Issue 5
Greetings Diplomats –
This is the fifteenth installment of a monthly update where I will provide direct reflections and information on issues facing our student-athletes. The title is a line from the F&M alma mater.
The goal of this piece is not to review specific game results, but to present an insider’s view of current national trends, on-campus happenings and what we can look forward to next.
What's Trending
NIL
It’s been just over 1.5 years since the NCAA adopted legislation permitting student-athletes to earn compensation from name, image and likeness. Division I and its various collectives, partnerships and deals are the most lucrative by far, but Division III student-athletes also benefit from NIL deals.
Many Division III student-athletes enter into NIL deals as social media influencers or brand ambassadors, earning compensation and/or free products for their marketing and sales efforts. F&M has several student-athletes who are brand ambassadors.
Perhaps the most well-known Division III NIL student-athlete is Jack Betts, a football player at Amherst College who has secured nearly 40 NIL deals worth approximately $10,000 in cash and product.
On Campus
This month we welcomed Dr. Phil Miller into the F&Mily! His role as associate director of athletics for operations and facilities impacts all 28 teams, 600+ student-athletes, fans, community members and guests.
His responsibilities include oversight of all facilities within the department of athletics & recreation, as well as all practice and gameday operations. Dr. Miller will be responsible for the successful execution of more than 150 home events annually, the use of facilities by the general campus population and external rentals and special events.
Within the Alumni Sports and Fitness Center we are grateful to have amazing facilities such as the Schnader Field House and the Kunkel Aquatics Center. F&M benefits from the exposure of large-scale events held in the ASC, including:
David H. Lehman Open - the F&M Division I wrestling tournament that annually attracts close to 500 wrestlers from across the country.
Swimming Invitational - one of the best early-season Division III invitational meets that features 28 total men’s and women’s teams across 3-days on the F&M campus.
Indoor Track & Field - F&M hosts the Centennial Conference meet every two years, for two consecutive years thanks to the beauty and function of our exceptional facility. We also host several multi-team invitationals and high school meets that draw from as far as Pittsburgh!
What's Next
March Madness
Much like the basketball tournaments, the operations of an athletics department in March is madness.
We wrap-up nine winter sports with conference and NCAA championships all the way through spring break. At the same time, we start 12 spring sports with home games beginning in early March and then manage the travel of teams on spring break competition trips in various states.
We also closely monitor weather and prepare outdoor competition venues. Baseball, softball and tennis use the ASFC for practice and/or competition until the fields and courts are safe for use.
Lastly, we start spring football practices and the fall nontraditional practice season for other fall sports.
Almost all 28 sports at the same time – welcome to March Madness!