Edition #908
October 16, 2026
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Tennessee Wesleyan selects Indianapolis (NCAA DII) Deputy AD for External Operations and Revenue Generation Jake Berry as its new VP/AD, starting January 1. President Tyler Forrest: “Throughout the search process, Jake distinguished himself as a dynamic, values-driven leader with a clear vision for advancing Bulldog Athletics. His proven expertise in revenue generation, facility enhancements, and external relations paired with a deep commitment to the academic and personal success of student-athletes makes him the ideal choice to lead our athletic department into its next chapter.” (link)
Virgin Islands names Anderson (DII) Asst. AD for Student Support/Next Play Athletics Consulting CEO Shaquana Miller as its new AD. VP for Student Success and Innovation Pamela Moolenaar: “We are excited to welcome Ms. Miller to UVI and to our Buccaneer family. She brings a valuable combination of administrative leadership, coaching experience and a deep understanding of the student-athlete experience. Her commitment to developing the whole student aligns strongly with our focus on student success.” (link)
Southeastern AD Drew Watson sat down with Athletic Communications Director Reagan Harrell on Fire Talk to discuss the changes around NAIA selection committees, communications and more. Key takeaways…
➤ The shift to national selection committees without coaches and routine polls from those committees: “When you're in the national selection committee room or you're making a national selection committee poll, and there's three teams there that have similar numbers, that's where eye test comes in. That's where we depend on the ARC to say, ‘Okay, these maybe four or five teams are all within this bunch. What do you think?’ … So the eye test still does exist, but it's not going to supersede the numbers. And so you saw on the poll, I would say the volleyball poll was a shock to the system, but what you'll see there, it is numbers-based. Now, I'm on the national selection committee for volleyball. Did we get everything right in that poll? Probably not, but it's the first week. … There have been coaches who used to be in the room that are upset. There are a lot of coaches who weren't in the room who felt like the standard was unfair and kept moving, who are very happy about the numbers-based core approach to this.”
➤ In hiring Harrell this summer, Southeastern sought to bring together his new media experience with the traditional SID experience of Asst. Director of Athletic Communications Ethan Sullivan. Watson: “I think there's some athletic departments that are struggling to marry the stats and website articles and everything we've done there traditionally to what social media and media presentation and broadcast looks like at a high level. … What it's done is it's created a really perfect mix here at Southeastern of the traditional versus the new. And really in some ways, and this is the exciting part for me … But what you and your team have done is, I think, a good job of … where the new ideas of sports information are melding with the old ideas to create a whole new industry and way to do things in athletic communications.” (link)
“When I arrived, I had a sports communications department that was overworked, underpaid, stressed, and honestly quite miserable. Investing in FanWord changed who we are and the quality of life of the people working for me.”
— Tony Hoops, VP for Athletics, Northwestern College
Bradley Laackmann and his sports information team partnered with FanWord to find an innovative solution to the ever-growing demands of the profession. Last year, NWC produced almost 1,000 pieces of content while saving an average of 55 hours per month for their staff. Read the NWC 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.
St. Ambrose is set to invest around $6M into a new baseball complex at the nearby St. Vincent Athletic Complex, which currently serves as the home for several Bees programs. President Amy Novak: “This investment continues a partnership that has created meaningful opportunities for student-athletes at both St. Ambrose and Assumption. The growth of the St. Vincent Athletic Complex reflects our commitment to providing students with exceptional experiences that support their development in competition, in the classroom, and as members of our community. We are pleased to take this next step together and continue investing in a place that serves Catholic education and student-athletes across the Quad Cities.” (link)
As part of its push to join the NAIA, MIchigan-Flint has received approval from the University of Michigan Board of Regents to proceed with a $34M renovation to its recreation building. The 80K square-foot space will be fully renovated to become the home of basketball and volleyball with an arena and seating for around 800, locker rooms, sports medicine space and more. “Funding will be provided from Charles Stewart Mott Foundation grants and University of Michigan-Flint resources. The construction cash flow may be provided, all or in part, by bond or note proceeds, secured by a pledge of General Revenues, and authorized by the Board of Regents. The architectural firm of Integrated Design Solutions will design the project. Construction is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2028.” (link)
Deal Corner…
➤ The NAIA extends its partnership with Short’s Travel Management through June 2029. (link)
➤ The Heart of America adds Saint Xavier as an associate member in men’s and women’s bowling, growing its women’s bowling membership to 12 to secure a second AQ. (link)
➤ As part of its partnership with Coca-Cola of Columbus, IU Columbus’ men’s basketball jerseys will feature a Coca-Cola jersey patch. (link)
Six Central Methodist football student-athletes have been suspended indefinitely as two face third-degree assault charges related to a reported “accountability agreement” between a small group of student-athletes in which an individual who was late to practice had to fight a teammate. During an incident last week, a student-athlete was injured and sought treatment at an urgent care before being referred to a concussion specialist. (link, link)
People & Places…
➤ Our Lady of the Lake President Abel Chávez will step down at the end of this calendar year. (link)
➤ Florida Memorial Asst. AD for Facilities and Events Craig Saddler is no longer in the role. (link)
Coaches Corner…
➤ Louisiana Christian taps high school HC Steve Rachal as Women’s Basketball Interim HC. (link)
➤ Incoming NAIA member Christian Brothers names high school football AC Jason Sonnenfelt as its first Women’s Flag Football HC. (link)
Interested in advertising a department opening in NAIA.ticker? Click here to submit your position. Post your department-wide openings with CollegeSports.jobs, where thousands of administrators coaches get news and updates about the world of college sports.
(Posted from most recent over the last 30 days)
(NEW!) Head Coach for Men's & Women's Tennis (Indiana Wesleyan University / Marion, IN): The Head Coach is responsible for the men's and women's tennis budget, strategic planning, courts and facilities, policies, compliance, scholarships, promotion and leadership of the team. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Marion? Click 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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Part-Time Assistant Track & Field/Cross Country Coach (University of Pikeville / Pikeville, KY): The University of Pikeville is seeking an innovative professional for the position of Part-time Assistant Track & Field/ Cross Country Coach within the Athletic Department. More details HERE.
Assistant Athletic Trainer (Lindsey Wilson University / Columbia, KY): Lindsey Wilson University is searching for an Assistant Athletic Trainer. 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.