JANUARY 3, 2025 | composed by STEVE ULRICH

News and notes on the largest and best Division in the NCAA. #whyD3
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Headlines
🏆️  Stagg Bowl LI Preview
🏈 All-America Football Team
🟢 Unionization Drive on Hold
📜 Keystone Staves Off Accreditation Loss For Now

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TOP STORY
1. Stagg Bowl LI Preview

The 51st Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl is set for Sunday, January 5, at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston as North Central and Mount Union square off for the Division III football championship.

It is the fifth time that the two schools have met - all coming in the NCAA playoffs. The Cardinals hold a 3-1 series advantage, including a 28-21 victory in the 2022 Stagg Bowl in Annapolis. The Purple Raiders’ lone win was in the 2013 semifinals (41-40).

Mount Union is appearing in its 23rd Stagg Bowl and has won 13 national titles with its last coming in 2017. North Central is making its fourth consecutive trip to the final, capturing the championship in 2019 and 2022.

The game will be televised on ESPN with kickoff scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. Jay Alter, Rocky Boiman, and Ashley ShahAhmadi will be on the call.

Mount Union (14-0) | Complete Stats
Scoring Offense: 43.07 | Scoring Defense: 15.86
Total Offense: 466.4 | Total Defense: 303.9 | Turnover Margin: +6
Leading Rusher: Tyler Echeverry 223-1631-29
Leading Passer: Noah Beaudrie 114-163-2—1831-16
Leading Receiver: Tyrell Sanders 61-990-6
Leading Tackler: Rossy Moore 106, 20.5 TFL, 11.5 sacks

North Central (14-0) | Complete Stats
Scoring Offense: 53.36 | Scoring Defense: 10.86
Total Offense: 539.9 | Total Defense: 235.5 | Turnover Margin: +16
Leading Rusher: Joe Sacco 147-1148-13
Leading Passer: Luke Lehnen 178-257-5—2960-39
Leading Receiver: Thomas Skokna 54-867-13
Leading Tackler: BJ Adamchik 69, 8.0 TFL

» Game Notes | Mount Union | North Central
» Listen to the D3football podcast

FOOTBALL
2. All-America Team

North Central quarterback Luke Lehnen, Mount Union defensive end Rossy Moore, Bethel safety Matt Jung and Mount Union running back Tyler Echeverry highlight the 2024 D3football.com All-America team.

It’s the 26th season D3football.com has named an All-America team.

First Team
QB-Luke Lehnen, Sr., North Central
RB-Tyler Echeverry, Sr., Mount Union
RB-A.J. Jackson, Sr., Lake Forest
WR-Joey Kidder, Sr., Bethel
WR-Malin Jasinski, Sr., TCNJ
TE-Gabe Quigley, Sr., DePauw
OT-Jeske Maples, Sr., North Central
OG-Sam Pryor, Sr., North Central
OC-Matt Wrather, Sr., John Carroll
OG-Giovanni Kennedy, Jr., Mount Union
OT-Khalil Spivey, Sr., Hardin-Simmons

DE-Rossy Moore, Sr., Mount Union
DT-Dawson Dietz, Sr., Washington & Jefferson
DT-Chance Knight, Sr., Marietta
DE-Caden DeWall, Sr., Bethel
LB-Robert Coury, Sr., Carnegie Mellon
LB-Charlie Patterson, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
LB-Durand Hill, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
CB-Jordy Tawa, Jr., Rochester
S-Matt Jung, So., Bethel
S-Jake Connolly, Sr., Ithaca
CB-Chance Sparks, Sr., Linfield

PK-Tyler Huettel, Sr., Trinity (Texas)
P-Andrew Toler, Sr., Rose-Hulman
RET-Dameon Gomes, Hardin-Simmons
ST-Jack Warren, Jr., Lewis & Clark

» Complete Teams 

STUDENTS
3. Dartmouth Basketball Players Put Unionization On Hold

by Matt Brown, Extra Points

“The men’s basketball players at Dartmouth, who voted to unionize in 2023, have withdrawn their appeals to the National Labor Relations Board, effectively putting their efforts to bargain with the university on ice. Dartmouth had refused to bargain with the players, even after the athletes voted 13-2 to unionize.

Why would the Dartmouth players drop their unionization attempt now?

The short answer is because of politics.”

» Court Awareness. “For the last four years, the National Labor Relations Board has been controlled by Democrats, with the board’s general counsel, Jennifer Abruzzo, particularly sympathetic to the classification status of college athletes. But with Donald Trump returning to the White House this month, armed with GOP majorities in the House and Senate, a new NLRB general counsel will replace Abruzzo. Because the Senate voted against holding reconfirmation hearings for NLRB Chair Lauren McFerran, Trump will also have a Republican majority on the NLRB.”

» Reality Check. “You know who generally isn’t very sympathetic to the rights of organized labor, especially when it comes to expanding who can and cannot join a union? Republicans. The Dartmouth team is betting that it is better to wait until Democrats control the NLRB again, because losing risks establishing precedent that could hurt future unionization efforts.”

» Why It Matters. “If athletes who are about as far removed from the trapping of Big Time Commercial Sport at the D1 level could still be considered employees based on control grounds, similar arguments could be made for virtually every single other D1 sport, from soccer to golf. In fact, you could make those same arguments for most D-II and D-III athletic programs as well.”

» Continue Reading

FINANCES
4. Keystone Staves Off Accreditation
Loss For Now

by Ben Unglesbee, Higher Ed Dive

“Keystone College will maintain its accreditation for now, as the Middle States Commission on Higher Education works through an appeal of its November vote to revoke the institution’s accreditation.

Keystone filed an official intent to appeal with MSCHE on Dec. 12, setting the process in motion. MSCHE had previously set a Dec. 31 date for withdrawing the Pennsylvania private nonprofit’s accreditation.

A hearing on the appeal could come in mid- to late March, the college said, citing early indications from MSCHE. Meanwhile, the semester will begin as planned on Jan. 13, Keystone said in a news release.”

» Why It Matters. “The risk to Keystone’s accreditation poses an existential threat to the institution. Losing it would render the college’s students ineligible for federal Title IV funds such as student loans and Pell Grants, a potential financial death blow for an institution.”

» Between The Lines. “Keystone President John Pullo said in a Dec. 21 statement that “we strongly disagree with and are extremely disappointed by the Commission’s adverse action, but we are grateful for the opportunity to pursue our appeal of this decision.”

» Go Deeper

NEWS YOU CAN USE
5. Lightning Round ⚡️ 

🏒 Ice Hockey. Elmira College alum Sydney Harris made history last month, becoming the first female referee in the ECHL as she officiated the game between the Utah Grizzlies and the Kansas City Mavericks.

🤼‍♂️ In Memoriam. Our condolences to the family, friends and teammates on the passing of Otterbein sophomore men’s wrestler Josh Taylor. May his memory be a blessing.

🏫 Facilities. “New England College is moving ahead with the second phase of its athletic facilities expansion. Starting in the spring of 2025, NEC will overhaul and renovate Bridges Gymnasium, build new offices for the athletic department and expand the strength lab.”

TRANSACTIONS
6. Comings and Goings

• COLBY-SAWYER - Pape Lukk named head men’s lacrosse coach

• ILLINOIS WESLEYAN - Jared Williamson named head football coach

• SUNY POLY - Daniel Short named head women’s volleyball coach

• WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON - Aaron Thompson named assistant director of athletics for operations. Angelica Sabatini named assistant athletic trainer

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