Edition #897
September 8, 2026
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Simpson will move from the Cal Pac to the CCC to become the league’s 12th full member starting in 2027-28. Simpson President Norman Hall: “Joining the Cascade Collegiate Conference is another positive and exciting step forward. It provides our student-athletes with the opportunity to compete at the highest levels of the NAIA while representing Simpson on a regional and national stage. As our university continues to grow, we remain committed to creating opportunities for our students to pursue excellence in everything they do. This is an important moment for Simpson University and another reflection of the tremendous momentum we are experiencing across our campus.” (link)
Heart of America Commissioner Nik Rule joined Pigskin Breakdown to discuss a number of eligibility, the league’s position and more. Here are some of his most notable comments…
➤ On the potential for five years of eligibility in the NAIA: “I think what's going to land is we have our Council of Presidents studying this at the national level, and you'll find some type of five-year thing, but there's a lot of conversation, I believe, around age. I think if the NAIA can find a common-sense approach to this and keep some of the age restrictions out that are in the NCAA, I think it's actually a really, really good move and also a differentiating factor that could also be used in recruiting and such. So, patience is going to be important. … I think our approach, there are going to be some ways that we can show a little bit of a difference between Division II and Division I, and Division II is really our focus. That's going to be really common sense and maintain the purity in intercollegiate athletics.”
➤ The conference is building its new strategic plan now around the following key pillars: executive-level leadership, revenue generation, storytelling, the league’s identity and education-based athletics and enhancing the varsity reserve athletic experience. Rule notes the league is exploring varsity reserve championships for soccer, softball, basketball, bowling and golf. Rule: “Along with that, we're working on a strategic marketing campaign to internally and externally distinguish this is who we are and this is the purity of things. … At the end of the day, we need to be value-added for all of our membership. Everything we do needs to be value-added and enhance their brand and enhance our brand along the way. They’ve got to feel very strong about being associated with the Heart of America. (link)
➤ More from Rule to The Beat of Sports’ Mark Daniels on the threat of employment: “If the financial model is forced on when it comes to employment and such on small colleges across the country, you're going to see these opportunities cut left and right and you're going to see schools close that are the heartbeat of many of their communities. And that's what's at stake right now. It's a consequential time and it could be catastrophic.” (link)
Montana Tech receives a $100K matching pledge from Houston (NCAA DI) Men’s Basketball HC Kelvein Sampson and his wife, Karen, to support the Oredigger men’s basketball program with an endowed scholarship. (link)
The annual NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey indicated that 8,415,684 participants were involved in high school sports in 2025-26, good for a YoY increase of 149,440. The total includes 4,761,095 boys and 3,654,589 girls, both record highs. NFHS also reports the spike in the number of girls participating in flag football and wrestling since the pandemic continues. In the first post-pandemic survey in 2021-22, there were 15,716 girls participating in flag football nationally. That number has now ballooned to 102,360. Furthermore, participation in girls flag football increased 48.7% last year as the sport cracked the Top 10 list for most popular girls sports. The number of schools reporting girls flag football participation increased from 2,736 to 3,990 in the past year, and a total of 37 states will be either sanctioning the sport or conducting independent/pilot programs by next year. Meanwhile, participation in girls wrestling increased 19.9% YoY from 74,064 to 88,771. The number of schools sponsoring the sport for girls now totals 8,853. Golf had the largest percentage increase among boys sports with an 8.3% uptick to 175,757 participants, while outdoor track and field was up about 4,000 participants, and tennis and soccer each gained about 3,000 participants. Full report. (link)
The U.S. Department of Treasury is proposing a new rule that would strip private colleges of their federal tax-exempt status “if it discriminates on the basis of race, color, or national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational, admissions, scholarship, athletic, or other policies, based on the fundamental public policy of the United States against such practices.” IRS CEO Frank Bisignano adds: “Today’s proposed regulations put institutions on notice and schools that continue to engage in racial discrimination should expect to lose that status.” The department will accept public comments and feedback until November 3 and the change would “affect private schools in taxable years beginning after May 31, 2027, which is after the final regulations are expected to be published.” (link, link)
The Securities and Exchange Commission is seeking information from Daktronics concerning Los Angeles Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, acting CFO Howard Atkins said during last Wednesday’s earnings call. According to the Dallas Sports Journal, “Atkins reported $155M in cash and $10M in debt at the end of the quarter,” and said during the call: “Let me now briefly address a matter that has been in the media concerning the NBA’s investigation of Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers in connection with the league’s collective bargaining agreement that many of you may have heard about. As you might expect, we have received requests for information from the NBA. Additionally, the Securities and Exchange Commission is seeking information from us concerning the company and Mr. Leonard. We take these requests seriously and are cooperating. At this point, out of respect for the respective processes, we will not be providing further comment.” Meadowlark Media’s Pablo Torre this week cited, per the Dallas Sports Journal, a “high-level source under contract for Intuit Dome who said Clippers money went through Daktronics to Leonard. A former Clippers official told Torre that Leonard’s role as a Daktronics spokesperson had been talked about openly within the organization.” (link)
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(Posted from most recent over the last 30 days)
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. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Athens? Click 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.
Head Track & Field Coach (Missouri Valley College / Marshall, MO): Missouri Valley College seeks an energetic, visionary, and student-centered Head Track & Field Coach to provide leadership for the College's men's and women's track & field programs More details HERE.
Assistant Softball Coach (Northwestern College / Orange City, IA): Seeking assistant softball coach applicants to assist in leading a nationally contending program that won 3 consecutive GPAC titles from 2023-2025 and hosted back-to-back NAIA regionals in 2024-2025. More details HERE.
Assistant Women's Flag Football Coach (Hesston College / Hesston, KS): Assist the Head Coach in supporting the women’s flag football program through student-athlete development, recruitment and retention, team and equipment management, and practice and game preparation. 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.
Graduate Assistant - Women's Soccer (Lakeland University / Plymouth, WI): Responsible for assisting the Head Coach, primarily with recruiting, organizing and running practices, fundraising, promotional activities, and other related assigned responsibilities. (DIII) More details HERE.
Account Executive (University of Louisville / Louisville, KY): Drive new sales and renewals for football and men's basketball, manage 1,000+ accounts, deliver customer service, build relationships, and consistently meet sales and outreach goals. (DI) More details HERE.
Assistant Athletics Director, Media Relations (William & Mary / Williamsburg, VA): Leads W&M Athletics Communications team in developing and executing strategies to enhance the department brand through proactive storytelling, disciplined messaging, and high-impact media operations. (DI) More details HERE.
Senior Associate Athletic Director of Internal Operations (South Dakota Mines / Rapid City, SD): Provide leadership for NCAA Division II athletics operations, overseeing compliance, events, facilities, & student-athlete services while helping drive success across 13 varsity sports. (DII) More details HERE.
Graduate Assistant for Athletic Operations (Morningside University / Sioux City, IA): Morningside University seeks an energetic, organized, and service-oriented graduate student to serve as the Graduate Assistant for Athletic Operations. More details HERE.
Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach (University of Pikeville / Pikeville, KY): The University of Pikeville in Pikeville, Kentucky seeks a dynamic and creative Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach. More details HERE.
Head Coach Women's Flag Football (Indiana Institute of Technology (Indiana Tech) / Fort Wayne, IN): The Indiana Tech Warrior Athletics team is seeking an energetic and dedicated coach to help lead, mentor, and inspire our student-athletes. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Fort Wayne? Click HERE.
Spirit Director (Indiana Institute of Technology (Indiana Tech) / Fort Wayne, IN): The Indiana Tech Warrior Athletics team is seeking an energetic and student-focused professional to lead our cheer, dance, and band programs. More details HERE.