College Sports
Is Texas spending $40 million on its 2025 football roster? What we know and don’t know
College football roster budgets have ballooned this offseason as teams prepare for a new era in which schools can compensate athletes directly. But could a championship team cost as much as $40 million? That’s one high-end estimate of what Texas could be spending on its 2025 roster, according to a Houston Chronicle report from columnist […]
College football roster budgets have ballooned this offseason as teams prepare for a new era in which schools can compensate athletes directly. But could a championship team cost as much as $40 million?
That’s one high-end estimate of what Texas could be spending on its 2025 roster, according to a Houston Chronicle report from columnist Kirk Bohls. Bohls, who has covered the Longhorns for more than 50 years, reported Wednesday that the team’s roster budget currently sits somewhere “between $35 million and $40 million,” including the revenue the school will be able to share as a result of the House v. NCAA settlement.
If that budget range is accurate, it represents a significant leap from the previous highest known roster budget in the sport: Ohio State’s 2024 roster, which went on to win the national championship, cost around $20 million, athletic director Ross Bjork told the Columbus Dispatch and Yahoo! Sports last summer.
Is an estimate of as much as twice the Buckeyes’ figure realistic or far-fetched? The Athletic reached out to multiple Texas officials to confirm the veracity of the Chronicle’s report, but all declined comment. But after conversations with a dozen people elsewhere in college football with knowledge of roster budgets, including general managers, personnel directors and name, image and likeness collective heads, here’s what we know — and don’t — about Texas’ spending power and the state of roster budgets headed into the 2025 season. Each person was granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about team finances.
What we know
Team roster budgets are rarely officially confirmed.
Because schools won’t directly share revenue with players until the settlement is approved, compensation still runs through NIL collectives, which help shield contracts and records from scrutiny. But Texas Tech basketball star JT Toppin and quarterback Carson Beck, who transferred from Georgia to Miami, are just two examples from this year of player pay levels becoming public knowledge.
Some schools or collectives are more forthcoming than others. Walker Jones, executive director of The Grove Collective, which works with Ole Miss athletes, said last fall that the collective spent more than $10 million on NIL deals for the football roster. Texas Tech spent more than $10 million on just its transfer portal class this offseason, and Bjork opened eyes when he revealed Ohio State’s budget last year.
Most programs, however, prefer to keep those numbers close to the vest. An athletic director at a Power 4 program, when asked this week by The Athletic how much his school expected to allocate to the football program in revenue sharing, declined to specify, citing a “competitive advantage” of keeping it quiet.
Texas athletics has plenty of money.
The Longhorns consistently rank near the top of college athletics in annual revenue. In 2024, Texas pulled in $331.9 million in athletics revenue, No. 1 in the country according to the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database. In 2023, Texas was second in athletics revenue ($239.2 million) to only Ohio State ($251.6 million).
In addition, the Longhorns have operated at the forefront of the market since the NCAA started allowing athletes to be compensated for use of their NIL rights in 2021. In December of that year, the football program made waves with the “Pancake Factory,” an initiative that promised $50,000 annually to Texas offensive linemen in exchange for promoting Austin charities. That price seems quaint now; Power 4 teams may need 10 times that much to obtain a starting offensive lineman for a season.
Eventually, the five collectives that had sprung up to compensate Texas athletes across various sports merged into the Texas One Fund, which is now the school’s exclusive collective. The Texas One Fund spent more than $11 million compensating Longhorn athletes in 2023, according to a tax return obtained by Sportico.
At an alumni speaking engagement in 2022, Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte lauded the power of leveraging some of the school’s 500,000-plus living alumni, telling the crowd, “NIL is our game. When that basket passes around, I don’t need stuff that jingles, I need stuff that folds.”
Blake Lawrence, the CEO of Opendorse, a company that facilitates and manages NIL deals, told The Athletic in January that “Texas was one of the first to start to really lean into bringing consistent NIL opportunities to athletes across all sports.” He said of the roughly 50 collectives that Opendorse works with nationwide, Texas One Fund is near the top in just about every category.
“Texas is in the top three (nationally) of every measurable unit in NIL data: total NIL compensation, total NIL deals, total NIL deals to women, total commercial deals,” Lawrence said. “No matter what metric you pick … Texas is in the top three, if not No. 1 across the board.”
Texas football has excelled in retaining key players and acquiring new ones in the transfer portal, which are the two types of transactions that command the most dollars. When the Longhorns are in the mix for a player in the portal, their chances are usually strong because of their spending power.
Industry insiders don’t think a $35-40 million roster budget is out of the question for top programs.
A February survey of 13 coaches and personnel staffers on the transfer portal and player compensation contained a variety of answers on what it would take to build a championship roster in their conferences. But one Power 4 general manager offered this: “$40-50 million. That’s where I think it’s going to go.”
Asked about the Texas estimate today, several GMs, personnel directors and people in the NIL world believed the number.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” said the founder of a Power 4 collective. “Texas is a massive program and is obviously looking to win titles. (Athletic directors) and universities who don’t believe teams will go way above the (revenue sharing) cap, especially ones that want to compete for titles, are lying to themselves and their fan bases.”
Nearly everyone surveyed on Wednesday found a $35 million to $40 million roster to be realistic for Texas, with several suggesting only a small handful of schools can spend in that ballpark. A second Power 4 GM described Texas as paying some of its backup players like starters.
Pending revenue sharing is boosting everyone’s spending power.
Considering Texas spent eight figures to compensate athletes through its collective in 2023, it’s reasonable to assume that number went up in 2024, as team budgets at top programs increased. Add in at least $20 million to the athletics compensation pool via direct payments coming in the wake of the House settlement — the majority of which is ticketed for football at most P4 schools — and getting above $30 million isn’t unreasonable for a program like Ohio State or Texas.
In the February survey, starter-caliber players at multiple positions were said to have a market in the mid- to high six figures. Power 4 starting quarterbacks typically cost a minimum of $1 million. Defensive linemen, edge rushers, tight ends and receivers can all clear above $500,000, and some hovered close to $1 million in the winter portal window.
In this spring’s transfer portal window, the Longhorns landed a starting receiver (Stanford’s Emmett Mosley V) and a starting tight end (Cal’s Jack Endries) and two starting defensive linemen (Syracuse’s Maraad Watson and Maryland’s Lavon Johnson) from Power 4 schools. In the winter portal window, they landed three more defensive linemen.
“They got five defensive tackles in the portal,” a third Power 4 GM said. “That’s at least $500,000 per player for an average one. For an elite defensive tackle in the portal, it’s $700,000 to $800,000.”
But the bulk of the money, the third GM said, likely went toward roster retention. Texas is bringing back starters or elite talents at multiple positions, including edge rusher (Colin Simmons and Trey Moore), linebacker (Anthony Hill Jr.), safety (Michael Taaffe), receiver (DeAndre Moore and Ryan Wingo), running back (Quintrevion Wisner) and offensive line (DJ Campbell). That’s not to mention whatever quarterback Arch Manning is making, though the Chronicle reported that Manning doesn’t take money from the school and that he and his family “acquired all his deals on their own ‘with no help from the school.’”
“The market doubled this year because you have the rev share and the (collective) money,” the third Power 4 GM said. “You have people calling players on your roster saying, ‘We’ll give you this or that.’ They take it to Texas and say, ‘This is what I need for you to keep me.’
“Texas donors, boosters are not losing guys over money, so whatever it takes, make sure we keep ’em so we can keep this rolling. They’ve been to the final four two years in a row, so they’re not going to bow out over some dollars. … I bet they have at least 12 guys making right at a million dollars.”
What we don’t know
The exact math to get to a $35-40 million budget estimate.
Does that jaw-dropping number include just 2025 player salaries, or does it account for the total value of multi-year contracts? Most players sign one-year deals with collectives, but some — like former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava — sign multi-year deals. Does that number include only what will be paid directly by Texas and its collective, or does it include outside NIL deals that were secured elsewhere, like Manning’s?
“That number does seem really high,” a fourth Power 4 GM said. “But at the end of the day, if the money works through collectives and other third-party deals, it’s hard to really say the exact amount that could’ve been produced by those teams.”
Though some schools are mum on what they will allocate to various sports via revenue sharing, some have offered a road map. Georgia, one of Texas’ SEC counterparts, plans to allocate 75 percent of its cap to football, and athletic director Josh Brooks said in February he expected many SEC peers to split their cap similarly. If Texas followed a similar path, that could account for at least $15 million of the high-end budget estimate. The other $20 million to $25 million would have to come from the Texas One Fund.
What the finalized revenue sharing caps will be.
The oft-cited $20.5 million revenue sharing “cap” coming for the 2025 season is simply an estimate. Multiple people briefed on their teams’ roster budgets emphasized that they don’t know the final number schools will be able to spend on their athletes, only that the House settlement calls for it to be set at 22 percent of the annual revenue for an average Power 4 team.
Revenue sharing, if the settlement is approved, is expected to begin July 1 and it’s possible that the final number is slightly higher than $20.5 million.
Whether Texas would be alone in pushing toward $40 million.
Multiple GMs believed that if Texas is spending at this reported level, the Longhorns aren’t the only one. Many blue bloods don’t seem to be blinking as college football’s roster investment battles enter new territory.
“I bet you there’s somebody out there that’s higher,” the third Power 4 GM said. “(Texas) is top five, for sure. But I bet it’s not the highest.”
(Photo: Ron Jenkins / Getty Images)
College Sports
SEC Athletes Since 2016 Who Could’ve Profited the Most From NIL: Inside the SEC
Late last Friday night, after years of litigation, Judge Claudia Wilken approved the landmark House v. NCAA settlement, which will allow schools to participate in revenue sharing directly with the athletes, and there will be a salary cap system ($20.5 million to athletes) plus roster limits to college sports. This settlement was from a branch […]
Late last Friday night, after years of litigation, Judge Claudia Wilken approved the landmark House v. NCAA settlement, which will allow schools to participate in revenue sharing directly with the athletes, and there will be a salary cap system ($20.5 million to athletes) plus roster limits to college sports.
This settlement was from a branch of three lawsuits combined into one case, which addressed compensation for collegiate athletes. The results of this case also bring $2.8 billion in damages for former and current athletes since 2016 who were not able to profit from NIL, as the name, image and likeness model was created in the summer of 2021.
While the form of distribution by sport is yet to be officially determined, like today’s NIL, those in athletic programs such as football and men’s basketball will likely receive a higher paycheck than the other fields. But of course, there are outlying athletes in sports like baseball, softball, gymnastics and more that have earned far more than the average person in their sport.
These Olympians and world-class athletes since 2016 will be compensated over the next 10 years via the $2.8 billion, but how much would they have made if NIL and revenue sharing were available when they were in college?
The Southeastern Conference has produced countless national champions, world record holders and Olympic gold medalists over the last decade who never got to take full advantage of NIL. Here is one former athlete from each SEC school that could’ve profited the most off their name, image and likeness when they were in college.
Note: Oklahoma and Texas joined the SEC in 2024, but the athletes listed below from these schools were in the Big 12 at the time of their enrollment.
Alabama: DeVonta Smith
The former Crimson Tide pass-catcher became one of the all-time greats during the 2020 season as in addition to winning the CFP National Championship, he became just the fourth wide receiver in college football history to take home the Heisman Trophy. He was constantly doubted due to his slim frame, but his ability to overcome it and dominate is what sports companies salivate for.
Runner-up: Tua Tagovailoa, Brandon Miller and Collin Sexton
Arkansas: Kevin Kopps
The former Razorbacks pitcher had too many accolades to not be offered brand deals. In addition to being named the 2021 SEC Pitcher of the Year and landing on the conference’s postseason First Team, Kopps won the Golden Spikes Award, the Dick Howser Trophy, was a Unanimous First Team All-American and was named the National Pitcher of the Year by every major organization.
Runner-up: Frank Ragnow
Auburn: Suni Lee
The former Tigers gymnast is a two-time all-around gold medalist, has a silver medal and a bronze as well. But while at Auburn, she was named the 2022 SEC Freshman of the Year, was the NCAA champion on beam, the NCAA runner-up on all-around and was the SEC champion on bars. Her immediate success certainly would’ve attracted brand deals across the globe.
Runner-up: Jabari Smith
Florida: Caeleb Dressel
And speaking of Olympic powerhouses, the former Florida swimmer has won nine gold medals between three Olympic Games. While swimming typically isn’t the most lucrative sport for NIL, companies would’ve clawed their way to Dressel in college as the 28-time All-American (the most you could possibly achieve) was a 10-time NCAA Champion and three-time SEC Swimmer of the Year.
Runner-up: Kyle Pitts
Georgia: Anthony Edwards
Aside from Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame forward Dominique Wilkins, UGA hasn’t really produced notable NBA talent. That was until Anthony Edwards came along and his high-flying freakish athleticism helped him become the No. 1 overall pick of 2020 NBA Draft. The three-time NBA All-Star and 2024 Olympic gold medalist’s confidence with the Bulldogs would’ve been gold for the cameras.
Runner-up: Nick Chubb
Kentucky: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The 2025 NBA MVP and three-time All-NBA First Team member was quite the talent to watch at Kentucky. Despite being on a Wildcats team that had six other future NBA players, Gilgeous-Alexander was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team, the All-SEC Second Team and was named the SEC Tournament MVP. A young standout at a Blue Blood school is an automatic yes to companies.
Runner-up: Josh Hines-Allen
LSU: Joe Burrow
The former Tigers quarterback took a risk when he transferred from Ohio State after two years and his junior season at LSU wasn’t anything special. But a switch flipped in him and he had one of the greatest individual seasons of all time in 2019, as he won the CFP National Championship, the Heisman Trophy and several other awards. Burrow’s story would’ve made him millions in just that year.
Runner-up: Paul Skenes and Sha’Carri Richardson
Mississippi State: Montez Sweat
Msu Auburn montez sweat / Keith Warren, Keith Warren
After barely seeing time on the field in two years at Michigan State, the former Mississippi State edge rusher annihilated opponents during his first season with the Bulldogs. Sweat led the SEC in tackles for loss and sacks to become a First Team All-American. Sweat’s bet on himself paid off and his last name would’ve been great to profit off of for tons of different companies while in college.
Runner-up: Jeffery Simmons
Missouri: Drew Lock
The former Tigers quarterback was a four-year starter who blew up in 2017 after leading the SEC in pass attempts and yards while also being No. 1 in FBS in touchdown passes. Lock, who is just one of three Mizzou QBs to see an NFL gridiron since 2010, was known for his backpack celebration that he performed after his 44 touchdowns. He could’ve had numerous deals with backpack companies.
Runner-up: Sophie Cunningham
Ole Miss: A.J. Brown
What’s better than leading the SEC in receiving yards once? How about twice? That’s just what former Ole Miss wide receiver A.J. Brown, who is the Rebels’ all-time receiving leader, did in 2017 and 2018. What also made Brown very marketable besides his accolades was the fact that he was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2016 as an outfielder. Two-sport athletes are a gold mine for third parties.
Runner-up: D.K. Metcalf
Oklahoma: Kyler Murray
And speaking of two-sport athletes, in high school, Murray became the first player to be named Mr. Texas Football twice after winning three consecutive state championships and was also a highly touted baseball star. Murray was eventually picked No. 9 overall in the 2018 MLB Draft. But in that same year, he won the Heisman Trophy and was later selected No. 1 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft!
Runner-up: Baker Mayfield, Jocelyn Alo and Trae Young
South Carolina: A’ja Wilson
Wilson is another athlete who became a known name in high school, as the three-time WNBA MVP was named the National High School Player of the Year in 2014. Her college career was even more illustrious as the three-time SEC Player of the Year won the Wooden Award and Naismith Award in 2018. Simply put, Wilson had way too many accomplishments to not have endorsements.
Runner-up: Aliyah Boston
Tennessee: Grant Williams
The former Tennessee forward ruled the Southeastern Conference during his tenure as he was named the SEC Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019––the first player to win the award in back-to-back years since 1995. Williams was also a consensus First Team All-American in 2019 and his intensity and tenaciousness on both sides of the ball would certainly draw interest from a variety of brands.
Runner-up: Jalin Hyatt
Texas: Mo Bamba
The former Texas center may not be the No. 1 athlete on this list, but his last name might’ve made him the most money. Bamba grew up with rapper Sheck Wes in Harlem, N.Y., and the rapper created a song during Bamba’s freshman year called “Mo Bamba”––a worldwide phenomenon. Who knows how much money Bamba could’ve made from this and the NIL opportunities that would follow it?
Runner-up: Scottie Scheffler
Texas A&M: Myles Garrett
A lot of No. 1 overall ranked high school prospects over the years didn’t exactly pan out while others met the major expectations in the future. The former Texas A&M defensive end was certainly the latter as the four-time NFL First Team-All Pro was the unanimous No. 1 recruit in 2014 and was selected No. 1 in the 2017 NFL Draft. NIL seeks the best and he exceeded expectations at all stages.
Runner-up: De’Von Achane
Vanderbilt: JJ Bleday
Former Vanderbilt outfielder JJ Bleday had quite the 2019 campaign as he was a First Team All-American, the SEC Player of the Year and the SEC Tournament MVP. The No. 4 pick of the 2019 MLB Draft’s 27 home runs were a Vanderbilt single-season record and it also led the country. Being the star player on a College World Series championship-winning team is the golden ticket to NIL deals.
Runner-up: Darius Garland
Official Tally:
After a tremendous regular season for the conference that “just means more,” a record-breaking 13 teams from the SEC were selected to participate In the 2025 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament. This is the second time this year that the Southeastern Conference broke a tournament record as men’s basketball had 14 teams featured in the NCAA Tournament.
Of those 13 baseball teams, eight of them hosted a regional––half of the 16-team and 1-seed field. This historic feat had all eyes on the SEC over the past couple of weeks, which also put a target on the conference’s back.
Simply put, SEC opponents during the regionals round hit a bullseye. Regional hosts Vanderbilt and Texas, the overall No. 1 and No. 2 seeds respectively, were quickly eliminated. It was just the second time ever that the No. 1 and 2 national seeds both failed to make the Super Regionals.
Only four of the 13 SEC teams advanced to the Super Regionals in the best-of-three format last week. Auburn fell to Coastal Carolina in two games, national 3-seed Arkansas defeated SEC foe and defending national champion Tennessee in the same fashion and 6-seed LSU cruised past West Virginia 2-0 as well.
In short, of the 13 SEC teams who made the regionals round, only Arkansas and LSU advanced to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, along with six other teams. The eight Super Regional winners are split into two double-elimination brackets with four teams in each. Here’s a look at the first matchups for each bracket, as the two SEC programs will face off right away.
Following the House v. NCAA Settlement, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua met with United States President Donald Trump on Sunday at his golf course in Bedminster, N.J. to discuss the impacts of the historic court case.
“I’ve always appreciated his interest in college sports,” Sankey said on Monday, per Matt Fortuna on X (formerly known as Twitter). “We’ve hosted him at some of our games. … It was helpful for me and for Pete as well to hear his thought and his perspective and share some of ours. I think those are best left for the moment on the golf course.”
Sankey went on The Paul Finebaum Show on Monday and discussed the meeting.
How did Commissioner Greg Sankey’s golf game with President Trump come together this weekend? And how was the Commissioner’s message about the future of college sports received? pic.twitter.com/nP9I9hRBvU
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) June 9, 2025
Inside the SEC will appear every Wednesday.
College Sports
Pay-for-play frays link between education, athletics at large colleges – Wilkes-Barre Citizens’ Voice
Gavin McKenna is a 17-year-old from Whitehorse, a city about the size of Hazleton in Canada’s Yukon Territory situated so far north, residents would require a 29-hour drive south just to reach Seattle. But as far as teenage hockey players go worldwide, he’s just about the best. Playing junior hockey for the Western Hockey League’s […]
Gavin McKenna is a 17-year-old from Whitehorse, a city about the size of Hazleton in Canada’s Yukon Territory situated so far north, residents would require a 29-hour drive south just to reach Seattle.
But as far as teenage hockey players go worldwide, he’s just about the best. Playing junior hockey for the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers in Alberta — another 29-hour drive from home — the slick-skating forward scored 41 goals and led the WHL with 88 assists in just 56 games last season.
He’s so gifted, nobody in the sport will be surprised if he’s selected No. 1 overall once he’s eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft. Until then, he has one season to cement his draft stock, and there is talk around that industry that McKenna may be leaning toward doing that in the collegiate ranks a whopping 3,700 miles away from home.
At, of all places, Penn State.
Plans change in a heartbeat in the world of college athletics recruiting. But if that does happen, it’s not likely McKenna would venture all this way solely because he heard great things about the Berkey Creamery. It would be because universities like Penn State can now compensate potential stars like him handsomely to be difference-makers in their athletic programs.
A long-awaited settlement with the House of Representatives signed over the weekend will, for the first time, allow athletic departments to pay student-athletes starting July 1. Essentially, the agreement gives schools a $20.5 million salary cap to divvy up amongst their entire crop of athletes.
That number is likely to skyrocket as years pass, too.
Rarely has a settlement bestowed on an entity both necessary change on moral and functional grounds, and such potential for absolute chaos when it comes to implementing its mission.
After all, for top student-athletes who have been cash cows for athletic programs with little to no legal recourse to capitalize on their success for generations, the old system was unfair. After all, what kind of income could the likes of Scranton’s Gerry McNamara pull in during his years at Syracuse in the early 2000s, or Wilkes-Barre’s Raghib Ismail at Notre Dame in the late 1980s, when they were both among the most marketable stars in their sports?
Massive jersey sales and ticket revenue they drove went directly into the schools’ pockets. Now college athletes can get much closer to their true value from a marketing perspective.
At the same time, the stated mission of college-sponsored athletics — to enhance the educational experience and opportunities for student-athletes — does take a hit, as the tie between education and athletics naturally frays.
Sure, a player of McKenna’s ilk can play a year of college hockey, likely for a pretty good salary, and he may be the difference for a hockey program looking to win a championship. But with just one year until he can make millions heading to the professional ranks, the idea he’d possibly leave the school of his choosing with a four-year degree is somewhat delusional.
Sports have always been a big business for colleges, and now they can celebrate that fact. Certainly, the largest payouts out of that salary pool will go to athletes in the sports that make schools the most money: Football and men’s basketball. That’s very likely to take a bite out of opportunities available in Olympic sports like track and field, and there are plenty of questions about whether athletes in the bigger women’s sports will be compensated at most schools.
All sports provide students educational experiences and opportunities, to learn to become leaders, manage their time, become better teammates. But not all of them make money, and it’s not a stretch to assume those programs that don’t will be expendable as schools justify which athletes are most worthy of what really is a business investment.
The educational value of athletics is in opportunities. Not wins or championship trophies. And certainly not the money they bring in that largely funds athletics only, and not the educational experience of the general student population. Penn State shuttering seven commonwealth campuses while its athletic department funds an estimated $700 million renovation of Beaver Stadium is evidence enough of that.
It’s more fair than ever to question whether our nation’s largest universities are educational institutions offering athletics, or big businesses that know it’s more lucrative to be athletic factories.
College Sports
Union women’s hockey announces 2025-26 schedule – Troy Record
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — The Union College women’s ice hockey team announced its 2025-26 schedule on Tuesday afternoon, as the team will begin a new era at the M&T Bank Center with a slate of 33 regular-season matchups against seven non-conference opponents and all 11 members of ECAC Hockey. “The 2025-26 season is going to be […]
SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — The Union College women’s ice hockey team announced its 2025-26 schedule on Tuesday afternoon, as the team will begin a new era at the M&T Bank Center with a slate of 33 regular-season matchups against seven non-conference opponents and all 11 members of ECAC Hockey. “The 2025-26 season is going to be […]
Originally Published:
College Sports
High school basketball: New rules in play for 2025-26 season
We’re still a year away from Colorado adopting a shot clock for high school basketball. The rule kicks in for the 2026-27 season, with a 35-second timer for all classifications. However, some changes are coming ahead of the 2025-26 season also. The National Federation of High Schools adopted new rules and procedures changes for the […]
We’re still a year away from Colorado adopting a shot clock for high school basketball. The rule kicks in for the 2026-27 season, with a 35-second timer for all classifications. However, some changes are coming ahead of the 2025-26 season also.
The National Federation of High Schools adopted new rules and procedures changes for the coming high-school basketball season.
Goaltending/basket interference
A main focus is on dealing with goaltending and basket interference. The goaltending rule says a ball is on its downward arc toward the basket once the shot hits the backboard. If a defender touches the ball after it hits the backboard, it’s two/three points for the shooter’s team.
Before this rule change, it was up to officials to determine whether the ball was still climbing toward the goal before any potential goaltending call.
“By establishing that a ball is considered to be on its downward flight upon contacting the backboard, this rule change introduces a clear and objective standard,” said Monica Maxwell, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the Basketball Rules Committee, in a statement posted to CHSAANow.com. “It significantly reduces the need for officials to make subjective judgments regarding the trajectory of a shot, thereby enhancing consistency and accuracy in goaltending calls.”
The rule regarding basket interference has also changed.
Now, only a defensive player can commit goaltending. The NFHS statement said the rule change disposes of the need to determine whether the ball in flight is a field-goal attempt or a pass.
“Any alliteration of a shot attempt with contact to the basket or backboard by an offensive player would be considered basket interference,” the statement said.
Also, intentionally slapping or striking the backboard during a field-goal try becomes basket interference and not a technical foul.
Also, incidents in which players who intentionally delay returning to the court after being out of bounds and then become the first to touch the ball will result in an infraction and not a technical foul.
Bench rules
The NFHS also changed a rule related to time-outs.
Players on the floor when officials call for a timeout are now “bench personnel.” The NFHS statement said the switch “ensures consistent enforcement of penalties for unsporting conduct by allowing officials to issue technical fouls to bench personnel during time-outs.”
Before the change, game officials had to determine whether a player who warranted a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct was actually on the floor or the bench at the time.
“One of the points of emphasis this year will be bench decorum,” said Billy Strickland, executive director of the Alaska School Activities Association and chair of the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee, in the NFHS statement. “How can we help coaches and officials know that communication is a two-way street? It just needs to be done in a proper manner.”
Keep up with all rule changes and sports at CHSAANow.com.
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College Sports
Fisk University to End Gymnastics Program
Fisk University to End Gymnastics Program originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Fisk University announced it would be discontinuing its gymnastics program at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 school year. Their final season will be in Spring 2026. Advertisement The University made the decision due to their gymnastics program competing outside of their conference in the […]
Fisk University to End Gymnastics Program originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Fisk University announced it would be discontinuing its gymnastics program at the conclusion of the 2025-2026 school year. Their final season will be in Spring 2026.
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The University made the decision due to their gymnastics program competing outside of their conference in the HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC). This makes it hard for the school to keep up with the program. Challenges with scheduling opponents and recruiting also occurred.
After only three seasons, Fisk University still managed to acquire a national champion in Morgan Price. She won the honor in 2024 and was able to defend her title this year to become the first ever HBCU gymnast to win consecutive championships.
With the help of Price, Fisk gymnastics has made a name for itself and she helped put the program on the map. The champion not only made history as the first HBCU gymnast to win a title, but she also scored a perfect 10 on the uneven bars.
Related: Fans in Disbelief over EA Sports’ decision on HBCU’s in College Football 26
This year, she also dominated once again to reclaim her national title. She had a score of 9.90 on the beam, 9.825 on the floor, and 39.950 for her final total. Athletic director, Valencia Jordan, said that she wishes all the athletes the best and that she was proud of how far the program has progressed in such a short amount of time.
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Related: NCAA Sends Clear Message About Athlete Pay and Roster Limits
This past season, Fisk won most of its competitions, facing off against schools like Rutgers and Wilberforce University. A short-lived yet successful for Fisk University Gymnastics could potentially put HBCU gymnastics on the grid.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
College Sports
Knights add Corey Leivermann to Men’s Hockey Staff
Story Links FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Corey Leivermann Joins Clarkson Men’s Hockey Staff Potsdam, NY — Clarkson University Men’s Hockey is proud to announce the addition of Corey Leivermann to its coaching staff ahead of the 2025–26 season. Leivermann will serve as an Assistant Coach on Head Coach JF Houle’s staff. Leivermann […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Corey Leivermann Joins Clarkson Men’s Hockey Staff
Potsdam, NY — Clarkson University Men’s Hockey is proud to announce the addition of Corey Leivermann to its coaching staff ahead of the 2025–26 season. Leivermann will serve as an Assistant Coach on Head Coach JF Houle’s staff. Leivermann is bringing with him a wealth of experience across the NCAA, USHL, and NAHL ranks.
A native of North Mankato, Minnesota, Leivermann joins the Golden Knights after spending last season in the ECAC with the Cornell Big Red. Leivermann helped the Big Red to a big playoff run which included an ECAC Championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
“Corey is a great fit for our outstanding coaching staff, he is a young energetic coach with an exceptional ability to recruit NCAA Talent.” said Coach Houle. Houle went on to say “Corey excels in skill development and his knowledge of the game and his ability to communicate and use video analytics to help the new generation of players is a great asset to our storied program. As the landscape of college hockey is changing at a rapid pace, Corey’s past year experience of recruiting at the CHL and USHL level ensures a seamless transition.”
Leivermann made the move to the College Rank following a record-setting season as Associate Head Coach of the Fargo Force (USHL). In 2023–24, he helped guide the Force to a league-best 50-win campaign and a Clark Cup championship, while also coaching in the 2024 Chipotle All-American Game, a showcase for the nation’s top NHL Draft-eligible talent.
Leivermann’s coaching pedigree includes prior stints as GM and Head Coach of the Madison Capitols (USHL), Head Coach of the Janesville Jets (NAHL), and scouting and coaching roles across multiple junior leagues. Known for his keen eye for talent and player development, Leivermann has played a pivotal role in moving dozens of players on to NCAA Division I programs and the professional ranks.
As a player, Leivermann starred at Minnesota State before finishing his NCAA career as team captain at Gustavus Adolphus College, where he earned AHCA Second Team All-American honors. He also competed professionally with the Mississippi RiverKings (SPHL).
Leivermann holds a BS degree in Management from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN. Corey and his wife Tanya have ties to the Potsdam area and are familiar with the North Country and they are eager to make Potsdam their home.
Leivermann will be involved in all aspects of the program, including player development, video analysis, recruiting coordination, and day-to-day operations.
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