This has been one of the most complex and challenging weeks of the year for our institutions, conference and for intercollegiate athletics more broadly.
First and foremost, on behalf of The Big West, I want to extend our deepest condolences to the Utah Valley University community following the tragic incident on their campus last week. As a future member of The Big West, UVU holds a special place in our hearts. We stand in support of their students, faculty, staff, and leadership during this very difficult time.
Beyond this heartbreaking incident, the week was defined by the growing intersection of athletics and national policy. Federal legislation around intercollegiate athletics continues to move forward, carrying major implications for all NCAA member institutions. At the same time, the NCAA governance overhaul is nearly complete, with new committee responsibilities requiring careful preparation and engagement to ensure The Big West has a strong voice at the national level.
Closer to home, we navigated multiple subcommittee meetings last week that tackled important opportunities for The Big West. These discussions, while complex, highlight the collaborative spirit that drives The Big West forward.
As we reflect on the events of this week, I am reminded of the importance of our shared mission: to educate and provide the best possible experience for our student-athletes while leading with compassion, responsibility and vision.
In weeks like this when challenges weigh heavy, we are reminded of the strength we find in leaning on one another. This week’s songs reflect that spirit of support, resilience and compassion:
Let’s get to The Bold Type.
CONGRATULATIONS
- To Long Beach State for being selected as one of nineteen institutions to receive an Accelerating Academic Success Program grants from the NCAA! Read more >>>
- To UC Irvine men’s soccer for being ranked No. 22 in the latest United Soccer Coaches national poll!
- To our FIVE men’s water polo teams ranked in the CWPA poll!
- No. 7 Long Beach State
- No. 8 UC Irvine
- No. 11 UC San Diego
- No. 13 UC Davis
- No. 19 UC Santa Barbara
- To UC Santa Barbara women’s volleyball, receiving votes in the latest AVCA poll!
- To Andy Fee for being named the new Director of Athletics at UC San Diego! Read more >>>
- To UC Santa Barbara men’s water polo, for this weekend’s Big Win over Brown!
- To our amazing student-athletes named players of the week!!
- Women's Soccer- Olivia Howard, UC Santa Barbara (offensive); Shannon Porubski, Cal Poly (defensive); Natalie Sheffey, UC Santa Barbara (freshman)
- Men's Soccer - Wes Hastings, UC Riverside (offensive); Nicky McCune, Cal Poly (defensive); Tanner Casey, Cal Poly (freshman)
- Women's Volleyball - Cha’lei Reid, Hawai‘i (offensive); Bri Gunderson, Hawai‘i (defensive); Adrianna Arquette, Hawai‘i (setter); Logan King, Long Beach State (freshman)
- Cross Country- Juan Chantaca, UC Irvine (men); Lucy Milliner, Hawai’i (women)
- Men's Water Polo - Corbin Stanley, Long Beach State
THE BIG WEST SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT WITH UC SANTA BARBARA'S OLIVIA HOWARD
In the world of collegiate sports, athletes are often celebrated for their physical prowess, determination, and resilience. However, there are moments when the challenges they face extend beyond the field and into the realm of personal health. Such was the case for Olivia Howard, women’s soccer player at UC Santa Barbara. Read more >>>
THANK YOU!
To California Baptist University for lunch on Wednesday and having me speak with their key athletic boosters. I enjoyed meeting many of the CBU staff, while spending time with President Ellis and AD Micah Parker.
Also, to UC Riverside Chancellor Hu and AD Michelle Almazan for meeting with me on Wednesday morning. I enjoyed getting to know both of you a bit more.
DID YOU MISS IT? THE BIG WEST ACADEMIC HONORS SHOW
Last month, The Big West highlighted 22 student-athletes that were named 2024-25 Big West Scholar-Athletes of the Year, featuring in The Big West Academic Honors Show on ESPN+. Watch the show now on The Big West’s YouTube channel. Many thanks to Big West staff Chloe Clark, Sara Perry and Tom Davis for their hard work to showcase some of the league’s best and brightest!
NCAA GOVERNANCE UPDATE
The NCAA Division I Transition Committee reviewed and approved appointments and appointed chairs and vice chairs to Division I governance committees. Generally, members of governance committees who were serving as chairs or vice chairs will continue to serve in those positions on their new committees.
Committee members were appointed to the following committees:
In this link you will find the appointed committees, in addition to newly appointed committee members of previously shared committees.
Appointments to the NCAA Division I Academics Eligibility Subcommittee and the Athletics Eligibility Subcommittee will be made by the Academics and Eligibility Committee.
Committee Term Dates. The Transition Committee discussed potential starting dates for committee service in the new committee structure and determined that all standard committee terms will begin on September 1 and conclude on August 31.
MEDIA REPORTS ON NCAA AND LEGAL ISSUES
- The NCAA announces that the National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship field is expanding to 12 teams, beginning next spring. The format will consist of four non-predetermined regional sites with three teams competing at each site. Two teams will compete in a regional-round with the third team receiving a bye and will compete against the winner in a regional final-round match. Winners from each of the regional final-round sites will advance to compete at the finals site. (link)
- The NCAA Committee on Infractions releases the findings from an NCAA enforcement investigation that uncovered violations by three student-athletes who competed in men’s basketball at Fresno State and San Jose State. As part of a coordinated effort, Mykell Robinson, Steven Vasquez and Jalen Weaver bet on their own games, one another's games and/or provided information that enabled others to do so during the 2024-25 regular season. Two of the student-athletes then manipulated their performances to ensure that certain bets were won. As a result, they violated ethical conduct rules, triggering permanent ineligibility, and were released from their respective teams. (link)
- The NCAA enforcement staff is in the process of alleging violations of sports betting rules and/or related failure-to-cooperate violations for 13 former men's basketball student-athletes who competed at Eastern Michigan, Temple, Arizona State, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T and Mississippi Valley at the time the conduct in question occurred with additional cases in various stages of investigation. While the facts and alleged behaviors in each case vary, violations include student-athletes betting on and against their own teams, sharing information with third parties for sports betting purposes, knowingly manipulating scoring or game outcomes and/or refusing to participate in the enforcement staff's investigation. The schools and respective staffs in the ongoing cases are not alleged to have been involved in the violations, and the enforcement staff is not seeking penalties for the schools themselves for the student-athletes' conduct. (link)
- Athletes.org emphasizes the SCORE Act is “the biggest threat facing both college athletes and college athletics as a whole [...] and continues to show leadership’s inability to properly support athletes by evolving the system to where it should be.” Athletes.org Co-Founder Brandon Copeland remarks: “No other model in sports – professional or otherwise – limits the rights of athletes or grants unchecked power to governing bodies the way the SCORE Act would for the NCAA and its member schools. […] On behalf of athletes everywhere, we urge Congress to reject this bill and support legislation that enables athletes to be fairly represented by a player’s association: a model of partnership that has worked incredibly well already at the pro level to create the most successful, functional and sustainable sports industries in the world.” (link)
- In a letter to the Senate Commerce Committee, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) confirms House leaders plan to bring the SCORE Act to a vote next week. Cantwell notes: “As the gap widens, opportunity narrows for everyone but the schools raking in most of the media revenues. As the chart below demonstrates, the SEC and Big Ten have been able to leverage their disproportionate share of revenues to start dominating the Men’s Basketball Tournament. Since 2014, spending by SEC men’s basketball programs has increased by 76% as of 2023. Spending by the Big Ten has increased 69%. In March 2025, the SEC and Big Ten captured more at-large bids than all the other conferences combined. The SEC and Big Ten dominance in March Madness hurts smaller schools, including traditional basketball powerhouses that are unable to subsidize basketball through football revenues, meaning traditional mid-major basketball powerhouses cannot compete. And it hurts fans who want to see Cinderella stories during March Madness.” (link, link); Full letter. (link)
- House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and other House Republicans, along with NCAA and conference lobbyists, have been “pushing hard to ensure they have enough votes to pass” the SCORE Act, according to Front Office Sports’ Amanda Christovich, who notes it’s unclear at this point whether the bill would pass the lower chamber of Congress. One congressional aide tells Christovich that “not just Scalise, but the entire lobbying apparatus…is working overdrive.” Meanwhile, Congressman Lance Gooden (R-TX), one of the bill’s co-sponsors, adds: “This bill needs work. (link)
- House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) isn’t “supportive of any significant change to the [SCORE Act], including any amendment related to the Sports Broadcasting Act,” as Dellenger observes that the goal “is to keep the bill strictly to NIL and to the creation of a board to establish policy.” Scalise: “A lot of fans of college sports are getting frustrated. You got a player on one team and they’ve played for four teams in five years. They can’t graduate because their credits don’t transfer. It allows for this new board to put limitations on things like the transfer portal. [...] [President Trump] wants to see a bill on his desk.” (link)
- Cal State Bakersfield AD Kyle Conder is no longer leading the Roadrunners, per President Vernon Harper, who notes in an email to the campus community: “CSUB Athletics is an integral part of this university and the entire Kern County community. I want to underscore my commitment to our scholar-athletes, the Athletics Program staff, and to our incredibly loyal network of supporters, here on campus and beyond. As we look to the future of Roadrunner Athletics, I pledge to work with students, staff and faculty, as well as our community partners, to evolve and enhance our program while nurturing a culture of safety and respect, allowing our scholar-athletes to soar both in the classroom and in competition.” Assoc. AD for Development/SWA Sarah Tuohy will serve as Acting AD. (link)
- Who owns the College Sports Commission? That’s the answer Grayson Law Firm Founder Clay Grayson seeks to find out. (link)
- Education & Sports Law Group Partner Janet Judge joins the SportsWise Podcast with Tulane Sports Law Director Gabe Feldman to talk about potential Title IX issues, President Trump’s executive order and several other topics. Judge explains that as it pertains to Trump’s EO, there is “some language in there [that] depending on what amount of revenue a particular school generates…schools should be offering the maximum number of roster spots allowed under the roster cap and the maximum number of scholarships. … For any particular school and anyone who has been taking time to make sure they understand the requirements of Title IX, that could create some real Title IX challenges for schools because the roster caps themselves are just target caps that are out there. Lots more. (link)
CLOSING
Amid the complexity of legal updates, national policy shifts, and ongoing conference initiatives, we are reminded that our work ultimately centers on people — our student-athletes, staff, and peers.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“You have to fight through some bad days to earn the best days of your life…” - A'Zayler
As we head into a new week, let’s keep the Utah Valley University community close in our hearts. Their strength in the face of tragedy is a reminder of the resilience and compassion that define our work in higher education and athletics.
This has been a complex time, but it also reinforces how much we can achieve when we lean on each other, stay focused on our mission, and lead with purpose. Our student-athletes are counting on us to create an environment where they can thrive — in competition, in the classroom, and in life.
Thank you for all that you do to support our programs as we move The Big West forward. Wishing each of you a meaningful and productive week ahead.
Dan