Dear Green Wave Family,

As we continue our commitment to excellence and providing the best for our student-athletes and coaches, I want to thank you for your continued commitment to Green Wave Athletics.  Your support has made our upward trajectory possible, and it remains paramount as we navigate what lies ahead.

I wanted to provide an update regarding our Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) endeavors (often called revenue sharing or pool payments).  As many of you know, The Fear the Wave Collective, run by Michael Arata and Jimmy Ordeneaux, has been supporting and operating the fundraising and activation for Tulane Athletics’ NIL operation over the past few years.  Their efforts have been exceptional in support of our student-athletes’ endeavors and we cannot thank them enough for their hard work and dedication to the Green Wave.

As the collegiate landscape continues to evolve, and we await final approval of the House settlement this spring, I’m happy to share the Green Wave Club team will assume fundraising responsibility of the NIL/pool payment initiatives as of July 1, 2025. This responsibility will be in addition to traditional areas such as our annual fund, facility enhancements, student-athlete development and overall departmental needs.  The proposed House settlement allows universities to manage all these operations, including bringing the responsibility for fundraising for NIL/pool payments inside the department.

We will always be grateful to the Fear the Wave Collective’s leadership team and all who supported their endeavors for our student-athletes.  Fear the Wave will continue as our partner and as a media company, producing behind-the-scenes content and exclusive fan experiences. We’re excited to continue collaborating with them on special projects that benefit our student-athletes and inspire our community.

As we ready for this new period of Tulane Athletics, we want you to be part of our journey.  For our supporters that have interest in supporting our efforts to provide pool payments, we plan to release additional information in the upcoming days on how you can make those donations. Ultimately, we need everyone that has previously given to Fear the Wave to continue supporting us in this area beginning on July 1st. Individuals with corporate interests can work with our newly created NIL on-campus staff and the Wave Exchange.

Your continued support and willingness to invest in pool payments along with our continued critical needs, such as facilities enhancements and the annual fund, is vital to our continued success.  Your commitment pushes us to achieve higher each and every day.

Roll Wave!

David Harris

Ben Weiner Director of Athletics Chair

Last week, my friend told me, “I’m not even sure if I like hockey or if I just like the people.”  Hockey, one of 15 club sports at Macalester, is a cornerstone of the campus community. The attendance that other schools see at football games, Mac sees at hockey.

When I came to Macalester, I had never picked up a hockey stick or watched a game. Excited by the prospect of playing new sports and being involved on campus, I signed up for hockey’s email list (along with everything else) and eventually found myself at the first practice: 10 pm, sitting in super smelly gear, in a locker room where I didn’t know anyone. 

Through playing hockey, I fell in love with not only the sport but also with Macalester. It was the first real home I found on campus and the first time I felt connected to the community. For our only home game of the season, my friend and future co-captain (and roommate) Marta and I plastered hundreds of posters around campus. Hundreds of people showed up. That game and season started a trend of what my next four years would be: all in on club sports. 

Club sports found its way into every part of my life at Macalester. I played hockey all four years, briefly rowed with the crew team, played lacrosse, occasionally showed up at tennis, joined the ultimate frisbee team my senior year, and, in my junior year, started the women’s club soccer team. Club sports are an opportunity to try new sports. For me and many others, the opportunity likely would not have happened without club sports at Mac. Skill and cost would have been prohibitive factors but thanks to club sports everyone at Mac has the chance to try, and likely fall in love with, a new sport. 

Club sports’ success is on the field: the Pursesnatchers ultimate team reached nationals last year and the men’s soccer White Squirrels joined a D-I league, to name a few examples. It’s also in the community of each team that the captains create. Captains do so much more than run a practice. They welcome brand-new players to their sport, teach them how to play, organize logistics, create and design merch, fundraise, advertise and, most importantly, create a sense of belonging. Captains have encouraged over 450 participants in club sports. Club sports are student-initiated and student-led. Everything that happens throughout the year from home games with bag pipes to team dinners is because of the work of the captains. It’s our effort that makes people want to participate. 

There has to be something special about a team to keep players committed enough to practice at 6:30 am or 10 pm, or to drive eight hours in the van to play frisbee all weekend. In the early mornings and very late nights, during Culver’s visits and drives in the club sports van with the music at full blast, other students and I have found new sports or fallen in love with old ones again.

Club sports are a mix of students from across the student body. The program provides a recreational outlet that allows students to work together on something completely outside of academics. Teams also contribute to the overall campus culture; hockey games have become a tradition on weekends in the winter, and the FLAT pants are a sought-after piece of swag. On personal levels, the relationships built on teams change students’ perceptions of Macalester. When people find belonging and success in a club sport, they can find success in their college experience elsewhere. 

Not all of these communities existed when I first arrived at Mac. My most meaningful club sports experience, and the one I am most proud of shaping, is starting the women’s club soccer team. Our team has given space for people to try soccer for the first time, to fall in love with the game again, and to connect on and off the field. Playing with people who became my friends, working on a team for someone besides yourself, is how I found belonging at Mac. 

At the end of my first year, a senior gave me the paper plate award “Mac’s first marketing major.” I didn’t realize when I put up posters for a hockey game that club sports would end up becoming one of the biggest parts of my college experience, nor that I would be a part of a group of leaders who shape the campus culture. I’m so profoundly grateful to club sports for the incredible friendships and memories it’s given me, for the new sports I’ve fallen in love with and, most of all, for making me love Macalester. 

The NIL movement on Capitol Hill will have a huge push on Thursday, as both Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., and former Alabama coach Nick Saban will join President Donald Trump to discuss regulations.

The transfer portal has run wild as college athletes are now aiming to make as much money as possible during their college eligibility.

Tuberville said ideally, the government would not be involved, but they find themselves in the thick of things and are brainstorming.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Sen. Tommy Tuberville attends the House and Senate committee markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 in the Dirksen Building on Nov. 29, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

“The one thing we can do is we can make every state be on the same level [for NIL money]… Now, between that, we have to come up with some rules for transfer portals and possible contracts for players, all the things that make college football the greatest sport ever. We do not want to turn into minor league sports. We can do things, we just gotta get it passed,” he told 109.9 The Game in Tuscaloosa on Wednesday.

Tuberville, though, blamed Democrats for the continued whirlwind that is the current atmosphere of college sports.

“I think we can get it on the floor, the problem is getting it past a Democrat group that really wants nothing to do with making this country better. They don’t care about college sports or education, they worry about the power that they control in this country. It’s a hard way to go, but if anybody can get it done, it’s President Trump, and hopefully we can have some discussion to get on the right track toward helping the NIL and college sports,” he said.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville speaks to members of the media outside the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse in New York, on May 13, 2024. (Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

FORMER COLORADO STARS SPEAK OUT AMID SHEDEUR SANDERS, TRAVIS HUNTER’S CONTROVERSIAL JERSEY RETIREMENTS

Tuberville also said women’s sports, and transgender inclusion, will be at the forefront of the discussion.

“There’s nothing more important than women’s sports, women’s athletics, and he stopped the nonsense of biological men and boys in women’s sports.… We’ve gotta save Title IX, we’ve gotta save women’s sports, and President Trump is the one that will stand up and fight for women. He’s done that, he understands it, and that will be in our entire discussion about NIL. If we continue down this path, there’s not gonna be any money left.… If we don’t do something soon, we will lose a lot of non-revenue sports, and most of those include women’s sports.”

Tuberville also believes that if this current landscape continues, “you’re going to start losing fans.”

Sen. Tommy Tuberville talks during a television interview before former President Donald Trump speaks at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, June 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

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“Sooner or later, it’ll affect the fans that pay that ticket not knowing who the players are with no loyalty.…” he said. “There’s no carryover or loyalty to schools that these fans love to support.”

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) recently hosted “The Nittanys” for the 38^th-consecutive year. The event is a celebration of excellence in Penn State Athletics and was held at Pegula Ice Arena.   

More than 40 Penn State student-athletes and several teams were recognized for their academic, athletic and community engagement achievements in an awards-style format. The event, which was sponsored by Penn State Student-Athlete Welfare & Development, was hosted by Caroline Jurevicius from the national champion Penn State women’s volleyball team.
 

Team Honors
Milton K. Morgan Jr. Highest Team GPA
The women’s gymnastics team was presented with the Milton K. Morgan Jr. Highest Team GPA award for its academic success during the 2024-25 academic year.

Varsity S Club Most Improved GPA
The teams honored for the most improved GPA were men’s tennis and women’s volleyball for their academic improvement in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24.
 
Individual Honors
Ernest B. McCoy Award
The McCoy Award is named for the longtime Dean of Penn State’s College of Physical Education, who also served as the University’s athletic director. The award is given to a senior men’s and women’s student-athlete who has combined successful athletic participation with academic excellence. The honorees of the Ernest B. McCoy award were Tyler Warren (football) and Jess Mruzik (women’s volleyball).
 
True Grit Award
The True Grit award recognizes a male and female student-athlete whose determination, and perseverance in overcoming serious adversity athletically or even personally, stands as a testament to their tremendous character and indomitable spirit. This award is sponsored by the Nittany Lion Club. This year’s honorees were Bella Misiura (women’s gymnastics) and Ben Schoen (men’s hockey).
 
Above and Beyond Mr. & Ms. Penn State
This award was established by SAAB to recognize the contributions of one male and one female senior student-athlete who display the true spirit of “WE ARE” as exemplified by their contributions and inspirations to their respective teams, as well their passion for everything Penn State. Recipients of this award are recognized for the following qualities: caring, encouragement, humility, honesty, humor, kindness, patience and school spirit. This year’s award recipients were Drew Taylor (field hockey) and Nick Dawkins (football).

Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award
The Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award was created to recognize Big Ten student-athletes who demonstrate Jackie Robinson’s core values, or “Jackie’s nine”: Courage, Determination, Teamwork, Persistence, Integrity, Citizenship, Justice, Commitment, and Excellence. Specifically, those student-athletes that have made an exceptional effort in impacting their local community through volunteerism, community programing, and/or philanthropy between January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024. This year’s recipients from Penn State were Jami Morris (women’s golf) and Dylan Lugris (men’s hockey).

Behind the Scenes Heroes
This award was established by SAAB to recognize individuals who are the embodiment of what it means to be selfless in the service of others, with no expectation of recognition, but are vital to student-athletes success here at Penn State. Katy Pohland, the director of athletic wellness and therapy services, was this year’s recipient.
 
THON Awards
THON Donor Drive Challenge
This award created by SAAB is in recognition of the team that raised the highest total this year on behalf of THON. The team which raised the most money collectively for THON was field hockey.

THON Individual Highest Total Raised
Elise DeWan (field hockey) was recognized as the student-athlete who individually raised the highest total on behalf of THON

THON Spirit Award
Ellie Hollin (women’s lacrosse) was honored with the THON Spirit Award. This award recognizes a student-athlete whose commitment to bringing awareness and funding to find a cure to end pediatric cancer, has been unmatched in their energy, effort and passion for all things THON.
 
Team Engagement Awards
This award created by SAAB recognizes the teams that participated the most in community service. Overall, 10 teams were honored: women’s golf, field hockey, women’s ice hockey, women’s swimming and diving, men’s soccer, men’s gymnastics, men’s ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, men’s volleyball, and baseball.

In today’s episode of Longshore and McKnight, hosts John and Barry took a wide-ranging look at the college football landscape, led by ongoing concerns over NIL spending and scheduling politics in the SEC. Much of the conversation focused on Texas’ reported $35–40 million roster budget, prompting debates about fairness, sustainability, and how schools like Alabama and Auburn can keep pace. Guest analysts Kevin Scarbinsky, Jason Caldwell, and Rodney Orr joined throughout the show to unpack Texas’ rise, Alabama’s stability under Kalen DeBoer, and Auburn’s potential NFL talent pipeline. The trio also discussed recruiting trends, spring portal movement, and early SEC championship predictions, with Florida and LSU floated as dark horse contenders.

Catch live episodes of Longshore and McKnight daily on YouTube, Spotify, and on Yellowhammer News 

Beyond football, the show spotlighted Auburn’s No. 1-ranked men’s golf team ahead of NCAA regional play, with Caldwell offering insights into NIL’s impact on non-revenue sports and the Tigers’ strong postseason chances. They also covered Auburn baseball and softball’s postseason outlook, with RPI rankings and strength of schedule playing a key role. Other hot topics included NIL legislation for Alabama high school athletes, fan frustration with state lawmakers over missed revenue opportunities, and potential political interference in sports gambling and education funding.

A five-person committee is tasked with selecting the most competitive field of At-Large Teams to compete for both National Championships. The committees are made up of five voting members and one non-voting ICSA competition committee member. Automatic qualifications are awarded to conference champions and their runners-up, while the remaining berths are selected through a structured process by the committee.

The third-seeded women’s team earned automatic qualification to the competition after placing second at the NEISA Women’s Fleet Race Championship, which took place from Apr. 19-20 at Yale.

The fifth-seeded open team earned an At-Large berth after finishing third in the NEISA Open Fleet Race Championship back on Apr. 19-20 at Brown. 

Both teams earned top five seeding out of 36 selections in both disciplines. 

The ICSA Women’s Fleet Race Championship will take place from May 20-23, with the Open Fleet Race Championship from May 27-30. Both events will be hosted by St. Mary’s College of Maryland. 

BROWN UNIVERSITY SPORTS FOUNDATION

The Brown University Sports Foundation (BUSF) is the lifeblood of the athletics program and exists to enhance the student-athlete experience through philanthropic support from alumni, parents, fans, and friends. A gift through the Sports Foundation immediately impacts today’s Brown Bears and helps them to be their best in the classroom, in competition, and most importantly in the community. To learn more about supporting the Bears, please click here. 

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