Michigan State University approved three major academic appointments during its June 13 Board of Trustees meeting in Traverse City, including a new provost and deans for the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Starting August 4, Laura Lee McIntyre will step into the role of Provost and Executive VP for Academic Affairs. McIntyre currently serves as the dean of the College of Education at the University of Oregon where she was praised by President Kevin Guskiewicz for fostering “a collaborative culture” that strengthened advising, graduate enrollment, scholarship opportunities and research output.

McIntyre is a licensed psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst whose research focuses on early childhood autism, family-school partnerships and behavioral health support for underserved families. 

In a podcast interview on MSU Today with Russ White, McIntyre said she was drawn to MSU because she found her own values reflected in the university’s land-grant mission, commitment to public service and global impact.

“As I dug into the mission… I really fell in love with the impact of the institution, certainly, and partnerships with the entire state, but also beyond,” McIntyre said on the podcast. “I’m passionate about the role of public higher education, especially today.”

As she prepares to begin her role in August, McIntyre told MSU Today that she plans to go on a “listening tour” to better understand MSU’s culture, challenges and strengths.

“Our strengths are our people,” she said. “It’s important for me to get to know as many people as I can, as quickly as I can, and hear from folks directly.”

McIntyre further described her leadership style in the podcast as grounded in listening and trust-building.

“I think of trust as a byproduct. It’s not a prerequisite,” she said. “It’s a byproduct of relationships, of communication and transparency.”

McIntyre will succeed Interim Provost Thomas Jeitschko, who has served in the role after Teresa Woodruff was named interim president in 2023, following former MSU President Samuel Stanley’s resignation. At the meeting, Guskiewicz credited Jeitschko for leading MSU through a critical period that included a 10-year accreditation review, the transition to a new student information system and the launch of the general education modernization initiative.

In recognition of his service, Jeitschko was granted the title of Provost Emeritus.

Also approved was Thomas Stubblefield as the new dean of the College of Arts and Letters (CAL), effective July 1. Stubblefield joins MSU as the 12th dean of CAL from the University of Rhode Island, where he serves as a professor of Art and Art History and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Guskiewicz said in the meeting that Stubblefield “brings excellent experience” and will work alongside him as they work through a period of structural change, including the recently approved merger with the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH) and CAL.

“I’m committed to a smooth transition with RCAH and CAL and I think we’ll look back in a year from now and many who are concerned about this will, in fact, feel much better,” Guskiewicz said.

Stubblefield replaces Yen-Hwei Lin, who has held the interim position since June 2024.

Prior to his role at the University of Rhode Island, Stubblefield held several academic and administrative positions at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, including associate dean, director of faculty development, and associate professor of art history and media studies. 

Matt Daum was also named Associate Provost and Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) effective June 13, after serving as interim for the past year. He previously led MSU’s School of Packaging, a program with national recognition.

At the meeting, Guskiewicz said Daum had “done a great job as interim dean” and expressed confidence that he will “take our CANR to new heights.”

Daum succeeds Kelly Millenbah, who has served as dean and interim dean since 2022.

Fisk University has announced it is closing its gymnastics program. The program will shut down at the end of the 2025-26 academic year, with the final season of competition being held next spring.

The program, which opened in 2022, was the first of its kind at an HBCU.

“While we are tremendously proud of the history our gymnastics team has made in just three years, we look forward to focusing on our conference-affiliated teams to strengthen our impact in the HBCU Athletic Conference,” Valencia Jordan, director of Fisk Athletics, said in a press release. “Fisk is grateful for the hard work, dedication and tenacity of its gymnasts, staff members, and coaches who made this program possible.”

What Fisk says about its gymnastics program

Despite the news, the university invited its alumni, students, staff and community members to support the gymnastics team prior to May 2026.

Fisk is the second HBCU to announce it is closing its gymnastics program this year. In July 2024, Talladega College said it would stop offering the program after opening for a year due to not having the necessary financial resources to keep the program running.

Why is Fisk University closing its gymnastics program?

The HBCU is shutting down its gymnastics program due to financial reasons, according to Sports Illustrated. It had been facing challenges regarding the program’s resources for training and traveling to events.

It also faced issues regarding scheduling competitions and building a recruiting pipeline, Fisk said in a press release. This is due to gymnastics not being a sport sanctioned by the HBCU Athletic Conference, which Fisk athletics competes in.

The program recently lost two key figures. Coach Corrine Tarver announced her departure from Fisk in February. Former meet director and social media manager Nuriya Mack was named interim coach for the remainder of the season, according to Main Street Media.

Morgan Price, a two-time All-Around USGA National Champion, also left the school. Last month, she transferred from Fisk to the University of Arkansas.

OMAHA, Neb. – Here come the OmaHogs.

Arkansas’ run in the College World Series begins with a primetime matchup against LSU inside Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Neb. First pitch between the No. 3 national seed Razorbacks and No. 6 national seed Tigers is scheduled for at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 14, on ESPN with Mike Monaco (play-by-play), Chris Burke (analyst), Kyle Peterson (analyst) and Kris Budden (reporter) on the call.

The winner of Saturday night’s clash between Arkansas and LSU will play the winner of UCLA vs. Murray State on Monday, June 16, at 6 p.m. on ESPN. The losers of Saturday’s games, meanwhile, will play each other at 1 p.m. Monday, June 16, on ESPN.

College World Series Schedule
Friday, June 14
Game 1: Arizona vs. Coastal Carolina, 1 p.m., ESPN
Game 2: Oregon State vs. Louisville, 6 p.m., ESPN

Saturday, June 14
Game 3: UCLA vs. Murray State, 1 p.m., ESPN
Game 4: Arkansas vs. LSU, 6 p.m., ESPN

Sunday, June 15
Game 5 (Elimination): Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser, 1 p.m., ESPN
Game 6: Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner, 6 p.m., ESPN2

Monday, June 16
Game 7 (Elimination): Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser, 1 p.m., ESPN
Game 8: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner, 6 p.m., ESPN

Tuesday, June 17
Game 9 (Elimination): Game 5 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser, 1 p.m., ESPN
Game 10 (Elimination): Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Loser, 6 p.m., ESPN

Wednesday, June 18
Game 11: Game 6 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner, 1 p.m., ESPN
Game 12: Game 8 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner, 6 p.m., ESPN

Thursday, June 19 (If Necessary)
Game 13 (Elimination): Game 11 Winner vs. Game 11 Loser, TBD, ESPN
Game 14 (Elimination): Game 12 Winner vs. Game 12 Loser, TBD, ESPN

Saturday, June 21
Finals Game 1: 6 p.m., ESPN

Sunday, June 22
Finals Game 2: 1:30 p.m., ABC

Monday, June 23 (If Necessary)
Finals Game 3: 6:30 p.m., ESPN

On the Mound
Saturday, June 14
LSU – LHP Kade Anderson (10-1, 3.58 ERA)
Arkansas – LHP Zach Root (8-5, 3.59 ERA)

Tune In
Mike Monaco (play-by-play), Chris Burke (analyst), Kyle Peterson (analyst) and Kris Budden (reporter) have the call of Saturday night’s College World Series matchup between Arkansas and LSU. Arkansas’ College World Series games can be heard on the Razorback Sports Network from Learfield, including locally in Fayetteville on 92.1 FM or through the Razorback app, with Phil Elson (play-by-play) and Razorback great and former big leaguer Bubba Carpenter (analyst) on the call.

A full list of radio affiliates is available here.

History Lesson
Entering Saturday night’s matchup in Omaha, Arkansas is 45-79 all-time against LSU, including an 0-3 record in Omaha. Under Dave Van Horn, the Razorbacks are 31-46 overall and 0-2 in Omaha against the Tigers.

The Hogs and Tigers last met in the College World Series during the 2009 campaign, squaring off twice at Rosenblatt Stadium. LSU won the first meeting, 9-1, before eliminating Arkansas with a 14-5 win.

Hello Omaha
Arkansas is set to make its 12th College World Series appearance in program history. Under head coach Dave Van Horn, the Razorbacks have advanced to Omaha eight times: 2004, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2025.

The Hogs are 18-22 (.450) overall the College World Series, including runner-up finishes in 1979 under Norm DeBriyn and 2018 under Van Horn.

Homerin’ Hogs
Through 61 games this year, Arkansas has hit 124 homers, its most home runs in a single season in program history. The Razorbacks eclipsed their single-season program record of 109 home runs, which was set over 63 games in 2021.

SEC Player of the Year Wehiwa Aloy leads the Hogs in homers with 20, tied for fourth most by a Hog in a season. The Razorbacks’ superstar shortstop is one of seven Arkansas hitters with double-digit homers, including Cam Kozeal (15), Charles Davalan (14), Ryder Helfrick (14), Brent Iredale (14), Kuhio Aloy (13) and Logan Maxwell (12).

By: Dan Richeal

HANOVER, N.H.—Dartmouth field hockey head coach Mark Egner announced the incoming student-athletes for the upcoming 2025 season. The class features three international players and three players from the United States.

“I’m very excited about the potential impact of this class on our team. With them coming from a wide variety of hockey experiences they will bring a lot of championship experience to the table” Egner added. “Their blend of playing style should mesh quite well with what we already have, and I really look forward to seeing them on campus as soon as we get started this fall!”

Maria Ariza Solans | Castelldefels, Spain | Charterhouse School, U.K. | Castelldefels H.C.

Ariza Solans comes to Hanover from Spain after playing for Castelldefels Hockey Club at the U16, U18, and Senior levels. On the field she earned multiple honors including the Charterhouse Sports Scholarship, Charterhouse Full Sport Special Colours, Charterhouse Full Sport Colours, and House Sport Colours. She was selected as a member of the ARC Catalana Hockey Development Program.  Off the field she earned the Charterhouse Leadership Award while founding and leading the STEM Society, she also led the Pupil Action Committee Against Discrimination. She competed in cricket and soccer as well as field hockey.

 

Gemma Franco | Chicago, Ill. | Francis W. Parker | Windy City Field Hockey

Franco joins the Big Green after having a dominant high school career as she was named the ISL Offensive Player of the Year in 2024. She was also named First Team All-State in 2023 and 2024 while being an All-Conference and All-League player in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. In both 2022 and 2023 she was named a Max Field Hockey Top 100 Player in the United States. She also earned invites to the Nexus Championship in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 and the AAU Junior Olympics in 2022. In the classroom, Franco was a member of the All-Academic Team in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. She volunteered with Nourishing Hope and Students Against Sensible Drug Policy, while also coaching at 312 Field Hockey.

Ava Russo | Roseland, N.J. | West Essex Regional High School | NJ Grit

Russo was a four-year varsity player at West Essex Regional High School and won a state championship each of the four seasons. She also won the Essex County Tournament Championship four times. Prior to coming to Hanover, she participated in the U16 and U18 Nexus Championships and the AAU Junior Olympics. The defender was also named a Max Field Hockey Class of 2025 Top 100 Players. The National Honor Society member coaches young field hockey players while participating in the Italian Club and running in multiple color runs to raise awareness for autism.

Georgia Thornton | Belfast, Northern Ireland | Strathearn School | Ards Ladies 1XI

Thornton comes across the pond to Dartmouth after being a four-year starter and senior captain for Strathearn School. In 2023, she was the lone underclassman on the team and made it to the Senior School Girls Hockey Cup Final for the first time in over 30 years. The midfielder also played indoor hockey and was captain and MVP in 2024-25. She won a pair of U18 Ulster Indoor Club Championships in 2023 and 2024. In the 2023 tournament, she was the top goal scorer of the tournament. Thornton played club field hockey in the top Irish Hockey EY1 League with Ards Ladies 1Xl. While also playing field hockey, Thornton played volleyball, netball, and competed in track & field.

Lilly Venezia | North Caldwell, N.J. | Oak Knoll School | NJ Grit

In high school, Venezia played varsity for four seasons while serving as a captain her senior season. In both 2023 and 2024 she was named Third Team All-State while also being named to the NFHCA High School Senior Impact Team. In high school she received multiple honors including First Team All-Conference in 2023 and 2024 and Max Field Hockey All NJ Region in 2024. She helped lead her team to four Union County Field Hockey Championships. Away from field hockey, she competed in track & field and golf. She also volunteered with youth field hockey programs and was a member of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Student Visionaries of the Year Campaign.

Madeline Windsor | Hobart, Australia | The Friends’ School  | North West Graduates H.C.

Our final newcomer comes to Dartmouth after serving as a captain for multiple teams including the U18 State Team in 2024. While serving as captain of her U18 team she was also named Team MVP. For her club team she earned the E&S Carmichael Award for Most Promising Underage Female in 2022. In the classroom, she won multiple honors including the Academic Excellence honor from 2019-24. In 2022, she was the Community Representative in School while working with junior field hockey teams.

Dartmouth returns 18 student-athletes from a year ago including leading scorer Riley Dumigan and All-Ivy honorees Olivia Galiotos and Lucia Campano. The Big Green will announce its 2025 schedule in the coming weeks.

J Batt hasn’t even clocked in for his first day as Michigan State’s new athletic director and already locked up one of the university’s top leaders.

Hockey coach Adam Nightingale, who has spearheaded a remarkable program turnaround in just three years, signed a contract extension with a raise barely a year after getting a new deal. It’s essentially worth $1.3 million annually for one of the highest-paid coaches in the country and was approved by Michigan State’s Board of Trustees at a meeting Friday in Traverse City.

Batt, who was hired away from Georgia Tech earlier this month, also had his contract approved Friday and officially starts Tuesday.

The rolling, five-year extension will pay Nightingale $1 million a year with a $300,000 annual retention bonus. His base salary is $700,000 with $300,000 in additional compensation.

Nightingale’s previous extension – also a rolling, five-year deal – was announced in March 2024 and paid him $600,000 in base salary with $100,000 in additional compensation with a $100,000 retention bonus every two years.

“I’m appreciative of the support the Board of Trustees and President Kevin Guskiewicz have demonstrated with today’s announcement of a new contract for Adam Nightingale, helping to ensure he leads the Spartan hockey program for many years to come,” Batt said in a press release. “Under Coach Nightingale’s guidance, Michigan State has returned to its position as one of the elite programs in college hockey, creating incredible excitement both within the hockey community and throughout all of our loyal supporters. Coming off back-to-back Big Ten Championships, there’s a buzz that even greater things are on the horizon. Personally, I can’t wait to experience the excitement of the sold-out crowds at Munn Ice Arena this winter, in what could be a truly special season.”

With Nightingale quickly emerging as one of the top college coaches in the nation, his new contract includes an elevated buyout from his alma mater. It’s $2 million for the first three years before being cut in half and then down to $800,000 in year five. The contract was signed by Nightingale, Guskiewicz and co-interim AD and basketball coach Tom Izzo.

“My family and I are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to represent Michigan State University,” Nightingale said in the release. “To coach at an institution like this and be part of the East Lansing community is a privilege and an awesome responsibility. The support our program receives, from President Kevin Guskiewicz, the Board of Trustees, Director of Athletics J Batt and the entire Spartan family, will never be taken for granted, and we make sure our players and staff understand that on a daily basis. We look forward to continuing to make our university, alumni and community proud.”

Three seasons ago, Nightingale took over a history-rich program he played for that hadn’t reached the NCAA Tournament in more than a decade. That skid nearly ended in his first year on the job and the Spartans are now coming off back-to-back Big Ten championships and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament each of the last two seasons. They were upset in the first round by Cornell in March.

Michigan State is back to being a national championship contender and should be loaded this season. Forward Isaac Howard, who in April won the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in the country, is delaying a leap to the NHL and returning for his senior year. Big Ten Goalie of the Year Trey Augustine is also holding off on turning pro to come back for a third season between the pipes in East Lansing.