Dear UConn Nation,

In June 2020, a lawsuit was filed by a former college swimmer named Grant House, seeking damages for student-athletes who were unable to earn money from their name, image and likeness (NIL). This lawsuit and other similar cases were ultimately consolidated into what has been popularly referred to as the House vs. NCAA settlement. Now, five years later, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken has just granted final approval of the historic settlement, which will reshape college athletics through the introduction of revenue sharing with student-athletes starting on July 1. 

As you know from my prior communications, all of us at UConn have been closely monitoring the legal proceedings and making plans for this eventuality. Revenue sharing represents a necessary and significant financial investment and, as such, we have been meeting regularly to explore new and enhanced revenue streams in order to identify funding sources. From bolstering ticket sales to securing additional corporate sponsorships to elevating media rights, we have been analyzing every opportunity to enhance departmental income, while minimizing or postponing expenditures that don’t carry an associated return. We are also studying possible naming rights initiatives, more robust concession areas at our facilities, and merchandising/apparel sales expansion in the market. Maximizing revenues in the new world order will be a paramount priority. 

The other critical element in our revenue generation efforts, which I have shared with our loyal supporters through my emails, in person at games and through regular conversations, is private fundraising. The House settlement permits athletic departments to share up to $20.5 million annually with their student-athletes. This year, we intend to share $18 million, with the near-term goal of being fully funded. It is only with the support of our loyal fans that we will be able to thrive in this evolving landscape, as success in revenue sharing directly translates to success on the fields of competition. 

As I have conveyed previously, we need to double our overall donor participation in terms of Husky Athletic Fund members and contributions, in order to continue competing at the highest level. If we cherish the joy that is derived from conference, regional and national championships, along with bowl wins, we need to lock arms and travel this road together. The college athletics game has changed, but our focus on greatness doesn’t have to.

For those who already give so generously, we appreciate you more than you know. Please join us in recruiting more fans who understand the urgency and will make a gift to the Fight On Fund. With your help, we will grow our base of support, produce more winners, and share the ongoing pride in our achievements. 

Thank you for your dedication to UConn Athletics and our student-athletes. Go Huskies!

Sincerely,

David Benedict

Director of Athletics

June 9, 2025

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Leaves Penn State After 13 Years

CHN Staff Report

ST. CHARLES, Mo. — Lindenwood officially named Keith Fisher its new head coach today. It comes one week after previous coach Bill Muckalt left to take the job at Michigan Tech.

Lindenwood is going into its fourth season as a Division I NCAA program. Its first two years were led by Rick Zombo, and Muckalt was at the helm for one.

Fisher comes to Lindenwood after a lengthy stint as assistant coach at Penn State, which made its first Frozen Four this past season.

“It is an exciting time to be a Lion, and I look forward to building the program into a national contender.  I can’t wait to get started,” Fisher said.

Overall, Fisher has over 25 years of coaching experience between collegiate and junior hockey.

“From the outset of our search, it was essential to find a leader who could elevate our program to the next level,” Lindenwood athletic director Jason Coomer said. “Coach Fisher has been immersed in winning cultures throughout his career and has consistently helped young men grow and compete at the highest levels of the game.”

During his time at Penn State, the Nittany Lions made four NCAA Tournaments (2017, 2018, 2023 and 2025) and won a pair of Big Ten postseason championships (2017, 2020).

“While Coach Fisher’s recent run to the Frozen Four speaks volumes, it’s his overall body of work that truly sets him apart,” Coomer said. “He is widely respected across the college hockey landscape, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him behind the bench, guiding and developing our young men.”

Fisher was named the 2020 Terry Flannagan Award winner, honoring the nation’s top assistant and their career body of work. In total, Fisher has coached three Big Ten Player of the Year winners with two coming on the defensive side, 12 All-Conference performers, a pair of All-Americans, and three NHL players while at Penn State.

Fisher spent 2005-11 on the staff at Princeton. With the Tigers, he helped lead the team to a pair of NCAA Tournament berths (2008, 2009) and the 2008 ECAC and Ivy League Championships. When Princeton head coach Guy Gadowsky accepted the job at Penn State, Fisher came along with him,

“Today Lindenwood hired an excellent coach and an even better person,” Gadowsky said. “Coach Fisher has been a great friend and a huge part of the success of the hockey programs at Penn State and Princeton.  Penn State Hockey, and me personally, will really miss Fish but we all look forward to seeing him build the Lindenwood hockey program with great integrity — just like him.”

Fisher spent five years with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers’ coaching staff, helping the team to the Clark Cup championship in 2001. His team also was crowned the Anderson Cup regular-season champions in both 2002 and 2005.

In Omaha, he served as the team’s recruiting coordinator and academic advisor, in addition to other responsibilities of on-ice coaching, video breakdown and game analysis.

Fisher began his career at St. Cloud State, serving as an undergraduate assistant coach for two seasons.

A graduate of St. Cloud State, Fisher has a bachelor’s degree in communications. Prior to coaching, Fisher played two seasons at Hibbing Community College and participated in the NJCAA National Tournament.

 

It was a rookie year to remember for Lily Pederson and Elle Mueller on the University of Oklahoma women’s gymnastics team. The freshmen helped lead the Sooners to their seventh NCAA title back in April. 

“I knew it could be achievable, but I didn’t know freshman year, right out of the gate,” Mueller said.

“Being able to have two people from the same state, and two friends being able to go to the same college, and accomplish both of our dreams and goals, it’s amazing,” Pederson said.

Pederson grew up competing for Flips Gymnastics in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, and Mueller at Twin City Twisters in Champlin, Minnesota. The two often competed against each other as kids.

“So literally we’ve known each other since we were so young, to now we’re teammates at OU, so now it’s so cool that both of us from Minnesota are now at the number one college,” Pederson said.

Now, these northerners are creating names for themselves in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). 

“Yeah, we’re really proud. I mean, we get made fun of for our accents sometimes, but it’s fine, it’s totally fine,” Pederson said, laughing.

It was a rare experience for two freshmen to contribute in big ways at the Division I NCAA Nationals. Mueller competed on the floor, earning a 9.90, and again on the vault, earning a 9.98 for the Sooners.

“I wasn’t competing for myself anymore, I was competing for my team because we all wanted to win that national championship,” Mueller said.

Pederson competed on the beam, vault and bars at nationals. She rebounded from a fall on the beam in the semifinals in a huge way, earning a 9.9375 after nailing her dismount when it mattered most.

“On day two, I completed the best beam routine I’ve had in my life. I had the best score I’ve ever had,” Pederson said. “It was such an amazing feeling, and knowing everyone believed in me and was confident in me, like the celebration after, it was a feeling like no other. I was feeling all the emotions and it’s a feeling I’ll never forget.”

No matter how big the wins are now and in the future, these gymnasts are always thankful for where the love of this sport started.

“[It] keeps me humble and keeps me to myself and reminds me of how far I’ve come,” Mueller said.

The Sooners had a nearly undefeated season and won the SEC for the first time in this conference.

Reports of SEC commissioner Greg Sankey playing golf with President Donald Trump emerged on Sunday, only to be confirmed on Monday. Sankey has openly discussed his outing with President Trump, a big meeting between the leader of the country and one of the more influential people in college athletics.

While the details of Trump and Sankey’s conversation are of interest, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum wanted to know about the outing himself. Sankey did have his golf game on display recently in Birmingham alongside other SEC coaches. Not your typical day on the course, there were trends Sankey noticed quite quickly.

“I slept restlessly because your mind conjures up all kinds of things,” Sankey said Monday via The Paul Finebaum Show. “Being on the driving range first, adjacent to the President, wanting to make sure I made solid contact repeatedly, given the importance of first impressions. And then, there are an enormous number of people around, obviously for security and communication purposes. So the first lesson was — always stay approximal to the President. Otherwise, you’re behind a whole lot of golf carts and you may not be able to move very quickly.”

President Trump is known for his love of golf, still playing throughout his time in the White House. Sankey revealed Trump did play well on Sunday, highlighting one moment where both of them had looks at birdie. One rolled the putt in while the other did not have such luck.

“I don’t know if Secret Service calls if I give away the wrong thing but I think it’s fine to say I high-fived the President, I fist bumped the President after good shots,” Trump said. “Others in our group did as well. He played well. There was a point where he had a birdie putt, I had a birdie putt. He made his and I made sure to miss mine. That seemed like the wisest thing to do. I think mine was more of a skill deficit.”

Overall, Sankey came away impressed with how interested President Trump is in sports. Multiple SEC games have hosted him throughout the years, as have neutral-site College Football Playoff venues. Questions were asked and perspectives were shared on issues surrounding college athletics, making for an overall successful day on the course.

“Very conversational, very interested in sports,” Sankey said. “Had been to a UFC event the night before. So, talked through some of the folks he met there. Talked about college sports directly and sharing perspective and asking questions.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Fisk University will discontinue its gymnastics program, the first in HBCU history, in May 2026.

Fisk Athletics competes in the HBCUAC.

Currently, gymnastics is not an HBCUAC-sanctioned sport, which the school says causes considerable challenges for the university to schedule competitions and build a robust recruiting pipeline.

Fisk Gymnastics’ final season of competition will be Spring 2026.

“While we are tremendously proud of the history our gymnastics team has made in just three years, we look forward to focusing on our conference-affiliated teams to strengthen our impact in the HBCU Athletic Conference,” said Valencia Jordan, Director of Fisk Athletics. “Fisk is grateful for the hard work, dedication and tenacity of its gymnasts, staff members, and coaches who made this program possible.”

Fisk first announced the program in 2022. Their prize recruit, Morgan Price, who decommitted from Arkansas to come to Nashville, became the first HBCU gymnast to win a national championship.

Price announced last month that she was transferring to the University of Arkansas for her final season.

Fisk’s decision to end the program comes about a year after Talladega College — the first HBCU to announce a gymnastics team — ended its own after just one season.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University Department of Athletics and Learfield’s Ohio State Sports Properties have announced the formation of Buckeye Sports Group (BSG), a groundbreaking initiative designed to support, streamline and enhance Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities for Ohio State student-athletes. By creating a dedicated team of NIL leaders, this strategic partnership will empower Buckeye student-athletes to maximize their brand value while competing at the highest level.
 
Ohio State and Learfield Impact, the company’s industry-leading NIL services, are fueled by dedicated on-campus leadership professionals that prioritize Buckeye student-athlete brand engagement and content driven campaigns. Additionally, BSG will have access to Learfield’s Compass NIL technology to facilitate deal transactions and gain insights into student-athlete interests that foster authentic brand connections. 
 
“Ohio State has always been a leader in college athletics, and this initiative is another step forward to build upon our strong NIL foundation,” said Carey Hoyt, Ohio State’s Deputy Director of Athletics. “By combining the power of our athletic brand with Learfield’s expansive network, we are creating an innovative, full-service approach to NIL that directly benefits our student-athletes.”
 
The House v. NCAA settlement marks a pivotal shift in college athletics. As part of the agreement, signed and approved Friday and that will take effect July 1, schools will now be permitted to directly compensate athletes for use of their Name, Image and Likeness. A key component of the settlement is the implementation of a Fair Market Evaluation process, and a “range of compensation” designed to establish standardized benchmarks for NIL deals across sports and institutions. Buckeye Sports Group will serve as a centralized hub for NIL brand deal facilitation, corporate partnerships, student-athlete storytelling and NIL support. 
 
A Comprehensive NIL Strategy
The Buckeye Sports Group will support Ohio State’s student-athletes with comprehensive efforts within three key areas: deal facilitation and management, content creation and storytelling, and support services. 
 

§  NIL Deal Facilitation & Management
o   Negotiating and securing brand partnerships locally, regionally, and nationally for student-athletes.
o   Overseeing contract preparation and fair market value assessments.
o   Utilizing analytics to track NIL performance and return on investment.
 

• Content Creation & Student-Athlete Storytelling, powered by Learfield Studios

  • Creating athlete-driven digital content, including social media campaigns, video series and podcasts.
  • Leveraging Learfield’s Fanbase data and digital expertise to optimize distribution across social media and digital channels.
  • Providing marketing resources for brand collaborations to maximize results, including the use of Ohio State marks, logos and access to campus facilities. 

 

§  Athlete Support & Services
o   Providing financial literacy and tax support through partnerships with industry experts.
o   Offering branding and social media growth training to help athletes build their personal brands.
o   Connecting student-athletes with brand partners to provide business experience, micro-internships and build professional networking relationships with companies.
 
A Unified Approach to NIL
In a move to streamline and optimize NIL operations, Buckeye Sports Group will also work to consolidate existing NIL collectives under a single marketing team. This unified structure will provide student-athletes with seamless access to opportunities while competing for the Buckeyes. The founding members of THE Foundation and The 1870 Society will remain engaged and serve in an advisory capacity to the new Buckeye Sports Group. Additionally, re-occurring donations and subscriptions made to The Foundation will continue to play a vital role in supporting Ohio State Athletics. 
 
“We’re incredibly thankful for everything our NIL collective’s leadership, businesses and donors have done to support our student-athletes,” Ross Bjork, Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation-Eugene Smith Endowed Athletics Director, said. “Their commitment has helped shape the landscape in powerful ways. As we move forward with a more unified approach, we’re excited to combine efforts and further strengthen the NIL success of our student-athletes.”
 
Impact & Vision
Through this partnership, Ohio State Athletics and Learfield are setting a new standard for NIL excellence. The initiative aims to:
 

• Maximize student-athlete earning potential;
• Strengthen Ohio State’s brand value through strategic partnerships; and
• Create a sustainable, best-in-class NIL ecosystem that benefits athletes, brands, and the university.

 
“As we enter a new era for college athletics, we’re excited to build on our past successes and create even more meaningful NIL opportunities for Ohio State student-athletes,” said Todd Knisley, Vice President & General Manager of Learfield’s Ohio State Sports Properties. “Buckeyes have excelled both on and off the field, and we’re committed to amplifying that momentum. We also recognize the unique potential of our footprint in Columbus, one of the fastest-growing metro markets, for impactful deal-making. With the strength of Buckeye Nation behind us, we’re able to unlock incremental opportunities for partnerships on a local, regional, and national scale.”
 
BSG will fuel Ohio State’s NIL dealmaking success and build upon the momentum of over 500 NIL brand partnerships featuring Buckeye student-athletes across all 36 sports. Buckeye student-athletes have already collaborated with prominent brand partners such as Beats by Dre, Chipotle, RiteRug, Weber Grills, Element Electronics and more.
 
“We are committed to making Ohio State the premier destination for NIL success,” Hoyt added. “With Buckeye Sports Group, we’re building a model that will serve as the new standard for college athletics.”
 
#GoBucks