NIL

New face, new place, big wins: Here were the best Year 1 coaches in college basketball for the 2024-25 season

A year ago, college basketball had its busiest cycle of coaching turnover ever. There were 68 job changes, a record high over the sport’s 100-plus year history. Inevitably, there were going to be some big hits and big misses right off the bat. The ones that hit really did make a mark, in effect defining […]

Published

2 months ago

April 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

A year ago, college basketball had its busiest cycle of coaching turnover ever. There were 68 job changes, a record high over the sport’s 100-plus year history.

Inevitably, there were going to be some big hits and big misses right off the bat. The ones that hit really did make a mark, in effect defining a lot of the good aspects of the 2024-25 spell.

So today, I’m taking one more look back at the season and handing out some quick dap for the coaches who were able to take a new job and earn some instant credibility. Which schools made a coaching switch and found success without having to wait until Year 2 or Year 3? I’ve got an even dozen detailed below.

At the high-major level, the bar to clear is obvious and non-negotiable: Did you make the NCAA Tournament? If the answer is yes, you are listed here today. Mid-major hirings are judged a bit differently, but we also had a few of those who qualified for March Madness right away with a new coach as well.

None of these coaches are guaranteed to be as good next year as they were last season, but it sure does help in this hyper-transfer era. A number of the coaches/schools listed below have done quite well for themselves in the portal over the past month.

2024-25’s most immediately successful high-major hires

Kentucky: Mark Pope

Pope brought in an eclectic group of transfers and freshmen and produced something historic in Lexington. The Wildcats beat eight top-15 teams last season, the most in program history and one of the most ever in a season by any team. UK wound up involved in some of the most entertaining games of the season, most notably its 106-100 win on Jan. 4 over eventual national champ Florida. Kentucky finished 24-12, earned a No. 3 seed and lost in the Sweet 16 to intra-conference rival Tennessee, but within those 24 wins, conquests over the likes of Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville, Florida, Tennessee (twice) and Illinois were all included.

The Wildcats are immediately losing Andrew Carr, Lamont Butler, Amari Williams, Koby Brea and Jaxson Robinson, but the foundation they built will be looked back on fondly. Kentucky finished sixth in the deepest conference in college basketball history, doing so amid a brand overhaul in the post-John Calipari era. It could’ve been better, but not by much. Pope did a really good job in Year 1 and he’s got a team that could be preseason top 10 heading into Year 2.

Michigan: Dusty May

May didn’t need much time to regain Michigan’s prestige in college hoops. The Wolverines went from eight wins under Juwan Howard to 27 in May’s first season, which included a Sweet 16 run as an under-seeded No. 5 in the South Region, ultimately falling to No. 1 overall seed Auburn. Michigan’s 19-win turnaround ranks among the five largest in power-conference history.

May worked it well in the portal in 2024, most notably making a twin-tower starting duo of 7-footers play well off each other in a way no other team was doing. Vlad Goldin followed May from FAU, while Danny Wolf made the Ivy League jump from Yale and turned himself into a probable top-20 pick. Wolf was also one of the five best transfers last season. The Wolverines finished second in the Big Ten and have taken that momentum and built up arguably the best 2025 portal class to this point, led by UAB transfer Yaxel Lendeborg.

BYU: Kevin Young

Like Pope and May, Young got his team to a quality NCAA seed and a Sweet 16 showing right away. A big win for a program that last made it to the second weekend of March Madness back during the days of Jimmer. (Who just retired!) BYU got ahead of the pace this past season after going 26-10, ranking top-10 in offensive efficiency and earning a No. 6 seed.

Young’s Cougars finished fourth in the Big 12, going 15-7 against league foes and hitting a hot streak in the final six weeks of the season that put them among the sport’s best by mid-March. BYU ultimately bowed out of the tournament against Alabama, which needed a tournament-record 25 triples to kill off the Cougars. Young’s team next season should be even better. The Cougars are poised to be one of the “It” programs of 2025-26 due to AJ Dybantsa: He’s the potential No. 1 overall NBA pick come 2026.

Pat Kelsey inherited a broken program and immediately restored Louisville to respectability.
Imagn

Louisville: Pat Kelsey

Most of it was good until the very end, when Kelsey’s team got a gift. Despite being oddly under-seeded (as a No. 8) in the NCAAs, they were afforded a travel break by only having to drive Lexington for the first round. There, Creighton brought the wood and quickly ended U of L’s season with an 89-75 outcome in the first game of the first round. Other than that? Kelsey did a really good job in a mediocre ACC. But the conference’s quality is not on Louisville. Like Michigan, Louisville had a 19-game swing, one of the biggest ever by a high-major. The Cards went 27-8, including a 20-3 record vs. ACC opponents and tying Clemson for second in the league. Louisville matters again. A very good thing for college basketball.

Kelsey wasn’t Louisville’s first, second, third or fourth choice, but that didn’t stop him from making the most of a terrible situation he was inheriting. The program sunk to unthinkable depths under Kenny Payne, winning just 12 games the past two seasons. Kelsey matched that by Jan. 11 — doing so despite losing multiple players to injury. Now he’s brought back some good pieces and had a huge NIL budget to work with again, putting the Cards in position to be a top-10 roster heading into the fall.

Arkansas: John Calipari

As I wrote in March, it was a turbulent season for the Razorbacks under their new leader. But any season that ends with a Sweet 16 appearance for the Hogs has to be assessed a success. This is a program, after all, that had a Sweet 16 drought from 1997-2021. Calipari finished with a 22-14 mark, including a win at Kentucky on Feb. 1 (when few gave a lagging Arkansas team any shot) and an ugly-but-we’ll-take-it upset win over No. 2 St. John’s i in the second round of the NCAAs (with Arkansas as a 10).

The Hogs did it in spite of injury issues for much of the season. They did it in spite of an offense that resembled some of Calipari’s most frustrating schemes in the back half of his Kentucky era. Winning in March cures many ills, and so it was the case for Arkansas. Year 1 in Fayetteville was tumultuous for many weeks, but by the end (even with that cringey loss to Texas Tech in the Sweet 16), it’s fair to call it a success.

Vanderbilt: Mark Byington

The Commodores brought on Byington, who oversaw a mid-major powerhouse James Madison team go 32-4 after beating Wisconsin and making the second round of the NCAAs in 2024. He arrived in Nashville, underwent a grueling roster flip, and managed to more than merely tread water in the treacherous SEC. The league was historically elite thanks to teams like Vandy just as much as the Floridas, Auburns, Alabamas and Tennessees.

Under Byington, the ‘Dores broke on through with a 15-3 start, ultimately finishing 20-13 and with a 59-56 loss to Saint Mary’s in a 7/10 first round matchup. Sustaining relevance at Vanderbilt is historically one of the most challenging asks of any program at the power-conference level. But if he keeps it up, Byington will be a hot name on the coaching carousel once again.

Mark Byington had the Commodores enjoying their best season since 2016-17.
Getty Images

Mid-major noisemakers in Year 1

When it comes to mid-majors, I don’t require an NCAA Tournament trip in order to receive some recognition. That said, making it to the Dance is reason for automatic inclusion. There were three places with first-year coaches that broke through on Selection Sunday. I’ve also included three more mid-major coaches who hit the 20-win threshold in their first tours at their new digs.

Drake: Ben McCollum

Quite clearly the biggest mid-major winner of last season. Only three teams finished the season with as few as four losses: national champion Florida, Duke (finished No. 1 at KenPom) and McCollum’s team. The Bulldogs went 31-4, won an NCAA Tournament game and earned a too-low 11-seed after owning the Missouri Valley. McCollum took the Iowa job in short order after obliterating the bar for success at that level. In winning nearly 89% of his games, McCollum is off to one of the best starts by a D-I coach ever. That’s why Drake’s the only school listed in this story to lose its coach less than 12 months after hiring him.

Utah State: Jerrod Calhoun

Something about this program enables almost anyone to come in and produce good results. Calhoun got his chance and posted an impressive 26-8 record, which included a No. 10 seed in the Big Dance. Utah State was summarily bounced by UCLA in the first round, but still: 26 wins and a 16-6 record against Mountain West teams is a sweet follow-up to Danny Sprinkle going 28-7 and making the second round of the NCAAs the year before.

Mount St. Mary’s:Donny Lind

Imagine getting your first chance at being a head coach and taking a mid-major to the NCAAs right away. Not easy. But it’s what Lind did in the MAAC. The Mountaineers went 23-13 and even earned some NCAA Tournament cash by beating American in the First Four, earning the right to get walloped by Duke two days later. That’s good living!

Charleston: Chris Mack

To the surprise of nobody, Mack was as good as advertised: a 24-9 debut season in the CAA, including a one-point semifinal loss in the league tournament. No NCAA Tournament, but a quality first year. The 55-year-old has an envious NIL budget at that level and figures to have a squad that ranks among the 10-15 best mid-majors in the sport next season. Standard is high here and it’s unlikely to drop with Mack around.

James Madison: Preston Spradlin

Spradlin arrived here after taking Morehead State to a pair of NCAA Tournaments. The Dukes were part of a four-way tie atop the Sun Belt (13-5) and ultimately finished 20-12. A good foundation — after having to do some major roster reworking. It would be no surprise if Spradlin had the Dukes back in the Big Dance in 2026 or 2027.

Marshall: Cornelius Jackson

I can’t list JMU and not include Marshall. Under Jackson, the Thundering Herd — in the same conference as JMU — finished just one game behind the Dukes (12-6) and ultimately matched with 20 wins in the Sun Belt. A nice introduction at a program with just one NCAA Tournament this century.

MORE: Read our 2024-25 All-Transfer Team.

Link

NIL

UK Athletics requesting $110 million for renovations to Kroger Field, other facilities

The University of Kentucky‘s Board of Trustees met to approve the Champions Blue Board of Governors on Thursday. During the meeting, UK Athletics proposed a plan to upgrade multiple facilities, including Kroger Field. These requested investments include, $15 million for maintenance at Kroger Field, $13 million for corner suites and elevators renovations, $5 million to […]

Published

1 minute ago

June 14, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The University of Kentucky‘s Board of Trustees met to approve the Champions Blue Board of Governors on Thursday. During the meeting, UK Athletics proposed a plan to upgrade multiple facilities, including Kroger Field.

These requested investments include, $15 million for maintenance at Kroger Field, $13 million for corner suites and elevators renovations, $5 million to improve the soccer and softball facilities, $8 million for the design of a West End Zone Club, along with Wi-fi improvements at Kroger Field, and an additional $31 million operating loan to be repaid with interest as UK recently transitioned its athletic department to an LLC.

“You have to continue to maintain and repair the stadium for safety reasons, making sure that all the components of, whether it’s stairwells, ramps, those kind of things, that there’s not anything that’s going to put any of our patrons at risk,” UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart told BBN Tonight’s Maggie Davis. “That’s important, then the other piece is just the fan amenities that allow us to bring new revenue streams, or be able to do some things differently in our suites.”

The renovations to the soccer and softball facilities have been added to the proposal as John Cropp Stadium will host the 2026 SEC Tournament. These two facilities are connected, so the renovations would go hand-in-hand.

Notably, the totals proposed on Thursday adds up to just $72 of the requested $110 million. With football, softball and soccer only being address, men’s and women’s basketball were not included in the request, along with baseball and the rest of its sports. With $38 million more requested, only time will tell what those additional dollars will be used for.

In addition, the athletic department added a request to gather information for a potential entertainment district on UK’s campus. Some of that revenue could go to this, although this is a concept as of this report. This would include entertainment options such as restaurants and hotels, among other fan-driven activities.

After the meeting, Barnhart discussed revenue sharing within his athletic department. However, he had no specific timeline for what that might look like, or how he plans to divide UK Athletics’ share of the $20.5 million they’re set to receive in the fallout of the House settlement.

“There will be more to come,” Barnhart concluded. “Trust me, we got more on our plate, and we’re excited. That’ll come as we go, probably more into the fall.”

Link

NIL

AJ Dybantsa earns $4.1m NIL honor

AJ Dybantsa hasn’t even played a single college game, and yet he’s already a titan in the world of name, image, and likeness (NIL). The incoming BYU freshman and top high school basketball prospect has racked up an eye-popping $4.1 million NIL valuation, putting Dybantsa at the pinnacle of college basketball earners, per Afrotech. He’s […]

Published

42 minutes ago

June 14, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Dybantsa is coming off a standout prep career at Utah Prep Academy and is now locked in as BYU’s first-ever 5-star basketball recruit. That alone is historic. But his business acumen off the court is proving just as dominant. Deals with Red Bull and Nike headline his portfolio — the former being the energy drink giant’s first NIL signing of a male hooper. For Dybantsa, the collaboration was about more than cash. “We fit right in with each other,” he said on The Youngins Sports Podcast. “It’s going to be special.”

Nike, meanwhile, offered a deal reportedly exceeding $4 million. “Joining the Nike basketball family is huge,” he told Sports Illustrated. “To now be part of the same team as the players I looked up to? That’s an opportunity I don’t take for granted.”

But it’s not just about stacking endorsements. Dybantsa and his family have been selective, turning down quick money in favor of long-term moves. “Me and my parents are really smart with it,” he explained. “We don’t want to take every deal… but the smart ones we gotta take.”

Article Continues Below

Building a Legacy at BYU

Even before stepping on the court in Provo, Dybantsa has ignited a national buzz. His $5 million NIL package from BYU marks the beginning of a new era for the Cougars, especially as they navigate their second season in the Big 12. Head coach Kevin Young has already started working with Dybantsa, and it’s clear the freshman will be a foundational piece of the program’s future.

As if the hype wasn’t loud enough, Dybantsa also just received an invite to the Team USA U19 training camp in Colorado Springs. He’ll be competing for a spot to represent the United States at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland. USA Basketball’s Sean Ford made the mission clear: build a championship-caliber squad from a mix of elite veterans and rising stars. Dybantsa fits both molds.

It’s rare to see a freshman bring this much heat before a single collegiate tip-off, but AJ Dybantsa is not your average freshman. He’s a brand, a baller, and now, a multi-millionaire. BYU is officially in the national spotlight, and Dybantsa is leading the charge.

Burtland Dixon is an entertainment, celebrity, and music journalist for ClutchPoints. He has a degree from Cal State San Marcos, and he’s demonstrated his pop culture expertise for years with bylines at Idolator, Trend Chaser, and Buzznet.

Link

NIL

Syracuse Orange football: can the D.A.R.T. car take the checkered flag at the Glen?

The Syracuse Orange Football NIL held a golf tournament earlier in the week and sure they raised $2m for the NIL, but the real news was this: NEWS: Syracuse Football NIL is painting the #44 car Syracuse Orange for the Watkins Glen International Nascar Race on August 10th: pic.twitter.com/0VqPJsKiCy — Samantha Croston (@SamCroston1) June 10, […]

Published

2 hours ago

June 14, 2025

Your Sports Nation

The Syracuse Orange Football NIL held a golf tournament earlier in the week and sure they raised $2m for the NIL, but the real news was this:

NEWS: Syracuse Football NIL is painting the #44 car Syracuse Orange for the Watkins Glen International Nascar Race on August 10th: pic.twitter.com/0VqPJsKiCy

— Samantha Croston (@SamCroston1) June 10, 2025

We can’t say that “Orange is the New Fast” anymore so we’ll say that this car is going to be

Driven

At a

Ridiculous

Throttle

There weren’t a lot of details, but we assume that the NY Racing Team’s 44 car will be an all-out Syracuse affair. Fran Brown will be the crew chief and on the headset with driver JJ Yeley. If Yeley can’t get it done, then Fran will turn to Rickie Collins or Steve Angeli to pilot the D.A.R.T. mobile. The pit crew will be led by Derek McDonald, Dennis Jaquez and Tank Wilson with Yasin Willis handling the gas.

Can we get the NunesMagician logo on the car? Well, we’ve asked the Syracuse Football NIL to tell us the sponsor requirement in NunesBucks and we’re still waiting to hear back. If they don’t put us on the car, we’ll just have our social media interns blame it on the Chancellor and Wildhack.

See you at the Glen!

Link

NIL

College World Series bracket 2025

Which NCAA baseball teams could blow up the bracket The Montgomery Advertiser’s Adam Cole and The Southwest Times Record’s Jackson Fuller break down who could wreck the tournament bracket. Murray State baseball is making its Men’s College World Series debut against UCLA. The winner of Murray State-UCLA will play the winner of Arkansas-LSU at 7 […]

Published

2 hours ago

June 14, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Murray State baseball is making its Men’s College World Series debut against UCLA.
The winner of Murray State-UCLA will play the winner of Arkansas-LSU at 7 p.m. ET Monday.

OMAHA, NE. — Murray State baseball is making its Men’s College World Series debut today against UCLA.

The Racers’ fourth NCAA Tournament has been a historic one. Murray State is one of two Group of Five schools (along with Coastal Carolina) in Omaha, a city dominated by the SEC and ACC as of late. Sixty-nine of the 120 MCWS spots over the last 15 years have gone to those conferences.

Meanwhile, Murray State makes 20 MCWS appearances for the Missouri Valley Conference. It’s the league’s first since Missouri State in 2003. The Racers are also the fourth No. 4 regional seed to make it this far since 1999.

The winner of Murray State-UCLA will play the winner of Arkansas-LSU at 7 p.m. ET Monday.

Buy Murray State baseball tickets for CWS

Follow below for updates throughout the MCWS game between the Racers and Bruins.

After walking three batters and allowing a hit to start, Schutte sent UCLA back to the dugout with clutch pitching. He struck out to batters with the bases loaded. The inning ended with a ground out to first.

1 hit, 1 run, 0 errors, 3 LOB

Barnett struck out two batters and walked two more to start the game.

0 hits, 0 runs, 0 errors, 2 LOB

Right-handed pitcher Michael Barnett will start for the Bruins. The junior is 12-1 on the mound and has a 4.09 ERA. He’s recorded 71 strikeouts and allowed 95 hits and 37 earned runs in 81 and 1/3 innings pitched.

Right-handed pitcher and Male High School alum Nic Shutte will start for the Racers in their MCWS debut. The junior is 8-4 on the mound and has a 4.85 ERA. He’s recorded 94 strikeouts and allowed 75 hits and 49 earned runs in 91 innings.

Date: Saturday, June 14
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Where: Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska

Here is the latest college baseball schedule and NCAA Tournament bracket update.

Reach college sports enterprise reporter Payton Titus at ptitus@gannett.com, and follow her on X @petitus25.

Link

NIL

Insider Provides Update on First Athlete Deals on Deloitte

Not so long ago, Karl Schaefer of Deloitte stepped on a podium and pulled the curtains back on the much-whispered-about “NIL Go.” This is not just a tech tool; it is college sports’ biggest shot yet at regulating the Name, Image, and Likeness deals. And at the heart of it all is the mission to […]

Published

2 hours ago

June 14, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Insider Provides Update on First Athlete Deals on Deloitte

If that wasn’t intriguing enough, the mystery has a new twist.

Insider Pete Nakos Reveals What Deloitte-Powered NIL Go Brings to the Table

On3’s Pete Nakos took to X and disclosed a major update about the intriguing NIL Go. He went on to disclose that the very first athlete deal has officially been submitted to NIL Go. The ball is rolling, but Nakos went on to also add, “Was told by a few agents in the last 24 hours that deals have been submitted to NIL Go, but takes up to 5 business days for approval.”

Was told by a few agents in last 24 hours that deals have been submitted to NIL Go but takes up to 5 business days for approval https://t.co/OJ0tqaId7Y

— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) June 14, 2025

Well, bureaucracy in college sports is no new news. But here’s what is new. Athletes and their reps can now log in to the NIL Go portal and upload their deals. As per Nakos’ report, “Deals executed prior to June 7 must be reported if they include payments that continue after June 30. Deals must be submitted by July 1.” It is a short deadline, but athletes are not alone.

The athletes can designate agents to handle the paperwork. However, they will still need to double-check and hit “submit” themselves. It seems like the dawn of a new age of NIL accountability, where even the click of a button could determine whether a deal gets green-lit or lands in arbitration.

But what exactly is Deloitte’s game plan here? It cannot all be about a “submit” button. Well, there is a six-step approval process. It looks into who’s paying whom and why. Is the company linked to the university? Is there a valid business purpose, like a commercial or an event?

And most crucially, does the money fall into Deloitte’s “range of compensation” algorithm? That range is based on an athlete’s performance, social reach, market, and more.

Essentially, Deloitte wants to figure out if this is a real NIL deal or a booster cutting a check. Now, if the deal, for some reason, does not pass the test, then athletes have options. They can revise the deal, cancel it, accept it and risk enforcement consequences, or fight it in arbitration. The last option opens the door to limited subpoena power, something the NCAA never had.

Now, the bigger question is, can NIL Go clean up an industry that’s been running on money and booster handshakes for the past four years? The numbers say it might be. Deloitte officials claim 70% of old booster collective deals wouldn’t have made the cut, while 90% of legit brand-backed deals would’ve passed.

All of this sounds dreamy, but what happens if schools don’t engage? There are big penalties for that, too. Postseason bans, multi-million dollar fines, coach suspensions, and even a cap on how many transfers a school can bring in could be imposed. The only thing that will remain untouched is the revenue-share pool.

It seems like NIL Go is trying to bring order to a system that thrives in chaos. And while the first deals have quietly made their way through the system, the real test lies ahead. Will schools cooperate? Will athletes push back? And will this new platform stand its ground once the legal challenges come in?

2-Round 2025 NBA Mock Draft: Kasparas Jakučionis Gives Hope to Rebuilding Nets, Cedric Coward Leaps Into First Round

College athletics is officially changing again. And for now, NIL Go is on the clock.

NIL

Reese Atwood, ex-coach deny report connecting them to Texas Tech, NIL

Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American-Statesman | Hearst – Austin Transition Texas softball catcher Reese Atwood isn’t going anywhere. An article published Thursday afternoon by Softball on SI reported the rising senior was contacted by Texas Tech’s NIL collective the Matador Club or her former travel softball coach, Nathan Nelson, about transferring to Lubbock. “Reese never got […]

Published

2 hours ago

June 14, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American-Statesman
| Hearst – Austin Transition

Texas softball catcher Reese Atwood isn’t going anywhere.

An article published Thursday afternoon by Softball on SI reported the rising senior was contacted by Texas Tech’s NIL collective the Matador Club or her former travel softball coach, Nathan Nelson, about transferring to Lubbock.

“Reese never got a phone call,” Nelson, coach of Texas-based Hotshots Fastpitch, told the Austin American-Statesman on Friday afternoon. Atwood, in a text message to the American-Statesman, denied that there was any tampering with her former coach.

Nelson in the article was accused of working with the Matador Club to bring players to Tech. He has alumnae that play for TTU but told the Statesman he denies the allegations raised in SI’s report, which cited an unnamed softball player’s parent who alleged he offered cash earlier this spring for a transfer to Tech.

“That did not occur,” Nelson said.

The report alleges that Nelson and the Matador Club have acted as a third parties to help Tech coach Gerry Glasco circumvent rules prohibiting contact with players at other schools. The article was based on conversations with six different softball programs and 10 sources, SI reports. But Nelson said most of the time he and his alumnae — including Atwood, who played four seasons for Nelson — would speak, they were discussing technique or tips, not transfers.

“How does my swing look? A certain pitch is being thrown at me, (how do I adjust)?” Nelson told the American-Statesman.

Tech has drawn attention of many in softball after reeling in almost a half-dozen talented transfers just days after the softball season ended. He denies any early or inappropriate contact.

“All I can speak for are my alumni,” Nelson said. “There were kids that were already in the portal… so I was involved in those conversations. I did contact them and told the third-party management (trying to recruit them) that I did not want to give out their numbers, that I would handle it myself. I called them (former players) and they have the right to say yes or no. Two of them said ‘no thank you, not interested,'” Nelson said.

Nelson said he does not know anyone at the Matador Club. A request for comment from the Matador Club about their recruiting practices and SI’s report did not draw a response Friday.

Reese Atwood shoots down report of possible transfer talk

The report listed Atwood among eight star players who had allegedly been reached out to on Tech’s behalf.

“I was never contacted by Nathan Nelson regarding anything related to playing softball at Texas Tech… I won’t be responding to any further comments about a false article,” Atwood said via text.

Atwood, a Sandia native, has become one of the top catchers in college softball. Her two-out, two-RBI single, in what was supposed to be an intentional walk, gave the Longhorns the lead, and the eventual win in Game 1 of the Women’s College World Series finals. Her work behind the dish also earned Atwood a first-team All-American nod.

She hit .393 this season with an .504 OBS and a team-high 21 home runs and 89 RBIs.

“They call travel ball coaches, us, people they trust… that’s my conversations and my communication lines with my girls,” Nelson said.

Third parties, have reached out to Nelson, he said. At least one group has asked for phone numbers for his former players, but he said he does not provide that information freely.

He said he would be a buffer between the players and those groups.

Nelson had 22 former players appear in the Women’s College World Series, including Atwood and members of Texas Tech’s team. According to unnamed sources in Softball on SI’s story, Atwood, Taylor Pannell (who committed Thursday to play for the Red Raiders), Isa Torres, Dakota Kennedy, Kasidi Pickering, Maci Bergeron, Dez Spearman, and Tori Edwards were names that Nelson or Matador, allegedly contacted.

However, Kennedy, Bergeron, Spearman and Edwards, are not Nelson’s former players. Nelson told the Statesman that any contact information for Pannell came from her parents.

“For Maci and Tori, there names shouldn’t have been in there (the story) at all. To have to explain to their coaches why their names are in there is completely unfair,” said Nelson.

Tech has been busy since losing to Texas

Since the championship game eight days ago, the Red Raiders signed five transfer portal prospects: Pannell (Tennessee), infielder Mia Williams (Florida), two-way player Kaitlyn Terry (UCLA), infielder Jackie Lis (Southern Illinois) and catcher/utility Jasmyn Burns (Ohio State). All but Burns, an All-American, made it to Oklahoma City with their respective teams

Glasco, known for an aggressive approach to taking in transfers since his days with Louisiana, could not contact players during the WCWS because NCAA rules prohibit coaches from contacting the player of a rostered opponent unless permission is granted or a player is already in the portal. But the Matador Club can.

Thursday’s addition of Pannell, a star third baseman who played at Tennessee, seemed to draw a rebuke from Lady Vols coach Karen Weekly.

“I think we can all agree on 2 things: 1) women making money in sports is awesome and long overdue; 2) contacting players (directly or indirectly) before their season ends and signing them to NIL deals before they enter the portal is wrong. Money isn’t the issue – tampering is!” the veteran coach posted Friday on social media.

It’s unclear if the NCAA will investigate any transfer activity.

A non-profit, Matador Collective helped bring pitcher NiJaree Canady from Stanford, where she led the Cardinal to back-to-back trips to OKC, to Lubbock with a $1 million NIL deal in 2024. She signed another seven-figure deal during the WCWS Finals. While Canady boasted the second-lowest ERA in college softball at 1.11 and hit 11 home runs and 34 RBIs, Tech’s lack of depth in the circle played a role in its demise in Game Three of the title series.

One thing seems clear: No matter who Tech adds, Atwood is staying put.

Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Access all of our best content with this tremendous offer.

Link