College Sports

College Coaches Now Expect Judge to Mandate 'Grandfathering In' of Roster Spots

Just when the majority of NCAA Division I coaches, athletic directors and school presidents thought they were finally getting some clarity on the details of the House v. NCAA lawsuit and $2.8 billion settlement, Judge Wilken threw everyone on both sides of this lawsuit another curveball. In April, Judge Wilken suggested the possibility of ‘grandfathering […]

Published

2 months ago

May 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

College Coaches Now Expect Judge to Mandate 'Grandfathering In' of Roster Spots

In April, Judge Wilken suggested the possibility of ‘grandfathering in’ currently rostered players, even if it meant that the roster limit of 28 players at some programs would be larger until the ‘grandfathered players’ graduated. However, on April 7, she gave attorneys on both sides a week to ‘adjust’ some of the language of the settlement. When those briefs were submitted, attorneys on both sides did NOT change, adjust or even mention the suggestion of ‘grandfathering’ players in, which everyone took as a clear sign that the roster size limits would immediately be in place upon final approval from Judge Wilken. This also meant that players who were cut from their rosters or told to enter the spring transfer portal by college coaches, would be the ones most affected by this settlement.

However, in another surprising move, Judge Wilken then recently told council on both sides to adjust the verbiage to the settlement to now INCLUDE ‘grandfathering in’ players, or she would NOT give final approval on the settlement. Council has until Tuesday, May 6 to submit these changes, and most college coaches, athletic directors and college presidents now feel there might be a very good chance for final approval to be given by Judge Wilken as soon as Tuesday, or one day this week.

However, that still leaves the biggest question and huge potential issue college coaches will now be faced with: How do you ‘put the genie back into the bottle’? If players are allowed to return to the program that they were just cut from and/or told to enter the transfer portal because of the ‘grandfathering’ addition to the settlement, what will that dynamic look like?

Simply put, college coaches I spoke to all seem to have the same concerns: potential team chemistry issues, along with a chain reaction which could lead to continued challenges with future recruiting classes, especially those from the Class of 2025 and Class of 2026 who’ve already signed or verbally committed. Another round of ‘de-commitments’ could be coming in the near future, depending on how the ‘grandfathering in’ rules end up being enforced.

Currently, there’s no clarity on how the ‘grandfathering in’ rules would operate, in terms of who gets final say on the roster spots. It remains to be seen whether current college players will have full say on if they remain on rosters or not, or if coaches will still have the ability to cut players at their discretion. It’s also not clear how much flexibility there will be for college programs to maintain larger roster sizes throughout the ‘grandfathering in’ process.

Most coaches I’ve spoken to would prefer to ‘rip the band aid off’ now, and start fresh with their 2027 recruiting class. Now, it seems that the worst case scenario that college coaches thought they avoided back in April, could very well happen anyway. But with so many twists and turns this case has taken already, who knows what the upcoming week and potential fallout will actually look like.

College Sports

Schedule for IIHF World Junior Championship tournament released

COLORADO SPRINGS — The schedule for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship tournament was released on Thursday, June 26. This will be the 50th year of the annual tournament. All-session and group play tickets are available here . Individual game tickets, if available, will be released at a later date. Teams will be divided into […]

Published

4 minutes ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

COLORADO SPRINGS — The schedule for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship tournament was released on Thursday, June 26. This will be the 50th year of the annual tournament.

All-session and group play tickets are available

here

. Individual game tickets, if available, will be released at a later date.

Teams will be divided into two groups and each country will play the other four teams in its group during the preliminary round. The top four teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals on Jan. 2, with the winners playing in the semifinals on Jan. 4. The two semifinals winners will face off for gold on Jan. 5, with the two losing teams competing for bronze earlier that day.

Group A, which will play its preliminary round games Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul includes the U.S., Sweden, Slovakia, Switzerland and Germany.

Group B, which includes Canada, Czechia, Finland, Latvia and Denmark will play preliminary contests at 3M Arena at Mariucci on the campus of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

The 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship marks the seventh time the United States has hosted the tournament (1982, 1989, 1996, 2005, 2011, 2018).

Most recently, Team USA captured bronze in Buffalo, N.Y., at the 2018 World Juniors, led by Bob Motzko as head coach. The U.S. also took home bronze at the 2011 tournament in Buffalo and Niagara, N.Y. The U.S. first hosted the World Juniors in Minneapolis and Saint Paul in 1982.

World Junior Summer Showcase

USA Hockey will host the World Junior Summer Showcase from July 25-Aug. 2 at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis. The event, which also includes Canada, Finland and Sweden, serves as an evaluation for athletes seeking to make their respective national teams for the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. There will be 11 international games will be played and tickets are now on sale by clicking

here

2026 IIHF World Junior Championship

Noon — Sweden vs. Slovakia, Xcel Energy Center
2:30 p.m. — Denmark vs. Finland, 3M Arena at Mariucci
5 p.m. — Germany vs. USA, Xcel Energy Center
7:30 p.m. — Czechia vs. Canada, 3M Arena at Mariucci

1 p.m. — Slovakia vs. Germany, Xcel Energy Center
3:30 p.m. — Latvia vs. Canada, 3M Arena at Mariucci
5 p.m. — USA vs. Switzerland, Xcel Energy Center
7:30 p.m. — Denmark vs. Czechia, 3M Arena at Mariucci

1 p.m. — Sweden vs. Switzerland, Xcel Energy Center
3:30 p.m. — Finland vs. Latvia, 3M Arena at Mariucci

Noon — Germany vs. Sweden, Xcel Energy Center
2:30 p.m. — Finland vs. Czechia, 3M Arena at Mariucci
5 p.m. — Slovakia vs. USA, Xcel Energy Center
7:30 p.m. — Canada vs. Denmark, 3M Arena at Mariucci

1 p.m. — Switzerland vs. Germany, Xcel Energy Center
3:30 p.m. — Latvia vs. Denmark, 3M Arena at Mariucci

Noon — Switzerland vs. Slovakia, Xcel Energy Center
2:30 p.m. — Czechia vs. Latvia, 3M Arena at Mariucci
5 p.m. — USA vs. Sweden, Xcel Energy Center
7:30 p.m. — Canada vs. Finland, 3M Arena at Mariucci

11:30 a.m. — A pool fifth-place team vs. B pool fifth-place team, 3M Arena at Mariucci
1:30 p.m. — Quarterfinals Game 1, Xcel Energy Center
3:30 p.m. — Quarterfinals Game 2, 3M Arena at Mariucci
5 p.m. — Quarterfinals Game 3, Xcel Energy Center
7:30 p.m. — Quarterfinals Game 4, 3M Arena at Mariucci

3:30 p.m. — Semifinals Game 1, Xcel Energy Center
7:30 p.m. — Semifinals Game 2, Xcel Energy Center

3:30 p.m. — Bronze medal game, Xcel Energy Center
7:30 p.m. — Gold medal game, Xcel Energy Center

Mick Hatten is a reporter and editor for stcloudlive.com. He began working for Forum Communications in November 2018 for The Rink Live and has covered St. Cloud State University hockey since 2010. Besides covering Huskies hockey, he is also covering other sports at SCSU and high school sports. A graduate of St. Cloud State, he has more than 30 years of experience as a journalist and has been a youth hockey coach since 2014. mick@stcloudlive.com

For more coverage of St. Cloud and the surrounding communities, check out St. Cloud Live.

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College Sports

Football Names Dunphy and Mass as Captains Ahead of 2025 Season

Bree Smith ’27 Football 6/26/2025 9:45:00 AM Jarod Minassian Story Links EASTON, Mass. (June 26, 2025) – Stonehill College Football head coach Ei Gardner is excited to announce rising seniors Faisal Mass (Taunton, Mass.) and Brigham Dunphy […]

Published

27 minutes ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Bree Smith ’27

Football
6/26/2025 9:45:00 AM

Jarod Minassian

EASTON, Mass. (June 26, 2025) – Stonehill College Football head coach Ei Gardner is excited to announce rising seniors Faisal Mass (Taunton, Mass.) and Brigham Dunphy (Barrington, R.I.) as its captains ahead of the 2025 season.

Both Dunphy and Mass have donned the purple and white for the Skyhawks for the past three seasons, earning the title of captains for their senior campaign. The duo will be part of the first graduating class for the Skyhawks, who spent all four seasons at the Division I level as members of the NEC. The Skyhawks will also be eligible for the Football College Subdivision (FCS) playoffs for the first time this fall.

“I am very excited for both Brigham and Faisal to have earned this recognition from their teammates,” said head coach Eli Gardner. “They have both embodied our cultural pillars of discipline, intellect, and grit throughout their time here at Stonehill, and this is a tremendous acknowledgment for them by their peers. Brigham is one of the hardest workers in our program and has an awesome approach to everything he does, on and off the field. He is smart, tough, and a great teammate. Similar to Brigham, Faisal has developed himself and his role to great heights during his time here. He is extremely mature and very well respected in our program. Our team did a tremendous job in selecting our captains for this season, but I know Brigham and Faisal would both agree that we have great leadership throughout this entire senior class. They will undoubtedly represent that and will do a great job of grabbing the shovel for us this season.”

Dunphy, a wide receiver who has also seen his share of carries out of the backfield, has tallied 29 catches for 397 yards and a touchdown in 18 games throughout his career. He has also run the ball 13 times for 51 yards and has tallied three tackles. Dunphy led the team in receptions (26), receiving yards (325), and receiving yards per game (40.6) a season ago. He also ranked in the top five on the Skyhawks with 51 rushing yards.

It’s a huge honor to have been named captain of this team,” said Dunphy. “I am so grateful for all my teammates and coaches who have been by my side the past three years, and I can’t wait to kick off the 2025 season. The team has been having a strong offseason, and I’m proud of the hard work we’ve been putting in. It’s time to show it between the lines; we are ready to go.”

Mass, a defensive end, has appeared in 22 games for the Skyhawks over the past three seasons, tallying 22 solo tackles and 20 assisted tackles, totaling 42, four of which have been for losses. Mass was ninth on the team and second among defensive linemen with 35 tackles last season. His three tackles for loss were tied for the fourth most on the Skyhawks. Mass recorded a pass deflection and a quarterback hit last season as well.

Being named a captain by my teammates and coaches means everything to me,” said Mass. “It’s more than just a title, it’s a sign of trust, respect, and belief in who I am both on and off the field. I take that responsibility seriously and am fully committed to leading by example and doing whatever it takes to help us win the NEC!”

Stonehill football will open its 12-game 2025 season on August 30 in Fairfield, Conn., when the Skyhawks take on Sacred Heart University to begin their fourth Division I campaign. The first game at the comforts of W.B. Mason Stadium will be on Saturday, Sept. 6, with Lafayette College making the trip to Easton, Mass.

For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

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College Sports

Arizona GymCats head coach John Court extended through 2028

There’s no way to describe Arizona gymnastics’ 2025 season except highly successful. The team produced the Big 12 co-Specialist of the Year, the WCGA Regional Assistant Coaches of the Year, and the Big 12 Coach of the Year. Over two months after concluding his season, that coach of the year has signed an extension to […]

Published

44 minutes ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Arizona Athletics announced that John Court has been extended through the 2028 season on Thursday afternoon. His current contract was signed in 2023 and was due to expire in 2026.

Court has been at Arizona for 26 years. He served as an assistant under both Bill Ryden and Tabitha Yim. He finally took over the program after Yim left just before the 2017-18 school year. After serving as the interim head coach for most of the season, he was given the permanent title in March 2018.

Court’s teams improved each year and had a breakout season this year. The GymCats finished second in their first season in the Big 12. Their only conference losses came to Utah in both the regular season and at the conference championships.

The team then accomplished another first. They advanced to the NCAA regional finals for the first time since the postseason format changed in 2019, pulling off an upset over Georgia to take second in their session. They also defeated Arizona State for the third time this season. It made them one of the last 16 teams standing.

Court’s extension follows the announcement of assistant Kylie Kratchwell’s promotion to associate head coach on June 18. She shares that title with Court’s longtime assistant Taylor Spears. The pair joined first-year assistant Shelby Martinez in earning the WCGA’s regional staff honors for the South Central Region.

Lead photo courtesy of Arizona Athletics

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College Sports

Minnesota prospects for the 2025 NHL draft

117 William Belle, right winger, Minnetonka (Shattuck-St. Mary’s), USNTDP, Notre Dame 135 Nolan Roed, center, White Bear Lake, Tri-City (USHL), St. Cloud State 143 Bobby Cowan, right winger, Edina, Madison (USHL), Western Michigan 144 Brendan McMorrow, left winger, Lakeville (Benilde-St. Margaret’s), USNTDP, Waterloo (USHL), University of Denver 146 Blake Vanek, right winger, Stillwater, Wenatchee (Western […]

Published

45 minutes ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

117 William Belle, right winger, Minnetonka (Shattuck-St. Mary’s), USNTDP, Notre Dame

135 Nolan Roed, center, White Bear Lake, Tri-City (USHL), St. Cloud State

143 Bobby Cowan, right winger, Edina, Madison (USHL), Western Michigan

144 Brendan McMorrow, left winger, Lakeville (Benilde-St. Margaret’s), USNTDP, Waterloo (USHL), University of Denver

146 Blake Vanek, right winger, Stillwater, Wenatchee (Western Hockey League), uncommitted

152 Jacob Kvasnicka, right winger, Burnsville (Wayzata HS), USNTDP, Minnesota Gophers

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College Sports

Michigan hockey lands two more commitments from Canadian major junior players

Michigan’s hockey program has landed two more commitments from Canadian Hockey League players. Winger Jacob Larose of the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and center Jimmy Lombardi of the Flint Firebirds in the Ontario Hockey League announced their verbal pledges to the Wolverines on Thursday. Larose, 20, will join the Michigan […]

Published

1 hour ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Michigan’s hockey program has landed two more commitments from Canadian Hockey League players.

Winger Jacob Larose of the Drummondville Voltigeurs in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and center Jimmy Lombardi of the Flint Firebirds in the Ontario Hockey League announced their verbal pledges to the Wolverines on Thursday. Larose, 20, will join the Michigan for the 2025-26 season, while Lombardi, 18, will play one more year with the Firebirds before beginning his college career.

The Wolverines continue to tap into a new pool of prospective student-athletes, with players in the three CHL leagues eligible to play at the NCAA level for the first time.

Previously, they were banned from competing in the NCAA because the governing body of college athletics considered them professionals since they received stipends from their major junior teams.

Michigan has been busy recruiting in Canada, receiving six verbal pledges from CHL players this offseason. Larose should add some offense to head coach Brandon Naurato’s lineup next season. The 5-foot-9 Quebec native totaled 26 goals and 61 points in 63 games last season split between Drummondville and Victoriaville. His best season in the QMJHL came in 2023-24, when he registered 38 goals and 80 points in 67 games.

Lombardi is the second Firebird to commit to Michigan in as many days, following defenseman Matthew Mania’s announcement Wednesday. The 6-foot Lombardi (no relation to former Firebirds forward and Red Wings draft pick Amadeus Lombardi) had 13 goals and 45 assists in 63 games for Flint last season and is a projected mid-to-late-round pick in this week’s NHL draft.

The Wolverines, who missed the NCAA Tournament last season for the first time since 2019, will have a new-look roster in 2025-26. They are bringing in at least 10 freshmen and have added three transfers.

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College Sports

Men's Soccer Brings In Ten Transfers To Program

Published

1 hour ago

June 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Men's Soccer Brings In Ten Transfers To Program

Eastern Illinois men’s soccer head coach Ruy Vaz has announced the addition of ten transfer players to the Panthers roster for the upcoming season.

Set to join the Panthers this fall are Franco Barba, Manuel Cordeiro, Shuntaro Endo, Ben Griffis, Cland Iwasaki, Yuki Nakamura, Fabricio Roberti, Daniel Freire Silva, Sho Toda and Saneyuki Yamagata. Those ten transfers join seven incoming freshmen players that were announced earlier in June. Freshman Player Release

EIU is set to host Parkland College on August 9 in the first of three exhibition matches. The regular season opens August 21 at Northwestern.

Incoming Player Bios
Franco Barba (San Jose de Mayo, Uruguay) is a 6’0″ transfer goalkeeper that played last season at San Joaquin Delta College (Calif.). He led the program to the Big 8 Conference Championship and was named an All-Region selection. In the net Barba made 23 starts posting a 1.31 goals against average with five shutouts during the season.   He opened his collegiate career at Iowa Central CC starting ten matches in goal. Barba finished the season with a 1.80 goals against average while posting four shutouts in those ten starts. During the season he was named the ICCAC Player of the Week one time following back-to-back shutout performances. He attended Liceo Nro 1 for high school playing both soccer and tennis. He played club for Club atletico Penarol and Centro atletico Fenix. He was part of the National Championship team playing for Club atletico Penarol.

Manuel Cordeiro (Serra D’el Rei, Portugal) is a 5’7″ transfer midfielder that played last season at Utah Valley University. He appeared in 18 matches making ten starts and recording 1,000 minutes on the field. Cordeiro helped lead the team to the Western Athletic Conference semifinals. He had just one shot on goal for the season scoring on that opportunity against the Air Force Academy. Cordeiro earned CSC Academic All-District honors. He began his collegiate career playing two seasons at Monroe College in New York. He helped lead the program to NJCAA National Championships in 2022 and 2023 as they won the District Championship in 2023. He appeared in 32 matches logging over 2,000 minutes over the two seasons. He earned United Soccer Coaches All-America honors in 2022 while earn Academic All-America both seasons. Cordeiro played in the SC Lourinhanense, SG Sacavenense, AOF Coimbra, EA Sporting Lisbon, and Manchester United Soccer Schools academies prior to coming to the United States. In the US he attended High Mowing School in Wilton, New Hampshire playing for Black Rock FC academy in New England.

Shuntaro Endo (Sendai, Japan) is a 6’1″ transfer defender that played last season at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.   He started all 16 matches on the field last season logging a team high 1,402 minutes on the pitch. From his defender spot Endo had four shots on goal. He opened his collegiate career playing two seasons at Arizona Western College. He helped lead the program to back-to-back Conference Championships as they advanced deep into the NJCAA National Tournament both seasons.   In 2022 the program finished as the JUCO National Runner-Up while they finished third in the nation in 2023. He was named to both the All-ACCAC Team and All-Region teams as a sophomore. Endo attended Gakuho Ishikawa High School. He participated in the All Japan Soccer Tournament in 2021 and was named the Outstanding Player in Fukushima Prefecture High School Soccer. In 2019 he was selected as a Fukushima Prefecture Representative for the National Sports Festival.

Ben Griffis (Monroe, Ohio) is a 6’1″ transfer midfielder that played at Bellarmine University for the past four seasons. He redshirted his freshman season and then appeared in 43 matches over the next three seasons. Last season he appeared in eight matches with one start finishing the year with five shots. He logged a season high 36 minutes against No. 15 Louisville. He played in all 17 matches in 2023 making 13 starts. He netted the game-winning goal in a win over Wright State while adding three assists during the year. He played a season high 63 minutes against Jacksonville. As a redshirt freshman in 2022 he played in 18 matches off the bench. His first collegiate goal proved to be the game-winner in a 1-0 win over Jacksonville. He logged a season high 39 minutes against Southern Indiana. Griffis was a four-year starter at Monroe High School finishing his prep career with 58 goals and 35 assists in 70 career games. He posted 24 goals and 10 assists as a junior before capping his high school career with 23 goals and 19 assists as a senior. He was named a NSCAA All-American and MVSSCA Region Division II Player of the Year and SWBL Conference Player of the Year as both a junior and senior.

Cland Iwasaki (Yokohama, Japan) is a 5’11” transfer defender that played the last two seasons at Cal State Dominguez Hills. He appeared in 17 matches with nine starts last season recording four shots on goal including a goal against Cal Poly Humboldt. He logged a season high 83 minutes on the pitch against Stanislaus State. He helped the team post 11 wins during the year winning the CCAA Tournament Championship and advancing to the NCAA Division II Tournament. During his freshman season in 2023 he appeared in eight matches with six starts. Iwasaki recorded one shot while playing 470 minutes including a season-high 90 minutes against Sonoma State. He attended Yokohama SOEI for high school and served as team captain. The team finished in the top four in the Prefecture during his senior year.

Yuki Nakamura (Kanagawa, Japan) is a 5’7″ transfer midfielder that played last season at Georgia State University. He started 17 matches at Georgia State posting one assist against Marshall. Prior to Georgia State he played two years at Cowley College (Kansas) for new EIU head coach Ruy Vaz. Nakamura appeared in 35 games over two seasons making 33 starts. He posted two goals and two assists during his two seasons playing at Cowley with the team posting 16 wins and winning the Pool D NJCAA Division I Championship. Nakamura attended Toin Gakuen High School in Yokohama playing for coach Syu Yashiro.

Fabricio Roberti (Sao Paulo, Brazil) is a 6’3″ transfer defender that played last season at NAIA member Columbia College in Missouri. He appeared in 17 matches making 15 starts during the year. Roberti earned first team All-American Midwest Conference honors while being named the AMC Newcomer of the Year. He scored two goals with one assist with one of the goals the match winner against William Woods College.   He began his collegiate career playing two seasons at Saint Louis Community College. Roberti played in 33 matches making 32 starts over the two seasons recording one goal and four assists from his center back position. His goal came during his freshman season against North Iowa Area CC. He attended Coiegio Educare de Itapolis for high school playing club soccer for Comercial – SP.

Daniel Freire Silva (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is a 6’4″ transfer defender that played the last two seasons at Lewis & Clark Community College (Ill.). Freire appeared in 16 matches making ten starts in 2024. He scored one goal against Harry S. Truman College and added three assists for the season. The team finished the year with a 15-5 overall record. As a freshman in 2023, he appeared in ten matches with two starts during the year against Parkland College and Southwestern Illinois. Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Freire finished his high school playing career at Gateway Legacy Christian Academy in St. Louis, Mo.

Sho Toda (Tokyo, Japan) is a 5’6″ transfer defender that played last two seasons at Iowa Western Community College. He appeared in 20 matches making six starts during the 2024 season helping Iowa Western win the NJCAA National Championship finishing with a 23-0-2 record. Toda had three assists during the season and recorded four during his junior college career. He played for Kawasaki Frontale Academy while attending Tokyo Metropolitan Kokusai High School. He helped his team post a 14-3-5 record in his final season as they won the Prince Takamado Cup U18 Premier League East.

Saneyuki Yamagata (Yokohama, Japan) is a 6’0″ transfer forward that played the last two seasons at Arizona Western College. He helped lead the team to consecutive AACAC Championships along with both Region and District Championships. The team participated in the NJCAA National Tournament both seasons with Yamagata appearing in 14 matches between the two seasons. During the 2024 season Yamagata finished the year with five goals including a four-goal match against Community Christian College. He attended Toin Gakuen High School playing for coach Syu Yashiro. He helped the team win the 2021 Prince Takamado Cup K1 League and place third at the 2022 Prefectural Tournament.