Revealing gym clothes are sparking a debate online – and maybe a return to modesty

USA Today: Einav Rabinovitch-Fox, lecturer of history at the College of Arts and Sciences, said that the national debate over gym attire misses the point. “If you’re not doing [it] for yourself, it’s not an empowering tool,” she said, urging shifting focus from modesty versus exposure to autonomy.   

By Alexis Demopoulos

Through a lot of hard work and determination, Worcester Railers Junior Hockey Club defenseman John McLachlan is excited to announce his NCAA Division III commitment to Elmira College for the 2025-26 season.

McLachlan, a Fairport, N.Y., native, played in 49 regular season games for the Railers during the 2024-25 season tallying 20 points (three goals, 17 assists) and was a key defenseman for them. He had a great experience playing in Worcester as head coach Sean Bertoni really helped him up his game to play at the next level.

“I loved all aspects of playing in Worcester,” said McLachlan. “Coach Bertoni and the coaching staff really helped take my game to the next level and prepare myself for the college game. Coach Bertoni’s attention to detail and structure helped not only me but also my teammates reach the playing level by the end of the year that we needed to make a late push and achieve the success we did come playoff time.

“I had heard great things about the organization as a whole and heard Coach Bertoni really helped push players to get to where they wanted to go in terms of playing college hockey,” McLachlan added. “I also had many friends who I had played with in the past on the Railers team.”

The Elmira coaching staff liked McLachlan’s game at both the prep and junior levels and he officially began contact with them in the fall of last year.

“They really liked my skating abilities and the way I saw the ice as an undersized defenseman,” said McLachlan. “Playing both power play and penalty kill as well as being a player who could play in any situation was something they really liked. They also liked how I was a defenseman who could add offense on the rush.”

There were many factors that went into McLachlan picking Elmira College. He liked how it was close to home, so family and friends could come watch, their successful hockey program and top notch academics.

“What interested me about the program at Elmira first was their consistent success in the past on the ice and the rich tradition the program has in New York, being from the state,” said McLachlan. “Their combination of facilities and what they offer for players who attend the college really spiked my interest and gravitated me towards the program. Also the proximity to home being only two hours away was a great fit for me and my family, as well as getting a respected education in the state of New York.”

McLachlan really enjoyed the campus when he visited and is familiar with a number of people who attend there.

“When visiting campus and going on my tour there were many things I found familiar and enjoyed about my experience,” said McLachlan. “It was very similar to the size and feel in which I attended prep school.

“It seems like the community as a whole really loves hockey in Elmira and that was similar to where I had been in the past for prep school and juniors,” he added. “Also, I had played with many freshmen on this past year’s team I had played with before whether it be growing up or in juniors along the way.”

McLachlan is spending his time this offseason taking his game to the next level and working on some things that Elmira Assistant Coach Mike Grace suggested to him.

“I’m really excited to push myself and advance my game to the next level next year in all aspects of being a hockey player,” said McLachlan. “The faster speed I think will be good for my game and I look forward to becoming a more well-rounded player at the next level. As well as coach Grace would like me to bring a more offensive side to help round out their defensive core with all types of players.”

The NCDC congratulates John McLachlan, his family, the Worcester Railers JHC and Elmira College for his commitment.

EXCLUSIVE: Steve Howey (Shameless, High Potential) has been tapped for a major recurring role on Amazon MGM Studios’ college-set romantic drama Off Campus, based on the best-selling book series by Elle Kennedy.

There are 5 books in the series, which depicts the elite ice hockey team, and the women in their lives, as they grapple with love, heartbreak, and self-discovery — forging deep friendships and enduring bonds while navigating the complexities that come with transitioning into adulthood.

In the vein of Bridgerton, each of the first four novels tells the love story of a hockey player, with the fifth being a novella collection of all four couples. Season 1 of the TV series, based on the first book, The Deal, follows the unlikely romance between Hannah Wells (Ella Bright), a wry, hockey-hating music major, and Briar University’s playboy star center Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli).

Howey will play Garrett’s dad, Phil Graham, a former hockey legend famous for his temper on the ice who pushes his son to be the star player he is today. The character is prominent in the first book and, like Garrett, also appears in the second, The Mistake.

Other Off Campus series regulars playing hockey players who would each take turns as a lead in subsequent seasons include Antonio Cipriano (Logan from The Mistake), Jalen Thomas Brooks (Tucker from Book #4, The Goal) and Stephen Kalyn (Dean from Book #3, The Score), with Mika Abdalla as Dean’s future leading lady, Allie. Fellow series regular Josh Heuston plays the Season 1 love rival role of Justin.

Off Campus was created by Louisa Levy and Gina Fattore who will serve as executive producers and co-showrunners. Also executive producing are Temple Hill’s Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen and James Seidman, Leanna Billings via her banner Billings Productions, Neal Flaherty, Silver Tree, with Temple Hill’s Annika Patton and author Kennedy producing. Deanna Brigidi and Andrea Bunker served as casting directors.

Howey was recently tapped as a new series regular on ABC’s hit new procedural drama High Potential as police Captain Jesse Wagner. He is probably best known for his role as Kevin Ball on the long-running Showtime comedy-drama Shameless. Howey also was a series regular on the hit WB comedy Reba and, most recently, led the CBS action series True Lies, executive produced by James Cameron and McG. He is repped by Independent Artist Group.

During Big 12 media day, Colorado football coach Deion Sanders repeated a narrative that’s dominated college football recently surrounding NIL. Essentially, he said the teams that spend the most money end up in the College Football Playoff, according to ESPN’s X account. While that’s true for most of the teams in the field, Arizona State’s NIL budget wasn’t nearly as hefty as Colorado’s last year. 

Yet the Sun Devils received a first-round bye while the Buffaloes got blown out in the Alamo Bowl against BYU. This is an interesting perspective from a coach who has heavily benefited from both NIL funds and the transfer portal. Last season, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders, the top two players on Colorado’s roster, had a combined NIL valuation over $11 million. 

For context, according to a USA Today story in Nittany Lions Wire, Arizona State ranked ninth in the CFP last season for NIL funds at $10.6 million. The irony of Sanders saying this and still finishing behind a team with far fewer funds is what makes it sound like an excuse. 

NIL doesn’t win games, but it does put a team in a competitive spot

I guess the conversation around NIL is destined to change with revenue sharing now part of college athletics. Programs will be allowed to keep their NIL collectives if they choose, though teams like Colorado have already jettisoned their collectives to focus solely on revenue sharing. Either way, the amount of money a team has to spend doesn’t directly correlate to that team actually winning at the highest level 

While it gives teams access to the best players, it doesn’t actually play the games. Colorado found that out when they came up short of a College Football Playoff bid, losing games they shouldn’t have lost. They needed to beat Kansas, of all teams, to reach the Big 12 championship game and couldn’t do it. NIL (and family ties) helped the Buffs have the Heisman winner and one of the top quarterbacks in college football last year, but it didn’t get them over the hump.

You mean to tell me Sanders was able to poach Julian Lewis from USC simply because of the appeal of Boulder, CO? Yeah, I doubt that. Colorado was able to provide the money Lewis was interested in while also proving a better opportunity for him to play — though the latter usually gets left out of NIL discussions. 

If you look at last year’s CFP field, SMU, Arizona State and Boise State all spent less than Colorado did, but that didn’t stop them from making the field. NIL has changed the recruiting game, but it doesn’t — and probably never will — directly correlate with winning national championships. 

The first ice hockey program at a Historically Black College and University will be put on ice for another year.

The Tennessean reported on Tuesday that Tennessee State University’s men’s ice hockey program, which was expected to play its inaugural season this fall, will not play. It aims to compete in its first NCAA Division I season during the 2026-27 athletic year.

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According to The Tennessean, a lack of facilities and fundraising have been contributing factors to another delayed season.

The Nashville Predators have partnered with Tennessee State to help establish the program, offering their facilities, and Predators CEO Sean Henry is helping to fundraise for the program.

“TSU had been a great partner of the Predators for some time, and we are excited to help them work toward the goal of becoming the first HBCU to field a NCAA Division I college hockey team,” Henry said following TSU’s announcement back in 2023 to establish an ice hockey program.

“President Glover and Dr. Allen are visionaries in their respective positions and should be lauded for continuing to build Nashville into the ultimate hockey town.”

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The team’s conception was announced at the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville in an effort to promote diversity and inclusion within the sport.

TSU was initially expected to take the ice for the 2024-25 season as a club team and achieve NCAA Division I status by the 2026-27 season. However, the university changed its plans, intending to jump straight to Division I for the 2025-26 season.

Alongside the Predators, TSU has also been backed and supported by the NHL, NHL Players Association, and College Hockey Inc.

The NHL has also sponsored Arizona State and Augustana University (South Dakota) in successful efforts to create NCAA Division I ice hockey programs.

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“We appreciate our ongoing partnership with the Nashville Predators, which has played a pivotal role in our decision to pursue this historic undertaking, of starting an ice hockey program at TSU, and the first for an HBCU,” TSU President Glenda Glover said in a press release following the 2023 announcement.

TSU delays the start of its inaugural season despite having a head coach and an entire roster of players.

Duanté Abercrombie was hired as the team’s head coach in April 2024 and will be the first Black male head coach of an NCAA Division I ice hockey team. Abercrombie has been involved with multiple NHL teams, including the Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and Arizona Coyotes.

He also served as a coach at Stevenson University, a NCAA Division III program in Maryland.

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TSU still has 13 players rostered for the 2025-26 season, two commitments for the 2026-27 season and one commitment for the 2027-28 season.

It has no goalies roster as its two prior goalie commitments, Johnny Hicks and Andrew Ballantyne, decommitted.

Hicks committed to Denver (NCAA) and Ballantyne to Ontario Tech (USports).

Since the news was broken on Tuesday, TSU has not made a formal announcement on the status of the team.

Forwards

Xavier Abel – 5’10 – 170 pounds – 24 years old – Drury University (ACHA-DII)

Cole Bishop – 6’2 – 214 pounds – 20 years old – Alberni Valley Bulldogs (BCHL)

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Ridge Dawson – 5’8 – 154 pounds – 21 years old – Trail Smoke Eaters (BCHL)

Marcus Fechko – 5’9 – 150 pounds – 19 years old – Odessa Jackalopes (NAHL)

Trey Fechko – 6’1 – 192 pounds – 21 years old – Janesville Jets (NAHL)

Stephen Kirkpatrick – 5’9 – 161 pounds – 21 years old – Spruce Goose Saints (BCHL)

Greye Rampton – 6’2 – 181 pounds – 20 years old – Langley Rivermen (BCHL)

Defensemen 

Trent Ballentyne – 6’3 – 183 pounds – 21 years old – Prince George Spruce Kings (BCHL)

Kaycee Coyle – 6’0 – 187 pounds – 21 years old – Fairbanks Ice Dogs (NAHL)

Odie Ford – 6’3 – 209 pounds – 21 years old – New Jersey Jr. Titans (NAHL)

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Emerson Miller – 6’1 – 201 pounds – 21 years old – Northeast Generals (NAHL)

Sid McNeill – 5’7 – 146 pounds – 21 years old – Langley Rivermen (BCHL); Committed to Mayville (ACHA) for 2025-26 season

Ocean Fancy – 6’1 – 185 pounds – 21 years old – Maine Nordiques (NAHL)

Grady Hoffman – 6’0 – 185 pounds – 20 years old – 2026-27 commitment; Salmon Arm Silverbacks (BCHL)

Jadon Iygoun – 6’1 – 181 pounds – 19 years old – 2026-27 commitment; Spruce Grove Saints (BCHL)

Aidan Gray – 5’10 – 165 pounds – 16 years old – 2027-28 commitment; Little Cesars 16U AAA