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Unisun Sports CEO Jeff Bacon sat down with Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman and Rob Dauster to wrap up the league’s basketball media day and discuss the formation of Unisun Sports, the benefits of the alliance and more. Here’s what you need to know…

Wisconsin AD Shawn Eichorst outlines his head coach-centered leadership approach and discusses the department's priorities during a sitdown on the Locked On Badgers podcast. Key notes…

Kraft Analytics Group CEO Jessica Gelman and JaneWallStreet’s Deirdre Lester sat down for a conversation about the evolution of KAGR, as well as the company's recent partnership with the NCAA under President Charlie Baker, which more than doubled the association's consumer database in 18 months to drive new revenue. D1.takeaways…

Miami Dolphins owner/prominent Michigan supporter Stephen Ross is in advanced talks to sell a 20% stake in Formula 1's Miami Grand Prix to private equity firm Otro Capital, according to Front Office Sports' Ben Horney. The potential transaction involves only the weeklong race and excludes other assets held under Ross Sports & Entertainment, such as the Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium, and the Miami Open. (link)

Nike Co-Founder Phil Knight and his wife, Penny, committed $1B to Oregon to launch the Knight College of Engineering as part of the Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact. The 10-year payout structure will fund operations in perpetuity, aiming to double engineering student enrollment from 500 and expand faculty from 17 to 42. Knight Campus Executive Director Bob Guldberg says the academic expansion provides financial resilience to counter falling birth rates and restrictive visa policies that have limited the pool of prospective university students. The Oregonian’s Mike Rogoway notes the program positions UO as a regional competitor to Oregon State—which will open a $200M supercomputer center backed by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang—and aligns with corporate partners like Intel to address semiconductor workforce demands. (link)

Following the passing of former Appalachian State Football HC Shawn Clark at age 50 from a hemorrhagic stroke, his wife, Jonelle Clark, launched the Shawn Clark Legacy Foundation and the 61 Initiative to advocate for annual health physicals for college football coaches. More than 60 FBS programs have committed to the campaign, including Georgia, Florida, Clemson, and the full membership of both the MAC and American. Named after Clark's former jersey number, the initiative encourages coaches to take one extra minute for their own health beyond a 60-minute football game, and Jonelle Clark tells The Athletic’s Chris Vannini: "We train players with nutrition and exercise plans, but what hasn't changed is how much the coaches work and their standard of care. They pay these coaches good money. To administrators, I'd say, protect your investments. And to coaches, I just say, protect your brothers." (link)

New College Swimming League CEO Rob Kent says the venture that brings together 12 SEC, ACC and Big Ten programs for a fall series of ESPN/DAZN-televised team competitions was ⁠a calculated gamble that drew on lessons from the International Swimming League (ISL) while seeking to tap into the established fan bases of major universities. “There's ​only really two ways to do it. You either ease your way into it or you swing for the fences. And ​guess which side we took." Per Reuters’ Rory Carroll, “the league, which received funding from ISL founder and Ukrainian businessman Konstantin Grigorishin, ​will cover nearly $1M in ​team travel costs and offer ⁠a $100K prize purse, with $25K going to each of the four schools that reach the championship. The money will go to athletic programs rather than directly to swimmers.” Direct student-athlete compensation is a future ambition, according to Kent, who notes the first priority is establishing a viable commercial platform for swimmers whose ​sport has lagged ⁠football and basketball in exposure and revenue. “Student-athletes that generate revenue should benefit. Swimming doesn't. So why don't we build something for them to do that? And here we are." (link)

It’s Personnel…
➤ San Francisco has hired Ali White as Chief Revenue Officer. White joins the Dons after serving as Assoc. AD for Major Gifts at Houston. (link)
➤ South Alabama has selected Southern Miss Asst. AD for Athletic Communications Jack McDonald for its Assoc. AD for Strategic Communications and Creative Strategy post. (link)

President Donald Trump’s attendance at Saturday's Texas-Tennessee contest in Neyland Stadium could affect coach and player headset communication, per The Athletic’s Sam Khan Jr. Longhorns HC Steve Sarkisian: “The one thing that you have to be aware of when the president goes to any game is that any time he enters the stadium or leaves the stadium, or changes locations within the stadium, they cut all communication. They cut headsets to coaches. They cut headsets to coach-to-player communication. So you have to have a plan for that if and/or when, and you get no warning. So that just gets cut out. … If he comes in the middle of the first quarter or leaves in the fourth quarter or decides he’s got to use the restroom, whatever that looks like, you’ve got to be prepared to have no comms for a short amount of time.” Sarkisian added there are no logistical or scheduling changes related to the team’s arrival at the stadium. (link)

Take a tour of Northwestern’s new $25M softball stadium with Big Ten Network’s Sydney Supple, who shows off the entrance, locker room, home bullpen, club space for donors, field, dugouts and more. (link)

San Diego State raised a record $37.5M during FY26, eclipsing the previous record of $33.1M set in FY20. The Aztecs received contributions from more than 4,500 donors, 55% of which are SDSU alumni. (link)

UTRGV generated more than $9.38M in philanthropy, ticket sales, sponsorships, licensing, and game day revenue during FY26. The department set records by bringing in $1,378,194 in ticket sales and $2,189,737 in corporate sponsorships while also raising $4,929,948 in philanthropic giving to the Vaqueros Athletic Fund. (link)

UC Davis is partnering with Blitz Analytics, an “AI-powered sports intelligence platform that will support research and content workflows across the Aggies' football and basketball programs.” (link)

The state of New York has sued Polymarket's domestic arm for allegedly running an illegal gambling operation, according to The Wall Street Journal's Kevin Dugan. The suit mirrors a broader crackdown on prediction markets spearheaded by Attorney General Letitia James, including a July lawsuit against Kalshi seeking up to $36B in penalties, as well as accusations against Coinbase and Gemini Titan. The state argues the unlicensed platforms bypass local regulations and deplete tax revenue from legalized gambling, while prediction market operators maintain they are federally regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Polymarket Chief Legal Officer Neal Kumar: "We believe in New York and we’re staying here. While the AG’s decision to copy/paste a recycled lawsuit is disappointing, we’ll fight for our users." (link)

Mark your calendars, set your alarms and get your popcorn ready: The Protect College Sports Act is set for a final Senate vote on Monday at 5:30pm ET, per Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger. (link)

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) says the legislative body will “probably” be in session next week, per Semafor’s Burgess Everett, who adds there’s “no deal to speed up the college sports bill at this time.” (link); The upper chamber is tentatively scheduled to be in session through next Friday before taking recess until November 9. (link)

The Protect College Sports Act passed its final procedural hurdle today with 74 supporting votes, per Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, who notes this paved the way for Monday’s final vote. “The PCSA passed all five procedural votes with at least 70 votes. It needs 60 in the final vote.” The previous four procedural vote count totals: “1. 74-24 (2 absentee/non-vote); 2. 77-22 (1); 3. 70-21 (9); 4. 77-23 (0).” (link, link)

More from Dellenger who, writing for On3, provides an update on Senate processes relating to the ongoing effort to pass the Protect College Sports Act. A final vote on the bill, which reportedly has overwhelming support with as many as 75 votes when it requires just 60 to pass, can be expedited by bypassing the mandatory time constraints, but only if unanimous consent among lawmakers is reached. Senate Republican leaders have failed to reach consent, despite a few efforts already this week, because several lawmakers – most notably in the Democratic caucus – oppose the bill enough to object. Dellenger: “Perhaps they would waive constraints if, say, leaders agreed to call a vote on their amendments on the Senate floor? Those discussions were held late into Wednesday night and were expected to continue into Thursday.” If the bill passes the Senate, it must then move through a similar House process and it’s not slated to return to session until after the midterm elections. (link); The latest look at proposed amendments. (link)

Front Office Sports’ Amanda Christovich unpacks how House Republicans could eventually make-or-break the passage of the Protect College Sports Act with a large bloc, led by Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI), Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY), and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), having raised strong objections to multiple aspects of the bill’s text throughout the process. “In the time since the earliest criticisms, the PCSA has gone through several new iterations—but the revisions haven’t addressed the concerns these Republicans previously raised.” Conservative lawmakers are continuing a push for a full ban on student-athletes being classified as employees rather than the PCSA's current "neutrality" clause, as well as a 20% cap on international roster spots via the newly proposed TEAM USA Act. GOP concerns also focus on potential litigation risks stemming from the "private right of action" provision, conference realignment limitations and designated HBCU funding. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) noted the chamber will address the legislation when returning from recess following the November midterm elections, though any House amendments would force a time-sensitive Senate return prior to the end of the congressional session. (link)

LSU President Wade Rousse told the state’s Board of Regents this week that the Tigers’ sports program is projected to carry a $26M deficit this year, per the Louisiana Illuminator’s Piper Hutchinson, who notes the program’s shortfall for FY26 was $44M. The Bayou Bengals have now overspent their budget over the past six years by $177.5M. Rousse said the university would soon publicly announce details of its new revenue generation plan that will most likely involve getting upfront cash from investors who would share profits from an entity that receives income from broadcast deals or other business arrangements. An announcement on the plan, which would provide funding not only to athletics but eventually across the entire LSU System, is currently on hold pending a valuation of LSU’s brand. Rousse: “We want to make sure that our brand is valued the right way. At no point do we ever lose control of anything there. … The acute need is certainly athletics, so we’ve got to stop that bleeding first.” (link)

During today’s UNC Board of Trustees meeting, North Carolina leaders defended their seven-week investigation into the Tar Heels’ football program and remained supportive of HC Bill Belichick despite the recent resignations of GM Michael Lombardi and DC Steve Belichick, per WRAL News’ Brian Murphy. Chancellor Lee Roberts: “[Coach Belichick] understands that that support comes with expectations around conduct and behavior. Nobody understands that better than Coach Belichick.” More…

Related, The Athletic’s Justin Williams writes how major universities are increasingly opting to skip formal, written reports when retaining white-shoe law firms for high-profile athletic department investigations, instead relying on verbal briefings to circumvent state open records laws and ease litigation risks. Those involved in investigations insist it’s less about concealing it from the public and more about protecting the university and those engaged in the process. In addition to UNC, Michigan spent nearly seven months and $12M to probe former football HC Sherrone Moore and the athletic department culture, which yielded a 2K-word “key issues” statement from the university’s office of public affairs that only resulted after considerable public backlash and pressure. According to Mars Law Firm Founder Tom Mars, who represented Lombardi in the UNC probe, the reason for leaving little to no paper trail is obvious. “There's no justification, other than to keep it a secret from the public. ... Maybe I'm old school, but I think transparency is so much a part of democracy. The first time I realized there wasn’t going to be a written report (in a university investigation), I was blown away. I mean, I couldn’t even imagine that.” (link)

Cal inks a deal to name Databricks as the Official Enterprise Data and AI platform of Golden Bears Athletics, while rebranding the football stadium as Databricks Field at California Memorial Stadium. Beginning with Friday's home game against Clemson, the company’s logo will be displayed on the 50-yard line and on helmet decals. Databricks will also activate across UC basketball, volleyball and gymnastics competitions at Haas Pavilion through high-visibility LED signage. The multi-year partnership will be funded through Cal becoming a Databricks shareholder. Per Fox Sports’ Ben Portnoy, the decade-long deal is reportedly worth $22.8M. Learfield’s Cal Bears Sports Properties helped facilitate the deal. Last month, Databricks closed a $5B funding round that valued that company at $190B. (link, link, link)

Michigan State highlights plans for a renovated wrestling training facility inside Jenison Field House that’s expected to include upgrades to the team’s practice space, locker room, athletic training space, cardio area and coaches’ offices. Added benefits of the program’s transition will include improved access to the student-athlete fueling and nutrition station, equipment and laundry services, additional athletic training services and strength & conditioning facilities. The project is slated to be completed in advance of the 2027-28 campaign. (link) 

Evansville softball unveils major facility enhancements, including the Trena K. Roedel Hitting Facility, which includes two 60-foot hitting tunnels with 14-foot ceilings; a new SpinBall machine; LED lighting and an HVAC system as well as a new locker room, featuring custom wood lockers with apparel hanging space; updated branding’ custom name plates; top of locker and shoe storage areas; LED lighting and custom locker cushions. (link)

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee is planning to incorporate another data point in late November that will: help determine the strength of each conference based on the schedule strength of each team in its league; help separate teams in the same league with similar records based on the strength of their conference opponents. (Ex: Penn State doesn’t play Oregon, Ohio State or Indiana); and help separate teams with comparable records in different conferences based on how tough their league opponents were. ESPN’s Heather Dinich notes: “This is an ‘inside baseball’ type stat that won’t trump quality wins, schedule strength and record strength and what the committee sees on film. But it will put a number to answer the question: how tough is the daily grind in the each league? It’s not even equal within them.” (link) 

UMBC signs a multi-year renewal of its deal with Under Armour to keep the Baltimore-based brand as the official outfitter of premium training and game-day footwear, apparel and equipment for all 17 Retriever athletic teams. (link)

Grand Canyon is launching Antelope Productions in an effort to bring a unified brand to an operation that reaches Lope Nation daily through live broadcasts, digital content and more than 50 social media channels. New initiatives include the installation of a professional-grade broadcast control room inside Global Credit Union Arena, a monthly television show on Arizona's Family, a weekly podcast network and an expanded GCU Radio Network. (link)

Former NC State Director of Sports Medicine Robert M. Murphy Jr., was arrested Wednesday in Florida on out-of-state fugitive warrants from North Carolina, after a grand jury indicted him last week on 32 combined felony sexual contact and misdemeanor sexual battery counts involving the abuse of male student-athletes he had treated. The charges had remained secret since being handed down on September 14 until Murphy could be located. Per ESPN’s Xuan Thai, "portions of the sealed file were inadvertently posted to the Wake County, N.C., court website last week then quickly removed before being reposted and again removed. At that point, ESPN was able to confirm that Murphy faced at least two felony indictments for sexual penetration or contact under the guise of medical treatment and four other indictments for sexual battery.” Durham-based attorney Kerry Sutton, who represents the former student-athletes in the case, said in a statement to The Athletic on Thursday of the indictments and arrest: “This is a huge development for the men. They are extremely grateful for ADA Melanie Shekita’s dedication and for the assistance of law enforcement in North Carolina and Florida.” (link, link) 

It’s Personnel…
➤ USC hires Nevada Deputy AD Merlene Aitken-Smith as Executive Senior Assoc. AD for Administration & Risk. (link)
➤ Syracuse selects Peachtree Orthopedics Physical Therapy Clinic Manager/former Pittsburgh Penguins Director of High Performance Marty Lauzon as Senior Assoc. AD for Integrated Health, Wellness and Sports Performance. (link)

Coaches Corner…
➤ Nevada Men’s Basketball HC Steve Alford will retire at the end of this season. (link)
➤ Montana Softball HC Stef Ewing has been appointed to the Division I Softball Oversight Committee. (link)

Interested in advertising a job opening in D1.ticker on CollegeSports.jobs? Submit your position here. Jobs from the past 10 days are listed below.

(NEW!) Head Coach, Track & Field (University of Memphis / Memphis, TN): Responsible for leading and all aspects of the program: recruiting, coaching, mentoring student-athletes, training plans, scheduling, managing budget, and compliance with NCAA & Univ policies. More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Memphis? Click HERE

Athletic Academic Coordinator (East Texas A&M / Commerce, TX): More details HERE.

Senior Athletics Academic Advisor (University of Oklahoma / Norman, OK): More details HERE.

Academic Counselor (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill / Chapel Hill, NC): More details HERE.

Athletics Business Coordinator (Rice University / Houston, TX): More details HERE.

Coordinator - Business & Finance (University Athletic Association, Inc. at the University of Florida / Gainesville, FL): More details HERE.

Athletics Business Associate (University of Illinois Springfield / Springfield, IL): (DII) More details HERE.

Sr. Associate AD / Business Operations (Virginia Tech / Blacksburg, VA): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Blacksburg? Click HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director, Business Operations, Department of Athletics (R0009158) (Wake Forest University / Winston-Salem, NC): More details HERE.

People Operations Coordinator, Athletics (University of Denver / Denver, CO): More details HERE.

Assistant Business Manager (University of Texas – Austin / Austin, TX): More details HERE.

Assistant Coach, Women's Tennis (University of Pennsylvania – Penn / Philadelphia, PA): More details HERE.

Director of Recruiting & Scouting and Assistant Women's Basketball Coach (University of North Carolina at Charlotte / Charlotte, NC): More details HERE.

Assistant Coach - Track and Field (Throws) (University of California – San Diego / La Jolla, CA): More details HERE.

Coordinator of Operations, Women's Basketball (Stony Brook University / Stony Brook, NY): More details HERE.

Assistant Men's Basketball Coach (United States Naval Academy / Annapolis, MD): More details HERE.

Coordinator of Hockey Operations (St. Lawrence University / Canton, NY): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Men's Basketball Operations (University of Oklahoma / Norman, OK): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications (Lawrence University / Appleton, WI): (DIII) More details HERE.

Director of Broadcast Technologies/Chief Engineer (University of Georgia / Athens, GA): More details HERE.

Director of Fan Engagement (Western Michigan University / Kalamazoo, MI): More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Creative Design, Department of Athletics (R0009174) (Wake Forest University / Winston-Salem, NC): More details HERE.

Director of Digital and Creative Marketing Strategy (Hofstra University / Hempstead, NY): More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Athletic Media Relations (Eastern Michigan University / Ypsilanti, MI): More details HERE.

Video Producer (University of Central Florida / Orlando, FL): More details HERE.

Associate Athletic Director for Communications (University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley / Edinburg, TX): More details HERE.

Assistant/Associate Athletic Director for Communications (University of North Texas / Denton, TX): More details HERE.

Director of Fan Experience (Virginia Commonwealth University / Richmond, VA): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletics Director - Athletics Marketing (Texas Christian University / Fort Worth, TX): More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Marketing (Western Kentucky University / Bowling Green, KY): More details HERE.

Producer - ESPN+ (Texas Tech University / Lubbock, TX): More details HERE.

Director of Communications (University of Arkansas at Little Rock / Little Rock, AR): More details HERE.

Athletics Videographer I/II (Florida Gulf Coast University / Fort Myers, FL): More details HERE.

Marketing & Revenue Strategy Coordinator (Full-Time Temporary) (University of Nebraska / Lincoln, NE): More details HERE.

Program Coordinator, Athletic Video Production (University of Toledo / Toledo, OH): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletics Director of Media & Creative Strategy (Wright State University / Dayton, OH): More details HERE.

Director of Marketing - Athletics (Abilene Christian University / Abilene, TX): More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Athletic Communications Strategy (R0009147) (Wake Forest University / Winston-Salem, NC): More details HERE.

Asst AD - Digital Marketing and Revenue Strategy (University of California – San Diego / La Jolla, CA): More details HERE.

Director of Athletic Multimedia (Virginia Military Institute – VMI / Lexington, VA): More details HERE.

Sports Information Director (University of Alabama at Birmingham / Birmingham, AL): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Athletic Communications (Virginia Military Institute – VMI / Lexington, VA): More details HERE.

Director for Compliance (University of Virginia / Charlottesville, VA): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Compliance (University of Michigan / Ann Arbor, MI): More details HERE.

Development Coordinator, Athletics (Pepperdine University / Malibu, CA): More details HERE.

Assistant AD For Major Gifts (Virginia Commonwealth University / Richmond, VA): More details HERE.

Director of RAM Athletic Fund/Annual Giving (Virginia Commonwealth University / Richmond, VA): More details HERE.

Senior Director of Development, Athletics (Campbell University / Buies Creek, NC): More details HERE.

Director of Signature Events and Stewardship (University of Kansas / Lawrence, KS): More details HERE.

Director of Hospitality and Premium Experiences (University of Kansas / Lawrence, KS): More details HERE.

Director of Development (University of Missouri / Columbia, MO): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Stewardship & Hospitality (University of Missouri / Columbia, MO): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Development, Leadership Annual Giving, Athletics (University of Denver / Denver, CO): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director, Development (Washington State University / Pullman or Seattle, WA): More details HERE. 

Major Gift Officer (University of Washington / Seattle, WA): More details HERE.

Assistant Director of Development (University of Missouri / Columbia, MO): More details HERE.

Bulldog Club (Fellow) (Mississippi State University / Starkville, MS): More details HERE.

Director - Premium Seating & Gifts (Athletics) (Georgia Tech / Atlanta, GA): More details HERE.

Development Officer/Senior Development Officer - Athletics (Bucknell University / Lewisburg, PA): More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Facilities, Events, and Capital Projects (University of North Texas / Denton, TX): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Denton? Click HERE.

Sr. Associate AD / Business Operations (Virginia Tech / Blacksburg, VA): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Blacksburg? Click HERE.

Commissioner (Southern Conference / Spartanburg, SC): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Spartanburg? Click HERE.

Director of Athletics (University of Detroit Mercy / Detroit, MI): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Detroit? Click HERE.

Assistant Director, Athletics Facilities (Cleveland State University / Cleveland, OH): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director, Athletic Event Operations (Cleveland State University / Cleveland, OH):  More details HERE.

Athletic Equipment Manager (University of Minnesota / Minneapolis, MN): More details HERE.

Assistant AD for Event Operations (United States Naval Academy / Annapolis, MD): More details HERE.

Senior Associate Athletic Director for Facilities, Events, and Capital Projects (University of North Texas / Denton, TX): More details HERE. What would it cost to move to Denton? Click HERE.

Operations Coordinator for Athletics (Ball State University / Muncie, IN): More details HERE.

Event Manager Facilities and Operations (University of Northern Iowa / Cedar Falls, IA): More details HERE.

Building Manager – Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium (Wofford College / Spartanburg, SC): More details HERE.

Athletic Event & Facility Operations Specialist (Fort Hays State University / Hays, KS): (DII)  More details HERE.

Athletics Shipping & Receiving Technician (University of Oklahoma / Norman, OK): More details HERE.

Athletics Administrative Coordinator (Murray State University / Murray, KY): More details HERE.

Men's Basketball Administrative Assistant (University of Arkansas at Little Rock / Little Rock, AR): More details HERE

Athletic Trainer - Men's Basketball (University of California – San Diego / La Jolla, CA): More details HERE.

Olympic Sports, Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach (University of Maryland / College Park, MD): More details HERE.

Athletic Trainer (University of Kansas / Lawrence, KS): More details HERE.

Athletic Trainer (Men's Basketball) (University of North Alabama / Florence, AL): More details HERE.

Athletic Trainer (Lamar University / Beaumont, TX): More details HERE.

Athletic Trainer - Track and Field/Cross Country (University of Oklahoma / Norman, OK): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Trainer (University of Maine / Orono, ME): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Trainer (Virginia Military Institute – VMI / Lexington, VA): More details HERE.

Assistant Athletic Director for Corporate Partnerships (Virginia Military Institute – VMI / Lexington, VA): More details HERE.

Ticket Sales Representative (University of Texas – San Antonio / San Antonio, TX): More details HERE.

Assistant Director, Ticket Sales & Retention (Auburn University / Auburn, AL): More details HERE.