Sports

The Akron Legal News

Published

5 months ago

July 21, 2025

Funding of Olympic sports a bargaining chip as NCAA seeks antitrust help, AP sources say

Grant House competes in the men’s 200-meter IM final at the TYR Pro Swim Series swim meet on Saturday, June 4, 2022, in Mission Viejo, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)

EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer

Published: July 21, 2025

College sports leaders seeking antitrust and other protections from Congress have a potential bargaining chip: School assurances that they will provide funding for their increasingly imperiled Olympic programs, by far the biggest pipeline of talent for Team USA.
Four people familiar with the talks told The Associated Press that lawmakers, mostly from the Democratic side that will need to provide votes to help any legislation pass the Senate, have been approached by college sports experts and policy shapers to explore options in exchange for support of a bill that some Democrats oppose.
One of the clearest tradeoffs would be for an idea that enjoys bipartisan support: helping collegiate Olympic sports programs.
Those programs produce around three-quarters of U.S. Olympians at a typical Summer Games, but some are on uncertain footing in the wake of the $2.8 billion House settlement that clears the way for schools to begin sharing revenue directly with their athletes as early as next week. Most of that money will go to football and basketball — the moneymakers — in this new era of name, image and likeness payments to players.
The people who spoke to AP did so on condition of anonymity because of the still-evolving and uncertain nature of the talks. But it’s no secret that the NCAA and its biggest conferences are not convinced that the House settlement will end all their problems.
In the halls of Congress
The NCAA is lobbying for a bill that would supersede state laws that set different rules for NIL; ensure athletes do not get employment status; and provide limited antitrust protection. One key issue is the handful of lawsuits challenging the NCAA’s longstanding rule of giving athletes five years to complete four seasons of eligibility.
“I get why limited liability is a big ask,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said. “But when it comes to limited liability around basic rulemaking, the consequences of this for the next generation of young people if you play this thing out are enormous.”
In a sign of the difficulty the NCAA might have in getting legislation passed, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who has played a large role in shaping policy for college sports, told AP that athletes “deserve real reform and independent oversight of college sports.”
“Congressional legislation must provide strong and enforceable protections for their health, safety, and economic rights and transparency to protect non-revenue-generating sports, rather than merely offering a blank check to the NCAA to return to the status quo,” Blumenthal said.
While the U.S. government is forbidden by law from funding Olympic teams, there is no such prohibition on government funding for universities and their sports programs. One idea would be for the bill to include promises of certain levels of funding for college Olympic sports programs — some of which could be raised through federal grants to help the schools offset the cost.
“It would depend upon what they have in mind,” Baker said when asked about the idea. “We’d be open to a conversation about that because those sports are important and they matter.”
The issue is complicated and funding sources are going to be under pressure: Over the next year alone, each D-I school is allowed to share up to $20.5 million in revenue with its athletes and there are extra millions being committed to additional scholarships – for instance, in the case of Michigan, $6.2 million. All those figures are increasing under terms of the settlement and the money has to come from somewhere.
Olympic sports in peril
As of late May, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee had tallied about 40 Olympic sports programs cut in Division I since the beginning of 2024 (but also 18 programs added) as schools prepare for the new financial realities.
Only three – the Virginia men’s and women’s diving programs and the Utah beach volleyball program – came from schools among the Power Four conferences that were co-defendants in the House case. Still, countless other teams have been reconfiguring their lineups with roster caps in place alongside unlimited scholarships, a combination that is forcing hard decisions.
Leaders inside the USOPC are optimistic that schools that generate the most talent – for instance, the 39 medals won by Stanford athletes at last year’s Paris Games would have placed the school 11th on the overall medal table – will retain robust Olympic sports programs and that Congress is on board with helping.
“We have no reason to believe that there’s not real alignment from all the parties, including members of Congress, who have indicated to us a very real concern for Olympic and Paralympic sport,” USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland said.
Though a strictly partisan bill could pass the narrowly divided House, for it to become law it would need at least seven Democratic votes in the Senate to break a filibuster.
In 2023, Blumenthal and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., teamed with Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., to draft a bill that would have provided some antitrust protection in exchange for a number of guarantees, including the establishment of a health and safety trust fund for athletes who deal with long-term injuries from college sports.
Among the NCAA’s “core guarantees” put in place last year, schools are now required to cover medical costs for athletic-related injuries for at least two years after players leave school.
“One of the messages was ‘clean up your own house first, then come talk to us,'” Baker said of his conversations with lawmakers. “So we did some of the things that were aligned with some of the previous legislation.”
The big question is whether those moves, added to any guarantees for Olympic sports, would be enough to overcome Democratic reluctance to strip or limit legal rights of college athletes.

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Sports

NE10 Faces in the Crowd, Presented by Athletic Solutions

Published

45 seconds ago

December 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Each week during the academic year, the NE10 honors Athletes of the Week for all of its 24 sponsored sports while they are in season. Faces in the Crowd shines a spotlight on outstanding on-field performances that didn’t earn Athlete of the Week recognition, while also highlighting academic or community efforts from student-athletes across the league.

Faces in the Crowd is presented by Athletic Solutions, a national leader in NIL fan engagement and e-commerce technology, collaborating with colleges and universities to bring NIL Locker Rooms to life. Their platform simplifies NIL opportunities, providing student-athletes with the tools and exposure needed to thrive in the evolving landscape of college athletics.

Below are this week’s NE10 Faces in the Crowd.

Gigi Morossi
School: Pace
Sport: Swimming and Diving

Pace bounced back after a head-to-head loss to SCSU to improve to 7-1 on the season. Morossi was an anchor in a four-point win over Bridgeport, winning the 50 Back, 100 Back and 200 Freestyle. The sophomore was also part of Pace’s 200 Medley Relay that came in second.

Jack Hall
School: SNHU
Sport: Basketball

Hall started his second game of the season at Saint Anselm Saturday and opened 7-for-7 from three. The AIC transfer finished with a season-best 23 points in the Penmen victory.

Jordan Wheaton
School: SNHU
Sport: Track and Field

Wheaton matched her career and program best with an 8.86 in the 60M Hurdles at the Dartmouth December Invite on Saturday. The time is best for third in the conference this indoor season. She also set a new PR in the 60 M Dash. Wheaton had established the mark the prior week at BU and also has the NE10’s top High Jump this season (1.58m), set on 12/5.

Makenzie Shean
School: Franklin Pierce
Sport: Soccer

An All-American, Shean delivered the game-winning-goal in the NCAA Division II semifinals over Washburn last week, pushing the Ravens to the national championship game. It was Shean’s ninth goal of the season and came with only seven and a half minutes remaining in regulation.

Raymond Baka
School: Franklin Pierce
Sport: Basketball

Baka had a day last week at Saint Michael’s, going off for 28 points and 14 rebounds. It was his third double-double in nine games this season. The points total ranks fifth-best by an NE10 player this season and the rebound mark sits fourth. Baka is averaging 14 points and 9.6 rebounds as a first-year player in the NE10 following a transfer from Vermont State.

This Year’s Faces in the Crowd

Week 1
Anna Daggatt, Saint Michael’s Volleyball
Dillon Labonte, SNHU Cross Country
Jakkai Stith, AIC Football
Jenni Huttunen, Franklin Pierce Soccer
Taylor Leckey, SCSU Field Hockley

Week 2
Alice Bender, Pace Volleyball
Annie Lorenz, Bentley Field Hockey
Isabel Hughes and Claudia Keith, SNHU Soccer
Reese Swanson, Franklin Pierce Field Hockey
Connor Dietz, AIC Football
Jay Kastantin, Assumption Football

Week 3
Dillon Labonte, SNHU Cross Country
Elizjah Lewis, Pace Football
Grace Almeida, Saint Michael’s Volleyball
Lana Mignon De Wet, Adelphi Field Hockey
Paola Soto Burgos, AIC Volleyball

Week 4
Brennah Abilheira-Cargill, Assumption Volleyball
Kerrigan Habing, SCSU Volleyball
Drew Forkner, St. Anselm Football
Khais Milligan, Pace Soccer
Madeline Krepelka, Bentley Field Hockey

Week 5
Connor Dietz, AIC Football
Elizjah Lewis, Pace Football
Kaylise McClure, Mercy Field Hockey
Mackenzie Casey, Adelphi Volleyball
Michael Guarnieri, St. Anselm Football

Week 6
Andrew Surprenant, SNHU Men’s Golf
Isaiah Osgood, Bentley Football
Jessica Evans, Mercy Field Hockey
Sarah Henault, SCSU Volleyball
Sydney DeRoche, Bentley Women’s Soccer

Week 7
Faith Kosiba, Saint Michael’s Soccer
Grace Presswood, Assumption Volleyball
John Giller, SCSU Football
McKenzie Carey, Bentley Field Hockey
Ruby Harrington, Saint Michael’s Field Hockey

Week 8
Avery Frommer, Bentley Field Hockey
Billy Gould, Assumption Football
Kerrigan Habing, SCSU Volleyball
Maya Fisher, SCSU Cross Country
Quinlyn Moll, AIC Field Hockey

Week 9
Isaiah Decias, Bentley Football
Jessica Evans, Mercy Field Hockey
Milagros Zanatelli, AIC Field Hockey
Ryan Rosario, Franklin Pierce Women’s Soccer
Sasha Luzina, Bentley Volleyball

Week 10
Connor Smith, Assumption Football
Jake Croce, Saint Anselm Football
Madeline Chaapel, Adelphi Volleyball
Maggie Burchill, Saint Anselm Field Hockey
Riley Mastowski, Franklin Pierce Hockey

Week 11
Ana Carolina Westerich, Adelphi Volleyball
Dayshawn Walton, Adelphi Basketball
Taeya and Rheyna Steinauer, SCSU Basketball
Will Gomes, Franklin Pierce Football
Amelia Hohos, Saint Anselm Soccer

Week 12
Brady Gaudet, Franklin Pierce Soccer
Dom Santiago, Assumption Football
Elena Coban, Bentley Volleyball
Olivia Crespo, Franklin Pierce Soccer
Will Davies, Saint Anselm Basketball

Week 13
Alvaro Garcia, SNHU Soccer
Jojo Wallace, SNHU Basketball
Kaitlin McDonough, Saint Anselm Basketball
Margaret Montplaisir, Saint Michael’s Basketball
Zee McCown, Assumption Basketball

Week 14
Hope Fox, SCSU Basketball
Jodiann Ebanks, AIC Track and Field
Ruzgar Christina Boyle, AIC Basketball
Skyla Lang, Benltey Swimming
Valerii Pidhoretskyy, Adelphi Swimming

Week 15
Gigi Morossi, Pace Swimming and Diving
Jack Hall, SNHU Basketball
Jordan Wheaton, SNHU Track & Field
Makenzie Shean, Franklin Pierce Soccer
Raymond Baka, Franklin Pierce Basketball

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.

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Meghan Scholz Added to San Diego Volleyball Roster

Published

5 minutes ago

December 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

SAN DIEGO — DePaul middle blocker Meghan Scholz has been added to the San Diego volleyball roster as a transfer, head coach Jennifer Petrie announced on Tuesday evening.

“We’re tremendously excited to welcome Meghan to the Torero family,” said Petrie. “She is a highly talented, well-rounded player whose defensive prowess and competitive spirit will help elevate the standard in our gym.”

A native of Tomahawk, Wisconsin, Scholz will join the Toreros as a senior for the 2026 season. She spent the first three years (2023-2025) of her college career in Chicago, where she appeared in 84 matches and 284 sets for the Blue Devils while totaling 391 kills, 208 blocks (24 solo), 94 digs, 11 service aces, and nine assists.

Scholz appeared in 24 of DePaul’s 28 matches in 2025, recording 97 kills and 38 blocks. She recorded multiple blocks on 11 different occasions last season and had multiple kills in 19 of her 23 appearances.

She led the Blue Devils in blocks in both her freshman (2023) and sophomore (2024) seasons. Her debut college campaign saw her earn two BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors.

The Toreros will begin their pursuit of a second consecutive West Coast Conference title and NCAA Tournament berth in August 2026.

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What to know about Kentucky, Wisconsin volleyball’s Final Four foe

Published

21 minutes ago

December 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Updated Dec. 17, 2025, 8:29 a.m. CT

The 2020 and 2021 NCAA volleyball national champions will be vying for a spot in the 2025 national championship match.

Wisconsin, of course, won the 2021 national championship. Kentucky won the 2020 national championship. Neither team has been playing on the final day of the season since then.

That will change as the Badgers and Wildcats face off in the NCAA regional semifinals on Thursday, Dec. 18, at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. The match will start roughly 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Pittsburgh-Texas A&M match, which will start at 5:30 p.m.

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NCAA women’s volleyball championship: All-time winners list

Published

37 minutes ago

December 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Dec 16, 2025, 04:21 PM ET

The 2025 NCAA women’s volleyball championship will take place from Dec. 18-21 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The 2025 Final Four teams heading to Kansas City are Pittsburgh (Pitt), Kentucky, Texas A&M and Wisconsin.

In 2024, Penn State defeated Louisville to take home the title. Stanford has the most all-time championships, with nine titles to its name. Penn State takes second place with eight, followed by Nebraska in third with five.

Check out the all-time winners list for the NCAA women’s volleyball championship below:

2024: Penn State

2023: Texas

2022: Texas

2021: Wisconsin

2020: Kentucky

2019: Stanford

2018: Stanford

2017: Nebraska

2016: Stanford

2015: Nebraska

2014: Penn State

2013: Penn State

2012: Texas

2011: UCLA

2010: Penn State

2009: Penn State

2008: Penn State

2007: Penn State

2006: Nebraska

2005: Washington

2004: Stanford

2003: Southern California

2002: Southern California

2001: Stanford

2000: Nebraska

1999: Penn State

1998: Long Beach State

1997: Stanford

1996: Stanford

1995: Nebraska

1994: Stanford

1993: Long Beach State

1992: Stanford

1991: UCLA

1990: UCLA

1989: Long Beach State

1988: Texas

1987: Hawai’i

1986: Pacific

1985: Pacific

1984: UCLA

1983: Hawai’i

1982: Hawai’i

1981: Southern California

For more NCAA updates, check out the ESPN hub page with scores, rankings and more.

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Forty-One Sun Belt Volleyball Student-Athletes Earn Academic All-District Honors

Published

53 minutes ago

December 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

NEW ORLEANS – Forty-one Sun Belt Conference volleyball student-athletes have been selected to the 2025 Academic All-District® NCAA Division I Volleyball Team.

Four Sun Belt volleyball student-athletes selected as Academic All-District® honorees were selected for advancement to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members including App State’s Maya Winterhoff, Georgia Southern’s Kirsten Barrett and Reagan Barth and Texas State’s Samantha Wunsch.

Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists are denoted with an asterisk and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced January 13, 2026.

The 2025 Academic All-District® Volleyball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes volleyball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

To qualify for All-District honors, a student-athlete must maintain a grade-point average of 3.50 or better and compete in at least 90% of the institution’s matches OR have started at least 66% of the institution’s matches.

For more information about CSC Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.

Sun Belt Academic All-District Selections
Lou Johnson, App State
Maya Winterhoff*, App State
Addison Heidemann, App State
Ali Morris, App State
Erin Madigan, Arkansas State
Devyn Lewis, Arkansas State
Libby Gee-Weiler, Arkansas State
Addison Collum, Arkansas State
Anna Rita, Coastal Carolina
Emma Van Elslande, Coastal Carolina
Ava Wallis, Coastal Carolina
Emily Fowler, Coastal Carolina
Mayte Camacho, Georgia Southern
Lydia Seymour, Georgia Southern
Kirsten Barrett*, Georgia Southern
Reagan Barth*, Georgia Southern
Shanelle Martinez, Georgia State
Nazli Guvener, Georgia State
Alessia Cappai, Georgia State
Grace Wenrich, James Madison
Rebecca Watkins, James Madison
Julia McNeley, James Madison
Elli Barry, Marshall
Marae Reilly, Marshall
Bella Thompson, Marshall
Kate Kilpatrick, Old Dominion
Adrienne Peji, Old Dominion
Elisa Maggi, Old Dominion
Lillie Johnson, Southern Miss
Morgen Durgens, Southern Miss
Brynn Botkin, Southern Miss
Sadie McAda, Southern Miss
Brooke Bentke, Texas State
Anna Blaine, Texas State
Bailey Hanner, Texas State
Samantha Wunsch*, Texas State
Amiah Butler, Troy
Kalina Calvillo, Troy
Jaci Mesa, Troy
Olivia Kwiatkowski, Troy
Morgan Howard, ULM

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Track and Field Announces 2025-26 Indoor Track and Field Schedule

Published

1 hour ago

December 17, 2025

Your Sports Nation

RICHMOND, Va. — The University of Richmond indoor track and field Director of Track/Head Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field, Lori Taylor has announced the 2025-26 indoor schedule, featuring a competitive slate of meets across Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts leading into the postseason.

The Spiders open the new year with the VCU Rams Indoor Invite on Jan. 9 in Richmond, before traveling to the Wesley A. Brown Invitational at the Naval Academy on Jan. 16-17. Richmond will compete in a split weekend on Jan. 23-24, sending athletes to the VMI Invitational in Lexington, Va., and the Liberty Open in Lynchburg, Va.

Action continues Jan. 30-31 with another split meet, as the Spiders take part in the Penn State National Open in University Park, Pa., and the Patriot Games hosted by George Mason in Fairfax, Va.

February competition begins at the VMI Winter Relays on Feb. 6-7, followed by the ECAC/IC4A Championships at Boston on Feb. 7. The Spiders return to Liberty for the Darius Dixon Invitational on Feb. 13, then head back to Boston for the David Hemery Valentine Invitational on Feb. 14. The regular season concludes with the Father Diamond Invitational at George Mason on Feb. 20.

Postseason action begins at the Atlantic 10 Indoor Track and Field Championships on Feb. 27-28, with qualifying athletes advancing to the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 13.

A complete schedule with meet times and additional details will be available on RichmondSpiders.com as the season approaches.

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