SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – American International College (AIC) has named Rob Kearney, MS, ATC, LAT, to the position of director of athletics effective July 7, 2025. Kearney brings more than a decade of athletic training and leadership experience to this role and will oversee the College’s portfolio of NCAA Division II athletic programs.
 

“Rob has already made a significant impact in his time at AIC, and his energy and innovative approach will be invaluable to this role,” said AIC President Nicolle Cestero. “His perspective on athletic administration, strong relationships with coaches, and the trust he has built with our student-athletes will bring both stability and renewed direction to AIC Athletics.”
 

The appointment follows Kearney’s prior tenure as Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine and Performance, in which he oversaw a transformational restructuring of the department and rebuilt all aspects of the College’s Athletic Training and Strength and Conditioning programs.
 

“I am humbled and honored to be selected as the Director of Athletics here at AIC. Over the past year I have been increasingly amazed at the culture, community, and passion within the department.” said Kearney. “I am eager to begin this journey and lead AIC Athletics with passion, excitement, and a vision of success forward to continue to grow the legacy of the Yellow Jackets.”
 

Prior to arriving at AIC, Kearney served as an athletic trainer at Springfield Central High School and was head athletic trainer for the men’s club ice hockey program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst from 2014-2024. He has held roles at a number of local institutions including the Williston Northampton School, Deerfield Academy, and Palmer Public Schools. Kearney and his husband Joey also own and operate CrossFit Iron Legacy in East Longmeadow, MA.
 

Beyond his experience in athletic training and coaching, Kearney’s record includes a fifteen-year career of professional competition: In 2023, he finished third in the America’s Strongest Man competition and has a personal record of 961 pounds in the deadlift. He has competed in the World’s Strongest Man competition five times and the Arnold Strongman Classic three times. In 2020 he was awarded the title of “Pound for Pound Strongest Man in the World” by Official Strongman.
 

Kearney currently serves on the Executive Board of the OUT Foundation and previously was the Massachusetts State Representative for the National Athletic Trainers’ Association’s (NATA) LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee. He holds a Master of Science in Advanced Athletic Training with a concentration in Athletic Rehabilitation and a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Springfield College and is a Massachusetts Licensed Athletic Trainer.

Release provided by AIC athletics.

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
 
Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season.  The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast-10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.

At just three years old, a young Luke Clanton picked up a golf club for the first time.

David, his father, would take him out to the driving range and teach him the game of golf. What once started as a fun bonding experience between him and his son turned into a true passion that led Luke and his family down a road filled with opportunity — eventually leading to his professional debut on June 5 at the RBC Canadian Open.

“If you were to ask me way back when we started this journey, I would’ve always told you then, I thought he’s always going to make it,” David said. “Because that’s just what dads say or dads do. But I really believed it.”

Despite not playing in a tournament until he turned seven, Rhonda, his mother, claimed he was always good at golf, even as a young child.

David worked with him throughout his childhood, essentially being his first golf coach.

“We came up with so many cool ideas and sayings to get us on the right mind frame when it’d come to certain shots, and that was a game changer to us,” David said. “One of my favorite sayings was ‘a purpose in mind’ shot… It’s just automatic, he knows he’s going to be able to make it.”

Although David was passionate about improving Luke’s game, he was always considerate of his son’s perspective. The last thing he wanted to do was push him too far and ruin his love for the game.

“I was always worried about burning him out,” David said. “I’d always be careful. I’d always ask. And if he’s always fired up, he’s ready and fired…Stayed till dark, sometimes had a small light out there just doing some extra shots.”

This fire led Luke to victories at such young ages.

He won the U.S. Kids World Championship at age 11 and his first American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) tournament at age 13. By this point, his mother already had a feeling that he wanted to get to the professional level.

“We have recordings of him at the age of 13 saying we’re going to be out here,” Rhonda said. “So he was pretty sure that’s what he wanted to do… In his head, he was going to be a pro.”

For high school, Clanton attended American Heritage in Florida, where he grew up. In just those four years, he led his team to three state championships.

Eventually, this success led to him earning a spot on Florida State University’s golf team.

Through his first two years as a collegiate golfer, the achievements continued to present themselves. He played nine straight rounds of par or less as a freshman and became the first Seminole to win three consecutive tournaments during his sophomore year. He also set the single-season record for lowest scoring average at 69.33.

However, Luke’s sophomore season finished in devastating fashion after coming up just short of a national championship. FSU fell to Auburn, 3-2, but Luke was the deciding match. He ended up losing on hole 17 in match play, sealing the deal for the Tigers.

But this setback might’ve been the best thing to happen to him.

In the summer of 2024, he qualified for the U.S. Open as an amateur and made the cut, which was the first professional tournament he played in. He also played in four other PGA tournaments ahead of his third year at FSU.

“All these PGA events have been sick,” David said. “I mean to be able to see him compete and be at that level, and looks like he already belongs; it’s so humbling.”

This summer of high-level experience gave him all the necessary tools to take a major leap in his mentality.

“People always ask what happened this last year,” Rhonda said. “And for me, his mental game became so much stronger…He’s at peace. He grew in his faith, which gives you a calmness inside you.”

His mother made it clear that Luke believes “golf is what you do, not you who are,” which has allowed him to play the game freely without fear of failure. With this mindset, he found himself playing in eight PGA events and becoming the second FSU player to win the Ben Hogan Award.

But the most notable achievement came when Luke earned his PGA TOUR Card at the Cognizant Classic on Feb. 28. He was a part of the PGA TOUR University Accelerated program, where he earned enough points (20) to turn pro.

“I’m grateful that God [is] blessing us to be able to see it and be there, it’s so wonderful…I think it’s less than 1% to get on a tour,” David said. “And we did in his junior year, which is unbelievable.”

Despite all the experience he gained, and having a “rookie year without being a rookie,” the real Luke Clanton in his parents’ eyes has not much to do with golf at all.

“He’s genuinely a good person,” David said emotionally. “I’d like to think that I had something to do with that.”

The journey that he’s taken to build his faith and mental space has allowed him to be a humble young man that any parent would be proud of.

“He’s a good human…He’s not just a great player,” Rhonda said. “He’s a really great person. Cares deeply, loves deeply. The five of us are pretty tight-knit as a family…That’s what I want people to know.”

He has two older sisters, Ray and Abby, completing the five individuals that make up this strong Christian family.

“We’ve always carried that wherever we go, and it’s just really nice to see that Luke was able to hang on to that,” David said about their faith. “He even does prayer groups with Scottie [Scheffler].”

The combination of faith and a strong mindset has led him to the highest point in his golf journey, officially being a PGA pro. However, he’d be going into his final collegiate golf tournament with his team at Omni La Costa, in Carlsbad, for the 2025 NCAA Championships.

On May 26, the Seminoles failed to make the top eight by one stroke, allowing Ole Miss to slide into match play. Clanton didn’t have his best in the final round of stroke play and finished with a 76, 4-over par.

Although he was disappointed in his individual performance, what matters most to him is not showing up for his team one last time. Despite his college career coming to a close, the journey for Luke Clanton is only getting started.

“He loves the team. He’s always loved it,” Rhonda said. “It is the ending and the beginning all in the same time.”

Just a week and a half after the college season ended, Clanton arrived in Toronto for his professional debut at the RBC Canadian Open. He was fortunate enough to be paired with the two biggest names in the field for this event, No. 2 Rory McIlroy and No. 6 Ludvig Åberg, according to the Official World Golf Ranking.

For most of the fans following this group, Clanton put on a respectable performance, finishing 1-under-par through the first two rounds. It wouldn’t be enough to make the cut, but it’s just the start of a long career for the experienced rookie.

“We’re proud of what he’s succeeded in and how he’s played…but I’m just proud of what a good human being he is,” Rhonda said.

ESPN predicted the win-loss record for every Big Ten football ahead of the 2025 college football season. The network used its FPI metrics to determine the win-loss record.

The usual suspects are near the top of the Big Ten of course. But other than the big three this year, the conference could get random and maybe have some surprises!

Without further ado, let’s dive into ESPN’s FPI metrics to predict the win-loss record for every Big Ten team. We start with the defending national champions.

Ohio State has a 10.4 projection from ESPN’s FPI, which puts them at the top of the Big Ten. The biggest games of the year happen to be in Week 1 and then in November.

Could they go undefeated? Sure. But Texas and Penn Sate are certainly the toughest games on the schedule. Also Michigan because well, they’ve lost four in a row to the Wolverines. But the Buckeyes could be the favorite every week.

Penn State is only slightly behind Ohio State in the Big Ten with 10.2 projected wins per the FPI. The Buckeyes routinely have the Nittany Lions’ number so that could be a factor as well.

Penn State has to host Oregon and go to Ohio State this year. Not only that, there’s a tricky road game against Iowa so there are some landmines on this 2025 schedule.

Oregon is projected right at 10 wins, but at 2.4 losses compared to 2.2 for Penn State. After winning the Big Ten last year, it’ll be hard for the Ducks to repeat.

Make no mistake, they’re a contender for the conference and College Football Playoff. But they have to go to Penn State and Iowa. Some tricky spots, but Dan Lanning’s crew could be just as good.

Michigan is the first Big Ten team on this list that is not projected to get double digit wins. ESPN’s FPI is 8.4 projected wins, just ahead of USC.

The Wolverines have to go to Oklahoma, Nebraska, USC and rival Michigan State. Undefeated season? Good luck. The good news is Michigan does host Ohio State this season, looking for five wins in a row.

The pressure index on Lincoln Riley has to be high at this point right? He has to deliver on the investment. Good luck in this year’s Big Ten. However, the Trojans have the fifth best win-loss record projection in ESPN’s FPI.

USC has to go to Illinois, Notre Dame, Nebraska and Oregon for difficult road trips. Michigan also comes to town in a toss up game.

Matt Rhule can have Nebraska take the next step with a solid season. But ESPN’s FPI has the Huskers at 7.5 projected wins, not quite Big Ten championship material.

They have to host Michigan and hit the road against Penn State, among some other tough games. Heck, Iowa is still in that final week! But after an expected 3-0 start against non-conference opponents, perhaps Nebraska can surprise some people.

The Hoosiers are bound for a step back based on ESPN’s FPI projections. After nearly getting to the Big Ten Championship last year, Indiana is projected at 7.5 wins, the same as Nebraska.

They have to go to Iowa and Oregon in back to back games. Not to mention Maryland and Penn State both on the road. Sure, they’ll likely be favored over the Terrapins, but the schedule doesn’t do Indiana any favors. Oh yeah, Illinois comes to town too, although ESPN isn’t as high on them this year.

Washington’s 7-5 record is a little less stabilized in ESPN’s FPI with 7.1 projected wins. They’ll be a middle of the pack Big Ten team per the metric.

They’ll have to play rival Washington State on the road, host Ohio State, go to Michigan, host Illinois and host Oregon. There are some tough opponents on this schedule. Heck, even Rutgers might give them fits after the Huskies lost in Piscataway last season.

Minnesota is still bowl eligible based on the projected wins, coming in at 6.9. But it’s not quite seven wins, although that’s possible.

PJ Fleck and crew had to go to Cal for a non-conference game, so it’s a long trip. Plus, the Gophers go to Ohio State, Iowa and Oregon. The team should be competitive as usual, but it’ll be a difficult schedule in the Big Ten.

Illinois won 10 games last year, including the Citrus Bowl. Now, ESPN’s FPI only has them in the six-win range, which could be seven.

At 6.8 projected wins, it’s doable. The Illini have road games at Indiana, Washington and Wisconsin, but the schedule doesn’t seem too difficult. USC and Ohio State have to come to Bloomington, as well as Rutgers. Maybe eight or more wins are on the docket.

The Hawkeyes have a projected win total of 6.2 per the ESPN FPI. This a model Big Ten program in terms of competitive consistency, but that might be all that’s possible this year.

Iowa has to head to Rutgers, Wisconsin, USC and Nebraska this year. Not only that, Penn State and Oregon are coming to town!

Maryland is on the cusp of six wins, in terms of the projection, as ESPN’s FPI has them at 5.9. The Terrapins aren’t projected to do a ton in the Big Ten this year, but there’s always some surprises.

Mike Locksley and crew have to go to Wisconsin, Rutgers and Illinois, so the road trips aren’t insanely difficult. But, Nebraska, Indiana and Michigan come to town. Perhaps this team might be better off than the projections say throughout the Big Ten.

Rutgers practicality underachieved last year at 7-6, missing out on a few one-score games. The schedule sets up for a successful first half, maybe 5-1 or 6-0 if there’s some luck involved.

But this is the Big Ten and ESPN’s FPI struggles to find six automatic wins. The back half of the shield includes Oregon and Penn State at home, as well as road games with Illinois and Ohio State.

Wisconsin is slightly behind Rutgers with 5.8 projected wins, compared to 5.9 for the Scarlet Knights. The Badgers should get off to a good start but have to go to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama after getting waxed last year.

Wisconsin also has Big Ten opponents including Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon, with the Wolverines and Ducks being the host schools this year. It doesn’t get any easier for Luke Fickell in 2025.

Year 2 for DeShaun Foster is going to be tough with some of these teams on the schedule. At 5.4 projected wins, a bowl game might be more out of reach compared to a couple of other Big Ten teams.

UCLA hosts Utah to open the season and then will see conference games at home vs. Penn State, Nebraska and Washington at some point. Not only that, they have to go to Ohio State and rival USC.

Michigan State could see improvements in Year 2 with Jonathan Smith at the helm. But ESPN’s FPI has them at 5.2 projected wins.

The Big Ten schedule is difficult with road games at USC, Nebraska and Iowa, to name a few. The Spartans get to host rival Michigan though, which could help in the second half of the season.

David Braun pushed all of the right buttons in 2023 following a quick takeover for Pat Fitzgerald. Last year didn’t breed the same success though.

As far as ESPN’s FPI is concerned, the Wildcats are barely above four wins at 4.1 in their projection. The Wildcats have Big Ten road games at Penn State, Nebraska, USC and Illinois, mostly in the second half of the season.

Purdue will have the biggest rebuilding job in the Big Ten as Barry Odom tries to resurrect the Boilermakers. The FPI only has them at 3.2 projected wins, so this could be disastrous.

Purdue has to go to Notre Dame, Michigan and Washington, to name a few. They also have to host Ohio State, Rutgers, Illinois and USC and that’s not even including rival Indiana on November 28th!

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The Union College Department of Athletics has unveiled its schedules for the 2025 fall season.
 
Twelve Union fall teams are set to begin play in the fall 2025 trimester, beginning on Friday, August 29 when seven teams get the season underway. The women’s and men’s soccer teams start off with a home doubleheader, with the women hosting Worcester Polytechnic Institute at 4 p.m. and the men taking on SUNY Oneonta at 7 p.m. at College Park Field. In addition, field hockey (at VTSU Castleton), women’s volleyball (at Haverford Invitational), women’s golf (at Ithaca College) and men’s and women’s cross country (at Vassar College) start their seasons on Friday as well.

Women’s volleyball begins its home slate on Friday, September 5 with a 6 p.m. match against Russell Sage College, and two more teams start their seasons the following day on September 6: the football team heads to Susquehanna University for a noon kickoff and the women’s tennis team hosts day one of the annual Union College Invitational beginning at 9 a.m. Field hockey also has its home opener on that Saturday when Russell Sage comes to Schenectady for a 1 p.m. matchup. The men’s tennis team gets its season going on Saturday, September 13 with day one of the St. Lawrence University Fall Classic in Canton.

Three teams will appear in front of the home crowd for the first time on Saturday, September 20, as football welcomes Morrisville State College to Frank Bailey Field for a 1 p.m. kickoff, men’s tennis hosts day one of the Garnet Charger Invitational at the Union Tennis Courts, and the women’s golf team hosts day one of the Union Fall Invitational at Mohawk Golf Club.

The men’s and women’s crew teams will begin their abbreviated fall schedule on Sunday, September 28 on their home river, taking part in the Head of the Mohawk Regatta.

Homecoming and Family Weekend (October 10-11) will once again feature several Union fall teams playing at home, kicking off with football at 1 p.m. against Hobart College. Other home games that day include women’s soccer against Rochester Institute of Technology, women’s volleyball versus Ithaca College, women’s hockey taking on the University of New Hampshire, and field hockey hosting William Smith College.

 

Schedule links:

Football

Men’s and Women’s Crew

Men’s and Women’s Cross Country

Field Hockey

Women’s Golf

Men’s Soccer

Women’s Soccer

Men’s Tennis

Women’s Tennis

Women’s Volleyball

 

Dates and times for all Union schedules are subject to change. For the most up-to-date schedule information for all 26 Union College varsity sports, follow Union Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and sign up for team-specific or department-wide news releases to receive Union Athletics news directly in your email.