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APRIL 4, 2025 | composed by STEVE ULRICH

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Headlines
Johns Hopkins Sits Atop the Learfield Directors’ Cup Standings
Little East Conference Signs On With FloSports
NFCA Releases Players, Pitchers to Watch
Four Pitchers Combine For Bates No-No
United East, AMCC Combine for Lax Partnership

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TOP STORY
1. Hop Tops Directors’ Cup Standings

“The final Learfield Directors' Cup winter standings for Division III has Johns Hopkins (865.00 total points) sitting in first.

NYU is in second with 727.00 points, in third is Emory with 662.50 points, MIT is in fourth with 660.00 points and Washington-St. Louis rounds out the top five with 627.00 points. The University Athletic Association (UAA) has three of its eight schools in the top-five, while the NESCAC has four schools rounding out the top-10 – Middlebury (7th), Williams (8th), Amherst (9th) and Tufts (10th).”

» Top 10. 1-Johns Hopkins 865; 2-NYU 727; 3-Emory 662.5; 4-MIT 660;
5-Washington U. 627; 6-UW-La Crosse 621; 7-Middlebury 586; 8-Williams 577.5;
9-Amherst 572.25; 10-Tufts 570.

» Complete List

» Complete Conference Rankings

CONFERENCES
2. Little East Conference Secures Five-Year Media Rights Agreement with FloSports, Will Join FloCollege Platform Beginning in
2025-26

“Following unanimous approval of the Little East Conference (LEC) Presidents Council, Commissioner Albert Bean, Jr. announced the LEC has entered an exclusive five-year media rights agreement with FloSports that will begin in the upcoming 2025-26 academic year. The seven-figure partnership makes the LEC the fifth NCAA Division III conference to join the FloCollege portfolio.

The LEC will add over 1,000 broadcast events annually to the internationally available FloCollege platform, which features a growing number of NCAA conferences. In addition to the LEC, FloCollege subscribers will have access to events broadcast by the Division I Big East Conference and Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), and DIII Landmark Conference, New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC), Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.”

» Why It Matters. ““This agreement will greatly enhance the visibility of the Little East Conference, assist us in telling the truly great stories and achievements of our student-athletes and team, and provide access to an international platform for those who choose to subscribe,” said Bean. “Working with our conference members and FloSports, we look forward to delivering outstanding live video streaming and value added extras, which includes our content being available alongside other prominent NCAA Division I, II and III conferences.”

» Continue Reading 

SOFTBALL
3. NFCA Releases Players, Pitchers to Watch

“One-hundred-nineteen student-athletes from across the country were named to the 2025 NFCA Division III Pitcher and Player of the Year watchlist on Thursday afternoon.

The list is separated into the 10 NCAA regions. The list is compiled by the elected members of the NFCA Division III All-America Committee with one head coach representing each of the 10 NCAA regions.”

» What You Need to Know. “Voted on by the NFCA’s Division III All-American Committee, the 2025 NFCA Player and Pitcher of the Year winners will be announced on June 6 following the conclusion of the NCAA Division III Finals. All student-athletes are eligible for the end-of-the-season awards and do not have to be on this list to be considered.”

» Watchlist

BASEBALL
4. Four Pitchers Combine for No-Hitter as Bates Blanks UMF

“Four Bates baseball pitchers combined to no-hit the University of Maine at Farmington Beavers and the Bobcats rolled to a 17-0 win Wednesday afternoon at Leahey Field.

It's the first no-hitter thrown by the Bates baseball team since Mike Kinsman '05 threw a five-inning no-hitter in 2004 against the University of Maine at Presque Isle in a game that ended early due to a mercy rule. It is not known the last time Bates pitching threw a nine-inning no-hitter, if ever.

The Bobcats (3-11) got masterful performances from senior Ian McAslan, junior Max Dio, senior Christopher McGrail, and senior David Miller on Wednesday, with McAslan (1-1) going the first five innings to earn the win. He walked two and struck out two. Dio tossed two scoreless innings, walking one and striking out two. McGrail worked a perfect eighth, striking out one. Then Miller sealed the no-hitter with a perfect ninth, striking out Camden Cook looking to end the game.”

» Read More, Box Score

NEWS
5. United East and AMCC Announce Women's Lacrosse Partnership

“The United East and the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) have announced a conference partnership in the sport of women’s lacrosse, effective spring 2026.

As part of the partnership, each conference will play a regular season slate of games against their respective league’s core members. Both conferences will conduct postseason play to identify the two teams that will advance to the Crossover Championship game. The winner of the Crossover Championship game will receive the automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament.”

» What They’re Saying. "The AMCC is very excited to offer our women's lacrosse programs a chance to access the national tournament by partnering with the United East," said commissioner Donna Ledwin. "We are always looking to collaborate with other conferences in our geographic footprint to enhance competitive opportunities for our student-athletes. We have a well established history of collaboration with the UEC in multiple sports. There is no question that this is a win-win for both conferences."

» Quotable. “We are thrilled to have a partner in our AMCC colleagues that ensures all of our student-athletes the opportunity to play for an AQ and represent our conferences at the highest level in Division III,” said United East Commissioner Stephanie Dutton.

» Go Deeper

NEWS YOU CAN USE
6. Lightning Round ⚡️ 

🏛️ NCAA. The DIII Membership Committee recommended that the Division III Management and Presidents Councils approve the establishment of a pilot program allowing, pursuant to specific criteria, Division III student-athletes to continue to represent their institution in intercollegiate competition while enrolled at another institution that has a formal academic agreement with their institution and does not sponsor varsity athletics.”

💰️ Fundraising. Fredonia State raised $41,678 during its Day of Giving.

TRANSACTIONS
7. Comings and Goings

ARCADIA - Jackie Hartzell resigned as head women’s basketball coach
BROOKLYN - Nathan Bell named head men’s soccer coach
HARTFORD - Polly Thomason is out as head women’s basketball coach
ROCKFORD - Announced addition of indoor and outdoor track and field as varsity sports beginning in 2025-26

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