Jake Holter and Sarah Bawden

3 hours ago

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) — Allison Jedson had no intention of graduating from the University of Rhode Island (URI) at the same time as her three children.

But that’s exactly what happened this past weekend.

Jedson, who graduated from URI’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program, received her doctorate the same weekend her children received their bachelor’s degrees.

Her family’s unique situation appears to have been a happy accident.

“My research took a different direction,” Jedson explained. “I actually should have finished my research in 2024. But hiccups happened along the way, and it wasn’t completed, so I ended up graduating in 2025.”

“I actually felt bad for the kids,” she continued. “I said to them, “I don’t want to steal your limelight.”

Though Jedson considered not walking across the stage, she said her children insisted that she do so.

“We said, ‘You have to,’” her son Ethan Jedson recalled. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience … and to be able to share it with her was truly incredible.”

Ethan Jedson graduated with four degrees from URI, which include a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, a Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics, a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. His brother, Alex Jedson, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish.

Last but not least, their sister, Emily Jedson, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics.

Ethan and Alex, who are twins, each spent a year in Spain and completed their degrees in five years. Emily, who served as captain of the URI Women’s Ice Hockey team for two years, finished her two degrees in the traditional four years.

“That’s how we wound up graduating at the same time,” Allison Jedson explained.

To say graduation weekend was busy for the Jedsons is an understatement. Allison received her doctorate first on Friday morning. Her sons received their Spanish degrees later that evening, while her daughter received her two degrees Saturday morning. The Jedsons returned Sunday morning to watch Ethan receive his business degrees and then came back one more time to see Alex receive his engineering degree.

“We attended five graduations in the Ryan Center this weekend,” Alex said. “Everyone had their own moment.”

It’s not entirely a surprise that the Jedson kids gravitated toward URI.

Allison Jedson and her husband, Christian Jedson, met at URI in the 1990s — each receiving their bachelor’s and master’s degrees there before settling down in West Greenwich.

“They’ve taken absolutely every piece of URI and enjoyed it to the fullest,” Allison Jedson said of her children.

So, what’s next for the Jedsons?

Ethan just landed his dream job at JPMorgan Chase in New York City, while Alex is still weighing several offers. Emily plans on continuing her education by earning her master’s degree from the University of Connecticut.

Allison Jedson, who’s a family nurse practitioner, added that she’s beyond proud of her children for their accomplishments.

“I’m on cloud 9,” she said.

Nick Saban doesn’t think we actually need a presidential commission.

PublishedMay 20, 2025 1:22 PM EDT•UpdatedMay 20, 2025 1:23 PM EDT

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While we continue to wait for the outcome of the House settlement, the college athletics world is not sitting still while a judge in California decides the fate of NIL and revenue sharing. 

Some collegiate leaders are pushing buttons, trying to decide what’s best for athletes moving forward. There has been talk of a presidential commission to find different solutions to the current problems plaguing college sports, most namely NIL and the transfer portal. 

Though President Donald Trump is all for making college sports great again, there could be a different way to solve some of the ongoing problems. There has been talk in Washington of the president forming a federal commission, hoping to bring together some of the brightest minds in the college athletics world to come up with solutions on how to help the current situation, with early reports indicating Nick Saban would be involved. 

But once again, the former Alabama head coach has made it clear that he doesn’t think we actually need a commission to solve these problems, though he is open to being a consultant. 

“I know there’s been a lot of stuff out there about some commission or whatever. I don’t think we need a commission. I’ve said that before,” Nick Saban said, according to Mike Rodak. “I think we need — we know what the issues are, we just have to have people who are willing to move those and solve those and create some solutions for some of those issues. I’m all for being a consultant to anybody who would think that my experience would be beneficial to helping create some of those solutions.”

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – President Donald Trump shakes hands with former Alabama Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban as Trump takes the stage to address graduating students at Coleman Coliseum at the University of Alabama on May 1, 2025. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

What we do know is that President Donald Trump has taken a keen interest in helping figure out a way to support a change in college athletics, which Nick Saban pointed out during his charity golf event on Tuesday. 

“I know President Trump is very interested in athletics. He’s very interested in college athletics,” Nick Saban said about Donald Trump. “He’s very interested in maintaining the idea that people go to college to create value for the future in terms of how they develop as people, students, graduation rate, as well as having a balanced, competitive playing field. If I can be a consultant to anyone who might be able to help the future of college athletics, I would be more than happy to do that.”

Tennessee Lawmakers Fire Preemptive Strike Against New College Athletics Rules Commission: NCAA Losing Power?

Is The Government Going To Get Involved In College Athletics?

Whether this goes anywhere from here will be up to those inside the President’s office, along with key members of Congress who have been pushing for some type of fix to the upcoming problems that will come with the House settlement. 

Right now, there are plenty of people working to make sure their schools are protected, as the State of Tennessee did last week when passing a law that would essentially prohibit any type of punishment for universities that reside in the state. 

This protection was a counter-measure to a move discussed by power-four commissioners, which would have each school participating in the House Settlement sign a document that would protect the ‘College Sports Commission’ from any lawsuits pertaining to the agreement. 

All this will do is lead to more lawsuits, as it will be very hard to convince schools, legally, that they cannot abide by state laws, but have to concede to a ‘signed agreement’ that would curtail any type of lawsuits pertaining to the House settlement. This is a clear sign of how scared some folks are of further antitrust lawsuits. 

When taking a look at DU’s major sports teams, the transfer portal has had a mixed impact. Basketball is undergoing the biggest transformation, and gymnastics has taken a big hit, losing its biggest star. Hockey and soccer remain stable, and it is a wait-and-see for lacrosse.

Just take a look at DU’s core sports of gymnastics, hockey, men’s soccer, and lacrosse, and you will see the current impact of the transfer portal on the University of Denver.

Men’s Basketball – March 24th – April 22nd (Closed)

During the basketball portal window, 2,544 student-athletes entered the portal.  Former Summit League Freshman of the Year Sebastian Akins is now at Wake Forest. DU center Isaiah Carr landed at Drake, point guard DeAndre Craig at Purdue Fort Wayne, center Abdulai Fanta Kabba at Western Carolina, guard Jon Mani at the University of Colorado, guard Nicholas Shogbonyo at Texas A&M- Corpus Christi, and guard Ben Bowen at (D2) Northern State. 

Denver is left with returning guards Josh Lee, Devin Carney, and Loch Cunningham. Forwards Logan Kinsey, Corleone Dandridge, Carson Johnson, and Shaun Wysocki are coming to Denver from the University of Minnesota-Moorhead (DII,) following their new coaches. Gabe Oldham is coming to DU from Pima Community College (DII). Another DII product, guard Zane Wilson, is coming to DU from Missouri Western, and Julius Rollins (DI) from Western Illinois and Jerimiah Burke (DI) from North Dakota State. DU just added one of their most experience recruits, grad student Ian Motta from DI Bucknell who scored 10.1 ppg with 3.7 rbs. last season.

Early indications are that three of four incoming recruits who signed letters of intent (LOI) last year are heading in different directions due to the coaching change. Only Trajan Trajan Thompson has agreed to stay with the current Denver staff.  There are still open spots to be filled on next season’s roster.

Gymnastics Portal – Opened March 31-May 14th (Closed)

DU Gymnastics associate head coach Linas Gaveika, a key Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart lieutenant, announced his departure from the program along with assistant coach Stephen Hood. According to College Gym News, DU’s 19-year-old standout sophomore Madison Ulrich is shown entering the transfer portal, followed by visits to LSU, Oklahoma, and Utah. This marks the loss of DU’s most high-profile gymnast. Could the events be connected to the staff changes and/or NIL-related? Time will tell. Ulrich earned three individual All-American designations at the 2025 NCAA Championships.

Hockey Portal March 30th – May 13th (Closed)

Despite losing early departures Aidan Thompson and Jared Wright to the pros, Denver appears to be standing pat with their incoming  CHL-heavy freshman class – this is the first year in many decades that Canadian Major Junior players are eligible to play in the NCAA and David Carle is taking full advantage – after just one transfer portal departure. Goaltender Freddie Halyk will play for Brown next season. Forward Alex Weiermair, technically listed in the portal, left Denver in the middle of the 2024-25 season to sign with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks and, at the moment, has not decided on a return to the NCAA.

NCHC peers Colorado College and Minnesota-Duluth have lost seven and nine players, respectively. Miami also lost seven players. Arizona State has six portal refugees. North Dakota has five exits.

Men’s Soccer November 25-December 24th (Closed)

Jamie Franks appears to be following the playbook employed by David Carle. According to Top Drawer Soccer, Denver appears to have retained all their eligible players, and they are not filling in gaps with portal transfers. That is not the case with many other programs stock piling portal transfers such as Eastern Illinois (11), Marshall (8), Coastal Carolina (6), Florida (6),  Michigan State (4), Indiana (4), Akron (4), St Louis (3) and South and UCLA (4) to name just a few.

Lacrosse Portal May 11th – June 9th (Open)

Denver has nine graduating seniors to include key contributors like Noah Manning, Casey Wilson, Jimmy Freehill, Mic Kelly, Jack Tortolani, and Malcolm Kleban. Look for Matt Brown and his coaching staff to tap the portal to fill the holes. If DU loses any key players, there is little time to replace players prior to the beginning of fall classes.