia / Dahlonega, GA): This position directs and coordinates the University's strength and conditioning program to support the physical readiness and tactical durability for the Corps of Cadets. More details HERE.
Vice President and Director of Athletics (Rice University / Houston, TX): Rice seeks a strategic athletics leader to drive championship success, strengthen student-athlete experiences, grow revenue, elevate Rice nationally, and navigate college athletics’ evolving landscape. (DI) More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Houston? Click HERE. The D1.dossier for this position can be found HERE.
Senior Vice President - Men's Basketball (Atlantic Coast Conference / Charlotte, NC): Senior leader for ACC Men’s Basketball, driving competitive success, national profile, championship experience and commercial value while overseeing scheduling, officiating and key partnerships. (DI) More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Charlotte? Click HERE.
Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications (Lawrence University / Appleton, WI): This position plays a key role in elevating the visibility of Lawrence Athletics through strategic media relations, digital content creation, live streaming management, and statistical services. (DIII) More details HERE.
Live Video Production Coordinator (Black Hills State University / Spearfish, SD): Join an energetic team to enhance fan engagement and student-athlete experience through exceptional game-day productions and digital storytelling. More details HERE.
Athletics Business Associate (University of Illinois Springfield / Springfield, IL): Lead the business and HR operations for athletics, including providing insight into budgets, policies and staff hiring. Serves on senior staff. Has opportunity for athletics administration duties. More details HERE.
Athletic Trainer (University of Kansas / Lawrence, KS): Kansas Team Health and University of Kansas Athletics are seeking qualified candidates to work as part of a medical model and collaborative team while providing care for our Track & Field Program. (DI) More details HERE.
Commissioner (Southern Conference / Spartanburg, SC): Reporting to the Council of Presidents, the Commissioner serves as the Conference's chief executive officer, providing strategic, administrative, and external leadership for member institutions. (DI) More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Spartanburg? Click HERE.
Associate Athletic Trainer Instructor – Department of Kinesiology (St. Edward's University / Austin, TX): The Associate Athletic Trainer position will work in conjunction with the Head Athletic Trainer to coordinate the care of student-athletes on a day-to-day basis. More details HERE.
Assistant Athletic Trainer (St. Edward's University / Austin, TX): The Athletic Trainer position will work in conjunction with the Head Athletic Trainer to coordinate the care of student athletes on a day-to-day basis. More details HERE.
Director of Sports Performance (University of North Georgia / Dahlonega, GA): . The director will lead a high-performance environment that supports the development, health and success of all UNG student-athletes. More details HERE.
Athletic Event & Facility Operations Specialist (Fort Hays State University / Hays, KS): The Athletic Events and Facilities Specialist assists with maintaining & preparing facilities to ensure a safe, clean, & professional environment for student-athletes, staff, & spectators. More details HERE.
Part-Time Assistant Swim Coach (Pennwest - California / California, PA): The assistant coach, in collaboration with the Head Swim Coach assists in the direction and administration of the program in a manner that reflects the athletics’ department program goals. More details HERE.
Assistant Athletic Trainer (University of Texas at Dallas / Richardson, TX): UT Dallas seeks two experienced and energetic athletic trainers who provide education, assessment, treatment and prevention services for athletic-related injuries and illnesses to student-athletes. More details HERE.
Associate Commissioner for Strategic Communications (Southeastern Conference / Birmingham, AL): The Associate Commissioner for Strategic Communications will provide strategic leadership for the Southeastern Conference’s communication efforts. (DI) More details HERE.
Head Athletic Trainer (Jessup University / Rocklin, CA): Will serve student-athletes, and athletic depart.; oversee the day to day operations of athletic training facility and the prevention, assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries! More details HERE.
Director of Athletic Communications (Jessup University / Rocklin, CA): The purpose of the Director of Athletic Communications is to oversee and lead the communications and marketing efforts of the athletic department, through both print and digital means. More details HERE.
Assoc. Athletic Trainer (Jessup University / Rocklin, CA): The Associate Athletic Trainer and performs essential athletic training duties and functions to ensure the health and safety of Jessup student-athletes. More details HERE.
Head Men's Volleyball Coach (Jessup University / Rocklin, CA): The Head Coach is responsible for instructing, initiating, developing, and leading a consistently competitive athletic program, including recruiting, scheduling, training, and coaching team members. More details HERE.
Women's Lacrosse Assistant Coach (Northern Michigan University / Marquette, MI): Assist the Head Women's Lacrosse Coach with all assigned duties associated with the intercollegiate women's lacrosse program. More details HERE.