NIL

Five Eagles Named Academic All-District

Story Links Rock Hill, S.C. – Five members of the Winthrop softball team were named to the 2025 Academic All-District Team on Tuesday as selected by the College Sports Communicators. Seniors Megan Powell and Emma Jackson along with junior Grayson Buckner and sophomores Peyton Bryden and Emmy Cardenas were all […]

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1 month ago

May 28, 2025

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Rock Hill, S.C. – Five members of the Winthrop softball team were named to the 2025 Academic All-District Team on Tuesday as selected by the College Sports Communicators.

Seniors Megan Powell and Emma Jackson along with junior Grayson Buckner and sophomores Peyton Bryden and Emmy Cardenas were all selected to the all-district team.

The 2025 Academic All-District® Softball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the diamond and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

Powell graduated this past spring after earning a degree in exercise science. This past season she was voted the Big South Conference Player of the Year and was an All-Conference First Team selection. In 2024 she was also a first team selection and was voted the Big South Newcomer of the Year. Powell finished with a 16-12 record in the circle while sporting a 2.15 ERA with 16 complete games, five shutouts and 122 strikeouts. At the plate she led the team with a .333 average and had 22 runs, seven doubles, 10 home runs, 22 walks and 35 RBI. In 2021-22 Powell was named an NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete in 2022 and 2024.

Jackson graduated this past spring after earning a degree in biology. This past season she started all 53 games in center field and batted .265 with 40 runs, six doubles, eight home runs, 29 walks and 23 RBI. She was also 8-for-8 on the bases. Jackson is a three-time NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete. On March 11 she was named the Big South Player of the Week.

Buckner graduated this past spring with a degree in elementary education. Buckner is also a two-time NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete. At Lees-McRae she was voted the Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year and was a Second Team All-Conference selection. This past season she batted .226 with 16 runs, 11 doubles, four home runs and 19 RBI while starting all 53 games.

Bryden is working toward a degree in business. This past season she started 52 of the 53 games she played and was second on the team with a .302 average. She also had 27 runs, 10 doubles, five home runs and 20 RBI. Bryden is a 2024 NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete.

Cardenas is working toward a degree in biology and is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. This past season she missed a few weeks with injury but Cardenas did make 19 appearances in the circle with a 2-4 record and tossed 37.1 innings. She did have 16 plate appearances and had a game-tying home run (first of her collegiate career) at Radford in the top of the seventh with two outs. Cardenas is a 2024 NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete.

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For everything Winthrop softball visit www.winthropeagles.com or follow us on social media @Winthropsoftbal, winthropsoftball (Instagram) or www.facebook.com/Winthrop-Softball

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NIL

Powell Cracks Mid-Major Top 100 Player Rankings

Story Links Rock Hill, S.C. – D1 Softball announced its 2025 Mid-Major D100 Player Rankings and Winthrop standout Megan Powell was ranked 97th. Powell adds more recognition to a season that saw her voted as the 2025 Big South Conference Player of the Year. Powell was also an All-Big […]

Published

1 minute ago

July 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Rock Hill, S.C. – D1 Softball announced its 2025 Mid-Major D100 Player Rankings and Winthrop standout Megan Powell was ranked 97^th.

Powell adds more recognition to a season that saw her voted as the 2025 Big South Conference Player of the Year. Powell was also an All-Big South First Team selection, NFCA All-Region Selection and was named to the Big South All-Tournament Team. She also earned academic recognition as she was named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.

This year she led the team with a .333 average to go along with 27 runs, seven doubles, 10 home runs, 35 RBI, 22 walks and an on-base percentage of .425. In the circle she was 16-12 with a 2.15 ERA, 16 complete games, five shutouts and 122 strikeouts in 163 innings. She also held an opposing batting average of .206.

Powell was 1-of-2 Big South Conference players recognized, joining Radford’s Dakota Redmon on the list.

The Top 100 rankings list can be found here.

STAY SOCIAL WITH THE EAGLES
For everything Winthrop softball visit www.winthropeagles.com or follow us on social media @Winthropsoftbal, winthropsoftball (Instagram) or www.facebook.com/Winthrop-Softball

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NIL

House attorneys argue plan to vet NIL collective deals violates settlement

The attorneys who negotiated a $2.8 billion lawsuit settlement with the NCAA and four power conferences took issue Friday with the way college sports’ new enforcement body plans to vet name, image and likeness payments to athletes from school-affiliated collectives. In a letter to the power conferences and NCAA, obtained by The Athletic, attorneys Jeffrey […]

Published

8 minutes ago

July 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

House attorneys argue plan to vet NIL collective deals violates settlement

In a letter to the power conferences and NCAA, obtained by The Athletic, attorneys Jeffrey Kessler and Steve Berman stated that the guidance the College Sports Commission (CSC) issued Thursday violates the terms of the settlement and that it should treat collectives the same as any other third-party business.

“While we want to continue to work together to implement the Settlement Agreement in a cooperative fashion, this process is undermined when the CSC goes off the reservation and issues directions to the schools that are not consistent with the Settlement agreement terms,” the letter said.

Yahoo! Sports first reported the plaintiffs’ attorneys’ letter.

“We urge the CSC to retract the July CSC Memorandum and clarify that the valid business purpose requirement applies to NIL collectives in the same manner as any other entity,” the letter said. “If the CSC does not retract the statement, Class Counsel will have no choice but to pursue relief from the Special Master as the July CSC Memorandum is already causing injury to class members.”

Kessler declined to comment when The Athletic contacted him.

Earlier Friday, the judge overseeing the settlement approved about $750 million in fees for the NCAA and conferences to pay the plaintiffs’ attorneys.

The recently approved House settlement, which took effect on July 1, established a clearinghouse, called NIL Go, that must approve all third-party deals over $600. The two main requirements for those deals are that they’re for a “valid business purpose” and fit within a fair market “range of compensation.”

Officials created those rules to prevent schools from utilizing booster-driven entities to funnel payments to recruits and transfers as a way to work around the $20.5 million revenue-sharing cap.

“The guidance issued by the College Sports Commission yesterday is entirely consistent with the House settlement and the rules that have been agreed upon with Class Counsel. The defendants have been in close coordination with Class Counsel on the key provisions in the memo and will continue to work with them to resolve any concerns they may have,” the CSC said in a statement.

Officials for the Southeastern Conference, Big Ten, Big 12 and Atlantic Coast Conference established the CSC to oversee the revenue-sharing system the settlement created. Schools will be able to directly pay their athletes up to $20.5 million this year.

The NCAA has no involvement with the CSC, enforcement of rules related to the revenue-sharing system or the approval of NIL deals.

Guidance the CSC issued Thursday said “an entity with a business purpose of providing payments or benefits to student-athletes or institutions, rather than providing goods or services to the general public for profit, does not satisfy the valid business purpose requirement set forth in NCAA Rule 22.1.3.”

It then cited an example of a collective that “reach(es) a deal with a student-athlete to make an appearance on behalf of the collective at an event, even if that event is open to the general public, and the collective charges an admission fee (e.g., a golf tournament). … The same collective’s deal with a student-athlete to promote the collective’s sale of merchandise to the public would not satisfy the valid business purpose requirement for the same reason.”

“Today’s commentary from the College Sports Commission regarding ‘true NIL’ and ‘valid business purposes’ is not only misguided but deeply dismissive of the collective organizations and the tens of thousands of fans and donors who fuel them,” The Collective Association, a trade group of prominent collectives from around the country, said in a statement. “Any attempt to delegitimize the role collectives play in today’s collegiate athletics landscape ignores both legal precedent and economic reality.”

In the four years since NIL payments began in 2021, collectives affiliated with specific schools have made hundreds of millions in deals with athletes just like those the CSC described in its examples. They pool funds from donors and boosters and use them to license the NIL rights of specific athletes in exchange for appearances and social media posts.

“There is nothing in the Settlement Agreement to permit Defendants or the CSC, acting on their behalf, to decide that it would not be a valid business purpose for a school’s collective to engage in for-profit promotions of goods or services using paid-for student-athlete NIL,” the letter said.

(Photo: Isaiah Vazquez / Getty Images)

NIL

West Virginia’s Rich Rodriguez appreciates new revenue share ruling, doesn’t care about CFP format

MORGANTOWN — West Virginia’s Rich Rodriguez hasn’t spoken in front of the media in three months, and the rapid space of college athletics has seen massive changes in the time away from the podium. At the start of June, revenue sharing was announced, and more guardrails were applied, with a new College Sports Commissioner picked, […]

Published

21 minutes ago

July 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

At the start of June, revenue sharing was announced, and more guardrails were applied, with a new College Sports Commissioner picked, in charge of regulating NIL.

With over a decade of experience, Rodriguez witnessed the change of college athletics over the years and was vocal about how there needed to be a change. Now, there have been changes made, and Rodriguez gave his opinion at Big 12 Media Days.

“A lot better guardrails than a month ago,” Rodriguez said. “I mean, it was a cluster for the last three or four years. All coaches are complaining about it, but it was just a mess, and nobody knew how to really solve it right away. And I still think we got it a lot better now with the cap and the rev share. But there’s still a lot of work to do.”

The new ruling isn’t perfect, like Rodriguez said. Paying players directly is a step forward. The College Sports Commission could be too, but there’s no telling how much jurisdiction it’ll have over passing and denying NIL deals without lawsuits. Rodriguez still doesn’t have his one transfer portal window, either, arguably his biggest issue.

There’s still work to do. Rodriguez wants athletic directors and Congress to lead the charge on shaping the future of collegiate athletics.

“Hopefully, smarter minds than myself will get that together,” Rodriguez said. “I said this earlier today, I think they need to get the college athletic directors more input and more say in how college athletics is going to be run because these are the guys and the ladies that know what’s best for the schools and what’s best for the country in college athletics.”

West Virginia’s representative is athletic director Wren Baker. Baker and WVU athletics moved quickly on the new ruling, creating a revenue-sharing company, Gold & Blue Enterprise, to generate money. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yomark said WVU was the first school to integrate Venmo and PayPal to distribute revenue-sharing money. Baker is fully committed and determined that WVU athletics has everything necessary to compete at the highest level.

Rodriguez appreciates the work Baker’s done, and is glad he’s WVU’s athletic director.

“I’ve worked for a lot of really good ADs,” Rodriguez said. “One or two, I wasn’t sure about, but most of the ones I’ve worked with have been great. Wren has as good a grasp as anyone. I’m very fortunate. We’re in good shape with Wren Baker.”

The new court ruling isn’t the only news that’s emerged since Rodriguez’s last press conference after the Gold-Blue Game. There’ve been talks about moving to a 5-plus-11 and 16-team College Football Playoff model in the future, meaning the Power Four conference champions get a bid, the highest rated conference champion, and then 11 at-large bids. Some SEC coaches wanted a 4-4-2-2 system, where the SEC and Big Ten would get four bids each, and the Big 12 and ACC would get two each. The consensus, though, is the 5-plus-11.

Rodriguez cares a lot less about the College Football Playoff than NIL, revenue sharing, and the transfer portal.

“I don’t give a sh*t,” Rodriguez said. “I mean, my give a sh*t meter is a lot less than a lot of stuff. If you win the league, you’re going to be in. Just win the league, like 5-11, all that stuff, whatever. I’m worried about just winning. Let’s win the league. I ain’t worried about, well, this team’s going to vote here, what’s this team going to vote there? If you’re good enough, people will know you’re in the top 12, whatever, it’s good. We win all of our games. I guarantee we’re in the playoffs.”

Rodriguez still has his issues with college athletics, but he’s not alone. There are a lot of coaches in just the Big 12 that have problems. Rodriguez made it clear where he stands and what he wants: more guardrails and one transfer portal. Those changes are looking like they’re coming in the future.

Despite his issues, Rodriguez still loves his main job, coaching WVU to win football games.

“I think we’re in a better place now than we were a month ago,” Rodriguez. “There’s still some work to be done. We could complain as coaches, but hell, it’s still a pretty good gig. You know what I mean? These are good jobs. There are a lot tougher jobs than being a college football coach. So like I said, I’m fortunate and blessed to have what I have.”

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BYU QB Jake Retzlaff Will Withdraw from BYU, Circumvent Transfer Portal

BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff is withdrawing from school at BYU, he announced on social media. Retzlaff said he opted to withdraw from school “after a lot of prayer, reflection, and conversations with those I trust.” “After a lot of prayer, reflection, and conversations with those I trust, I’ve made the difficult decision to withdraw from […]

Published

21 minutes ago

July 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

BYU QB Jake Retzlaff Will Withdraw from BYU, Circumvent Transfer Portal

“After a lot of prayer, reflection, and conversations with those I trust, I’ve made the difficult decision to withdraw from BYU and step away from the BYU football program,” Retzlaff said. “BYU has meant more to me than just football. It’s been a play of growth – spiritually, mentally, and physically. I’m grateful for every teammate, coach, staff member, and fan who’s supported me along the way. The relationships and memories I’ve made in Provo will always be a part of me. That said, I’m excited to turn the page and embrace the next chapter. My journey is far from over – and I’m more motivated than ever to keep chasing my goals.

Retzlaff was facing a suspension for breaking the school’s honor code. Rather than wait out the suspension, Retzlaff opted to finish his college career elsewhere.

BYU athletics released a statment on the situation, saying, “We are grateful for the time Jake Retzlaff has spent at BYU. As he moves forward, BYU Athletics understands and respects Jake’s decision to withdraw from BYU, and we wish him all the best as he enters the next phase of his career.”

Perhaps most notably, Retzlaff will attempt to circumvent the transfer portal. He will “simply enroll at a new school” according to Pete Thamel of ESPN. In terms of where he plans to go next, Retzlaff has not announced his plans.

Sources: Quarterback Jake Retzlaff is withdrawing from school at BYU. He still plans on transferring and is expected to take a transfer path that does not involve the NCAA Transfer portal. He plans to simply enroll at a new school. pic.twitter.com/pEsKXHXgsH

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) July 11, 2025

As for BYU, the Cougars have moved on from Retzlaff and are already planning on a quarterback battle. Returning quarterbacks McCae Hillstead and Treyson Bourguet will battle for the starting spot against incoming true freshman Bear Bachmeier. The winner of the quarterback battle has a chance to be the BYU starting quarterback for the next 2-4 years.

Jake Retzlaff’s production, at least on paper, can probably be replicated by one of the three quarterbacks. In two years at BYU, he threw for 3,595 yards, 23 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while completing 56% of his passes.

What BYU will miss most about Retzlaff is his experience. Retzlaff was positioned to potentially take another step forward in 2025 with another season under his belt. Instead, BYU will turn to a quarterback that will be taking his first snaps at BYU.

NIL

Kentucky football, men’s basketball student ticket prices increasing significantly

The revenue-sharing era of college sports is upon us, and with it come new realities. Last week, the University of Kentucky announced new student ticket prices for football and men’s basketball for the 2025-26 season. They are substantially higher than last season. Student football season passes now cost $145, a 61% increase from a year […]

Published

22 minutes ago

July 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Student football season passes now cost $145, a 61% increase from a year ago. Men’s basketball season passes are $345, a 72.5% increase from last season. Football and men’s basketball single-game tickets will now cost $15-$40, up from $11-$20 last year. A decade ago, student tickets for men’s basketball games cost only $5. The times, they are a-changin’.

UK Student Football and Men’s Basketball Season Ticket Prices

Football Season Pass
- 2025: $145
- 2024: $90
- 61% increase
Men’s Basketball Season Pass
- 2025-26: $345
- 2024-25: $200
- 72.5% increase
Football and Men’s Basketball single-game student tickets
- 2025-26: $15-$40
- 2024-25: $11-$20
- 36% – 100% increase

This move comes a week after Kentucky announced it will phase out employee and faculty ticket discounts, and require full-price tickets for children, regardless of age; previously, Kentucky charged a $10 fee for children to sit in the laps of their parents for football and men’s basketball games. UK said the changes are a result of the financial realities of the House Settlement, inflation, and other rising costs, which are expected to add $20–$30 million annually to UK Athletics’ budget. One positive change: no more hidden fees. Ticket prices will include all fees up front.

“UK Athletics remains committed to providing a variety of ticket options and maintaining a great home advantage, while adjusting to market forces and the revenue growth required for our programs to strive toward championships.

“Student ticket pricing for the 2025 season has been updated to better align with national peers; however, no student fees will be directed toward UK Athletics. Student athletics fees were phased out in 2018, making the UK one of a small number of institutions in the country with no student fees directed toward intercollegiate athletics.”

No one likes it when prices go up, but this is just an unfortunate reality of this new era of college sports.

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South Carolina Softball lands a game-changing transfer, and she is ready to take over at third

The South Carolina softball program is adding more firepower to the 2026 roster. On Tuesday night, former Purdue infielder Sage Scarmardo announced her commitment to the Gamecocks. Her pledge to the team marks a key Transfer Portal addition to a softball program coming off a historic postseason run. After entering the portal on June 17, […]

Published

24 minutes ago

July 12, 2025

Your Sports Nation

So blessed for this amazing opportunity! Excited for year 4!! Let’s go Gamecocks pic.twitter.com/iGwc73DMiy

— Sage Scarmardo (@SageScarmardo) July 9, 2025

Scarmardo brings both defensive instincts and leadership to Ashley Chastain-Woodard’s squad. At Purdue, she was known for her glove, frequently featured on highlight reels in the infield. Scarmardo also posted a .963 fielding percentage this past season with 45 putouts and consistent reliability across the diamond. She also scored 24 runs on 35 hits and drove in 11 RBIs during her junior year. Scarmardo was exceptionally productive against non-conference teams, batting .400 outside Big Ten competition. She started all 50 games for Purdue in 2025 and will likely compete for the starting job at third base.

The Gamecocks are coming off of one of the best seasons in program history. They finished 44-17 overall and advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals for the first time, falling just one short of the Women’s College World Series after a hard-fought rise up the ranks.

With Scarmardo now on the roster, South Carolina will have veteran stability and defensive prowess to a roster looking to build on its 2025 success.

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