Coach Schafer ’86 imparts hockey-infused wisdom in ‘Last Lecture’
Sullivan Mack ’25 had heard it all before. The third-leading scorer on this year’s Cornell men’s hockey team, Mack has absorbed four years of inspirational, passionate, occasionally profane and always brutally honest locker-room talks from Mike Schafer ’86, the soon-to-be-retired Jay R. Bloom ’77 Head Coach of Men’s Hockey. So when fellow members of a senior […]
The third-leading scorer on this year’s Cornell men’s hockey team, Mack has absorbed four years of inspirational, passionate, occasionally profane and always brutally honest locker-room talks from Mike Schafer ’86, the soon-to-be-retired Jay R. Bloom ’77 Head Coach of Men’s Hockey.
So when fellow members of a senior honor society asked Mack if he thought Schafer would be up for delivering the latest installment in Cornell’s “Last Lecture” series, he gave it a shot.
The crowd laughs along with Schafer during the lecture.
“I mean, he’s given us some of the best pre-game speeches that I’ve been a part of, so I thought for him to be able to talk to the general student body would be an awesome opportunity,” said Mack, a forward from Anchorage, Alaska, who is bound for the American Hockey League.
Schafer agreed, and in the process undoubtedly made some “Last Lecture” history: This “last” lecture was also the lecturer’s first.
“Intimidating” is how Schafer – who last month coached his final game in a remarkable 30-year career at his alma mater – characterized the prospect of giving a lecture in an academic setting, which he did April 23 in Baker Lab.
The Last Lecture series, which began three decades ago and resumed this past fall following a five-year hiatus due to COVID, invites a respected professor or staff member to give a lecture as if it were their final one.
“When I talk to our players, or our alumni, when I talk for fundraising, that’s a little bit of a different venue,” he said. “I’m an expert in hockey and Cornell hockey, so it makes it a lot easier.
“But to really think about what you’d say in your ‘last lecture,’” he said, “and try to piece that all together with all the different things that you try to teach your players throughout the course of a four-year career is kind of intimidating.”
Schafer needn’t have worried. He had a rapt audience of students, student-athletes (including several of his own players), a professor or two and some alumni, many dressed in “Lynah Faithful” regalia.
“It was a huge honor to host Coach Schafer,” said Avery Look ’25, a biological sciences major from Queens and a member of the society that invited Schafer. “During our speaker selection process, we thought it was important to find someone who can bring people together and leave an audience inspired. With hockey being a huge part of Cornell culture and this being his final semester with the team, choosing Coach Schafer was a no-brainer.”
Among the approximately 600 in attendance – including around 100 in an overflow room, watching on Zoom – were his coaching compatriots: Casey Jones ’90, who will take over for Schafer behind the Big Red men’s bench next season; and Doug Derraugh ’91, the Everett Family Head Coach of Women’s Ice Hockey.
With no notes and no script, Schafer spoke “from the heart,” he said, touching on the lessons he learned both as the youngest of nine children growing up in Durham, Ontario; as a small-town kid arriving in 1982 at a major university, the first from his family to go to college; and as a defenseman for the Big Red.
“I still remember being at North Campus,” he said, “listening to all these kids talk about their achievements, and how smart they were, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I don’t belong here.’”
He soon proved that he did – earning athletic and academic awards from Cornell and ECAC Hockey, serving as team captain for two years and graduating from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences with a degree in business management and marketing.
With a diploma in his hand but hockey in his blood, he stayed on East Hill for four years as an assistant coach under Brian McCutcheon ’71 before realizing “I needed to leave … I needed a challenge.” He headed to Kalamazoo, Michigan, to become an assistant coach at Western Michigan University.
After five years in the Midwest, Schafer returned to Cornell in 1995 and embarked on a coaching journey that included 561 victories (second all-time among Cornell coaches in any sport), 15 NCAA Tournament appearances, seven ECAC Hockey Tournament championships and six regular-season conference titles.
Schafer spoke passionately for nearly an hour, touching on themes of hard work; having a “growth mindset” – focusing on the process of getting better instead of the result you’re seeking; and what it means to be a contributor to your group, team, family and society.
“Go for the money, have success – but what are you going to do with it?” he asked. “Are you going to help others? Are you going to be in service to others? Are you going to use it wisely and be a strong person in your community? Those are things we talk about with our guys.”
He spoke of the legacy a person will leave, regardless of the records set, the championships won, the acclaim received.
“I just moved all my stuff out of my office – championship rings, coach of the year awards,” he said. “You know where they are? Where my wife (Diane ’86) put all my awards from college: in a bin in the basement, on a shelf. So the awards really mean nothing, in the sense of, ‘But how did I do it?’”
One of his closing themes was leadership – the fact that making the right decision for the organization is more important than trying to keep everyone happy. A tough decision will always make someone unhappy, Schafer said.
“I always thought, make the right decision, what your gut says, and live with it,” he said, “because then you can put your head down to sleep at night.”
Men’s Gymnastics Leads ECAC With 20 Selected to All-Academic Team
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Springfield, Mass. – June 10, 2025 – The Springfield College men’s gymnastics team led the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) with 20 selections to the All-Academic Team in 2025. The team includes all student-athletes from Army, Navy, William & Mary, Springfield, Greenville, and Simpson who have a cumulative 3.0 grade […]
Springfield, Mass. – June 10, 2025 – The Springfield College men’s gymnastics team led the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) with 20 selections to the All-Academic Team in 2025.
The team includes all student-athletes from Army, Navy, William & Mary, Springfield, Greenville, and Simpson who have a cumulative 3.0 grade point average, along with first-year student- athletes who have achieved a 3.0 grade point average in the fall semester.
Springfield led all schools with 20 selections and was followed by Greenville (19), Simpson (18), Navy (17), William & Mary (17) and Army (9).
Headlining the selections for Springfield were seniors Matt Browne (Decatur, Ga.), Carter Cochardo (Cicero, N.Y.), Noah Dhaliwal (South Orange, N.J.), Felix Kriedemann (Strasslach, Germany) and Jaden Laubstein (Oakland, Calif.). Juniors Tyler Beekman (Bedford, N.H.), Owen Carney (Sterling, Mass.), Gustavin Suess (Portland, Ore.), sophomores Peyton Cramer (Grapevine, Texas), Gio Mantia (Aurora, Ill.), Kojiro Motoki (Paramus, N.J.), Kaleb Palacio (Barcliff, Texas), Evan Reichert (Oswego, Ill.), Joshua Szitanko (Lincroft, N.J.) and Tristan Tacconi (Waldwick, N.J.) as well as first-years Devon Felsenstein (Blue Bell, Pa.), Jesse Listopad (Des Plaines, Ill.), Cameron Rhymes (Joliet, Ill.), Donovan Salva (Feeding Hills, Mass.) and Carl Jacob Soederqvist (Stockholm, Sweden) were all selected to the ECAC All-Academic Team for the 2024-25 academic year.
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NCAA select team to participate in 2025 Spengler Cup
A new type of team will be participating in the 2025 Spengler Cup. For the first time in the tournament’s 102-year history, a team comprised of the best NCAA college hockey players in the country will compete in the tournament this winter. College Hockey to Send First-Ever Team to 2025 Spengler Cup Squad of Select […]
A new type of team will be participating in the 2025 Spengler Cup.
For the first time in the tournament’s 102-year history, a team comprised of the best NCAA college hockey players in the country will compete in the tournament this winter.
College Hockey to Send First-Ever Team to 2025 Spengler Cup
Squad of Select NCAA DI Standouts to Compete in Prestigious Tourneyhttps://t.co/SehCDmiSMV
— Hockey Commissioners Association (@chcommissioners) June 10, 2025
“The 2025 tournament will be the first time a select team representing college hockey has ever competed in the event,” according to a joint announcement made Tuesday by Spengler Cup Davos, the Hockey Commissioners Association (HCA) and College Hockey Inc. “Officially named the U.S. Collegiate Selects, the team will be comprised of active NCAA Division I players of any nationality representing all six conferences and the Division I independent programs.”
The players, as well as the coaches and support staff, will be named at a later date, according to the statement.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be sending a college hockey team to participate in the Spengler Cup,” said HCA President and Hockey East Commissioner Steve Metcalf. “The players that get selected will have an unforgettable experience at the oldest club tournament in the world.”
While the University of Minnesota (1981) and University of North Dakota (1982) both competed at the Spengler Cup, this is the first time a hand-picked squad of college hockey’s best players will compete in Davos.
“We are honored by the invitation to participate in the Spengler Cup, one of the most prestigious hockey events in the world,” said Sean Hogan, College Hockey Inc. executive director. “The opportunity to field a team of NCAA student-athletes is a testament to the elite level of play within college hockey and represents an incredible experience for everyone involved—players and staff alike.”
The Swiss league’s HC Fribourg-Gotteron won the 2024 Spengler Cup, defeating Germany’s Straubing Tigers in the championship.
US Soccer Federation establishes committee to recommend changes to college sport
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — The U.S. Soccer Federation on Tuesday established a committee tasked with recommending how the college game can be better integrated with the sport. Top college teams play about 18-25 games per season and the importance of college soccer to men’s professional teams has lessened as more top talent goes through team academy […]
FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. — The U.S. Soccer Federation on Tuesday established a committee tasked with recommending how the college game can be better integrated with the sport.
Top college teams play about 18-25 games per season and the importance of college soccer to men’s professional teams has lessened as more top talent goes through team academy systems and not college. The college game allows unlimited substitutions and for clock stoppages.
The USSF said the committee will produce a report with recommendations by the start of the 2025-26 academic year and is to suggest initiatives for possible implementation as early as 2026-27.
“College soccer is integral to the fabric and future of our sport in this country,” USSF CEO JT Batson said in a statement. “The individuals joining this group bring unique perspectives and expertise that will help us build a model where college soccer can thrive in a modern, connected system — all working collaboratively in service to soccer.”
Former Deloitte Consulting CEO Dan Helfrich will chair the committee, which includes former Major League Soccer president Mark Abbott, United Soccer League Championship president Jeremy Alumbaugh, Warner Bros. Discovery Sport executive Craig Barry, USSF technical development committee chair Mike Cullina, Davidson athletic director Chris Clunie, MLS executive Ali Curtis, Seattle Sounders owner Adrian Hanauer, former LA Galaxy president Chris Klein, Penn State athletic director Patrick Kraft, Kansas City Current co-owner Angie Long, agent Richard Motzkin, high-performance specialist Ryan Nelson, University of Maryland president Darryll Pines, NWSL executive Sarah Jones Simmer, Coca-Cola executive Amber Steele, Bank of America executive David Tyrie and Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack.
Boston College Men’s Hockey, Northeastern to Play on Halloween at Matthews Arena
Boston College men’s hockey has had another matchup released for the 2025-26 season. Northeastern shared the home slate for its first half of the schedule and it features a game against the Eagles. Boston College and Northeastern will play at Matthews Arena on Friday, Oct. 31. The game will be the last one the Eagles […]
— Jermaine Polk 3DT† (@JermainePolk26) June 8, 2025
Had a great time at the University of Boston College Qb camp. Special thanks to @Coach_JDiBiaso for taking time to teach new things to me to improve on pic.twitter.com/L1b1vM2p4u
“It took a lot of work at every level, but I think now people finally understand what I’ve always known. I’m not a grinder. I’m not a gimmick. And, in general, I’m just not a big guy.But I don’t need to be. I’m a hockey player.”
IMG Academy Jun 10, 2025 The recent House v. NCAA settlement marks a transformative shift in college athletics. At IMG Academy, we’ve been preparing for this moment for years. As a leader in student-athlete development, we’re not just responding to these changes – we’re ahead of them. Through groundbreaking partnerships with Merrill and Advance NIL, […]
The recent House v. NCAA settlement marks a transformative shift in college athletics. At IMG Academy, we’ve been preparing for this moment for years. As a leader in student-athlete development, we’re not just responding to these changes – we’re ahead of them.
Through groundbreaking partnerships with Merrill and Advance NIL, we’ve been educating our student-athletes on NIL, financial literacy, and personal brand building. This isn’t new territory for us – it’s part of the comprehensive and holistic development we deliver every day.
Navigating the future of college sports requires more than just talent on the field. It takes education, preparation, and the right guidance. IMG Academy is proud to stand beside families as these new opportunities unfold. Whether your student-athlete is preparing for college or just beginning their journey, we’re here to help you make sense of what’s next.
Here’s what you need to know about the ruling:
What is House v. NCAA about?
House v. NCAA is an antitrust lawsuit that argued the NCAA and its member schools unlawfully restricted student-athletes from profiting off their name, image, and likeness (NIL). The settlement includes:
A $2.8 billion payout to former Division I student-athletes
A framework for future revenue sharing between schools and student-athletes
Will my student-athlete get paid to play in college now?
Maybe, but it depends.
Starting in 2025, schools can opt to share a “cap” of up to $20.5 million with their student-athletes, beginning July 1, 2025. That cap may grow by ~4% annually.
Each school decides how to allocate that money
Football and men’s basketball will likely receive the largest shares
Other sports — like softball, track, or swimming — may receive much less. In some cases, teams may only receive a few hundred thousand dollars to divide across the entire roster
Will more changes come?
Yes, this is just the beginning. Many details still need to be finalized, and additional legal challenges are expected:
A “cap” limits how much schools can pay. If that cap is seen as unfair, it may be challenged in future lawsuits
Families should expect recruiting, roster management, and scholarship models to evolve in the coming years
Which student-athletes are covered by the settlement?
This applies to all Division I student-athletes who:
Competed on or after June 15, 2020
Or will compete anytime through June 5, 2035
That includes today’s middle schoolers, high schoolers, and postgrads aiming to play Division I sports.
Do all schools have to follow the new model?
All Power 5 schools (plus Notre Dame) must follow the new rules
Other Division I schools can choose to opt in
Division II and III schools are not yet affected — though future adjustments may eventually ripple into those divisions
What if my student-athlete lost a roster spot because of this?
If a school cut a student-athlete in preparation for this settlement:
They’re required to offer that roster spot back
The student-athlete won’t count against team roster limits
However, coaches still retain the discretion to determine whether a student-athlete is a fit for their program
What else is changing?
The NCAA is eliminating 150 outdated rules to modernize student-athlete benefits
A new governing body, the College Sports Commission, will oversee enforcement
A tech platform, NILgo, will help schools track athlete compensation and ensure compliance. Any third-party NIL agreement over $600 will be reviewed, with external arbitration if disputes arise.
IMG Academy is committed to helping student-athletes and families understand this once-in-a-generation shift in college athletics. While there’s real opportunity ahead, there are still many unanswered questions.
The best things you can do right now is stay informed, stay flexible, and keep advocating for your student-athlete
$2 million in 10 minutes: Syracuse football gets a big NIL boost
1/15 SU football NIL golf tournamentCharlie Miller Syracuse, N.Y. — John Lally put the challenge out to those gathered at a dinner following a day of fundraising and golf at Bellevue Country Club on Syracuse’s west side to benefit Syracuse Football NIL. About $750,000 was raised by donors in the room. If you purchase a […]
Syracuse, N.Y. — John Lally put the challenge out to those gathered at a dinner following a day of fundraising and golf at Bellevue Country Club on Syracuse’s west side to benefit Syracuse Football NIL.
About $750,000 was raised by donors in the room.
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