Good morning to all!
Seasons are turning, both on the field and off. Men’s and women’s soccer are already underway, and this week women’s volleyball, men’s water polo and men’s & women’s cross country join the action. Change is all around us — at our campuses, within NCAA Division I, and across society. While change can feel relentless, it also brings fresh opportunities.
This week’s soundtrack is Little River Band’s “Cool Change” — a reminder to find calm and perspective in the midst of transition. The video even carries a Pacific spirit that feels right for The Big West.
Let’s get to The Bold Type!
CONGRATULATIONS
- To UC Davis women’s golfer Lauren Calderon, winner of the California Women’s Golf Championship!
- To Cal Poly's Jessie Halladay, Cal State Fullerton's Issac Ranson, and Ava Tibor of UC San Diego for being named The Big West Women's Soccer Players of the Week for the week of Aug. 18! Read more >>>
- To Long Beach State alumnus Andrew Jones ’82, California State University executive vice chancellor and general counsel, will serve as Cal State Long Beach’s acting president, effective Aug. 25! Read more >>>
- To Long Beach State President Jane Conoley, who with this announcement can officially retire! All my best to you, Jane, and thank you!
- To UC Santa Barbara men’s soccer, who is receiving votes in United Soccer Coaches National Poll! Read more >>>
- To Long Beach State men’s water polo, who was selected as the preseason favorites in The Big West poll! Read more and meet the preseason coaches’ team here >>>
- To Hawai’i women’s volleyball as they were selected as the preseason favorites in The Big West poll! Read more and meet the preseason coaches’ team here >>>
SPEAKING OF WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Mark your calendars for The 2025 Big West Women's Volleyball Preview presented by The Hawaiian Islands, which will first broadcast on Thursday, Aug. 28 at 1 p.m. PT on ESPN+. Watch the show live >>>
ESPN GOES DIRECT TO CONSUMER
For those that have cut the cable/satellite cord, ESPN is now available Direct To Consumer (DTC). Read more about the service, including ESPN+, here >>>
FEATURE: BOUNDLESS OPPORTUNITY IN THE BIG WEST WITH CAL POLY ALUMNUS CHRIS EVERSLEY
In the world of sports, success is often measured by wins, losses, and championships. But for Chris Eversley, a former Big West student-athlete, success is about more than just the scoreboard — it's about the lessons learned, the communities built, and the personal growth experienced along the way.
As a former Cal Poly standout, Eversley credits The Big West for shaping life on and off the court. A catalyst in the Mustangs’ 2014 Big West title run and NCAA Tournament appearance, Eversley reflects on the unique experiences and growth the conference provided. Read more >>>
MEDIA REPORTS ON NCAA AND LEGAL MATTERS
- Utah Valley officially cut the ribbon on UCCU Stadium, a $30M, fully fundraised, soccer-specific facility. The stadium was designed by Method Studio and built by SIRQ Construction. Features include shaded seating, eight luxury suites, shaded plazas, a student party deck, a video board, press box, Hall of Champions, team shop and more. Wolverines AD Jared Sumsion: "When you walk through it, it feels like a professional venue. We have shaded seating, luxury amenities, heaters on the concourse, and locker rooms and team spaces that are as nice as anything you'll find in the pros. … This isn't just about opening a facility – it's about opening a new chapter. One filled with unforgettable matches, roaring crowds, and moments that will define what it means to be a Wolverine. Let's make UCCU Stadium a place where champions are made." (link)
- Kennyhertz Perry attorney Mit Winter mentions that “an email from (NCAA President) Charlie Baker went out today to all high school athletes & their family members registered with the NCAA eligibility center. It asks for support of the SCORE Act, warning college athletes may have indefinite eligibility without the bill. This email went to many people. To play in NCAA certified events (think club team tournaments), high school athletes must be registered with the eligibility center. The email doesn’t mention the other aspects of the SCORE Act beyond giving ‘legal clarity’ for eligibility rules.“ (link)
- The Atlantic’s Rose Horowitch takes a look at the “civil war” that is taking place between elite-university presidents and chancellors in the Ivy League and the South, writing: “The leaders of America’s elite universities are required, by the borderline-masochistic, semi-impossible nature of their job, to be skilled in the art of performative comity. So it was a bit of a shock when, at the end of an April panel discussion, Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber turned on the chancellors of Vanderbilt and Washington University in St. Louis, all but accusing them of carrying water for the Trump administration. (LINK)
- Front Office Sports’ Andrew Goodrich touches on the issue of student-athletes' questionable cybersecurity practices, highlighting that in light of recent scrutiny surrounding the Venmo history of Oklahoma student-athlete John Mateer, experts stress the locking down of such apps. Louisville Cybersecurity Laboratory Director Roman Yampolskiy: “Public financial transaction histories, even when they seem innocuous, can reveal sensitive behavioral data. For high-profile athletes, these records can expose patterns of spending, locations, and relationships, making them targets for scams, extortion, or unwanted public scrutiny.” (link)
- EXTRA POINTS BY MATT BROWN: Administrative Burnout, Exhaustion & Disengagement, Part 2: Qualitative Analysis
- While the exhaustion, disengagement and burnout scores calculated using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory in Part 1 are instructive and actionable, they paint more of a black and white picture of the industry. This week we’re adding some color. With over 200 quotes from practitioners who responded to the survey, fully encompassing all comments was impractical; however, as was the case in 2022, it didn’t take long for certain themes to emerge and provide the critical context needed to complete this snapshot of the industry. (LINK) “I left college athletics in 2023 after 30+ years, not due to fatigue or lack of energy. I grew tired of a business model that calls for spending more money than we have and churning, burning and underpaying our critical frontline workers. As an industry, we have also managed to devalue education. Like corporate America, college athletics has adopted a ‘Leaders Eat First’ mentality. I had a great career and loved the work and relationships. Don’t like what we’ve become.”
- The NCAA Softball Tournament will feature 32 seeded teams for the first time in postseason history starting in 2026 after ratification of the proposal by the Softball Committee at its annual summer meeting. According to D1Softball’s Justin McLeod, “under the new seeding guidelines, the top 32 teams in the NCAA tournament – 50% of the postseason field – will be seeded in order. The softball committee will still be required to adhere to some existing parameters, including the 400-mile radius when possible and protecting conference matchups in the regional round.” (link)
- According to D1Baseball’s Kendall Rogers, it appears that the NCAA Baseball Tournament will make a similar postseason move to softball as “the NCAA Division I Baseball Selection Committee, in 2026, will begin seeding teams 1-32 instead of just 1-16. Teams outside of the Top 16 will be placed in 'groups' and will then be distributed with continued geographical considerations, etc.” (link)
- In a letter sent to NCAA President Charlie Baker, 10 Democratic members of the House of Representatives ask how the NCAA plans to protect the interests of female athletes as the largest portion of NIL and revenue-sharing payments continue to be directed to male athletes. Specifically, the letter asks: Will the NCAA encourage schools to allocate direct payments to male and female athletes equitably? Will the NCAA refocus its own investments in women’s sports to counteract this disparity? What will the NCAA do to educate athletes – particularly women athletes – about the details of the settlement and the opportunities associated with it, along with the rights they may give up when signing contracts with their schools? The letter also observes: “The NCAA has indicated that the elimination of scholarship limits and the implementation of roster caps will introduce more scholarship opportunities to women athletes. By how much does the NCAA expect these changes to increase overall funding for women’s sports at DI schools?” The lawmakers have requested answers by August 30. (link, link)
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“You know what we worry about, things we care about. I didn’t get nervous making breakfast this morning.” – Jonah Oliver
A good reminder that nerves only show up when the work truly matters.
Thank you for reading The Bold Type & enjoy the week ahead!
Dan