NORTHFIELD, Minn. – Carleton College golfers Justin Rodriguez and Gordon Walker were named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Men’s At-Large Team for 2024-25. This is Walker’s second Academic All-District award, while this is the first time that Rodriguez was tabbed for the honor.
 
CSC’s Academic All-District and Academic All-America program annually honors student-athletes who have succeeded at the highest level in competition and in the classroom. The 10 eligible sports for men’s at-large consideration include: fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, volleyball, water polo, and wrestling.
 
To be nominated for the Academic All-District Team, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50 on a scale of 4.00; must be at least a sophomore in academic and athletic standing; and must meet sport-specific benchmarks regarding athletic participation. For golf, student-athletes must have competed in at least 70 percent of the team’s total varsity events that were team scoring events or be in the lineup at the conference championship.
 
Rodriguez, a philosophy major, and Walker, an economics major, both played in all 10 events for the Knights, including a team victory at a 2024 MIAC Championships and the program’s debut at the NCAA Championships in May.
 
Rodriguez finished the season with a 75.0 stroke average, was voted to the All-MIAC team, and tied for 79th at Nationals. He posted a trio of top-10 finishes and was the medalist at both the the Dual at Emerald and the Twin Cities Classic. Meanwhile, Walker posted a 75.8 scoring average and had two top-10 results. He concluded the season by tying for 14th place at the NCAA Championships.

I was recently back in Happy Valley for a few days to do a little work at our family townhouse and to facilitate a two-day Pragmatic Passion training program for Dallastown Area School District’s Leadership Team at the newly renovated Nittany Lion Inn. While in town, I had the pleasure of getting to see an amazing group of athletes who participate for the pure joy of it.  My last column focused on the lasting impact of a coach, so the timing couldn’t have been better.

You see, the amazing group of athletes I’m talking about were participating in the 55th annual Special Olympics Pennsylvania Summer Games that took place at Penn State from June 5-7. It is Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s largest statewide competition showcasing almost 3,000 athletes and coaches along with a truly dedicated corps of volunteers. The opening ceremonies at Medlar Field are all smiles, and besides the basketball that I was there to watch, there are five other sports including aquatics, athletics, equestrian, tennis and gymnastics.

While I was in town, I reached out to long-time friend and youth baseball coach Jeff Shoemaker. After we exchanged pleasantries, he just happened to mention that his brother-in-law, Matt Porter, would be competing in the Special Olympics over the next few days. I have known the Porter family for over 40 years and when Jeff suggested that I come up to the IM Building on campus to surprise Matt, I said I would make time to see my old friend.

When I arrived on campus, Matt’s team was having a pregame meeting in one of the old racquetball courts inside the IM Building while waiting for their next game. The same racquetball courts, by the way, where my wife, Heidi, and I played when we were dating. I strategically positioned myself just inside the doors to surprise Matt.  When he saw me, his eyes lit up and he raced over to give me the “Matt Porter Bear Hug.” If you’ve ever experienced it, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Pure, unabashed joy that he always wants to share with others. 

Just before the game started, in walked Dave and Joyce Porter, Matt’s parents, along with daughter Payton and their oldest son Andy, who I gave hockey lessons to at the old Greenberg Ice Pavilion many years ago. Andy had his kids with him, and it was so much fun watching his youngest climb all over him as they cheered on Uncle Matt. I turned to see two additional old friends in attendance, Penn State kinesiology professor Mike Morse and his son Willie. It was a blessing for me to be there to see old friends and witness the display of sportsmanship and unbridled joy from the athletes on the court.

As the game started, I found myself in amazement at the teamwork, the hustle, the smiles and the joy that the Olympians displayed. The game was a see-saw battle and Matt, according to Jeff, was already having one of his best offensive games ever. As the game wound down Matt’s best friend Chris Marshall grabbed a rebound and fired a court-long pass to Matt who not only caught the long bomb but banked it in for what would eventually be the winning basket. The score was inconsequential. The genuine joy and outpouring of happiness were something you wish you could bottle up and everyone could enjoy over and over again in their lives.

After the game the Matt Porter bear hugs were plentiful and there were even a few “Matt Porter Flying Bear Hugs” as he leaped into the arms of Willie Morse and later shared an even bigger one with brother-in-law Jeff Shoemaker with tears of joy streaming down his face. Matt’s team would play in the gold medal game a little later that day. 

Matt and his teammates went on to win the gold medal in the 5v5 basketball competition finishing 6-0, including the preliminary round. The team practices most of the year and does a lot of activities outside of basketball. Matt has become best friends with Chris Marshall through basketball, and they hang out all of the time. Matt is a huge Cincinnati Bengals fan while Chris loves the Pittsburgh Steelers, but they watch football games, Penguins hockey, Penn State hockey and PSU football together. They also go to church together every Sunday.

My hats off to the coaches for the Centre County team, Martin Wildy and Geoff Caber, for the great job they do making it fun for the athletes. Long-time volunteers Richie, Pamela and India Velasquez work for the team and Pamela actually works as the chief people officer and executive VP of Special Olympics Pennsylvania. These are good people who deserve our thanks for the time that they give to make these games a success and to give these athletes a forum to display their skills and abilities through sport.

Matt’s Centre County teammates include best friend Chris Marshall, Sarah Pelchar, Cierra Lesser, Liam Loop, Joey Schafer, Caitlin Baran, Stephanie Marshall, Jeff Grenell, Caylee Wert and John Hardy, who ran varsity track at State High and is a dynamo at both ends of the court.  John also plays in the Centre Parks Rec League on a soccer team with Payton and Andy Porter!

When Matt’s not busy playing or watching sports, he works at Weis Market on Westerly Parkway and also for his sister, Heidi Handler, at her horse farm. He drives around on the side- by-side and helps take care of the horses, and he loves to ride them.

Matt’s brother-in-law, as I noted, is my long-time friend Jeff Shoemaker, who I affectionately call Coach Jeff, as he has coached our son Ryan and Ryan’s best friends in baseball since they first started playing in State College. A sales manager for Citizens Bank Mortgage by day, Coach Jeff has always been an athlete-centered coach himself and is one of Matt’s biggest supporters. I asked Jeff what Matt was feeling after the gold medal victory and if he would interview Matt for me.  

Matt said, “My team played really well this year. I hope all of the teams had a lot of fun. My best friend is Chris, and we play on the same team and room together every year.  Everyone has so much fun!” Ah yes, for the pure joy of it!

Jeff enthusiastically added, “It has been great to see this team compete over the last couple of years. I’ve had a great opportunity to get to know them through the special Olympics and Night to Shine. I think all of us could learn just a little bit on how these athletes approach life, it is so positive and so inspiring.”

Jeff’s wife, Katie Shoemaker, who taught my youngest son Ryan in kindergarten at Corl Street Elementary, is Matt Porter’s sister. She said, “My brother, Matt, brings so much light and joy into our family. His positive attitude and genuine love for life are truly contagious. He reminds all of us that every day to appreciate the little things and to approach life with kindness and laughter. I’m so grateful to have him in my life. He’s taught me more about love, resilience and happiness than anyone else ever could.”

Coach Martin Wildy said, “These are wonderful athletes. They don’t age out, so the athletes help each other, and with a mix of experienced players that are better, they selflessly hand off the ball to less experienced players so they can score baskets.” He added, “We’ve won gold a couple times. But win or lose we always celebrate goals with each other. There are lots of hugs between other teams. Players hustle, compete at the highest level of their abilities and get to showcase their skills and abilities.”

There are so many lessons in sport and life to be learned from these Olympians. No NIL or Transfer Portal challenges here. Just pure joy.

GREENWOOD, Ind. – Twelve members of the St. Olaf College women’s Nordic skiing, women’s hockey, men’s golf, and men’s hockey teams were named to the 2025 Academic All-District ® Men’s and Women’s At-Large Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, as announced on Tuesday.

Rising junior Amae Kam-Magruder and recent graduate Lily Hubanks ’25 from women’s Nordic skiing as well as rising senior Solvei Berg-Messerole and recent graduates Grace Lankas ’25, Iona Welsch ’25, and Rachel Wieland ’25 from women’s hockey were St. Olaf’s honorees on the women’s list. Rising senior Isaac Schmidt and recent graduate Josh Sansom ’25 from men’s golf as well as recent graduates Connor Kalthoff ’25, Ben Luscko ’25, Matthew Pointer ’25, and Jonathan Young ’25 from men’s hockey represented St. Olaf on the men’s list.

The Academic All-District ® Teams recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined athletic and academic performances. The men’s and women’s at-large categories are made up of numerous sports, including the St. Olaf-sponsored sports of men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s ice hockey, and men’s and women’s alpine and Nordic skiing.

In order to earn the accolade, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically and must hold a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.50, while also meeting sport-specific athletic criteria. For ice hockey, student-athletes must have competed in 90 percent of their institution’s games or started in at least 66 percent of those contests. For golf, student-athletes must be in the lineup for 70 percent of their institution’s team scoring events or be in the lineup at the conference championship tournament. For skiing, eligible nominees must compete in four carnivals of compete in the NCAA Championships.

Hubanks, Kalthoff, Lankas, and Young all earned their maximum third consecutive Academic All-District ® accolade, while Berg-Messerole, Pointer, and Schmidt were honored for the second time. Kam-Magruder, Luscko, Sansom, Welsch, and Wieland were all first-time honorees.

Berg-Messerole, Hubanks, Kalthoff, and Kam-Magruder will represent St. Olaf on the Academic All-America ® ballots. First-, second-, and third-team Academic All-America ® honorees will be announced on July 8 (women) and July 9 (men).

 

The advent of name, image, and likeness (NIL) has significantly altered the college sports landscape. High-profile college athletes will often consider projected NIL figures before they commit to or transfer to another school.

South Carolina football star LaNorris Sellers received tempting offers designed to entice him to enter the transfer portal. “He was offered all kinds of crazy numbers,” Sellers’ father, Norris, told The Athletic.

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South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) scrambles against the Missouri Tigers in the second half at Williams-Brice Stadium on Nov 16, 2024 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Jeff Blake/Imagn Images)

The South Carolina quarterback ultimately turned down the offers in favor of remaining with the Gamecocks, according to his father. At least one of the lucrative proposals “he heard was for $8 million for two years,” Sellers’ father said. 

FEDERAL JUDGE APPROVES $2.8B SETTLEMENT ALLOWING SCHOOLS TO DIRECTLY PAY COLLEGE ATHLETES

He also suggested that his son never intended to play college football to simply “make money” and that another university “offering more” wasn’t enough to motivate the quarterback to transfer.

South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) before the play call against the Illinois Fighting Illini in the fourth quarter at Camping World Stadium on Dec 31, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Jeremy Reper/Imagn Images)

“I told him he could say, ‘I’m gonna stay or I’m gonna go.’ [But] my two cents: It was to get into college on a scholarship, play ball, get our degree, and go on about our business,” Norris Sellers said. “This NIL deal came later. We didn’t come here to make money. We came here to get our education, play ball, and with schools calling, we’re not gonna jump ship because they’re offering more than what we’re getting. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) runs for a touchdown against Louisiana State University during the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina on Sept. 14, 2024. (Ken Ruinard/USA Today via Imagn Images)

Sellers, who will be classified as a redshirt sophomore this fall, finished the 2024 season with 2,534 passing yards and 18 touchdowns. He will be eligible for the NFL draft after the 2025 college season. 

Sellers and South Carolina are slated to open the regular season on Aug. 31 against Virginia Tech in Atlanta.

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College athletes started receiving compensation for their names, images, and likenesses in 2021. At the time, many athletic boosters formed groups called collectives. The collective effectively tapped NIL funds as de facto salaries for their respective teams. Prominent players have received millions of dollars from collectives.

However, a federal judge’s recent decision on a $2.8 billion settlement paved the way for college and university athletic departments to cut checks directly to athletes. Judge Claudia Wilken approved the multi-billion The House v. NCAA settlement. Wilken’s ruling came just weeks before July 1, the date many schools planned to begin issuing payments directly to athletes.

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Victoria Diaz and Isabella SIlva. {MSD Softball}

Marjory Stoneman Douglas has had incredible talent come through the program over the years, and has two freshmen and sophomores compete at the college level this year.

Victoria Diaz debuted with Manhattan College after being named to the All-County Broward First Team in high school. She earned her first win and finished her first year with a win against Saint Peter’s on April 11, but she did not allow an earned run. She previously had one save this year, pitching in 22 games and making seven starts.

Diaz had three plate appearances as well this year after hitting .362 with MSD. She drove in 59 RBIs and went on to play for a college team that won 10 games this past season.

Isabella Silva was also a 2024 graduate of MSD and played in 41 games for Florida National University. Silva has 17 runs and 29 hits, along with eight RBIS, helping FNU make it to the Championship Series at the USCAA Nationals.

Silva finished the year hitting .293, after hitting .324 in high school. She batted .360 as a senior and hit a home run during her sophomore, junior, and senior seasons.

Jesyne Espinal completed her second season with Middle Tennessee University. After tossing 10.2 innings as a freshman, Espinal won her first collegiate game this past season, tossing a complete game against Ball State University.

Espinal also added a save and pitched in five games, along with two starts. She was also selected to the CUSA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and CUSA Commissioner’s Academic Medal List in her first two years of college/

Espinal was a two-time State Champion at Coral Springs Charter with coach Mark Montimurro and wrapped up her high school career at MSD. She went 10-2 as a senior, pitching to a 1.24 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 101.2 innings.

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Matt Rothman

Matt Rothman is a 2018 graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University receiving his bachelor’s degree in journalism and then graduated from the University of Florida as a graduate student. He also works for the Mohave Valley Daily News in Bullhead City, Arizona covering high school sports.

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KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The Western Michigan hockey team had six players earn College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors, which was announced this afternoon. Cole Crusberg-Roseen, Brian Kramer, Samuel Sjolund, Grant Slukynsky, Garrett Szydlowski and Tim Washe were on the list. 

Washe advanced to the All-American ballot after spearheading the team to its first ever National Championship. He served as the team’s captain and finished the year with 38 points on 16 goals and 22 assists. Washe was named the NCAA National Player of the Month in April. He holds a 3.75 GPA in Business Administration. 

Crusberg-Roseen adds to his prestigious academic trophy case, as he carries a 3.97 GPA in Pre-Business Law. He is also a two-time NCHC Distinguished Scholar Athlete and a two-time AHCA All-American Scholar. He finished the 2024-25 season with 12 points on three goals and nine assists from the blue line. 

Kramer had a sensational year for the Broncos after transferring from AIC. He finished the year with a 3.75 GPA in Business Administration, while producing 17 points on two goals and 15 assists on the ice. He scored the team’s first ever goal in the Frozen Four. 

Sjolund was the team’s Most Valuable Defenseman this season, scoring 29 points on four goals and 25 assists. Along with that, he was named to the Fargo Region All-Tournament Team and GLI All-Tournament Team. He boasts a 3.64 GPA in Psycology. 

Slukynsky made a major impact in his first season as a Bronco, carrying a 3.89 GPA in Finance. He transferred from Northern Michigan and posted 36 points on 10 goals and 26 assists. He led the team in assists and was one of seven players to tally 10 or more goals. 

Szydlowski was also tremendous in the classroom, as he holds a 3.75 GPA in Pre-Advertising and Promotion. He played 39 games for the Brown and Gold, tallying 10 points on three goals and seven assists. He is a two-time NCHC Distinguished Scholar Athlete.