AUBURN — There will be a slight change in the operations of Auburn’s NIL collective On To Victory following recent news surrounding the College Sports Commission and its new guidance around collectives.

The university issued an official release on Thursday afternoon saying this…

Auburn Athletics and Auburn Sports Properties unveiled the reimagined WarEagle+ subscription platform on Thursday, combining the popular WarEagle+ Content Network with the former On To Victory (OTV) membership platform.  

This combination creates a premier subscription experience for Auburn fans, while continuing to provide a competitive edge for the Tigers by directly supporting the name, image and likeness of Auburn student-athletes.  

All former On To Victory monthly and annual subscribers will automatically begin receiving the full suite of expanded benefits available through a new WarEagle+ subscription. No additional action is needed from existing On To Victory members to begin receiving the extensive suite of new benefits associated with each tier. 

“Auburn Athletics is pleased to partner with Auburn Sports Properties to continue the incredible work that On To Victory Board of Directors began three years ago in launching a monthly subscription service,” said Brett Whiteside, Auburn’s new Senior Associate Athletic Director for Player Management, and former Executive Director of On To Victory. 

“As On To Victory continues their hard work of supporting Auburn student-athletes through events, fan experience opportunities, fundraising and gifts, the transition of the monthly subscription platform to Auburn Sports Properties will continue providing incredible support to Auburn student-athletes – while now also providing an expanded suite of benefits to our valued supporters,” said Whiteside. “Additionally, the introduction of the new Playfly MAX team at Auburn Sports Properties will work diligently to connect Auburn student athletes with businesses for NIL partnerships across the region.” 

What does it mean for Auburn fans and OTV?

Speaking with knowledgeable sources at Auburn regarding the news, here’s the gist of what Tigers’ fans need to know…

OTV will remain an entity.

Brett Whiteside, who led OTV’s charge since its inception, now works for Auburn University managing revenue sharing and rosters. Kendra Short, who also worked for OTV, now helps manage PlayFly partner services. Sam Ahlersmeyer, another former OTV employee, has also transitioned to working for Auburn, will handle a variety of NIL roles.

Acting OTV Executive Director JJ Arminio and the original OTV Board of Directors remain in place, running operations for the collective.

Auburn has developed a strategic partnership with PlayFly (10-year deal announced in April) to maximize and grow true third-party NIL deals with existing sponsorship partners (part of Auburn’s contract announced earlier this summer – thinking this would likely be a mechanism to come). PlayFly running the collective subscription service now is a part of an intentional effort for them to be able to play a bigger role in NIL GO deals to athletes.

For OTV – based on the ruling that came out this week, they can now compensate athletes directly for appearances at their own events. It will still be critical for fans to support OTV through gifts and also events (this will be like Friday football luncheons, golf tournaments, etc.) as they will then be able to submit valid NIL deals through NIL GO for athlete appearances and participation.

Basically, Playfly will take over handling the connection of student-athletes and businesses for NIL deals, while OTV will handle events and continue to raise money that can be directed towards Playfly for NIL purposes. Playfly will send NIL deals to student-athletes through NIL GO to increase revenue share cap space.

The goal will be to increase the amount of deals going to student-athletes that have offsets in the contracts (where NIL deals can replace revenue share and free up more revenue share on Auburn’s end), thus increasing Auburn’s revenue share cap. The more cash going to Playfly via subscriptions and local companies doing deals with Playfly, the more Auburn’s revenue share cap increases. Playfly will play a significant role with Auburn’s current rosters, working to offset revenue share cap numbers and allowing for more revenue share offers to go towards prospective student-athletes.

Essentially, the more dollars towards Playfly, the more potential dollars Auburn can increase their revenue share cap.

College Sports Commission statement and context

CSC CEP Bryan Seeley released this statement on Thursday...

“The College Sports Commission will enforce the settlement as written. Pay-for-play will not be permitted, and every NIL deal done with a student-athlete must be a legitimate NIL deal, not pay-for-play in disguise.”

The Collective Association added this statement..

“This agreement moves us closer to treating NIL collectives like every other legitimate business operating in the college sports ecosystem.”

On3 Sports reporter Pete Nakos added this regarding the news..

“Roughly 3 weeks after the CSC released guidance that would have brought an end to NIL collectives, updated guidance allows the donor-driven organizations to operate as long as they conform to “valid business purpose” requirements.

“Bottom line: Collectives will still be able to help top programs provide a competitive advantage and pay for the $25m+ rosters. They will just have to make sure deals are approved through the clearinghouse, which will be a storyline to watch.”

And attorney Mit Winter, who has been heavily involved in the NIL space and keeping tabs on the latest moves, said this regarding the CSC’s new guidance...

“Bottom line for collectives after the revised CSC guidance: You need to attempt to make a profit from the sale of goods/services. And then (a) utilize an athlete’s NIL in the goods/services (ex: tshirts/merch) and/or (b) use the athlete’s NIL to promote the goods/services.”

HANOVER, N.H. – The Bill Johnson Head Coach of Men’s Golf, Rich Parker, has announced the golf schedule for the Fall 2025 season.
 
The 2025-26 slate tees off on Monday, Sept. 8 and Tuesday, Sept. 9 when the Big Green travel to the Metropolis Intercollegiate hosted by Columbia at the Metropolis Country Club in White Plains, N.Y.
 
The Fall action continues on Monday, Sept. 22 and Tuesday, Sept. 23 when the team travels to Temple University to play at the 1912 Club. They then return to New York to tee off against Columbia at the Lake Placid Club on Saturday, Sept. 27 and Sunday, Sept. 28 for a two-day tourney.
 
The Big Green start October at America East foe Binghamton on Sunday, Oct. 5 and Monday, Oct. 6 for the Matthews Auto Collegiate Golf Invitational hosted at The Links at Hiawatha Landing. Dartmouth wraps up the Fall schedule at Elon on Monday, Oct. 13 and Tuesday, Oct. 14 at the Alamance Country Club.
 
The Big Green return unanimous Ivy League First Team selection Tyler Brand to their roster for the 2025-26 season and will look to add a new group of talent in the Class of 2029.
 

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No program in the country has been more synonymous with elite wide receiver play than Ohio State, and on Friday following its second practice of preseason camp, that position group met with the media at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.

The headliner of the group is a player that needs no introduction. Sophomore Jeremiah Smith is widely regarded as the top player in college football, coming off a freshman season that saw him catch 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. He’ll be a candidate this fall for every major award, including the Heisman Trophy, as he attempts to become just the third full-time wide receiver to earn the honor.

But Smith’s star power – and mostly importantly his production – make him primed to add his name to college football’s most prestigious fraternity. The last image that fans had of him last season was a catch of third-and-11 late in the fourth quarter against Notre Dame that clinched the Buckeyes’ victory over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff national championship game.

A Room Full of Talent

While Smith is the biggest name in Brian Hartline‘s wide receiver room, he’s far from the only player with high expectations heading into this season. Carnell Tate, a junior, was third on the team last season with 52 receptions for 733 yards and four touchdowns. Brandon Inniss, also a junior, is primed to take on an even bigger role after playing in 16 games last season and contributing 14 receptions for 176 yards and a touchdown.

And some names that fans should expect to hear more of in 2025 and beyond: Bryson Rodgers, a junior, Mylan Graham, a sophomore, and freshmen Quincy Porter, Bodpegn Miller, De’Zie Jones and Phillip Bell.

Ohio State: Wide Receiver U

Coach Brian Hartline, who will also serve as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator this season, has unquestionably turned the Buckeyes into Wide Receiver U. The NFL Draft numbers are evidence enough: Ohio State’s produced five first-round picks in the last four NFL drafts and leads all schools in total number of wide receivers drafted in the last 25 years.

Hartline not only has proven to be an elite identifier of talent, he’s also developed it at a high rate and been part of Ohio State’s best stretch of offense in school history. Since he became the wide receivers coach prior to the start of the 2018 season, the Buckeyes have finished with a top-15 nationally ranked passing offense three times and a top-10 scoring offense four times. And in three of the last four seasons, Hartline’s room has produced two 1,000-yard receivers. Prior to 2022, that had never happened in program history.

The Buckeyes have had the Big Ten’s Wide Receiver of the Year in each of the last three seasons – Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2022 and 2023 and Jeremiah Smith in 2024 – and is the only school in conference history to claim the award in three consecutive seasons.

Wide Receivers By the Numbers

148: Receptions last season among returning wide receivers.

2,048/19: Yards receiving and touchdowns last season by the duo of Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate.

1,000: Ohio State has produced at least one 1,000-yard receiver in each of the last five seasons.

50+: Jeremiah Smith led the nation with six receptions of at least 50 yards: 70 vs. Western Michigan, 68 vs. Northwestern, 60 vs. Nebraska, 56 vs. Notre Dame, 53 vs. Iowa and 53 vs. Marshall.

3: Carnell Tate needs just three yards receiving to reach 1,000 for his career. Entering his third season, Tate’s played in 28 games and started 15 times.

It’s not on par with making the switch from the Crips to the Bloods, but at the same time, in Ivy League circles, the move that Detroit Red Wings draftee Rudy Guimond is making would be construed as somewhat blasphemous.

The goaltending prospect was once committed to play college hockey at Yale. Guimond decommitted from that school. Now, he has announced a commitment to Yale’s arch-rival Harvard.

‼️🚨BREAKING🚨‼️
 
The Harvard Crimson have received a commitment from Rudy Guimond!

Sixth round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft by @DetroitRedWings

‘05 born net-minder from Quebec split 2024-25 between Cedar Rapids (USHL) & Moncton (QMJHL) pic.twitter.com/RcF8Q9kqN6

— College Puck NXT (@CollegePuckNXT) July 30, 2025

Guimond will be playing NCAA hockey for the Crimson beginning with the 2026-27 season. He’s already set to return to play the upcoming season with the QMJHL Moncton Wildcats.

“I am honored to announce my commitment to pursue academics and play D1 hockey at Harvard University,” Guimond posted on his Instagram account. “I would like to thank my family, coaches, and everyone who has helped me along the way.”

Moncton Move Paid Dividends For Red Wings Pick

Guimond joined Moncton last November, following the rule change that would allow CHL players to play in the NCAA. He made the move from Cedar Rapids of the USHL.

“For sure, it’s tough to leave the team and go to a different one, meet new guys, but that stuff happens in pro hockey,” Guimond said. “So I think I definitely developed on the maturity side of things.”

The change of locale also paid on-ice dividends for Guimond. He went 16-0 during the regular season with a 1.73 GAA and .940 save percentage. Helping the Wildcats reach the Memorial Cup by winning the QMHL title, Guimond was 8-1 with a 2.25 GAA and .916 save percentage in the playoffs.

Surprise inattendue aujourd’hui à Beaconsfield : Gabe a eu la chance de croiser la Coupe du Président !
Un gros merci à Rudy Guimond pour ce moment mémorable @monctonwildcats 🙌

Not every day you get to see the @LHJMQ Presidents Cup when out and about in the neighborhood! pic.twitter.com/TYVjtvxWuW

— Gregory Kelley (@gharperkelley) July 24, 2025

As much as it was about the success he enjoyed, Guimond’s decision to stay in Moncton was swayed by the opportunity to play another season for Wildcats coach Gardiner MacDougall.

“Yeah, he’s a really interesting guy,” Guimond said. “I think the big thing is that he tailors his way of doing things towards the person that you are. So he gets the best out of all of his guys. And that’s really impressive.”

Detroit Viewing Guimond As Long-Term Project

Selected 169th overall by the Red Wings in the 2023 NHL entry draft, the Detroit brass are looking upon Guimond as a long-term project. They like the idea of him playing college hockey.

“Now I think with the CHL rule and NCAA, it opens things up to a longer runway and more of an opportunity that these young prospects can play,” Red Wings assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper said. “Whether it’s playing in the USHL or playing major junior. And still have the opportunity at 19 or 20 years old to go to school.

“It gives you a longer time and more of a development plan with these goalies.”

James Hagens can’t wait to play for the Boston Bruins.

The No. 7 overall pick in this year’s draft made that much clear at Bruins development camp earlier this summer. Even still, Hagens will have to wait a little while longer for that to happen, with all signs pointing toward him playing another season at Boston College this fall.

Hagens, 18, had 37 points with 11 goals in 37 games during his freshman season last year at BC. But while he himself had an overall solid campaign, it was a relatively disappointing one for the Eagles as a whole.

Despite being the top-ranked team in the country, BC fell short of winning a national championship. Back for another go around in Chestnut Hill, Hagens has his eyes set on redemption.

“I want to be able to win a Beanpot, be able to win a national championship,” Hagens told Mike Morreale of NHL.com. “Everyone has their roles, but our team goal is winning. That’s what we want to do. We fell short last year, but it’s hopefully going to happen this year.”

While Hagens is back as the pivot on the Eagles’ first line, his linemates from last season, Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard, are not. They’ve already graduated to playing in the pro ranks, leaving Hagens behind to shoulder more of the responsibility at BC.

“I think in some ways, it’s going to benefit him,” Bruins director of player development Adam McQuaid said during development camp. “Continuing to ramp up the commitment level and consistent impact that he’s capable of having, that’s the big thing for a lot of young players, bringing the consistency night in and night out. It’s not always going to be perfect. But just bringing the effort, and wanting to be a driver and a difference maker like he wants to be, will help him along in that process.”

It’s still possible that Hagens suits up for the Black and Gold at some point this season. Another successful run with the Eagles could very well lead to him signing an entry-level contract with the Bruins soon thereafter.

“You want to be ready,” Hagens said in June. “You want to be able to work for a roster spot with the Bruins, whether that’s going back to school or you’re doing it right away. I want to be Bruin really bad, so no matter the timeline, I’ll work towards that.”

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Joe Brady admits that, for the last 30 years, his commute from his home in Worcester to his jobs at Clark and Anna Maria were a breeze.

“I’ve been spoiled,” Brady said.

His drive to his new position as director of athletics at Rivier University in Nashua, New Hampshire, will be a bit longer, but still under an hour, and Brady, his wife Melissa and their two children will remain Worcester residents.

“You can still call me a Central Mass. guy,” said Brady, who grew up in Millbury and graduated from St. John’s High.

Brady spent the last six years as director of athletics at Anna Maria, his alma mater, where he led the department through a period of significant growth. He was instrumental in launching the college’s esports program and expanding club sports, oversaw roster expansion, helped grow alumni and donor engagement, guided AMC athletics through COVID, and played a role in Anna Maria becoming the first private college to join the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference as a core member. The AmCats begin competition in the MASCAC this fall.

“I value what I did there and we accomplished a good amount,” Brady said, “and I’m grateful for the relationships and experiences at Anna Maria. (Rivier) was the right opportunity for a change. and it’s the perfect opportunity to take on a new challenge.”

River, a private, Catholic university with an enrollment of about 2,300, is a member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. Its ice hockey teams compete in the MASCAC. Anna Maria had been a member of the GNAC since 2011, so Brady is familiar with Rivier’s teams and the conference.

“I knew what they were doing from a facility standpoint, as well as athletically and academically,” Brady said. “There are already a lot of things in place — academic buildings, athletics facilities, housing — the tools to be successful.”

Brady will provide strategic leadership and oversee Rivier’s 13 varsity programs.

“Joseph brings a deep understanding of collegiate athletics, including the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, and a clear vision for the future of our programs,” said Rivier president Sister Paula Marie Buley, IHM. “He will be a strong leader for our athletics staff and student-athletes as they continue to build on the momentum of Raiders athletics heading into the 2025-26 academic year.”

Last season, Rivier’s men’s lacrosse team captured the GNAC championship and won a first-round game in the NCAA Tournament. The women’s ice hockey team advanced to the MASCAC final.

Tom Glynn, who previously coached at Nichols, is the men’s basketball coach, and Shaun Millerick, the son of Assumption senior associate AD Frank Millerick, is the men’s hockey coach.

“There are some really good coaches who are committed,” Brady said, “and I think we are primed for success across the board.”

Soon after Brady’s graduation from Anna Maria in 1996, AMC hired him as part-time women’s soccer coach. In 1997, he was elevated to full time while taking on the sports information duties.

For 18 years, Brady was a central member of Clark’s department of athletics, as women’s soccer coach, sports information director, assistant athletic director and associate athletic director.

Brady served as director of the Clark Tournament, the long-running high school tournament, for a decade.

Brady spent this week on the Rivier campus, getting acquainted and acclimated, and preparing for the start of the fall season.

“My goals are to continue the trend of what they’re doing, continue to raise the level of compeititve success, and compete for GNAC championships,” Brady said. “Sister Paula is committed to what we’re doing. Winning isn’t everything, but obviously winning changes the student-athlete experience. The tools are there for the coaches and athletes to be successful. I’m going to hopefully continue to help them do that.”

—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JenTolandTG.