AUGUST 30, 2024 | written by STEVE ULRICH

News and notes on the largest and best Division in the NCAA. #whyD3
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🥳 Here We Go. The 2024-25 athletic season begins today. Best of luck to all athletes, coaches, staffers and teams.

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TOP STORY
1. DIIICA Announces 2023-24 Chi Alpha Sigma Regional Student-Athlete of the Year Honorees

“Twenty student-athletes were recognized as winners of the third annual Division III Commissioner's Association (DIIICA)/Chi Alpha Sigma Regional Student-Athlete of the Year awards.

Each of the winners will advance to the national ballot for consideration for 2023-24 D3CA Men's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year and Women's Sport Student-Athlete of the Year.

Conferences were permitted to submit two nominations for each award if at least one of the nominations was an international student/ethnic minority. Graduating seniors were the only student-athletes eligible for this award.”

» Why It Matters. “Selection criteria for the awards included considerations based on academic achievement, athletics excellence, service and leadership and a personal statement submitted by each nominee.”

» Quotable. "The mission of Chi Alpha Sigma aligns very well with that of the DIIICA, which makes this a natural partnership to celebrate some of the most outstanding student-athletes in college athletics for their excellence in competition, the classroom, and the community,” said Kellen Wells-Mangold, executive director of the National College Athlete Honor Society."

» The Winners

FINANCES

2. Attention Colleges Desperate for Cash: Be Careful With the Endowment

by David Jesse, Chronicle of Higher Education

“You couldn’t pledge your neighbor’s house as collateral on a bank loan and get away with it when you defaulted. Nor would the bank get to keep the house.

But a now-closed Michigan college did something similar in a desperate bid to stay open, Jason Conti, a lawyer for the receiver guiding its dissolution, argued in a Michigan court recently. Finlandia University pledged restricted gifts to its endowment as collateral on a loan, and the state’s attorney general wants the bank to give that up because it wasn’t the college’s to pledge.

Conti’s argument held at least some sway with Judge Joyce Draganchuk, who denied a motion by lawyers representing former Finlandia board members, administrators, and the Miners State Bank to dismiss the lawsuit, which was filed by the receiver. The case is expected to grind on through discovery and eventually a trial.”

» Court Awareness. “The suit raises a host of issues for other colleges struggling to stay open, but it boils down to this: What can be done when a college is barely holding on, but has millions of dollars sitting in a restricted endowment fund?”

» Reality Check. “There are generally two kinds of donations given to colleges — unrestricted and restricted. An unrestricted gift might be a donation to the college’s general scholarship fund. A restricted gift has specified conditions, and can only be spent on what the donor designated them for.”

» Between The Lines. “At Webster University, in Missouri, officials got approval from a judge to lift restrictions on more than $34 million in endowment funds. The university said it needed to do so in order to meet minimum liquidity-ratio requirements for various loans it had as well as to be used as collateral. Donors there originally filed a lawsuit to stop the move, but dropped it when officials said they will still use the money for scholarships as intended, but needed to list it as unrestricted on its financial ledgers.”

» Keep Reading

TEAM USA

3. 18 With DIII Ties Participating In Paralympics

“The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee official roster for the 2024 Paralympic Games includes 71 former, current and incoming athletes with connections to NCAA championship sports and Emerging Sports for Women, including 18 with DIII affiliations.

The American collegiate athletics system plays an important role in Team USA's success on the Paralympic stage. More than 50 percent of U.S. Paralympians on the 2024 roster competed collegiately as part of their journey to Team USA, which also includes club sports and non-NCAA championship sports, as well as athletes who competed at the junior college level and in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.”

» Driving The News. The Paris Games kicked off on Wednesday and run through September 8.

» What They’re Saying. "We are filled with pride to unveil the Team USA athletes who will represent the United States at the Paralympic Games in Paris this summer," USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland said. "Their journey to the pinnacle of their careers is a testament to their unwavering dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence — attributes shared by our community of national governing bodies, coaches, families and USOPC staff who strive to help them achieve.

1. Josh Cinnamo, Luther (shot put)

2. Leo Merle, UC Santa Cruz (1500)

3. Shawn Morelli, Webster (cycling)

4. Alex Flynn, Tufts (rowing)

5. Ben Washburne, Williams (rowing)

6. Emelie Eldracher, MIT (rowing)

7. Christie Raleigh Crossley, Rowan (swimming)

8. Jamal Hill, Hiram (swimming)

9. Natalie Sims, UW-La Crosse (swimming)

10. Emelia Perry, Ursinus (triathlon)

11. AJ Fitzpatrick, UW-Whitewater (basketball)

12. Becca Murray, UW-Whitewater (basketball)

13. Jake Williams, UW-Whitewater (basketball)

14. Jeromie Meyer, UW-Whitewater (basketball)

15. John Boie, UW-Whitewater (basketball)

16. Lindsey Zurbrugg, UW-Whitewater (basketball)

17. Talen Jourdan, UW-Whitewater (basketball)

18. Sarah Lynn Adam, Augustana (rugby)

» Continue Reading

ROUNDUP

4. Lightning Round ⚡️ 

🏑 Field Hockey. “Congratulations to the 181 student-athletes from 75 Division III institutions who have been named to the 2024 NFHCA Watchlist. This list is intended to showcase those field hockey student-athletes with the strongest potential for consideration to the current year’s NFHCA All-Region and All-American teams.”

🗞️  News. “Fitch Ratings hit Mount Saint Mary (N.Y.) College with a credit downgrade this week, citing “multiple years of deterioration in financial assets stemming from declines in student enrollments. According to Fitch’s analysis, tuition and other fees from students make up about 85% of its operating revenues. The college is not unique in this respect, as numerous other smaller nonprofit institutions operate on thin margins and are facing financial pressure from enrollment declines.”

🗞️ News. “California lawmakers passed legislation Wednesday that seeks to prevent the state’s private colleges from giving admissions preference to applicants related to alumni or who have ties with donors. The bill now heads to the desk of Gov. Gavin Newsom. If he signs it, it will take effect Sept. 1, 2025.”

👍️ Officiating. “The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Officially Human have announced a partnership for the 2024-25 season. Officially Human’s mission is to “restore respect to game officials and recognize them as authorities on the fields and courts.”

TRANSACTIONS
5. Comings and Goings

• ADRIAN - Shawn Skelly resigned as head women’s ice hockey coach

• ALVERNIA - Nick Anderson named assistant sports information director. Kyle Storti named athletic communications assistant

• BRANDEIS - Julia Berg named multimedia coordinator

• ROSE-HULMAN - Matt Wilson named head tennis coach

• SOUTHERN MAINE - Brian Jenkins named assistant athletic director WAYNESBURG - Michael Impellittiere named head baseball coach

1 THING

6. Doggone It

“Shohei Ohtani homered leading off the game on his second bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium shortly after the Japanese superstar and his dog, Decoy, handled ceremonial first pitch duties.

Ohtani carried Decoy to the mound for ceremonial first pitch duties. He placed the ball on the rubber and took up a catching position behind home plate. After Ohtani gave a signal, the Dutch Kooikerhondje — wearing his own uniform — picked up the ball in his mouth and carried it to Ohtani.

They shared a hand-to-paw high five as the crowd cheered wildly and Ohtani smiled broadly.” (AP)

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