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Wichita to host WBIT in 2026 and 2027

Story Links The NCAA announced that the 2026 and 2027 Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament semifinals and finals will be at Charles Koch Arena on the Wichita State campus. This will be the first year that Wichita will host the final WBIT games. Wichita has experience hosting women’s basketball tournament games, most recently when it hosted a […]

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Wichita to host WBIT in 2026 and 2027

The NCAA announced that the 2026 and 2027 Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament semifinals and finals will be at Charles Koch Arena on the Wichita State campus. This will be the first year that Wichita will host the final WBIT games. Wichita has experience hosting women’s basketball tournament games, most recently when it hosted a March Madness regional in 2022.

WBIT semifinals and finals will be broadcast on ESPN platforms. Below are the dates for the semifinals and finals in Wichita:

  • 2026: March 30 (semifinals), April 1 (final).
  • 2027: March 29 (semifinals), March 31 (final).

“We are delighted to bring the WBIT to Wichita,” said Lynn Holzman, NCAA vice president of women’s basketball. “Since the first WBIT in 2024, the postseason event has been a tremendous success for women’s basketball programs. With women’s basketball thriving, we are eager to build on this momentum in Wichita. The Wichita community has consistently supported NCAA basketball, twice hosting successful Division I women’s basketball tournament rounds. Its central location and accessibility make it an ideal location to continue growing this event.”

This will be the third year of the WBIT, with Minnesota taking home the WBIT trophy in 2025 and Illinois in 2024.

“Visit Wichita is honored to host, in partnership with Wichita State University, the 2026 and 2027 Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament, bringing even more high-level women’s sports to Wichita,” said Josh Howell, vice president of sports development at Visit Wichita. “We are very excited to welcome — for the first time — this tournament that showcases some of the best in women’s basketball and delivers high-energy matchups that fans won’t want to miss. In addition to the positive local economic impact and national TV exposure, this is a great competition for basketball fans in the region to experience in person.”

“Wichita State is excited and honored to be selected as the host of the WBIT finals in 2026 and 2027,” said Brad Pittman, Wichita State senior associate athletics director. “We strive to provide memorable championship experiences both in our city and on our campus and have had the opportunity to host many successful external events over the last few years. We are excited to showcase the city of Wichita and our campus on a national stage, and to show the rest of the country the passion for women’s basketball that exists in Wichita.”

The WBIT postseason tournament is owned and funded by the NCAA. The Association provides 100 postseason opportunities for Division I women’s basketball teams through its two events (the 68-team championship and 32-team WBIT). Selections, pairings and the bracket for the 2026 WBIT will be announced March 15.
 

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Lafayette volleyball coaches state ethics charges | Education

The Louisiana Board of Ethics filed charges against two Lafayette volleyball coaches, arguing they asked high school players to enroll in a private league at a gym where they worked over the summer. The board determined Julia Dawson and Erin Belsom violated Louisiana ethics law when they asked their students on the Southside High volleyball […]

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The Louisiana Board of Ethics filed charges against two Lafayette volleyball coaches, arguing they asked high school players to enroll in a private league at a gym where they worked over the summer.

The board determined Julia Dawson and Erin Belsom violated Louisiana ethics law when they asked their students on the Southside High volleyball team to enroll and pay for summer training and competition at the private gym they worked at. Dawson also is accused of using her position to coerce students to join the league.

The ethics board, which brought the charges in January but didn’t publish its determination until May, referred the matter to the Louisiana Division of Administrative Law, a centralized administrative hearing panel that will determine whether a violation occurred and can levy penalties if so.

Alesia Ardoin, an attorney with Sexton Law representing both coaches, said that the charges were “baseless” and state law recently changed, making it possible for educators to receive compensation from students when they serve as tutors or coaches.

“We will continue to fight these charges and we’re certain the adjudication board will dismiss this because the charges are wholly without merit,” Ardoin told The Acadiana Advocate.

The ethics board charges stemmed from a 2021 incident, according to the documents released by the board. At the time, Dawson and Belsom were volleyball coaches at Southside High School. Belsom has since transferred to a different school.

Dawson and Belsom also are coaches for Louisiana Volleyball Lafayette, or LVL, a private gym that offers indoor and beach volleyball programs, training and has club teams. Dawson is a co-owner, co-director, program coordinator and master coach of the gym and Belsom is the recreational coordinator and beach volleyball director.

In May 2021, Dawson emailed parents of the students who made the volleyball team for the 2021-2022 school year, according to ethics board documents. The email laid out summer expectations, which included participating in a beach volleyball league on Fridays in June and July of 2021.

The cost of the league was $150 per team, which could have up to three players, according to the documents. Parents registered and paid through the LVL website.

Dawson, who is paid by LVL as a 12-month salaried employee, received $15,000 from LVL in 2021. Belsom was paid $25 per hour for her work as the summer beach volleyball director received about $2,000 in 2021 and $2,500 in 2022 from LVL.

The ethics board determined that as public employees with the school district, both Dawson and Belsom violated state ethics laws when they were paid for providing volleyball training and overseeing competition for interested players. The ethics board additionally alleged that Dawson compelled or coerced students to join the LVL league.

A hearing before the adjudication board has been set for Nov. 13 for Dawson and Belsom.

A spokesperson for the Lafayette Parish School System said the district would not comment while the matter was being adjudicated.



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Head Track & Field Coach in Ripon, WI for Ripon College

Details Posted: 18-Jun-25 Location: Ripon, Wisconsin Type: Full-time Categories: Coaching Coaching – Track & Field Sector: Collegiate Sports Required Education: 4 Year Degree Ripon College, an NCAA Division III institution and member of the Midwest Conference, is seeking a Head Men’s and Women’s Track & Field Coach. Since 2018, the track & field and cross-country […]

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Details

Posted: 18-Jun-25

Location: Ripon, Wisconsin

Type: Full-time

Categories:

Coaching

Coaching – Track & Field

Sector:

Collegiate Sports

Required Education:

4 Year Degree

Ripon College, an NCAA Division III institution and member of the Midwest Conference, is seeking a Head Men’s and Women’s Track & Field Coach. Since 2018, the track & field and cross-country programs at Ripon College have seen tremendous growth in attracting quality student-athletes, and we are seeking a full-time coach to help build on this recent success. The $23 million renovation of the Willmore Athletic Center and Fieldhouse in 2017 has allowed Ripon College to become a destination for outstanding track & field student-athletes.


Reporting to the Vice President and Director of Athletics, the Head Track & Field Coach will be responsible for the following duties: ? Coordinating and executing the recruiting plan for the track & field program ?Coordinating home track & field competitions at the collegiate and high school levels ?Working in concert with the head cross-country coach and other assistant coaches ? Overseeing all aspects of team operations, including scheduling, practice planning, meet day strategy, and athlete development ?Managing the program’s budget, travel logistics, and equipment needs ?Collaborating with the Office of Marketing and Communications to promote the program, generate interest, and enhance recruitment ?Assisting the Athletic Department in areas aligned with the candidate’s expertise and performing other duties as assigned

The successful candidate will have a bachelor’s degree and demonstrate exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, a commitment to and the ability to articulate the value of a liberal arts education, a high level of energy, and an ability to work independently while contributing as a member of a team. Candidates must have a valid driver’s license and possess knowledge, understanding, and adherence to Ripon College, Midwest Conference, and NCAA rules and regulations.

To apply: Please submit a single PDF document that includes your cover letter, current résumé, and the names and contact information of three references. Email your application to Chris Schumacher, Vice President and Director of Athletics, at schumacherc@ripon.edu. Please name your file using your first and last name (e.g., FirstLast.pdf).

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About Ripon College

To support Ripon’s continued athletic excellence and enhance the overall student experience, Ripon College just opened a brand new stadium along with a recently renovated athletic center. Opened on September 30, 2023, Hopp Stadium is the new on-campus home for Ripon football, men’s soccer and women’s soccer. Groundbreaking for the 157,000 square foot on-campus stadium began in Spring 2023. The new construction features a 2,000 seat grandstand and press box, with viewing opportunities on Sadoff Hill and an outdoor plaza.


Connections working at Ripon College

https://ncaamarket.ncaa.org/jobs/21427174/head-track-field-coach



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Assistant Women’s Volleyball Coach in Lewiston, ME for Bates College

Details Posted: 18-Jun-25 Location: Lewiston, Maine Type: Full-time Categories: Coaching Coaching – Volleyball Sector: Collegiate Sports Required Education: 4 Year Degree The Assistant Coach is responsible for aiding the Head Coach in administering a competitive NCAA Division III intercollegiate program. This position supports the development of student-athletes through mentorship, guidance, leadership opportunities, community building, and […]

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Details

Posted: 18-Jun-25

Location: Lewiston, Maine

Type: Full-time

Categories:

Coaching

Coaching – Volleyball

Sector:

Collegiate Sports

Required Education:

4 Year Degree

The Assistant Coach is responsible for aiding the Head Coach in administering a competitive NCAA Division III intercollegiate program. This position supports the development of student-athletes through mentorship, guidance, leadership opportunities, community building, and a commitment to social justice. The Assistant Coach focuses primarily in the areas of planning and directing recruitment, conditioning, training, and performance of student-athletes, along with fiscal management of the program. This is a professional assistant coaching position, and all of the duties of the position must be conducted in adherence with the policies, rules, and regulations of affiliated national, regional, and state intercollegiate athletic associations, the NESCAC Conference, and the College. The Assistant Coach will have significant night and weekend commitments. This position reports to the Head Coach.


Job Duties:


– Adheres to and enforces all policies and procedures of the Department of Athletics & Physical Education and the College as well as the rules and regulations of the NESCAC, the NCAA and other authorities that may legitimately influence the intercollegiate athletics program. – Completes all required departmental and institutional training and certification programs and participates actively in available professional development opportunities. – Assists in the recruitment of student-athletes as directed by the head coach. Ensures full compliance with NESCAC and NCAA guidelines in all aspects of the recruiting process. – Provides leadership and instruction in the personal and athletic development of student-athletes, including counseling team members in academic, disciplinary and personal matters. – Assists the head coach in monitoring the eligibility status and academic progress of student-athletes. – Provides support in carefully tracking expenditures for all team accounts to ensure fiscal responsibility. – Works with the head coach and equipment manager to initiate and coordinate the selection, purchase, fitting and maintenance of team equipment; to include uniforms, athletic equipment and supplies. – Assists the head coach in developing and implementing strategies for motivating student-athletes to perform at maximum levels as both individuals and a team. – Arranges team travel transportation arrangements through Assistant AD for Student-Athlete Services and Internal Operations and team lodging arrangements through the Business Manager. – Works closely with the strength and conditioning and sports medicine staff to ensure that student-athletes are physically prepared for competition. – Assists with approved fund-raising activities as requested and coordinates all such efforts through the Director of Athletics and Office of College Advancement. – Compiles data and reports in a timely fashion when requested by the head coach or any senior level administrator.

Experience

  • Experience playing or coaching the sport, college level preferred.
  • Experience and/or demonstrated success in supervising young adults and managing programs preferred.

About Bates College

About
Bates is one of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges, with a long history of commitments to principles of human dignity and diversity.

Since its founding by abolitionists in 1855, Bates has welcomed men and women from diverse racial, ethnic, religious, and economic backgrounds. Bates was the first co-educational college in New England, and some of its earliest students were former slaves. The college continues to live that promise of inclusiveness.

Bates offers a rigorous and highly personalized education that centers on deep and sustained interactions among students, faculty, and community. Bates engages the forces — intellectual trends, demographic changes, and technology — that are transforming higher education and the world into which our students graduate.

Bates has highly competitive admission, graduates over 90% of its entering students, and over half of its alumni earn graduate degrees. Bates has 1,700 students, 200 faculty members and 550 staff and administrative employees.

The college is proud of its deep roots in the Lewiston/Auburn community, Maine’s second largest urban area, with a population of approximately 65,000. Bates is located on a beautiful, 109-acre, traditional New England campus in Lewiston, a small city with an entrepreneurial climate, a lively arts scene, and a dynamic business community. Bates is 35 miles north of Portland, 140 miles north of Boston, and 350 miles north of New York City.

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Saturday TV Ratings: 48 Hours, Yes, Chef!, UFL Championship, AVP Beach Volleyball, MLB Baseball – canceled + renewed TV shows, ratings

(48 Hours X) Saturday, June 14, 2025 ratings — New Episodes: (none).  Sports: UFL Championship, AVP Beach Volleyball, and MLB Baseball. Reruns: 48 Hours, Elsbeth, Destination X, Yes, Chef!, and Dateline NBC. Note: If you do not see the updated charts, please try reloading the page or go here. The percentages represent the change since […]

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48 Hours TV Show on CBS: canceled or renewed?

(48 Hours X)

Saturday, June 14, 2025 ratingsNew Episodes: (none).  Sports: UFL Championship, AVP Beach Volleyball, and MLB Baseball. Reruns: 48 Hours, Elsbeth, Destination X, Yes, Chef!, and Dateline NBC.

Note: If you do not see the updated charts, please try reloading the page or go here.

The percentages represent the change since the previous original episode. (Percentages aren’t given for reruns or specials.) To see past ratings for a particular show, click the show’s link. The show pages are updated with the daily final ratings when they become available. Those pages include season averages to date.

What were you watching last night? Original network programming, reruns, cable, or something else?



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CCIW Boasts 31 Women’s Academic All-District® At-Large Honorees

Story Links 2024-25 CSC Academic All-District® At-Large Team NAPERVILLE — The 2024-25 Academic All-District® Women’s At-Large teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, was announced by CSC on Tuesday afternoon. The honorees included 31 student-athletes from the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) in […]

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NAPERVILLE — The 2024-25 Academic All-District® Women’s At-Large teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, was announced by CSC on Tuesday afternoon. The honorees included 31 student-athletes from the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) in the sports of women’s bowling, women’s golf, women’s lacrosse and women’s water polo.
 
Augustana, Carroll, Elmhurst and North Central each landed six selections to the team on Tuesday.
 
The announcement recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances in competition and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes At-Large honorees in five divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, and the College Division.
 
Academic All-District® honorees were considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. 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 and announced on July 9.
 
Augustana
Ocean Akau*, Women’s Water Polo
Waiahuli Akau*, Women’s Water Polo
Colleen Chiavola, Women’s Lacrosse
Maddie Lathrop*, Women’s Bowling
Charlotte Newport*, Women’s Water Polo
Kelsey O’Connor, Women’s Golf
 
Carroll
Ava Butt*, Women’s Bowling
Devon Duym*, Women’s Lacrosse
Lauren Fricke, Women’s Lacrosse
Samantha Hurd, Women’s Lacrosse
Tessa Lawson, Women’s Golf
Grace Tumilty*, Women’s Lacrosse
 
Elmhurst
Mikaela Armstrong, Women’s Lacrosse
Regan Bobich*, Women’s Golf
Mia Coppola, Women’s Golf
Gracie Eastman, Women’s Lacrosse
Mary Graves, Women’s Bowling
Corinna Salmon, Women’s Lacrosse
 
Illinois Wesleyan
Nora Cerroni, Women’s Golf
Macy Ludwig*, Women’s Golf
Jacque O’Neill, Women’s Golf
Jadyn Spinks, Women’s Golf
 
Marian
Jocelynn Eggert, Women’s Bowling

Millikin

Madi Jessen, Women’s Golf

 

North Central

Lucy Culig, Women’s Lacrosse

Mallorie Clifton, Women’s Golf

Tori Leonard, Women’s Lacrosse

Abby MacKenzie*, Women’s Lacrosse

Annelise Oster, Women’s Lacrosse

Madison Place, Women’s Golf

 

Wheaton

Molly Holbert, Women’s Golf

Abby Smith, Women’s Golf

 

Follow the CCIW
CCIW on X | CCIW Instagram | CCIW Facebook |
 
The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services nine member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.), Carroll University (Waukesha, Wis.), Carthage College (Kenosha, Wis.), Elmhurst University (Elmhurst, Ill.), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, Ill.), Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.), North Central College (Naperville, Ill.), North Park University (Chicago, Ill.) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, Ill.).





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Cruz Reflects on Attending First College Sports Communicators Convention

Story Links People care about what we do.    I took many notes throughout my four days at the 2025 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Convention in Orlando. But that statement – people care about what we do – kept ringing through my mind as I reflected on the experience.     It was […]

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People care about what we do. 
 
I took many notes throughout my four days at the 2025 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Convention in Orlando. But that statement – people care about what we do – kept ringing through my mind as I reflected on the experience.  
 
It was obvious, from start to finish, how much the folks filling the halls of the World Center Marriot care about what they do, who they do it for, and who they do it with. You heard it in the sincerity of the panelists and in the speeches of the award winners who all made it a point to credit a mentor or teammate for aiding their success. It was evident in the advice shared between veterans and youngsters and the many ways people documented the lessons being doled out. 
 
That passion made it easy to connect with my peers and soak in the information. Between sessions and receptions, I attended 25 learning and networking opportunities throughout the convention, and I can honestly say I took something meaningful from each one. 
 
A journalist at my core, I was thrilled to see that storytelling was a major theme for the week, and I took full advantage. We heard from ESPN storytellers including Andrea Adelson, Elliott Munoz and Luke Knox, and author Dawn Dugle. There were several sessions in which fellow communicators across college and professional athletics discussed how the stories we tell affect the culture and business of the departments and institutions we serve. 

As a first-time attendee and the only person from my comms team at convention, I went into this with a feeling of responsibility to go to everything – when I started making my schedule on the event app, there were numerous times I double-booked, or even triple-booked, myself within a time slot. Throughout convention, the experienced attendees kept reiterating that some of the most valuable lessons are the ones you learn in the hallways, not sitting in a session. I found that to be true after some wise words from Ohio State Associate Director – Communications, Maria Slovikovski. We met in-person for the first time Monday morning at the CSC Women Coffee Hour after seeing each other on CSC Women Zoom calls for nearly two years. Slovikovski told me not to feel pressure to go to everything. She spoke on the importance of leaving space in your convention schedule to take a break and digest what you’re learning. I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear that. Her advice, simple as it sounds, allowed me to give myself grace and shifted my mentality as I reworked the crazy schedule I initially put together. 

 

The next three days of convention were very intentional. I thoughtfully selected which sessions to attend and really applied what I was hearing to my role at UTRGV. On Divisional Day, I found the “Defining Media” and “Workflows” sessions particularly useful for the upcoming endeavor of taking on UTRGV’s first football season. I picked up helpful tips on how to teach student workers how to write with confidence and clarity. I soaked up info on handling crossover content, covering programs at all levels of success, and working with stats. I joined two CSC/NACMA collaborative sessions about content strategies for multiple channels of communication and using storytelling to fuel business growth, which provided great insight into just how vital athletic communicators are to the success of college athletics. 

 

Ideas started popping into my mind as I heard the talented individuals talk about their experiences and practices. I sought out more of those hallway connections and let myself enjoy being surrounded by people with goals similar to mine. During the week-ending CSC Special Awards Luncheon, I was recognized for earning a National Runner-Up award in the Fred Stabley Sr. Writing Contest. 

 

I felt, and still feel, so reinvigorated and inspired after one of the most pivotal weeks of my career. 

 

The work we do as athletic communicators is so important and special. We work so uniquely with a range of people, and we impact every area of college athletics – the student-athlete experience, recruiting and retention, revenue generation, culture and branding. It’s not an easy job, but people care about what we do, and nobody cares more than the dedicated SIDs working tirelessly behind the scenes. 

 


Editor’s Note: I was fortunate to attend the convention as one of six recipients of the NCAA Inclusion CSC Convention Grant selected by the CSC and NCAA Leadership Development and Media Coordination and Statistics staffs along with Kensley Walters (Conference USA), Coreyon Chester (Texas Woman’s University), Devanée Williams (Eckerd College), Dawnisha Franklin (Plattsburgh State), and Jalon Avent (Rutgers-Newark). Major thanks to NCAA Assistant Director of Media Coordination and Statistics Marcus Thatcher for being an incredible point-person for the grant and setting us up with incredible opportunities (which I’ll dive into in August after our trip to the NCAA national office.) 

Support UTRGV Athletics | Become a Fan on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Follow us on Instagram | Follow us on YouTube

 





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