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Massasoit alum Jim Craig inducted into NJCAA Hall of Fame

Massasoit Community College alumnus Jim Craig was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame on June 17, according to a community announcement. Massasoit President Bill Mitchell accepted the honor on Craig’s behalf at a ceremony in Charlotte, North Carolina. Craig joined the Massasoit Warriors Hockey Team in 1975 after graduating from […]

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Massasoit Community College alumnus Jim Craig was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame on June 17, according to a community announcement.

Massasoit President Bill Mitchell accepted the honor on Craig’s behalf at a ceremony in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Craig joined the Massasoit Warriors Hockey Team in 1975 after graduating from Oliver Ames High School in Easton. At Massasoit, he was coached by Neil Higgins, a former star goalie for Boston College. After a successful season, during which the Warriors Hockey team won the Region XXI (New England) Championship, Craig was offered a scholarship to Boston University, where he went on to win an NCAA national championship.

In 1980, he became an American sports hero when his standout performance in goal helped the U.S. defeat the Soviet Union in the famous “Miracle on Ice” game en route to a gold medal victory over Finland.

“When I think about the path my life has taken, it’s impossible not to start at Massasoit. It was more than just a college — it was the foundation,” Craig said in the announcement. “Massasoit gave me a second chance, the belief in myself, and the opportunity to develop as a student, an athlete, and a teammate. It prepared me not only for Boston University, but for everything that came after — including the 1980 Olympics.”

“I’m incredibly honored to be inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame, and grateful that my journey began at a place that believed in potential over pedigree,” Craig continued. “My sincere thanks to Massasoit and to Bill Mitchell for accepting this honor on my behalf.”

After competing in the 1980 Olympics, Craig went on to play in the NHL and was enshrined in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame and the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame. His post-hockey career has been one of tremendous success, having become a business leader in sales, marketing, consulting and motivational speaking. He is the co-author of two books: “Gold Medal Strategies: Business Lessons from America’s Miracle Team” and “We Win! Lessons on Life, Business & Building Your Own Miracle Team.”

“We are proud that Massasoit played an early role in Jim Craig’s legendary and heroic hockey and professional careers,” Mitchell said in the announcement. “This honor from the NJCAA is a reflection of how a Massasoit education and a team experience on the field, ice, or court can change lives.”

Craig is the fifth former Massasoit student-athlete or coach to be inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame. Other Warriors in the Hall include baseball coach Tom Frizzell (2011), soccer player Flemming Petersen (2006), soccer player John Macaroco (1995) and soccer coach Nick Palantzas (1995).

Founded in 1966, Massasoit Community College offers students from southeastern Massachusetts and beyond access to more than 60 associate degree and certificate programs across arts, sciences, applied sciences, healthcare and technology at locations in Brockton, Canton, Middleborough and online. More than 8,000 students enroll for credit at Massasoit each year; another 1,500 students annually enroll in non-credit community education or workforce development courses.

Typically, more than 800 students graduate from Massasoit with an associate degree or certificate each year. Massasoit students are given access to wraparound services provided on campus to support their success inside and outside the classroom.

This story was created by reporter Beth McDermott, bmcdermott1@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.



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‘Gym rat’ Meleek Thomas quickly adjusting ahead of freshman season at Arkansas

Arkansas basketball will enter this season with some pretty lofty expectations. Part of that is the four returning contributors from last year’s Sweet 16 team and two veteran transfer additions from the portal. Another big reason is the highly-touted freshman class, including consensus five-star and McDonald’s All-American, Meleek Thomas. The Pittsburgh (Pa.) native was the second […]

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Arkansas basketball will enter this season with some pretty lofty expectations. Part of that is the four returning contributors from last year’s Sweet 16 team and two veteran transfer additions from the portal. Another big reason is the highly-touted freshman class, including consensus five-star and McDonald’s All-American, Meleek Thomas.

The Pittsburgh (Pa.) native was the second commitment for John Calipari‘s 2025 recruiting class and one of the most dynamic guards in the cycle. On Wednesday afternoon, media got to see the 2025-26 Razorbacks during an hour-long open practice and Thomas was one player who stood out, especially in the latter stages of the session.

Thomas showcased his elite shot-making ability, flashed as a cutter and showed promise as a fearless on-ball defender. His motor and hustle were both unmatched as the young freshman was 100% full throttle for every minute of the practice session. 

As is the case with any incoming freshman, though, there were no shortage of teachable moments and instances where Calipari needed to step in. One of Thomas strengths is being able to knock down difficult shots. Sometimes, those difficult shots are of his own creation due to poor selection and too many unnecessary dribbles. Calipari explained that’s one area he wants Thomas to clean up. 

“He’s different. He’s a basket-getter,” Calipari said. “But he is used to having the ball and then getting a basket, where we’re going to create opportunities for him to run downhill, to shoot floaters, come off a screen, pull up in transition, shoot. You’re not going to bounce it 50 times. And if you do … it better go in. Now, go ahead. You can do it. But if they don’t go in, you’re coming out. You’re not playing that way.

“But he is a bucket-getter, and I’ll tell you what else he is – he’s a gym rat, and he lives in the gym. So, he’s going to be fine. I just got to kind of point him in the right direction and let him go figure it out.”

The work ethic, motor and hustle from Thomas were all on full display during Wednesday afternoon’s practice, so it’s not hard to agree with Calipari that the young freshman will be fine. Following the open practice session, Thomas was one of the player who spoke with media and admitted he’s still adjusting to the college game.

“(I’m) getting used to everything. Some things are new for me,” Thomas said. ” Just when it comes to college, everybody gets that college welcoming, but some things are new. I’m getting adjusted to everything. Nothing’s really too too fast or too sped up for me. Like, I’m going to handle everything the way I need to, but everything is going good and the way I feel should be going.

“I really wouldn’t say it’s been a welcome to college moment. I would just say coach Calipari is doing a great job at critiquing every little thing that needs to be critiqued. I mean, that’s just the guy he is. He wants to make sure everything’s perfect or in the best shape or form. He’s gonna make sure he keeps getting it through your head, make sure he’s making his message clear.”

One thing that can really help young guys such as Thomas is having veteran players around them, especially this early in summer practices. Junior guard DJ Wagner is entering his third season playing for Calipari and knows firsthand what Thomas is going through. According to Thomas, Wagner has been a major help as he gets adjusted to the college game. 

“DJ, he’s doing an amazing job of just teaching me to slow things down at times,” Thomas said. “Everything doesn’t need to be so sped up, and he’s learned that through multiple years of college, and just a lot of good talks. ‘Slow things down.’ He’s helping me be in better positions on the floor, helping me know where to be at on offense and defense, helping me to continue to communicate even though I already do that at a high level, I feel. Just add an extra gear, I would say, and be an amazing teammate.”



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Gavin McKenna gives Penn State 1 of the most hyped recruits ever, not just in hockey

Two days after 17-year-old hockey star Gavin McKenna announced his intentions to play for Penn State in the fall, the school confirmed the news via press release. “His arrival to Hockey Valley is extremely significant not only to our hockey program, but to Penn State athletics and to college hockey as a whole,” coach Guy […]

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Two days after 17-year-old hockey star Gavin McKenna announced his intentions to play for Penn State in the fall, the school confirmed the news via press release.

“His arrival to Hockey Valley is extremely significant not only to our hockey program, but to Penn State athletics and to college hockey as a whole,” coach Guy Gadowsky said in the release.

Gadowsky is not exaggerating.

McKenna’s commitment gives Penn State not only one of the most hyped recruits in college hockey history, but maybe also the most ballyhooed recruit in the history of the school’s athletic programs.

Part of that is because of McKenna’s abilities, of course. He’s a 6-foot, 170-pound scoring machine who took his aura to another level when he recorded at least one point in the last 40 games of the regular season and first 14 points of the playoffs for Medicine Hat of the Western Hockey League last year.

He ended up with 129 points in 56 regular-season games and 38 more in 16 playoff games.

It is also because of a major rule change in 2024. The NCAA ruled that playing Canadian major junior hockey no longer made a player ineligible to play college hockey. McKenna is the first major star to take advantage of the rule change.

Five college players have gone No. 1 overall in the NHL Draft in the past, like McKenna surely will next June, but none was nearly as acclaimed. They are Macklin Celebrini (2024), Owen Power (2021), Erik Johnson (2006), Rick DiPietro (2000) and Joe Murphy (1986).

It’s also easy to include McKenna on a short list of the most hyped recruits in any sport in Penn State history.

In football, the Nittany Lions have had two players go No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft — Ki-Jana Carter (1995) and Courtney Brown (2000) — but neither was considered a top player in the country coming out of high school.

The highest ranked football recruits in Penn State history — at least since prospect rankings became popular three or four decades ago — are wide receiver Derrick Williams and linebacker Micah Parsons. Williams was the No. 4 recruit in the country in 2005 and Parsons was No. 5 in 2018.

The closest thing to McKenna in terms of prospect hype in Penn State sports history might be a classmate of his. Wrestler P.J. Duke will be a freshman with the Nittany Lions next season, and last month, he defeated four-time NCAA champion Yanni Diakomihalis to win a spot on the U.S. national team for the world championships before wrestling his first college match.

Under Cael Sanderson, Penn State has snagged the No. 1 recruit in the country four other times — Morgan McIntosh (2011), Mark Hall (2016), Shayne Van Ness (2021) and Marcus Blaze (2024) — but that’s wrestling. It’s impossible to suggest any of those outstanding grapplers have the name value McKenna does.

Blue-and-white McKenna hockey jerseys are sure to be Happy Valley’s hottest fashion accessory any day now.

“He’s one of the most exciting young talents in the game and reflects the level of student-athletes we’re bringing to Penn State across all sports,” athletic director Pat Kraft said in Thursday’s press release, marking the rare occasion an AD comments on the addition of a single recruit.

“His commitment is a testament to the national reputation Guy Gadowsky and his staff have built, and we know he’ll thrive in the culture of excellence that surrounds our program. We can’t wait to see him compete alongside this incredible group and help push our program to even greater heights.”

Jonathan Bombulie is the TribLive assistant sports editor. A Greensburg native, he was a hockey reporter for two decades, covering the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 17 seasons before joining the Trib in 2015 and covering the Penguins for four seasons, including Stanley Cup championships in 2016-17. He can be reached at jbombulie@triblive.com.





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Tennessee State To Add Division I NCAA Hockey For 2026-27 Season

The top division of NCAA hockey is gaining a new face for the first time in a few years. After beginning a feasibility study four years ago, Tennessee State University reaffirmed that it’s sponsoring a Division I men’s hockey program, which will begin play in the 2026-27 season. That was the initial plan, although they’re reverting to it […]

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The top division of NCAA hockey is gaining a new face for the first time in a few years. After beginning a feasibility study four years ago, Tennessee State University reaffirmed that it’s sponsoring a Division I men’s hockey program, which will begin play in the 2026-27 season. That was the initial plan, although they’re reverting to it now after previously attempting to launch DI play for the 2025-26 campaign.

The school began to ice a club hockey team in 2024-25 and will presumably do so again this year instead of making the jump to the top flight. Unlike recent new DI programs like Augustana and Lindenwood, there is no history of ACHA – a collegiate hockey association roughly equivalent to NCAA DIII play – representation at TSU. In this case, the program is truly being built from scratch in a brief period.

Tennessee State, located in Nashville with a total enrollment of just 8,198, will be the first historically Black college or university (HBCU) to introduce a DI hockey program, either men’s or women’s. In today’s announcement, Assistant Athletic Director Nick Guerriero stated that they’ve received a $ 250,000 grant from the NHL and NHLPA’s Industry Growth Fund, in addition to continued consultancy and support from the Predators and College Hockey, Inc.

While the club’s playing roster for its inaugural season isn’t yet secured, it does have its head coach. They tapped Duanté Abercrombie for the role in April 2024. The 28-year-old Washington, D.C. native previously worked as a development coach with the Maple Leafs during the 2022-23 season and served as an assistant coach for Stevenson University’s Division III program in 2023-24.

Like Lindenwood, TSU is expected to begin its life as an independent program.



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Penn State AD Pat Kraft, head coach Guy Gadowsky, weigh in on landing top prospect Gavin McKenna: ‘Gavin is a perfect fit’

In what may be a first and is certainly a sign of the times in college athletics, Penn State officially announced the signing of prized hockey prospect Gavin McKenna with a statement from both head coach Guy Gadowsky and athletic director Pat Kraft. The Nittany Lions landed the projected 2026 NHL Draft No. 1 overall […]

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In what may be a first and is certainly a sign of the times in college athletics, Penn State officially announced the signing of prized hockey prospect Gavin McKenna with a statement from both head coach Guy Gadowsky and athletic director Pat Kraft. The Nittany Lions landed the projected 2026 NHL Draft No. 1 overall pick, who has been described as a ‘generational talent’ over Michigan State and others. ‘Others’ includes his Canadian junior team, Medicine Hat. It would have loved to welcome the CHL Player of the Year back for another season before he turns pro. But, a new rule this year allows CHL players to compete at the NCAA level for the first time. McKenna, and Penn State, will both take advantage of it during the 2025-2026 season.

“Gavin is a special player and a terrific young man,” Gadowsky said in a news release. “Our staff could not have been more impressed with how he presented himself on his visit. His arrival to Hockey Valley is extremely significant not only to our hockey program, but to Penn State athletics and to college hockey as a whole. We are absolutely thrilled and excited to witness his contributions on the ice, to our locker room, and to the Penn State community. This is a great day to be a Nittany Lion!”

More: What are they saying about Gavin McKenna’s commitment to Penn State?

Added Kraft:

“We are so thrilled to have Gavin join our Hockey Valley family and become part of a special group of young men who represent everything great about Penn State. This team is built on character, work ethic and pride in wearing the Blue & White. And, Gavin is a perfect fit. He’s one of the most exciting young talents in the game and reflects the level of student-athletes we’re bringing to Penn State across all sports.

“His commitment is a testament to the national reputation Guy Gadowsky and his staff have built. And we know he’ll thrive in the culture of excellence that surrounds our program. We can’t wait to see him compete alongside this incredible group and help push our program to even greater heights.”

Both statements amount to what is essentially a recruiting pitch amid the NIL era of college athletics. Penn State did what it had to do to land the top recruit in one of its sports. And, it’s shouting about it from the proverbial rooftops.

McKenna recorded a point in 54 games during the 2024-2025 season, which is a record. Total, he tallied 129 points (88 assists and 41 goal) this past winter. He is the third youngest player to ever win the CHL Player of the Year trophy.

“I think the main goal is obviously to win a championship,” McKenna told ESPN. “I think you kind of saw what Penn State did this year, making it to the Frozen Four. They’ve come a long way. And I think next year, when I go there, obviously, that’s the goal, is to win a championship.”



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Section III girls ice hockey single-season goal-scoring leaders of the past 5 seasons

Scout Oudemool of Skaneateles and Drew Kopek of Clinton are the top two Section III girls ice hockey goal scorers over the past five seasons.Mark DiOrio Syracuse, N.Y — Section III has seen its fair share of dominant athletes over the past half-decade. Over the next couple of months, syracuse.com will list the stats leaders […]

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Clinton vs. Skaneateles girls ice hockey
Scout Oudemool of Skaneateles and Drew Kopek of Clinton are the top two Section III girls ice hockey goal scorers over the past five seasons.Mark DiOrio

Syracuse, N.Y — Section III has seen its fair share of dominant athletes over the past half-decade.

Over the next couple of months, syracuse.com will list the stats leaders in several categories for several sports over the past five seasons.

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NIL Collectives Face ‘Valid Business Purpose’ Challenge From CSC

The College Sports Commission (CSC) on Thursday issued additional guidance for the term “valid business purpose” and indicated NIL collectives whose sole focus is to pay athletes to attend or remain at a particular school will see their NIL deals rejected. The clarification is arguably in line with the House settlement, the longstanding NCAA prohibition against pay-for-play […]

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The College Sports Commission (CSC) on Thursday issued additional guidance for the term “valid business purpose” and indicated NIL collectives whose sole focus is to pay athletes to attend or remain at a particular school will see their NIL deals rejected.

The clarification is arguably in line with the House settlement, the longstanding NCAA prohibition against pay-for-play and, more conceptually, the relationship between the right of publicity and NIL. But it could spark legal challenges.

As part of the House settlement, college athletes must report NIL deals that are worth at least $600. Those deals are subject to a clearinghouse review by NIL Go, which is spearheaded by Deloitte. The basic analysis is whether a proposed deal is consistent with the commercial use of the athlete’s NIL or better understood as an impermissible pay-for-play arrangement. 

In this examination, NIL Go considers whether the payor of the NIL deal intends to use the athlete’s NIL for a valid business purpose, which CSC defines as a goal to “sell a good or service to the public for profit.” This examination also considers the range of compensation, and specifically whether the amount of money is commensurate with money paid for similar athletes in the same situation. 

The term “valid business purpose” stems from NCAA Bylaw 22.1.3, which governs involvement of associated entities or individuals in NIL deals. The bylaw requires a valid business purpose “related to the promotion or endorsement of goods or services provided to the general public for profit, with compensation at rates and terms commensurate with compensation paid to similarly situated individuals with comparable [NIL] value who are not prospective student-athletes or student-athletes of the institution.”

The idea of a valid business purpose becomes less abstract when imagining an endorsement deal in pro sports. 

Think of a pro athlete paid to appear in a TV commercial for a car, sneaker, weight loss program or some other product or service sold to the public. The athlete is paid to tell their followers and consumers that they should buy whatever the athlete is pitching. In this scenario, the payor is trying to make a profit by selling a good or service to the public. The payor is banking on the athlete’s endorsement boosting sales, otherwise the payor wouldn’t want to pay the athlete.

NIL deals are supposed to do the same thing. 

NIL is a college sports twist on a longstanding legal principle, the right of publicity, which forbids misappropriation of the unique and marketable personal qualities of athletes (and entertainers, actors, musicians, artists, models and others who possess sellable traits). For a long time, the NCAA generally forbade college athletes from profiting from their NIL as a condition of eligibility. However, that prohibition was successfully challenged by Ed O’Bannon and, later, state NIL laws.

When an athlete is paid to attend a college, that is not NIL, even if the deal is superficially labeled or coined “NIL.” The athlete is compensated to matriculate to a school, much like someone is paid a signing bonus to join a company. Pay-for-play remains prohibited by the NCAA. State NIL laws also typically stipulate that NIL deals must mean NIL.

The CSC on Thursday elaborated on the need for a valid business purpose in NIL deals. It stated an entity with a business purpose of paying athletes or colleges “rather than providing goods or services to the general public for profit” would not satisfy Bylaw 22.1.3. This is true, CSC says, even if a particular NIL deal involves an athlete paid to make an appearance on behalf of the collective at a golf tournament, which is open to the public and charges an entrance fee. The problem with that deal is any money collected would be used to pay the athlete or other athletes and not sell a product or service (think cars, sneakers, weight loss programs etc.) to the public.

The CSC adds that if the payor and recipient of entrance fees is a golf course or an apparel company, there’s a good chance the deals would satisfy the valid business purpose. That’s because they have a broader purpose than paying athletes.

This is a logical arrangement given what NIL is supposed to mean, but it could nonetheless invite a bevy of legal challenges. 

The arrangement suggests that collectives which operate simply as vehicles to pay athletes to attend a recruit will see their NIL deals rejected. NIL Go could thus reject deals that are already in place between collectives and recruits, who may have relied on them in picking a school. How those deals address termination of a contract before it is performed could lead to breach of contract litigation, though terms of the (then) proposed House settlement have been known since last summer and the NCAA has consistently forbade pay-for-play.

A legal challenge to CSC’s interpretation of “valid business purpose” from NCAA Bylaw 22.1.3 could arise if NIL Go rejects a deal and the athlete and/or collective challenges the decision as an illegal restraint on trade under antitrust law or as violating a state NIL law. 

Such a challenge would face some headwinds. 

Parties that submit NIL deals to NIL Go agree to an arbitration process that would preempt litigation until the arbitration is played out. And, as Sportico explained last month, the arbitration decision would be accorded high deference by a court in the event the losing party petitions the court to vacate the arbitration award. 

Even if arbitration could be overcome, the athlete/collective would only advance in an antitrust claim if they prove the CSC’s interpretation causes more harm than good to economic competition. In February 2024, a federal judge in Tennessee restrained the NCAA from enforcing rules related to NIL collectives on antitrust grounds. But CSC would likely argue its interpretation is consistent with the House settlement (which wasn’t in place in February 2024), NCAA rules forbidding pay-for-play and NIL as a subset of the right of publicity. 

Alternatively, the athlete/collective might argue the CSC’s interpretation violates one of the recent statutes and executive orders in Georgia, Virginia, Texas and other states that protect NIL rights in ways that might pose conflicts with the CSC. That type of dispute (discussed in depth here) could spark an opportunity for the CSC to raise U.S. constitutional arguments against the state law, particularly claims based on the Constitution’s Commerce Clause and Contract Clause. These clauses forbid a state from adopting laws that unduly interfere with other states’ economies and impairing contracts, be they membership agreements or settlements. 

It’s also possible that some collectives might reorganize and expand their scope of operations to better comport with the CSC’s interpretation. Collectives that sell products or services to the general public for profit would appear more likely to meet the requirement. 

In short, just when it seems there might be stability in college sports law, the industry has a way of raising new topics for debate. 



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