Edition #1799
September 21, 2026
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Featured Opportunity…
Paramount has reportedly reached a settlement with a coalition of state attorneys general to clear the final regulatory hurdle for its $81B merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, per The Wall Street Journal’s Jessica Toonkel and Paul Kiernan. The agreement would resolve the antitrust lawsuit led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 11 other states, avoiding a trial and sparing the media company from paying Warner shareholders roughly $650M quarterly in "ticking fees" if the transaction failed to close by Oct. 1. Under Paramount CEO David Ellison, the combined media conglomerate will unite live sports broadcasting channels, primary streaming services Paramount+ and HBO Max, broadcasting assets including CNN, Cartoon Network and more without being forced to sell off cable networks. (link); Here’s the list of sports media assets that will live under the new Paramount umbrella. (link)
Colorado Christian AD Jon Poag and Fort Lewis AD Shawn Jakubowski joined The Sidelines to dive into financial challenges and more. D2.takeaways…
➤ Asked about handling budget challenges, Jakubowski says FLC’s focus has been on generating more donor and corporate support with “a little over 50 corporate partners that are all pretty local.” Poag on CCU’s mindset: “We have a lot of conversations about, ‘Well, do we have what's needed? Do we have what's required to be successful?’ And as the AD, I'm always trying to make sure I can answer that question with a yes. … I think it's always kind of been our lot that we're trying to do the most with a little and really maximize the margins and strategize around the spaces where we feel like as a department we can be successful. We're all dealing with the realities, but how do you reframe optimism within your coaching staff and within your athletes and not get dragged down into the, ‘Hey, what are we losing, or how's this going to impact us negatively?’ It's like, ‘Hey, let's keep tracking with the things that are positive.’”
➤ On being internal AD hires, Poag: “One day I was a peer alongside of my coaching staff, and then the next day I became ‘the boss.’ I think it was a change, but I just tried to figure out how to really lean into what it means to be myself in this position and what I can bring to the department in terms of continuing to build on what [former AD Brian Wall] had done. I think my approach has been really leaning into the cultural connectivity within the department and also trying to emphasize just winning. … For me it was not necessarily what am I going to change? It was like, what am I going to build off of? And I think that's where I'm at right now. What can I add to our mix just from a philosophy of winning, cultural strengths within university, trying to standardize expectations across every team?”
➤ Jakubowski adds: “The one trait that I feel like a champion has is consistency. ... I think that when you have leadership and position that are going to be there for a long time, it kind of trickles down to your coaches, to your student-athletes and helps with retention.” (link)
Sul Ross State AD Amanda Workman-Vickers sat down with BOSCA Founder Jim Abbott to discuss the Lobos’ transition to DII and industry challenges. Here are some of her most notable comments…
➤ On transitioning from DIII to DII: “I saw the same teams winning everything and I didn't see a way for us to ever get to competitive equity, particularly with private schools that can offer the tuition discounts that public schools can't offer. … My hope was, and still is, that eventually we will have more competitive equity in Division II because we now have the ability to offer scholarships. … I wanted to take the money that we were spending on travel and invest it in the student-athletes because that felt like a much more long-term gain for us.”
➤ As for the shift in how resources were allocated: “When you think about resources, when you're giving student-athletes scholarships, those resources are staying in-house. When you are funding excessive travel, those resources are going outside of the institution. I just really felt like that mindset really made a lot of sense to try to keep as many of the resources internal because they are precious.”
➤ Challenges in the transfer portal era: “One of the things that I think is the most challenging at the moment for all athletic departments is how do you build a culture in a transfer portal era where most athletes are only in your department for a year or two and then they go elsewhere? That's a really difficult thing to establish. It's really changed the way that we recruit. It's changed the way we retain. It's changed the way we game plan everything. It's really had a significant impact on the way that we do business and I don't think it's going to go away. … What I'm afraid we're going to see in a few years, and I hope that I'm wrong, is a decline in graduation rates across the board in college athletics because of the transfer portal. I mean, we get student-athletes who have been at four or five schools, they have 135 semester credit hours and they don't have a degree.” (link)
It’s Personnel…
➤ Dominican (CA) President Nicola Pitchford will depart when her contract expires at the end of this academic year. (link)
➤ Wheeling taps Assoc. VP for Development/former Cross Country HC Ricky Moore as Assoc. AD. (link)
➤ Augustana promotes Director of Communications Nick Rappuhn to Asst. AD for Communications. (link)
Fundraising Developments…
➤ Montevallo’s 2026 Falcon Victory Campaign raised over $231K from 1,064 donors. (link)
➤ Barton’s Clash of the Bulldogs brought in over $209K from 1,128 gifts. (link)
Deal Corner…
➤ Colorado State Pueblo expands its partnership with RealResponse to assist with event communications, in addition to using the software for student-athlete surveys, anonymous reporting and more. (link)
➤ Millersville signs a multi-year deal with FanWord to support its storytelling efforts. (link)
Coaches Corner…
➤ Northwood Track & Field HC Garrett Rohlk departs to become the Throws Coach at Akron (DI). (link)
➤ Southwest Minnesota State Football HC Scott Underwood retired, effective Sunday, in the midst of his fifth season leading the Mustangs. DC Levi Bullerman will serve as Interim HC for the rest of the season. (link)
➤ Southern Wesleyan names Piedmont (DIII) AC Drew Greer as its new Softball HC. (link)
Kentucky State women’s basketball student-athlete Aminata Seck was arrested last month while traveling with the team to New York by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and remains in custody. Per her attorney, Seck failed to renew her student visa on time because she was having back surgery. (link)
The share of the high school graduating class of 2025 immediately enrolling in college increased slightly across all economic backgrounds, according to data released Thursday by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Per Higher Ed Dive’s Laura Spitalniak, post-graduation fall enrollment at low-poverty high schools rose to 73.9%, up from 73.1% in 2024, while immediate enrollment for high-poverty high school graduates reached 51.2% (up from 50.8%). College persistence rates among high-poverty high school graduates also improved for the class of 2023, climbing to 76% (up from 74.3%), and to 90.6% (up from 89.4%) among low-poverty graduates. Additionally, the share of high-poverty high school graduates enrolling in college within two years grew by 2.1 percentage points to 58.7% for the class of 2023, with urban high schools showing the largest two-year enrollment gain at 67.1%. (link)
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(Posted from most recent over the last 30 days)
(NEW!) 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.
(NEW!) 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.
(NEW!) 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.
Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach (Frostburg State University / Frostburg, MD): Full-tIme Assistant Coach for Women's Lacrosse. More details HERE.
Assistant Coach, Women's Basketball (Babson College / Wellesley, MA): Assistant Coach, Women's Basketball at Babson College in Wellesley, MA. Full-time role assisting with coaching and administrative duties. Salary: $53,813 - $59,792. (DIII) More details HERE.
Vice President and Director of Athletics (Tennessee Wesleyan University / Athens, TN): TWU seeks a dynamic and highly relational leader who understands the important role athletics plays in advancing the University's mission, strengthening enrollment, enhancing the student experience. (NAIA) More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Athens? Click HERE.
Head Athletic Trainer (Colorado State University – Pueblo / Pueblo, CO): Provide overall leadership for sports medicine by developing the athletic training vision and strategic direction for CSU Pueblo Sports Medicine. More details HERE.
Jamie and Ellen Pollard Endowed Director of Athletics (Iowa State University / Ames, IA): Iowa State seeks a visionary, strategic leader to serve as its next Director of Athletics and build upon a proud tradition of innovation and competitive excellence. (DI) More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Ames? Click HERE. The D1.dossier for this position is available HERE.
Assistant Athletic Trainer (Frostburg State University / Frostburg, MD): Full Time Assistant Athletic Trainer. More details HERE.
Assistant Athletic Trainer (Adams State University / Alamosa, CO): Assistant Athletic Trainer at Adams State University. More details HERE.
Assistant Director of Sports Medicine/Athletic Trainer (Adams State University / Alamosa, CO): Assistant Director of Sports Medicine/Athletic Trainer. More details HERE.
Assistant Director of Events and Services (Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference / Woodbridge, CT): A full-time position responsible for managing championship operations, conference awards, financial procedures, NCAA grants and as the primary liaison for selected sport oversight across the CACC. More details HERE.
Assistant Coach - Men's Lacrosse (Babson College / Wellesley, MA): Assistant Coach for Men's Lacrosse at Babson College, Wellesley, MA. Full-time role assisting in coaching and recruitment. (DIII) More details HERE.
Deputy Athletic Director - Chief Operating Officer (Colorado Mesa University / Grand Junction, CO): Working closely with the Director of Athletics, the COO will oversee athletic facilities, event management, capital projects, operational budgets, staffing, and departmental policies and procedures. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Grand Junction? Click HERE.
Athletic Trainer (Colorado Mesa University / Grand Junction, CO): Responsibilities include coordinating pre-season medical examinations, maintaining medical records, communicating with coaches & medical staff, and making clinical decisions. More details HERE.
Athletics Business Manager (Augusta University / Augusta, GA): The Athletics Business Manager (Business Manager 1) position manages all matters of financial reporting, budgeting, contracts, and collection of funds for the Athletic Department. More details HERE.
Assistant Director of Stewardship and Administration (University of Pennsylvania – Penn / Philadelphia, PA): Shape the donor experience for Penn Athletics, strengthening relationships with alumni and supporters while driving stewardship, engagement, and growth across 33 varsity programs. (DI) More details HERE.
Assistant Director, Creative Services (Big Ten Conference / Rosemont, IL): This position will support the creation and execution of compelling visual content that enhances the Conference's brand, events, championships, and marketing initiatives. (DI) More details HERE.