After seven years as an assistant, Buena Vista’s Sean White has been elevated to acting head coach after Mark Rial stepped down this week. Rial had been the head coach since 2018. White joined Buena Vista in 2014 and has served under two head coaches prior to his ascension to the top spot. He was a 2010 NCAA qualifier for Wartburg and was part of a pair of NCAA Championship teams.
Mario Vasquez has been named head men’s wrestling coach at Schreiner University. The Kerrville, Texas, school is transitioning its wrestling team to Division III this season. Troy Jewell, the previous coach of the men’s and women’s teams has moved to a director of wrestling role, and the school has hired new head coaches for each team.
Vasquez graduated from Ferrum in 2021 and was a 2019 All-American, finishing 8th at 141 lbs. Schreiner began wrestling in 2018 and has competed in the NCWA for the past few years. In March, the team announced that they would be moving the program to NCAA competition for the 2021-2022 season. The Mountaineers are expected to compete in the Lower Midwest Region.
Athletic Director Bill Raleigh said, “We are very excited with the evolution of our wrestling programs. We are transitioning to the NCAA Division III which will align this program with majority of our athletics programs. With the hiring of these two coaches, Madison Angelito for Women’s Wrestling and Mario Vasquez for Men’s Wrestling and moving Coach Jewell into the role of directing our wrestling programs, we get the best of both worlds. Coach Jewell will focus on wrestling and mentoring the two new coaches while Coach Angelito and Coach Vasquez will focus on the day-to-day operations of the programs on campus. I believe that this will be a win-win situation for our student-athletes and our programs.”
After a season in an interim role Zach Binkerd has been named head coach for the men’s and women’s wrestling teams at Pacific. The Oregon native has been with the program since 2018 and is a 2014 graduate of Pacific. His father Kevin Binkerd also wrestled for the Boxers and was inducted into the Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.
Don Murray has announced he is stepping down as head coach at SUNY Brockport after 51 years at the helm. Brockport won five NCAA championships during his tenure, and he coached 27 individual national champions and 147 All-Americans. He was named Division III coach of the year twice. Read his bio on the Brockport site for his long list of accomplishments at the college and international levels. Murray will remain as an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Sport Studies, and Physical Education.
Bill Jacoutot, who has assisted Murray since 2010, has been named interim head coach.
Don Murray Steps Down as Wrestling Coach After 51 Years (gobrockport.com)
The Division III Initial Publication of Proposed Legislation was released this week. This document lays out for the first time proposed changes to NCAA rules that could be voted on at the 2022 NCAA Convention in January. Two of the proposals are particularly relevant to DIII wrestling.
The first proposal is innocuously titled as follows:
No. 1-3 ELIGIBILITY — CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING SEASON OF ELIGIBILITY — MINIMUM AMOUNT OF
PARTICIPATION — ONLY COMPETITION TRIGGERING USE OF A SEASON
However, what the proposal does is bring redshirting to Division III. Currently, a DIII athlete uses a season of eligibility if he or she practices after the first competition of the season. This is how athletes are kept from redshirting. It does not matter if they compete or not. If they practice during the competition portion of the season, they use a season of eligibility. This proposal removes that part of the rule and specifies that only competition can trigger the use of a season. Athletes would be able to practice for an entire season without using eligibility. The ten semester rule and the requirement of full time status to practice would remain in effect.
The Empire 8 Conference is the sponsor of the legislation and there is still a long way to go before it makes its way to the floor for a vote by the membership. The proposal could still be modified or withdrawn, and the NCAA will publish both a Second Publication of Proposed Legislation in September and an Official Notice of the 2022 Convention in November.
The second proposal (No. 1-4, sponsored by the NCAC) changes the way practice opportunities are determined. Currently, wrestling is permitted to have a 19 week season where any practice or competition in a week uses the whole week. For example, if a team practices the Monday before Thanksgiving but takes the rest of the week off, that week still counts as one of the 19. Also, weeks must be consecutive unless the break happens during a school vacation period such as the break between semesters.
The new proposal converts the playing season from 19 weeks to 100 days that can be used at any point during the season. For wrestling, the season would still start on October 10th, so the first of the 100 days could not be used prior to that date. During the 2020-2021 school year, a version of this was in place where teams could use up to 114 days, though the restrictions on when they could be used were more lenient due to COVID-19.
2022 Division III Initial Publication of Proposed Legislation
To apply for this position:
Please submit a letter of interest, resume, and application to Ferrum College, Human Resources, P.O. Box 1000, Ferrum, VA 24088, or e-mail to resumes@ferrum.edu. The College will begin accepting applications for this position immediately, and look to fill the position as soon as possible. A background check will be required of the successful candidate.
Position Description – Head Women’s Wrestling Coach
Ferrum College, an NCAA Division III institution located in Ferrum, Virginia, is looking for a motivated, energetic and passionate individual to be our next Head Women’s Wrestling Coach. This is a full-time, 12-month position. Review of applications will begin immediately.
PRIMARY PURPOSE: The head women’s wrestling coach will evaluate, recruit, coach and mentor qualified student-athletes that will compete at a high level in the classroom and on the mat. The successful candidate will oversee the organization of all team practices, matches, tournaments and budgets. This individual will put together a comprehensive recruitment plan for the women’s wrestling staff and will ensure a culture of compliance within all NCAA Division III and Ferrum College rules and regulations, and ensure all coaches and student-athletes comply with same. Finally, the successful candidate will serve in administrative capacity as needed and directed by the Director of Athletics.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Oversight of part-time women’s wrestling assistant coach and all volunteer and student assistant coaches.
QUALIFICATION STANDARDS:
Education/Experiences:
A bachelor’s degree and a minimum of three years coaching experience at the collegiate, club or high school level is required. A master’s degree and collegiate playing and coaching experience is preferred.
Licenses:
Current and valid driver’s license required.
Other Preferences:
The candidate must be able to work independently and have the ability to work occasionally on evenings and weekends throughout the year to accomplish the tasks necessary for success in this field. The successful candidate must be committed to working and teaching within an environment that embraces the development of students around their education, cultural diversity, mental health awareness and NCAA and ODAC compliance.
Chandler Minnard has been elevated from assistant coach to acting head coach at Defiance College. He replaces Antonio Guerra who led the team for the first three seasons since its return to competition. Minnard spent the 2020-2021 season as an assistant coach with the Yellow Jackets, and was previously a three-time NCAA DII qualifier for Ashland University. Defiance wrestled an abbreviated schedule last year, competing in three dates, and will enter their fourth year of competition in 2021.
Six Division III wrestlers were named to the 2nd and 3rd CoSIDA Academic All-America® Men’s At-Large Teams for 2020-2021. Bradan Birt of Millikin, Benjamin Bogart of Concordia Moorhead, Brett Kaliner of Stevens, and Shane Liegel of Loras were named to the second team. Kyle Briggs of Wartburg and Zeke Smith of Loras were named to the third team. Each of the six became eligible for the award when they were named to one of the All-District teams earlier this summer.
Birt, Briggs, and Liegel were the champions at 165, 174, and 184 at the NWCA DIII Tournament in March. Kaliner defeated Smith for 3rd at 149 at the same event. This is the first time being named to one of the teams for all six wrestlers.
Mason Nissley of Messiah Leads 2020-21 Academic All-America® NCAA Division III Men’s At-Large Team (academicallamerica.com)
Do not forget to order your college, high school, or international scorebooks!
St. John Fisher College has announced the return of men’s wrestling after a nearly 40 year hiatus. The college dropped the sport in 1983. Thanks to a $400,000 gift from alumnus William Pellicano, the program will return. A wrestling room is under construction, and a coach will be hired to recruit a team that will compete in the 2022-2023 season.
The Cardinals have a pair of All-Americans from their previous 18 years of competition, and wrestling will become the 25th varsity sport at the Pittsford, New York, school. St. John Fisher is a member of the Empire 8 and will be the second school, along with Elmira, to sponsor wrestling.
Use the link below to order the d3wrestle.com Wrestling Scorebook. Choose Men’s College, High School, or International. The scorebook for each style is up to date with current scoring and overtime rules. The 8.5″x11″ spiral bound scorebook features a 10 mil clear plastic front cover, a 15pt. black vinyl back cover, and 40 pages for scoring on 28 lb. paper. Each page has space for 15 individual matches, giving 600 total matches of space.
Each scorebook costs $15.00. Shipping and logo personalization in the lower right corner is included.
d3wrestle.com Wrestling Scorebook Order Form
Official Title: Assistant Coach | Click to Apply
Job ID: #17355
Date Posted: Thursday, July 15, 2021
Apply by: Wednesday, July 28, 2021 | To ensure consideration, completed applications must be received by deadline. However, screening may continue until position is filled.
A 10-month, $10,000 stipend with housing provided, professional limited staff position is available in Intercollegiate Athletics beginning August 1, 2021, or as soon as possible after August 1st. The working title for this assignment is Assistant Wrestling Coach with an official title in the Coach title series.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: A Bachelor’s degree is required. Knowledge of sports is essential, as is a proven ability to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented setting. Must have strong moral character, work ethic, leadership, and communication skills. A commitment to athletic excellence within an academic environment.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Prior successful playing and/or coaching experience at the collegiate level. A master’s degree may be considered an asset.
DUTIES:
Assist the head coach in directing a highly successful program within the guidelines of the University, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC), and NCAA Division III.
Assist in the planning and direction of all practices, matches and team events.
Assist in the recruitment and retention of qualified student athletes consistent with the academic standards of the University.
Assist with the care and inventory of equipment for the program.
Assist with the promotion of the sport with students, alumni, and members of the community.
Assist with promoting program revenue generation related to the program.
Participate in department fundraising and public relations events.
Assume other duties as agreed upon by the Head Coach and Athletics Director.
THE UNIT: The unit of Intercollegiate Athletics consists of 60+ staff members. The Intercollegiate Athletics website is www.blugolds.com
UNIVERSITY and EAU CLAIRE COMMUNITY: UW-Eau Claire, an institution of approximately 11,500 students and 1,400 faculty and staff, is consistently recognized as a top comprehensive university in the Midwest and is widely known as a leader in faculty-undergraduate research and study abroad. We strive for excellence in liberal education and select graduate and professional programs through commitment to teaching and learning and dedication to our core values of diversity, sustainability, leadership, and innovation.
The City of Eau Claire, situated at the confluence of the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers, is at the center of a metropolitan area of approximately 100,000 people located 90 miles east of Minneapolis/St. Paul. The area features beautiful parks and trails, strong public schools, a vibrant arts scene and local food culture, and abundant recreational opportunities.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Applications are submitted electronically. Please follow instructions found on the following UW-Eau Claire Web site: https://www.uwec.edu/job-postings/ .You must create an account and login before you can apply. If you have not yet registered, click on the “Click here to Register” link to begin the registration process. If you are already a registered user, input your “User Name” and “Password” and select “Login.” Click the link to the Athletics: Assistant Wrestling Coach position (Job ID # 17355) and then click the “Apply Now” button to submit your application electronically. Your application will not be considered complete until all required documents are attached, and all required fields are completed. Please be sure you have included the following in PDF format:
Letter of application
Resume
Unofficial transcript of highest degree earned
Names and contact information for three references.
Please direct requests for additional information to:
Tim Fader, Head Coach, faderta@uwec.edu; 715-836-2202
To ensure consideration, completed applications must be received by July 28, 2021. However, screening may continue until position is filled.
Assistant Coach, Wrestling – Level 1
The SUNY Cortland Athletics Department seeks applications for assistant coach for SUNY Cortland Wrestling program. This is a part-time (75%), level 1 assistant coach position with a 9.5-month (8/15-5/31) period of professional obligation.
The assistant coach for SUNY Cortland Wrestling assists in all aspects of the administration and operation of a nationally competitive athletic program. Cortland Athletics fosters a student-athlete environment conducive to excellence in athletics, academics, and personal growth through diverse and inclusive experiences at the university and the community.
Qualifications: a bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent education and relevant experience. Preference may be given for a bachelor’s degree, playing and/or coaching background in sport.
For details and to apply: https://jobs.cortland.edu/postings/4890
The State University of New York College at Cortland is an AA/EEO/ADA employer. The University actively seeks applications from women, veterans, individuals with a disability, members of underrepresented groups or anyone that would enrich the diversity of the University.
Elmhurst GA Position – Click to Apply
POSITION SUMMARY:
Aides the head coach in planning, organizing, and evaluating all phases of a competitive intercollegiate wrestling program. Understand the role of NCAA and Division III athletics in the educational process and aide in the recruitment of student-athletes, which will reflect and represent the quality of Elmhurst University. Must be enrolled full time at Elmhurst University in graduate coursework.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
1. Aide the head coach in the organization and operation of an effective and competitive wrestling program.
2. Assist the head coach in the coordination of recruitment of student-athletes.
3. Maintain and update a sufficient inventory of legal equipment. Oversee the issuing and collecting of all equipment, uniforms, supplies, and materials.
4. Coordinate all team travel arrangements for the program.
5. Attend all pre-season conditioning and non-traditional season practices for the wrestling program. Attend and participate in all team planning sessions with coaching staff.
6. Aide in the planning, organizing, and executing of all in-season practice sessions for wrestling.
7. Conducts on-mat coaching during intercollegiate contests as set by the head coach.
8. In charge of academic monitoring of student athletes, and reports to head coach on academic progress.
9. Develop and carry out fund-raising projects when appropriate.
10. Works closely with the head coach and Sports Information Director pertaining to all media relations. Provide information for the promotional needs of game programs, team media guides, recruiting brochures and other publications.
11. Responsible for reporting to the media (SID) all scores, statistics, and game results when competing on the road.
12. Demonstrates a working knowledge of Elmhurst University, NCAA, CCIW and rules and regulations.
13. Adhere to NCAA Compliance Regulations.
14. Endorses and supports other sports within the Athletic Department and fulfill other secondary duties as outlined by the head coach or director of athletics.
15. Endorses and supports other areas within Student Affairs, the Dean of Students staff including attendance at all meetings and service on committees when appointed.
16. Interacts with all other college constituencies and actively participate in their events.
17. Performs all summer duties (recruitment, summer camps, and clinics) and special projects as assigned by the head coach.
18. Support the mission, vision, and values of Elmhurst University
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Performs other duties as assigned by the head coach.
WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Employee is subject to both indoor and outdoor environmental conditions (temperatures varying from below 32 degrees to over 90 degrees) for periods of over one hour, subject to hazards such as proximity to moving parts, electrical current, etc., and involves heavy work exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or in excess of 50 pounds frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly in order to move objects. Must be able to climb stairs and ladders and lift 50 pounds. Must be willing to work overtime, including weekends, as required.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s degree required.
Previous coaching experience.
Previous teaching experience.
Familiarity with Division III athletics.
Recruiting skills and interest.
Knowledge of NCAA rules and regulations.
Candidates must submit statement of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as part of application materials.
Here are the eight wrestlers who have been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large teams. These wrestlers, along with the rest of the At-Large selections, move on to be considered for Academic All-America recognition. The CoSIDA Academic All-America At-Large teams will be named on August 4th.
Full release with all At-Large selections
NCAA DIVISION III – DISTRICT 2 (CT, DC, DE, MD, NH, NJ, RI, VT, WV)
Brett Kaliner Stevens Institute of Technology Sr. 3.92 Quantitative Finance
Kaliner finished 3rd at the NWCA Division III tournament at 149 lbs.
NCAA DIVISION III – DISTRICT 5 (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, MO, MS, NC, PR, SC, TN, VA)
Bryce Crew Washington and Lee University Sr. 3.83 Biochemistry
Crew is a 2x Regional placewinner. He did not compete this season, as his team had a single dual meet.
NCAA DIVISION III – DISTRICT 6 (MI, MN, WI)
Benjamin Bogart Concordia-Moorhead Sr. 4.00 Physics / Mathematics
Konrad Ernst University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Sr. 3.78 Physical Education
Bogart has a 35-27 career record for the Cobbers. Ernst won the 2021 WIAC championship and was a 2019 NCAA All-American.
NCAA DIVISION III – DISTRICT 7 (IL, IN, OH)
Bradan Birt Millikin University Sr. 3.58 Sports Management
Birt was the 165 lbs. champion at the NWCA Division III tournament.
NCAA DIVISION III – DISTRICT 8 (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, IA, ID, KS, LA, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, WY, Canada)
Kyle Briggs Wartburg College Sr. 3.32 Business Administration
Shane Liegel Loras College So. 3.93 Business Administration / Accounting
Zeke Smith Loras College Jr. 3.98 Engineering / Spanish
Briggs was the 174 lbs. champion, and Liegel was the 184 lbs. champion at the NWCA Division III tournament. Smith finished in 4th place at 149 lbs.
Carthage College, a member of the NCAA DIII and the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin, seeks a graduate assistant to work in conjunction with the Head Men’s and Women’s Wrestling Coach in all aspects related to the operation of the wrestling programs. The graduate assistant must successfully enroll as a full-time graduate student in a qualifying program.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities include effectively recruiting and retaining qualified student-athletes, and assisting with all aspects of coaching, planning, and day-to-day office operations and administrative tasks, including team practice, individual player evaluation and development, scouting, developing game plans, and travel to competitions. Additional responsibilities are included, as assigned by the head coach or athletic administration. The position includes 8,000 Stipend, Tuition remission, and Cheap/affordable housing on or off campus.
Preferred Skills
The preferred candidate will have demonstrated success and knowledge in wrestling at the collegiate level, recruiting, strong knowledge of NCAA rules, and excellent communication and organizational skills. Applicants will be working with various departments on campus including, but not limited to: admissions, facilities, development, academic advising, and student affairs.
Additional Information
This position, available beginning Fall 2021 will require weekend and evening work, including team travel. Compensation for this position will be offered as tuition remission and a competitive stipend. The successful candidate may be subject to a background check and driving records check as a condition of employment.
Applications
Interested applicants should send their cover letter, resume, and at least three (3) professional references to aquiros@carthage.edu, with the subject title: 2021 Carthage GA Wrestling Coach Application
New England College is seeking a graduate assistant to help with the launch of our women’s wrestling team, beginning in 2022. Primary duties for the up coming season will be recruiting and all other aspects associated with preparing a first year program. See job description below for more details.
Description: The Grims Athletic Scholarship (GAS) provides full course tuition support in a selected number of popular graduate programs and a seven meal plan over two years for a graduate assistant working in the Athletic Department. To be eligible for this program, the student must meet the admission requirements for and be accepted to the graduate program and must commit to a two-year graduate assistantship. GAS students will work with the Athletic Director, or their designee, to layout the overall two-year course sequence plan (the Plan) for that graduate program. Students who get terminated from the graduate assistantship may lose their GAS; students who choose to accelerate their study lose the GAS for courses taken beyond the Plan. Courses taken beyond the Plan will be charged at the current tuition price. Students who change graduate programs may lose their GAS as it pertains to the course tuition. Students who do not maintain minimum academic standards may lose their GAS. Once a student is accepted into a graduate program and receives the notification of a GAS for that program, the Plan can be developed. The meal plan is available only during traditional undergraduate residential semesters.
Please remember that we want to identify and hire aspiring coaches and the expectation is that all GA’s will spend considerable time during the week in the office assisting the coaching staff, training student-athletes, as well as out on the road recruiting.
Wrestling Responsibilities: Assisting with the following
– Recruiting (office hours and on the road)
– Planning Practices (year 2)
– Running Practices (year 2)
– Marketing
– Social Media
– Fundraising
– Any other responsibilities that come with running a successful program.
Eligible Programs: The programs eligible for a GAS may change from year to year. For the 2021-2022 academic year the GAS eligible graduate programs are:
• MBA
• MBA (Sports Management – online concentration)
• MS in Computer Information Systems
• MS Health Informatics
• MS Data Analytics and Business Statistics
Please contact: Head Coach
Robert Watson-Powell
Phone: (440)-227-6381
Email: rwatson-powell@nec.edu
Starting July 1st, NCAA athletes in all three divisions can benefit from their name, image, and likeness. Athletes in states with NIL laws or executive orders can follow the guidelines in those states, and the rest may also participate while following the rules at their respective institutions. Athletes are required to report NIL activities to their schools.
NCAA President Mark Emmert stated, “This is an important day for college athletes since they all are now able to take advantage of name, image and likeness opportunities.” His organization has fought long and hard to deny athletes these rights and has gone all the way to the Supreme Court to attempt to preserve the right to limit even small increases to benefits granted to athletes.
NCAA adopts interim name, image and likeness policy
Taking Action | Name, Image, and Likeness (FAQ and other resources)
Yesterday, the Playing Rules Oversight Panel announced the rule changes for the 2021-22 season. Read the whole release here and read on for a summary. Six changes were approved, and as always, the final wording of the rules in the new rulebook will give clarity on how they will be applied.
In April, the wrestling rules committee also recommended a one-time exemption to the 1.5% weight loss descent plan for a wrestler that moves up one weight class to compete. This proposal will not go into effect.
Summer is slow in the DIII wrestling world, so this post will focus mostly on Division I athletes. Several states have laws allowing college athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL) going into effect July 1st. The NCAA Division I Council is meeting today and surely has NIL on its agenda. This is the makeup of the council. Seven members work at schools with wrestling, and one is the commissioner of a conference that sponsors wrestling.
NIL is coming to the NCAA either through rule changes or legislation. Most of the attention has been focused on famous players in football and basketball. Almost every article mentions either Trevor Lawrence or Zion Williamson as athletes who could have profited handsomely from this opportunity. The highest profile athletes are not the only ones who can benefit here. The money might be less, but it still spends. The table below lists the approximate number of Instagram and Twitter followers for selected NCAA wrestlers with large followings.
| Name | ||
| Spencer Lee | 111K | 37.6K |
| Roman Bravo-Young | 123K | 22K |
| Nick Lee | 8.3K | 526 |
| Austin O’Connor | 5.9K | — |
| David Carr | 69K | 7.7K |
| Shane Griffith | 17K | 1.7K |
| Carter Starocci | 22K | 2.7K |
| Aaron Brooks | 17K | — |
| AJ Ferrari | 57K | 11.4K |
| Gable Steveson | 245K | 30K |
| Daton Fix | 61K | 14.5K |
| Yianni Diakhomihalis | 100K | 28.4K |
| Jaydin Eierman | 19K | 6K |
| Sammy Sasso | 15K | 5.1K |
| Mason Parris | 15K | 4.3K |
There are certainly some others that could be on this list. They may lack the following of Trevor Lawrence (979K on Instagram) or Justin Fields (883K followers), but many are greater than Jocelyn Alo (33K on Instagram), the national softball player of the year (and former wrestler) who just spent two weeks on ESPN for the Women’s College World Series. No wrestler is getting rich off of sponsored Instagram posts, but if you are an advertiser of a product that appeals to fans of Gable Steveson, there is value in getting that message out to his nearly 250,000 followers.
Calculating the value of a sponsored post is tough, and the market may change significantly once college athletes are involve, but there are calculators out there (like this one) that make estimates.
If Steveson even made a quarter of that estimate, it is $500 he did not have before. Other top wrestlers like Roman Bravo-Young ($1.2K – $1.6K for one post), Spencer Lee ($1.1K – $1.5K), Yianni Diakhomihalis ($982 – $1.4K), and David Carr ($735 – $1K) are also in a position to cash in. Consider the case of Chloe V. Mitchell, an NAIA volleyball player who gaine 2.6 million followers on TikTok after creating a series of videos of the process of renovating a shed during quarantine. She is able to cash in on her fame, since the NAIA beat the rest of the country in allowing athletes to profit from NIL.
Wrestlers who want to make money through sponsored posts will need to cultivate their social media following and make an effort to engage with fans. The most successful post regularly and have content that matches up with their personal brands. Winning helps, but it is not sufficient, as should be obvious from the chart above.
The timing may be uncertain, but college athletes gaining the ability to profit from their own NIL is on the way. The market will go through some growing pains before settling into a price and earnings structure, but current and future athletes will be able to earn money in ways they had not before.
Yesterday, the US Supreme Court issued a highly anticipated ruling in NCAA vs. Alston. The court does not often get involved in college sports, so the case and subsequent ruling received a lot of attention in the media. At issue was educational benefits to scholarship athletes in addition to tuition, room, and board. Post graduate internships and laptops are two of the benefits that fall under this description, and both were frequently mentioned in media reporting on the case. The district court ruled that restrictions on such benefits were a violation of antitrust law. The NCAA disagreed and appealed to the Supreme Court. Arguments took place on March 31st of this year. After the case was argued, most observers assumed that the NCAA would lose badly. This came to pass yesterday when the court ruled 9-0 in favor of Alston. The decision was narrowly decided, and the NCAA tried to spin it positively (while also changing the subject), but it represents a major change to the way the NCAA and its member schools will do business in the future.
The Alston case has been in the news the same time as major discussions about name, image, and likeness (NIL) have dominated college sports due to the impending effective dates of laws allowing athletes to profit from NIL for the first time. Alston and NIL issues are not directly related, but both have the potential to reshape what athletes can earn with their athletic abilities. A major difference between the two is that Alston will allow schools to increase education-related benefits, NIL reform will require schools to allow their athletes to profit from NIL.
Alston has little to do with Division III athletes, since athletes at this level do not receive any financial benefits due to athletic participation, but major changes at the NCAA Division I level have the chance to affect things in the largest Division. As for NIL, while all the focus has been on basketball and football, there will be an opportunity for a savvy DIII athlete to make some money in the future.
For further reading, here is some info about NCAA vs. Alston:
Wikipedia article about the case | Full text of Supreme Court decision
Q&A: Supreme Court rules against NCAA over athlete compensation: Here’s what you need to know (LA Times)
What Happens Now That The Supreme Court Has Decided Alston v. NCAA? (Forbes.com)
NCAA v. Alston-The Wait Is Over..What’s Next for the NCAA (National Law Review)
NCAA indicates Supreme Court ruling won’t be the end of legal maneuvering in Alston case (USA Today)
Opinions | The Supreme Court’s NCAA ruling will turn sports upside down. Here’s how. (MSN.com)
NCAA v. Alston: A Long Time Coming, Both for its Antitrust Implications and Beyond (The Juris Lab)
