2025 ACC Regular Season Championns
2025 Co-ACC Coach of the Year
2024 WCGA West Region Coach of the Year
2023 WCGA National Co-Coach of the Year
2x WCGA Region 6 Coach of the Year (2020, 2021)
2x Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2021, 2024)
2x College Gym News Coaching Staff of the Year (21, 24)
2016 NACGC/W National Assistant Coach of the Year
NACGC/W Region Assistant Coach of the Year (2015, 2016)

Elisabeth Crandall-Howell – a distinguished international brevet-level judge, an internationally experienced gymnast, and a collegiate All-American – was named co-head coach of the Clemson gymnastics program in May of 2025. Crandall-Howell joins the Tigers following a 13-year stint at Cal, where she started as an assistant coach in 2012, was elevated to associate head coach in July 2014 and co-head coach in October 2018.

In 2025, Cal competed as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference for the first time, earning a regular-season title and a Co-Head Coach of the Year honor for Crandall-Howell. The Bears finished a perfect 9-0 in ACC meets and finished the year at 32-5. The Bears finished third at the Tuscaloosa Regional and Mya Lauzon earned a third-place finish at nationals on the beam. 

The Bears saw their highest finish in program history in 2024 – national runner-up. After placing first in each round of the Haas Pavilion Regional, Cal reached its second-straight NCAA Championship and made its first Four on the Floor appearance. The last season in the Pac-12 was a memorable one with the Bears winning its first outright conference championship. For the second-straight season Cal recorded the top three team scores in program history including a record 198.550. 

On Jan 27, 2024 Crandall-Howell became the second Cal coach to reach 100 wins defeating Oregon State at home. She currently boasts a 159-58-2 record including postseason contests.

Cal set national records in 2024 as well with four Bears making the top-25 NCAA all-time single season scoring list. eMjae Frazier (673.0625) scored the most points in the history of the sport this year followed by Maddie Williams (3rd, 669.8125), Mya Lauzon (14th, 633.8250), and Ella Cesario (23rd, 629.8375).

In 2023, Cal brought home the Pac-12 regular season co-championship for the second-straight season and won their first Regional Final in school history with a postseason-record 198.075. It was the highest Regional Final score by any team that season and qualified the Bears for their fifth NCAA Championship. That season, eMjae Frazier recorded the first perfect-10 on the event in Cal history (floor) at the Purple and Gold Classic on Mar. 3.

In 2022, Crandall-Howell led the Bears to their first-ever Pac-12 title in school history, finishing as Regular Season co-champions. At the conference meet, the Bears took second place and recorded their highest-ever score at a Pac-12 championship, posting a 197.425. The Bears finished the regular season ranked ninth, and were 11th in the final rankings. 

The 2021 season was a success for the Bears, despite dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which forced a shortened offseason. Cal qualified for the NCAA Championship for the fourth time in school history and set program records on the uneven bars, balance beam, floor exercise and overall score. Cal posted a 197+ score in 10 straight meets and did not count a fall all season. They also finished with the fifth-best NQS in the country and ranked in the top 10 on all four events at the end of the regular season. The Bears finished seventh at the NCAA Championship and Maya Bordas won the NCAA Individual Championship on the uneven bars. Kyana George was named WCGA Region 6 Gymnast of the year and was a finalist for the AAI Award. Cal also had four Regular Season All-Americans, nine All-American honorees and 12 All-Pac-12 honors all of which were program bests. Alongside her husband, Justin Howell, Crandall-Howell was named Pac-12 Co-Coach of the Year, WCGA Region 6 Co-Coach of the Year and College Gym News Coaching Staff of the Year. 

While Cal’s 2020 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bears clinched their eighth consecutive NCAA postseason berth. Throughout the year, Cal claimed 100 top 3 finishes and produced 40 event titles, with seven different gymnasts displaying Cal’s depth by claiming an event title. Crandall-Howell and co-head coach Justin Howell were voted the WCGA Regional Head Coaches of the Year, while Cal gymnasts claimed a school-record eight All-Pac-12 honors on top of three Regular-Season All-America awards.

The 2019 season saw the Golden Bears continue their transformation to a perennial powerhouse, producing a perfect record at home and qualifying for NCAA Regionals. Toni-Ann Williams was named a top six finalist for the AAI Award, bestowed upon the nation’s top gymnast, and for the third time since Crandall-Howell’s arrival, a Cal gymnast claimed Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors with Milan Clausi taking the award. Clausi was also the Regional vault champion, punching her ticket as an individual to the NCAA Championships. The Bears ended the regular season ranked in the top 25 nationally on all four events — vault (12th), bars (12th), beam (13th) and floor (21st), and jumped in the rankings on both bars (up from 15 in 2018) and floor (up from 22 in 2018).

The Bears clinched their second NCAA Championships berth in three seasons with one of the most successful campaigns in school history in 2018. The Bears finished the regular season ranked ninth overall and in the nation’s top 25 on all four events – vault (8th), bars (15th), beam (12th) and floor (22nd). Cal improved its end-of-season RQS on three events — vault (49.275, up from 49.145), bars (49.230, up from 49.025) and Floor (49.255, up from 49.120). The season saw the Bears tally 14 team totals that rank among the school’s all-time Top 5 scores while hauling in 40 event titles and 109 Top 3 individual finishes, including 17 event titles in Crandall-Howell’s areas of focus of beam and floor.

Cal’s 2017 season saw the Bears improve their RQS on beam from 49.205 to 49.225 thanks to Crandall-Howell’s guidance. She played a pivotal role in helping Desiree Palomares become the program’s first ever NCAA Regional beam champion, and for the fourth season in a row, Cal was represented at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships.

The 2016 season saw Cal compete at the National Championships for the first time in over two decades thanks to detailed coaching from Crandall-Howell, who helped Cal post nine team totals that rank among the program’s all-time highest scores throughout the season. Crandall-Howell was named the National Assistant Coach of the Year in 2016 after earning her first NACGC/W West Region Assistant Coach of the Year award in 2015. 

Crandall-Howell’s time at Cal included sculpting Toni-Ann Williams as one of the nation’s top floor performers. Williams earned three NACGC/W Regular-Season All-America honors, was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and took home All-Pac-12 First Team All-Around laurels before being named the regional Gymnast of the Year. During Williams’ training for the 2016 Rio Olympics, Crandall-Howell’s international experience was essential in prepping Williams’ beam and floor routines for the world stage. Crandall-Howell assisted Williams in learning two new, high-level skills to meet her international goals – a double layout dismount on beam and a full-in third pass on floor. Williams successfully executed both in NCAA competition and was the only gymnast in the nation performing such difficult skills in her collegiate routines in 2016. Under Crandall-Howell’s tutelage, Williams also maintained her standing as one of the nation’s top floor gymnasts, ranking in the top 10 throughout the season. In 2018, she earned NCAA All-America Second Team honors as an all-arounder, finishing 12th overall at the NCAA Championships.

Individually, Crandall-Howell was also crucial in the development of 2013 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Serena Leong, helping her to the third-highest beam score (9.90) and second-highest floor score (9.925) in program history, feats less than 10 Cal gymnasts have been able to accomplish. Jessica Howe wrapped up her freshman season with four beam titles and set a career-high 9.90 on the event alongside Leong.

Prior to her time at Cal, Crandall-Howell coached at the collegiate and club levels and spent six years as a member of the U.S. national team after which she was a student-athlete at BYU.

Just one of 16 active international brevet judging officials in the U.S., Crandall-Howell has judged three Olympic trials – including the 2012 trials in San Jose. From 2001-09, she was an official for U.S. Championships, and from 2006-07, she was the U.S. Apparatus Chairperson for uneven bars.

A seven-time U.S. National Team member from 1987-92, Crandall-Howell boasts a multitude of domestic and international accolades, traveling to Japan, Russia, Belgium, and Germany to represent the US. Most notably in 1991, she took home a gold medal at the USA Championships on uneven bars. Further, she also finished fourth on vault and eighth in the all-around. She was also a member of the silver medal winning team at the 1991 World Championships. Additionally, she finished 11th in the all-around at the 1992 Olympic trials. She medaled at the 1988 U.S. Championships on uneven bars and floor exercise, taking second in the all-around.

A full athletic scholarship student-athlete at Brigham Young University, Crandall-Howell was a two-time first-team All-American on the uneven bars. She helped the Cougars qualify to three NCAA Championships from 1994-96 and qualified on the individual level in 1993. In three of her four years in Provo, Utah, Crandall-Howell was the NCAA Regional uneven bars champion. She graduated in 1997 with a degree in physical education and health promotion.

She is married to Justin Howell, and they have three children.

Elisabeth Crandall-Howell

Co-Head Coach, Cal (2018-2025)
Associate Head Coach, Cal (2014-2018)
Assistant Coach, Cal (2012-2014)

Williamsburg, Va (May 12, 2025) – Alvernia University Women’s Golf is making its second straight appearance at the NCAA DIII Women’s Golf National Championships after taking the MAC Women’s Golf team title at Golden Oaks Golf Club on April 27th. 

Alvernia will be making its third NCAA DIII National Championship appearance in program history after competing down in Holly-in-the-Hills, Florida in 2018 and last year at Nicholasville, Kentucky. 

The 2025 championships will be held at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia and Christopher Newport University will serve as the host institution for the championship week. Kingsmill will host the women’s championship for the first time in the history of the DIII women’s golf championships and will utilize both its River Course and Plantation Course for the week of play. 

The Golden Wolves will play The Plantation Course on day one of the tournament on Tuesday and will tee it up on The River Course for round two on Wednesday. Alvernia will be playing alongside Aurora University and Saint Mary’s College of Indiana for rounds one and two. 

About the Championships: 

34 NCAA DIII teams and six individuals will compete this week. 25 conferences have been awarded automatic qualification and the remaining nine teams were selected on an at-large basis from conferences and the independent institutions. Six individuals, not from selected teams, also were selected for the championships.The championships will consist of both team and individual competition conducted concurrently. Following 36 holes of competition, the field will be cut to the top 15 teams and top six individuals not on one of those teams to compete on the final day. In the team competition, the low four scores from each team for each day will count in the team’s total score. 

Around the Course: 

In 1969, Anheuser-Busch purchased roughly 3,900 acres of land along the James River and as part of the land agreement, he agreed to develop several hundred of those acres into the now Kingsmill Resort. Kingsmill has three prestigious golf courses on its property along the James River, The River Course, The Plantation Course and The Woods Course. The River Course and The Plantation Course will play host to the championships while The Woods Course is reserved for the members of Kingsmill and their guests. 

The River Course: 

The River Course will be the featured course for championship weekend and will be the course where the 15 teams and six individuals that make the cut will play in rounds three and four on Thursday and Friday. All 34 teams will play The River Course and The Plantation Course in rounds one and two before the field is cut for the final two rounds. The River Course is the main course on the Kingsmill property and has played host to numerous PGA and LPGA Tour events for years. Designed by legendary golf course architect, Pete Dye, The River Course has hosted the PGA Tour’s Michelob Championship from 1981-2002 with notable winners like Masters and U.S Open Champion Fuzzy Zoeller in 1986, David Duval in 1997 and 1998 and Charles Howell III captured the final title at Kingsmill in 2002. 

The River Course has also hosted numerous LPGA Tour events like the Michelob Open from 2003-2009, The Kingsmill Championship from 2012-2018 and the Pure Silk Championship from 2019-2021. Notable LPGA winners at The River Course are Lexi Thompson in 2017, World Golf Hall of Fame members Annika Sorenstam in 2008 and Karrie Webb in 2006 and Cristie Kerr grabbed the title on three separate occasions with wins in 2005, 2009 and 2013. 

The Plantation Course: 

The Plantation Course will be used for just rounds one and two of the championships with half of the field teeing it up in round one and the other half will play their second round on the Plantation track. The Plantation Course was designed by a true legend in the game of golf in Arnold Palmer with help from architect Ed Seay, who is a legend in his own right in the golfing world. Seay is a World Golf Hall of Fame member and had a hand in designing over 350 golf courses worldwide including 30 years of golf course architectural partnership with Palmer. The Plantation Course also sits on land from Richard Kingsmill’s plantation and has landmarks from the original plot of land that can be seen as you walk down the #2 fairway. 

Previewing The Golden Wolves: 

Rylee Stenzel will be teeing it up first for the Golden Wolves on day one at 11:00 AM. Stenzel has played in 12 of Alvernia’s 13 events this season and recorded 20 total rounds with a scoring average of 86.25. Stenzel posted a season low round of 80 in round one of the Golden Oaks Shootout and tallied top ten finishes at both Alvernia’s Fall and Spring Invitational at LedgeRock and most recently at the 2025 MAC Championships to secure All-MAC honors. Stenzel has recorded 19 birdies and 128 total pars between the fall and spring seasons. 

Cassidy Miksich will be second off the tee for Alvernia and will be going off at 11:09 AM in round one. Miksich recorded 19 rounds played in 12 events for the Golden Wolves in her sophomore campaign and posted an 82.42 scoring average in 2024-2025. Miksich posted a low round of 79 twice this season with the first coming in round one of The Melee hosted by Drew and the second came in round one of the 2025 MAC Championships en route to a sixth place finish and All-MAC honors. Miksich recorded eight top ten finishes, including four in seven events in the fall and also recorded a third place finish at The Melee. Miksich has tallied 23 birdies, 158 pars and also one ace which came on hole four at Alvernia’s Fall Invitational. 

Emmerson Bartley tees it up third for the Golden Wolves and will be going off at 11:18 AM. Bartley played in 11 events for the Golden Wolves in her first year with the team and recorded an 81.26 scoring average in 19 rounds played. Bartley fired in a season low round of 74 on day two of the Vulcan Invitational en route to a fourth place finish. Barley has recorded 15 birdies and 165 pars this season as well as eight top ten finishes, two top three finishes and recorded one low medalist honor which came at Kutztown’s Spring Invitational at Moselem Springs with a tournament low round of 79. 

Katie Lapinsky is the second to last Golden Wolf to kick off their round and will tee off at 11:27 AM. Lapinsky played in all 13 events for the Golden Wolves during her senior season and has recorded 22 total rounds and a 79.64 scoring average. Lapinksy ranks second on Alvernia in both birdies with 34 and total pars with 197. Lapinsky has also recorded top ten finishes in 12 of the 13 events she played in this year and seven top three finishes including a most recent third place finish at the 2025 MAC Championships. Lapinsky fired in a season low round of 70 in round two of the Vulcan Invitational en route to a second place finish and helped lead the Golden Wolves to a – at the time- program record team score of 303. 

McKylie Boreman is the last Alvernia women’s golfer to tee it up tomorrow and will go off at 11:36 AM. Boreman has poured in a team high 40 birdies and 236 pars this season and has recorded a top ten finish in all 13 events she has played in. Boreman also leads Alvernia with a 76.45 scoring average across 22 rounds played and fired in a season low round of 69 in round one of the Vulcan Invitational where she also grabbed low medalist honors. Boreman’s round of 69 also matched teammate Cassidy Miksich’s program record low round of 69 that she set last season. Boreman has recorded top three finishes in nine of the 13 events she has played in and tallied a staggering eight victories in 13 events. Boreman’s eight wins this season is tied for the most by an individual in the 2024-2025 season. 

Stay with @vernathletics on Instagram and Facebook all week for coverage and updates during the championship rounds as well as highlights and photos after the Golden Wolves complete each round!

Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder was arrested last week as part of a prostitution sting in Columbus, Ohio, according to multiple reports.

The champion wrestler, 29, was charged with engaging in prostitution and was released from the scene, NBC affiliates WCMH-TV and WLWT-TV reported.

Snyder was arrested on the city’s north side the night of Friday, May 9 after allegedly responding to an ad for an escort, police told the news outlets. He reportedly met an undercover officer at a hotel and attempted to pay cash in exchange for sexual acts, according to WCMH.

Snyder was one of 16 men arrested in the sting, WLWT reported.

A representative for the Columbus Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for additional information.

The Maryland native is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, May 19.

Snyder’s rise to prominence began with his collegiate career at Ohio State University, where he won three straight NCAA heavyweight championships, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

In 2016 at the age of 20, he took the gold medal in the 97kg freestyle at the Rio Olympics, effectively winning the triple crown of wrestling — becoming the youngest ever to win the world, NCAA and Olympic championships in the same year.

A loss in the gold-medal match at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics netted Snyder the silver.

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Before the games, Snyder told PEOPLE that he was enjoying the spoils of his sport.

“I love wrestling and I’m just excited to compete all year. And then the Olympics … are something that I’m really looking forward to because that’s going to be the greatest challenge.”

Last summer, the wrestler finished just off the podium in Paris, taking fourth place in his division.

ADRIAN, Mich. — Theresa DiMaggio has been hired as the new Head Coach of Adrian College Women’s ACHA Division 2 hockey, as announced by the Athletics Department this afternoon.

DiMaggio comes to Adrian College from Shelby Township, Michigan. As an athlete, DiMaggio attended Trine University for four seasons where she was a member of the Trine University Women’s NCAA hockey team. DiMaggio was named to the 2019 NCHA All-Rookie Team and was tabbed the 2019 NCHA Freshman of the Year. Her talents were also present on the Trine University Women’s Lacrosse team for one season.

Upon graduation from Trine in 2022, where she concluded her studies with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration Sport Management, DiMaggio then attended Lawrence Tech University, where she obtained her Master of Science degree in Business Marketing and played one season for the Lawrence Tech Women’s ACHA Division 2 hockey team, serving as the team’s Assistant Captain.

Over the course of her professional career, DiMaggio has served as a Program Administrator for Suburban Ice in Macomb, and has spent time as a Sports Information intern at both Trine and Lawrence Tech. The Michigan native was also promoted to Assistant Director of Athletic Communications at LTU recently and currently continues to contribute in said role.

In addition to her work away from the ice, DiMaggio also served as Head Coach of Michigan State University’s Women’s ACHA Division 1 hockey squad last season, coaching the Spartans to a 13-7-3 record.

DiMaggio will take over the reigns of Adrian College Women’s ACHA Division 2 Hockey effective immediately.

BATON ROUGE, La. — Six individuals who made lasting impacts upon the esteemed tradition of LSU Athletics have been elected for induction into the Hall of Fame, Director of Athletics Scott Woodward announced on Monday.

The 2025 induction class was chosen by the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame Election Board, and it includes men’s basketball coach John Brady, who directed the Tigers to the 2006 Final Four; men’s golf coach J. Perry Cole, who guided LSU to NCAA national championships in 1940 and 1942; gymnast Rheagan Courville, a 23-time All-American; men’s basketball guard Ronald Dupree, who helped lead the Tigers to the 2000 NCAA Sweet 16; women’s basketball All-American Cornelia Gayden, the most prolific three-point shooter in school history; and women’s basketball All-American Temeka Johnson, the point guard who served as floor leader for LSU’s first two Final Four teams in 2004 and 2005.

“Each of the inductees in our 2025 Hall of Fame class epitomizes athletics excellence and a commitment to character and integrity,” said LSU Director of Athletics Scott Woodward. “This prestigious honor is well-earned based on the significant contributions each of these outstanding individuals has made to our university.”

Nominees are required to have earned a college degree in order to be considered by the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame Election Board. The induction ceremony is scheduled to be held on Friday, September 19, at the Manship Theatre in downtown Baton Rouge.

Brady and Cole were elected in the Coach/Administrator category, and Courville, Dupree, Gayden and Johnson were elected in the Student-Athlete category.

Brady, a native of McComb, Miss., who was honored as an SEC Basketball Legend in 2018, guided LSU to the 2006 NCAA Men’s Final Four, becoming just the third coach in school history to accomplish the feat. The drive to the Final Four included a win over top-ranked Duke in the regional semifinals.

Brady coached at LSU from 1997-2008, leading the Tigers to SEC titles in 2000 and 2006, an NCAA Sweet 16 berth in 2000, and the 2006 Final Four bid. He was voted SEC Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2006, and he coached three SEC Players of the Year: Stromile Swift (2000), Brandon Bass (2005) and Glen Davis (2006).

He also coached four SEC Freshmen of the Year at LSU: Torris Bright (2000), Brandon Bass (2004), Glen Davis (2005) and Tyrus Thomas (2006). Brady now works as the color analyst on the LSU Sports Radio Network for LSU men’s basketball games.

Cole, the LSU men’s golf coach from 1933-43, directed the Tigers to five SEC titles and to NCAA National Championships in 1940 and 1942. His entire LSU career spanned from 1919 – 1960, as he also worked for the university as a math professor, the Dean of Student Affairs and the Director of Student Life.

Cole was one of the driving forces behind the construction of the War Memorial Tower on the LSU campus, and he helped to create and organize the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in 2012.

Cole, a native of Galveston, Texas, earned degrees in civil engineering (1912) and mathematics (1926) from LSU, and he was inducted in 2021 into the LSU College of Science Hall of Distinction and the LSU Ole War Skule Hall of Honor. He was a World War I U.S. Army veteran who served as a battalion commander, and he was honorably discharged in 1921.

Courville, a product of Baton Rouge’s University Lab, was a 23-time gymnastics All-American during her LSU career (2012-15), claiming NCAA vault national championships in 2013 and 2014.

She was the SEC all-round and vault champion in 2013 and in 2015, and the SEC beam champion in 2013. Courville was voted SEC Gymnast of the Year in 2013 and Central Region Gymnast of the Year in 2013 and 2014.

A four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll, Courville earned her LSU degree in 2015, and she now works as one of the top sales representatives for GK Elite sport wear.

Dupree, a native of Biloxi, Miss., played for the Tigers from 2000-03, and he is one of only five LSU players to rank in the school’s career Top 10 in both scoring and rebounding – the others are Shaquille O’Neal, Rudy Macklin, Bob Pettit and Tasmin Mitchell.

Dupree was a three-time All-SEC selection and helped lead LSU in 2000 to the SEC regular-season title and an NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 berth. He is one of only 16 players in LSU history to accumulate 1,000 points, 200 assists and 100 steals, and he is ranked in the career Top 10 in school annals in points scored (1,726), rebounds (907), games played (129) and double-figure games (88).

Dupree played six seasons in the NBA, earned an electrical engineering degree from LSU in 2015, and he now works as the General Manager for the Tigers’ men’s basketball program.

Gayden, a 1995 All-American and a three-time All-SEC selection, is No. 1 on LSU’s career three-point field goals made list with 337, and she is No. 1 in school history for most three pointers made in a single season (105 in 1994-95).

She holds the LSU record for most points in a game (49 vs. Jackson State on February 9, 1995) and in that contest, she established the NCAA single-game record for most three-pointers (12), a mark that stood until 2018.

A four-year letterwinner (1992-95), the native of Bogue Chitto, Miss., earned her LSU degree in 1997. Gayden is currently No. 4 on LSU’s all-time scoring list (2,451 points), No. 9 on the school’s career rebounding list (894 rebounds) and No. 5 on LSU’s all-time field goals made list (829 field goals).

Johnson, a product of New Orleans who prepped at Bonnabel, was a four-time All-American (2002-05) and the winner of the 2005 Nancy Liebermann Award as the nation’s best point guard. She is No. 1 on LSU’s all-time assists list with 945, a mark that is No. 8 in NCAA Division I history.

She holds the LSU record for assists in a game (17 vs. Georgia on March 5, 2005) and she posted four 15-assist games during her career. Johnson was an NCAA Regional All-Tournament selection in 2004 and 2005, as she helped lead the Tigers to Final Four appearances in both seasons.

Johnson earned her LSU degree in 2004, and she was voted 2005 WNBA Rookie of the Year. She won a WNBA championship with the Phoenix Mercury in 2009.

2025 LSU Athletics Hall of Fame Induction Class
• John Brady – Men’s Basketball Head Coach (1997 – 2008)
• J. Perry Cole – Men’s Golf Head Coach (1933 – 1943)
• Rheagan Courville – Gymnastics (2012 – 2015)
• Ronald Dupree – Men’s Basketball (2000 – 2003)
• Cornelia Gayden – Women’s Basketball (1992 – 1995)
• Temeka Johnson – Women’s Basketball (2002 – 2005)

As the amateur model of college athletics disintegrates, a handful of unusual ideas have been floated as ways to reign in some of the chaos surrounding the explosion in name, image and likeness compensation and a transfer portal that sees thousands of athletes changing schools every season.

Whether any of the ideas end up being implemented is unknown and every school is awaiting a decision from a federal judge on whether a $2.8 billion antitrust settlement against the NCAA and the five largest conferences will take effect as early as July 1. If it does, that opens the floodgates for schools to share millions in revenue directly with their athletes amid a host of other changes.

Access Hollywood’s digital guest correspondent Lauren Herbert spoke to Livvy Dunne as she was hosting Club SI at the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. The former LSU gymnast and influencer shared her excitement for being at her first Derby and how she is preparing for the honor of doing the Riders Up at the Kentucky Oaks.

Here is a look at some of the topics:

Athlete contracts

A formal agreement between an athlete and a school is not a new concept, but with the uptick of NIL deals the thought of pro-style contracts is becoming increasingly more common.

There are plenty of ways to get creative with contracts. Rich Stankewicz, operations director for Penn State’s NIL collective Happy Valley United, said he favors an incentive-based approach — essentially adding money for athletes who not only perform but stick around.

“I personally really like the idea of incentivizing performance in school, those kinds of things that would only be occurring in the season while they’re playing,” Stankewicz said. “If more money is paid out in those time frames, then that gives the incentive for the player to stay and see those dollars from their contract, rather than potentially collect up front and then decide the grass is greener somewhere else three months later, barely doing any school, you know, without playing at all.”

Transfers and buyouts

This topic is red hot at the moment. Entering the transfer portal comes with the risk of not landing in a better spot — or any spot — but athletes have shown every single season over the past few years that they are comfortable going anyway. Athletic departments are beginning to fight back.

Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek recently encouraged the school’s NIL collective to pursue legal action after quarterback Madden Iamaleava departed for UCLA after just five months in Fayetteville. Iamaleava allegedly collected significant money upfront and cited homesickness as his reason for following his brother to California.

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This is a scenario Penn State hopes to avoid. And the importance of contract details is clear.

“Commonly, there’s nothing binding students in certain instances to the institution they’re with for the entirety of the contract,” Stankewicz said. “We’ve definitely looked into having measures in place to discourage transfers during the time of the contract. There are a bunch of different ways to do that, from buyouts to how you load the contract.”

Athletes as employees

Groundbreaking shifts in the landscape have sparked conversations about athletes becoming official employees of their universities.

It’s a controversial subject to say the least. Universities would become responsible for paying wages, benefits, and workers’ compensation and schools and conferences have insisted they will fight any such move in court (some already have).

Complexities go beyond the concept. While private institutions fall under the National Labor Relations Board, public universities must follow labor laws that vary from state to state and it’s worth noting that virtually every state in the South has “right to work” laws that present challenges for unions.

There is also a new administration in power now, said Michael LeRoy, a labor and employment professor at Illinois who has studied the NCAA and athlete rights.

“With the election of Donald Trump, and what that would mean for a new National Labor Relations Board, what that would mean for repopulating the courts with judges who are likely not congenial to that view, I no longer have much hope that we’ll get a ruling in the next 5-10 years that these are employees,” LeRoy said.

Despite the lack of employment status, LeRoy said, athletes should advocate for themselves and use the entertainment industry as a model. He said athletes currently are offered “take-it-or-leave-it” NIL contracts when a broader approach might have benefits.

“I think athletes should start to look at Hollywood and Broadway contracting arrangements that deal with publicity rights,” he said. “I think there’s a way to frame this collectively. The framework of collective bargaining and employment, I would say, the entertainment industry generally offers a blueprint for success.”

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Playing for another school

Things are so chaotic right now that the very lines of who an athlete is playing for could get blurred.

Saying he was inspired by the NBA’s G League, University of Albany basketball coach Dwayne Killings is proposing a two-way contract for college players. Albany would welcome transfers from top-tier programs who need more seasoning and help them develop — with plenty of game time vs. sitting on the bench — before sending them back to their original program, where they’d be ready to compete.

“The best development happens on the floor, not necessarily on the scout team, given the new 15-man scholarship limits,” Killings told CBS Sports.

And then there is Division III, which recently approved an unusual pilot program: Athletes would play for one school but do their coursework at another school that does not sponsor varsity athletics.

The NCAA said the program, which would run during the next academic year, “will offer expanded pathways for student-athletes to pursue their academic objectives and complete their participation opportunity.”

“This program intends to address the changing, dynamic higher education environment we find ourselves in right now,” said Jim Troha, president of Juniata and chairman of the DIII President’s Council. “It recognizes existing academic programs and provides flexibility to expand participation opportunities for student-athletes.”

The program will be assessed before any decisions on whether to make it permanent or expand it.