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Cruz Aims to Help NCAA Regulate Athlete Payments

Says one of his "major priorities" this session is to pass law to help NCAA regulate booming market for college athletes

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Steve Ulrich
January 13, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes

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JANUARY 13, 2025 | composed by STEVE ULRICH

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Headlines
🏛️ Senator Sets “Priority” to Help NCAA
🤼 NWCA Duals
🏈 UWW’s Meinerz Named All-Pro
🏑 Misselhorn Honored by USA Field Hockey As Humanitarian
▶️ Plays of the Weekend

🗓️ What’s Happening Today. The DIII Student-Athlete Advisory Committee meets in Nashville.

🥍 Have You Seen Our Latest Newsletter? D3Lacrosse is now live. Get the latest news around the DIII women’s and men’s lacrosse world. Take a look for yourself.

📰 Subscribe to D3Playbook. Get all the best from D3Playbook today by subscribing now. The second semester costs just $29.99 while athletic communications professionals can subscribe for $19.99.

TOP STORY
1. Cruz Aims to Help NCAA Regulate Athlete Payments

 by Dan Murphy, ESPN

“College sports officials spent the past four years seeking federal legislation to block student-athletes from gaining employee status and letting the NCAA impose limits on how much money schools and boosters may give to their athletes. With Republicans taking control of Capitol Hill this month, the odds of the NCAA getting its wish are better than ever.

The new Republican leader of the influential Senate Commerce Committee told ESPN that one of his "major priorities" this session is to pass a law to help the NCAA regulate the booming market for college athletes without running afoul of federal antitrust restrictions. A bipartisan group of senators is drafting a measure to help prevent a split among NCAA schools.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said he's not interested in saving the NCAA. Instead, he said he wants to give college sports the legal runway they need to save themselves. "College sports is in crisis right now," Cruz said. "If Congress doesn't act, we risk seeing devastation."

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» Why It Matters. “The NCAA turned to Congress after antitrust lawsuits by athletes limited its ability to maneuver. Those lawsuits and other legal challenges convinced lawmakers they needed to take action. Until now, a partisan divide blocked tangible progress. With one political party gaining control of the House, Senate and White House, politicians from both parties are signaling readiness to negotiate and take action.”

» Between The Lines. “Many in college sports believe that an unregulated market will inevitably push the small group of schools that generate most of the industry's revenue to sever ties with the rest of their Division I peers. Cruz said he wants to give the NCAA the tools it needs to stop that from happening.”

» What They’re Saying. "For too long the NCAA failed to address issues to protect athletes, but obviously there is new leadership there at the NCAA," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, said. "There is also a real need to make sure there is a level playing field among schools, or at least as fair as it can be."

WRESTLING
2. Augsburg Men Take NWCA Dual Crown

“For the ninth time in school history, the Augsburg University men's wrestling team won the championship at the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III National Duals tournament, topping the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse 25-9 in the semifinals and perennial rival Wartburg College 17-16 in the title match on Saturday.

Since the NWCA began the Division III National Duals in 2002, the trophy has rested at either Augsburg or Wartburg (Iowa) in all but one year (Wisconsin-La Crosse won the title in 2022, when Augsburg and Wartburg did not compete).”

» North Central Takes Second. “The third-ranked North Central College women's wrestling team took home a second-place finish at the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Duals after defeating No. 2 King University in the semifinals but falling to No. 1 University of Iowa in the finals.

» Eight (Hundred) Is Great. “The TCNJ wrestling team became the sixth program in Division III history to reach 800 all-time dual wins with a 32-11 victory over No. 16 Wisconsin-Whitewater at the NWCA Multi-Division National Duals on Saturday. With the victory, the Lions joined Springfield, Wilkes, Wartburg, Olivet, and Lycoming in the 800-win club.”

ALUMNI
3. Whitewater’s Meinerz Named All-Pro

Denver Broncos’ starting offensive guard and former UW-Whitewater standout Quinn Meinerz was named first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press.

Here he discusses his AP All-Pro selection, the success of the Broncos' offensive line this season and how his draft class has helped build a strong team culture in Denver.

FIELD HOCKEY
4. Misselhorn Named USA Field Hockey Humanitarian Award Recipient

Janney Misselhorn
by Thomas Klemick

“USA Field Hockey has announced that Penn State Harrisburg field hockey head coach Amanda Janney Misselhorn is the recipient of the 2024 USA Field Hockey Humanitarian Award presented by AAE.

The organization's humanitarian award is presented annually to an individual who has transcended the game of field hockey and achieved something inspirational to us all. This individual has used field hockey to better themselves, his/her community and beyond.

Inclusivity has been at the forefront of Misselhorn's mission since becoming the program's first head coach in 2023 and under her tutelage, Penn State Harrisburg's Maggie Kutz became the first known student-athlete with Down Syndrome to play NCAA field hockey. Kutz, a member of Penn State Harrisburg's career studies program, started her first game in 2024 and has helped break down barriers throughout her career.”

» The Big Picture. “I'm humbled by this award from USA Field Hockey and I'm so grateful that my husband, Walt, and I can live in central Pennsylvania and be a part of the field hockey community at all levels," said Misselhorn. "Having Maggie on our team has been amazing and she is a great reminder for all of us that hockey is about so much more than wins and losses and more about teamwork, dedication to something greater than yourself and connecting with others from whom we can learn."

NEWS YOU CAN USE
5. Lightning Round ⚡️ 

✝️ In Memoriam. Our condolences to the family, friends and teammates of Williams College freshman Alex Kemp who died after a skiing accident last week. May his memory be a blessing.

🏒 Ice Hockey (W). Connecticut College stunned top-ranked Middlebury, 2-1, on an overtime goal by Caitlin Pierce. It was the first loss of the season for the Panthers.

🏒 Ice Hockey (M). Chance Gorman scored a pair of goals as Elmira knocked off No. 2 Geneseo, 6-2. The Soaring Eagles scored four times in the decisive third period.

🏊‍♀️ Swimming (W). Kenyon’s Jennah Fadely set a NCAA DIII record in the 100 breaststroke on Friday night, covering the distance in 59.62 to better the old standard set in 2018 by Denison’s KT Kustritz at 59.77.

🏈 Football. Mount Union QB Noah Beaudrie announced that he is transferring to Adrian. Beaudrie was the Purple Raiders’ starter for much of 2024.

TRANSACTIONS
6. Comings and Goings

ANNA MARIA - Christopher Pothier named head field hockey coach
ELMIRA - Announced addition of women’s flag football as a varsity sport beginning in 2025-26. Savannah Terry named interim head coach
GREENSBORO - Megan Dray Martin and Jake Budyka named assistant softball coaches
ILLINOIS WESLEYAN - Tyler Holte and Tom Flood named assistant football coaches
IMMACULATA - Josh Elliot named head men’s volleyball coach
KALAMAZOO - Andi Phelps named assistant volleyball coach
SALISBURY - Myles Kendrick named assistant athletic director for operations and facilities

HIGHLIGHTS
7. Plays of the Weekend

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