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TOP STORY
1. Campanelli, Slovenski Selected as Student-Athletes Of Year

“Sophia Slovenski of the University of Southern Maine, and Noah Campanelli of St. John Fisher University were recognized as the recipients of the second annual Division III Commissioners’ Association (DIIICA) Women's Sport and Men's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year awards, respectively.

The two emerged as the national winners from a pool of 20 regional honorees which were announced earlier in the month.

A champion in competition, the classroom and in community service, Slovenski, who was recently named the Little East Conference Women's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year and the University of Southern Maine's NCAA Woman of the Year, achieved the pinnacle of success in each endeavor – earning the title of NCAA Division III National Champion, NCAA All-American, and Academic All-American.

A standout at second base, Campanelli earned countless accolades this Spring for the Cardinals, who won their third straight Empire 8 Championship in 2023. He was named the Empire 8 Player of the Year for the second straight season and garnered D3baseball.com and ABCA/Rawlings Region III Player of the Year accolades. Nationally, Campanelli was named an ABCA/Rawlings First Team All-American and was a D3baseball.com Second Team All-American.”

» What They’re Saying: ""On behalf of the Division III Commissioners Association, it is an honor to recognize both Sophia Slovenski and Noah Campanelli with these prestigious awards," said D3CA Awards Committee chair and Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference commissioner Dwayne Hanberry.”

» Continue Reading

NIL
2. Digital Loopholes In Rules Allow Direct Payments To College Athletes

by Pat Eaton-Robb, Associated Press

“Two years after the NCAA cleared the way for college athletes to earn money off their fame and celebrity, digital technology is allowing some of them to get paid by their fans without having to do very much in return.

Most deals struck by athletes under name, image and likeness guidance from schools or states are in exchange for something — an athlete endorsement on social media, for example, or an appearance at an event.

It is now possible to pay athletes money while receiving something far less tangible: a digital non-fungible token, or NFT.”

» Court Awareness: “Pay for play remains off limits under NCAA rules and is a longstanding pillar of amateur sports. But with millions of dollars now available to college athletes under NIL and via booster-funded collectives, the rules are under intense scrutiny.”

» Why It Matters: “Brent Chapman runs a platform called myNILpay. The app allows fans to choose a college athlete and send them money; the app then sends a notification to the athlete’s school email. The athlete fills out a form and the money is then transferred via Venmo or a similar payment method. In exchange, the fan receives a unique computer-generated piece of “art” with the athlete’s signature on it. Chapman said that serves as the quid pro quo.”

» The Big Picture: “Blake Lawrence, CEO and co-founder of Opendorse, said he doesn’t think the idea of trading cash for NFTs will catch on. Most fans, he said, want something more tangible in exchange for sending money to athletes. “That’s whether it’s a physical product like a jersey or a shirt or tchotchke featuring the athlete’s name, image or likeness or a service, like an appearance at a birthday or a video shout-out they can share with their friends,” he said.”

» Continue Reading

FOOTBALL
3. Maine Maritime Resurrects Football

by Ryan McLaughlin, Ellsworth American

“Having served as the athletic administrator at Maine Maritime Academy since 2012, Steve Peed understands the importance of the football program to the institution.

And when the program was suspended in 2020 due to financial challenges faced by the academy as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was as if a huge piece of Mariners' athletics had disappeared.

That piece of the academy's missing athletic puzzle will be filled this fall, with college football returning to Hancock County thanks to the institution raising $562,000 over a period of three months, which covered 75 percent of the unbudgeted costs to restart operation of the program.”

» Field Awareness: “The Harold Alfond Foundation was the most substantial contributor to the effort, supplying $250,000 by way of an unrestricted matching grant. The academy received $566,778 in gifts from a total of 155 donors.”

» What’s Next: “The Mariners will play a sub-varsity schedule for the next two autumns, with four games on the schedule this fall, all against in-state foes Husson University of Bangor and the University of New England of Biddeford. Peed said the plan is for Maine Maritime to return to varsity status in 2025 with a 10-game schedule and play in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.”

» What They’re Saying: “"Everything's just come together in a great way," Peed said. "It really does feel like we're whole again. Now that we have it back I just can't wait to get started."

» Continue Reading

2023 PREVIEW
4. Good Knight! Wartburg Favored To Win Women’s Cross Country Crown

Wartburg is the unanimous favorite to win the national title entering the 2023 women’s cross country season.

The Knights earned all 10 first-place votes from the electorate – and for good reason: Wartburg returns four All-Americans from 2022 – Aubrie Fisher (14th), Lexi Brown (16th), Ellie Meyer (22nd) and Shaelyn Hostager (33rd). The Knights had four runners in long before any other team at the NCAA meet last year, but finished third in the standings. This is the first time in program history that Wartburg has been ranked No. 1 in the preseason.

» Conference Call: UAA (5), Minnesota (3), NESCAC (3), ARC (2), SCIAC (2), C2C (1), Centennial (1), Michigan (1), NEWMAC (1), NWC (1), OAC (1), ODAC (1), SCAC (1), SUNYAC (1), WIAC (1).

» Worth Noting: Since 2012, Johns Hopkins has failed to be ranked first in the preseason five times, including this year. The Blue Jays won the national title the previous four occasions they were snubbed in the preseason.

2023 PREVIEW
5. North Central Favored To Win Men’s Cross Country Title

North Central (Ill.) is projected to win its 20th men’s national cross country title in the annual USTFCCCA preseason poll.

The Cardinals have been off the championship podium for the past five years, after winning six crowns from 2010-19.

Optimism is high for the Cardinals as they return six of the seven athletes that helped them finish seventh last year. Two of those returning athletes were All-Americans in Connor Riss (38th place) and Drew Guimond (29th). This is the 10th time since 2009 that NCC headlined the preseason index.

» Conference Call: NESCAC (3), ARC (2), Centennial (2), OAC (2), SCIAC (2), UAA (2), WIAC (2), C2C (1), CCIW (1), Liberty (1), Michigan (1), Minnesota (1), NEWMAC (1), NWC (1), ODAC (1), SCAC (1), SUNYAC (1).

» Coming Monday: Men’s Soccer

NEWS
6. Lightning Round

🤽‍♀️ Water Polo. Redlands is the preseason No. 1 as the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) released its 2023 Men’s Varsity Division III Top 10.

🏉 Rugby. Babson is the preseason top team in the National Small College Rugby power rankings.

TRANSACTIONS
7. Comings and Goings

• CHATHAM - Chris Fernandez resigned as head squash coach

• CONNECTICUT COLLEGE - Phoebe Seifert named assistant field hockey coach

• ELMIRA - John Franchi named head men’s wrestling coach

• GOUCHER - Trevor Covey, Oliver Ellison named assistant men’s basketball coaches

• KENYON - Emily Engel named assistant softball coach

• KING’S - Clare Finn named head swimming coach

• NORTHWEST CONFERENCE - Kim Wenger stepped down as commissioner

• NORTHWESTERN - David Pederson named assistant athletic director for sports information

• RANDOLPH-MACON - Cheridan Hatfield and Deja Middleton named assistant women’s basketball coaches

• ST. LAWRENCE - Jon Lynch named strength and conditioning coach

• SUSQUEHANNA - Todd Tilford and Dante Waugh named assistant football coaches

• SWARTHMORE - Nathan Sparks named assistant athletic trainer. Rob Cunningham named assistant director of athletic communications

• THIEL - Lou Orth, Brandan Rivers and Zackery Thrasher named assistant football coaches

• TRINE - Christina Richardville named head cheerleading coach

• UPPER MIDWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE - Jordan Benson named assistant commissioner

• WABASH - Jake Fredricksen named interim head wrestling coach

• WESTERN CONNECTICUT - Meghan Els resigned as head women’s lacrosse coach

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