SEPTEMBER 11, 2025 | composed by STEVE ULRICH

We cover DIII lacrosse like no other publication. #d3lax #whyD3

🎗️ 9/11. Never Forget

🗞️ In Today’s Edition. College Athletics Faces Uncertainty Amid NIL Policy Changes. DIII & NASO Launch New ‘Stay In the Game’ Officiating Recruitment Program. Fall Ball Scrimmage Schedule. A $1,000 Lego Set.

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TOP STORY

1. College Athletics Faces Uncertainty Amid NIL Policy Changes

“College athletics is undergoing a seismic shift. After years of lawsuits, state laws and NCAA rule changes, a $3 billion settlement, effective July 1, has transformed how student-athletes are compensated. Yet the future remains uncertain amid ongoing legal and legislative battles.

More than 30 states have passed NIL (name, image and likeness) laws, advancing athletes’ rights. Additionally, the settlement in June of the class-action lawsuit House v. NCAA, filed by athletes against the association, allowed direct NIL payments to athletes and introduced a salary cap system and compliance rules. However, concerns about state laws, NCAA enforcement, and challenges from boosters and NIL collectives remain unresolved.”

» Court Awareness. “States have taken varied approaches to NIL policies. Following California’s lead, Virginia enacted a bipartisan law (HB 1505; 2024) allowing public and private colleges to compensate student-athletes and shield schools from NCAA penalties directly.”

» Why It Matters. “Ann Millner (R-Utah) questions whether NIL policies are taking college athletics away from its core values. “The question is, what is college athletics all about? There was a time when it was focused on academics,” she says, adding that smaller schools struggle to fund athletics. “Ninety-five percent of schools out there aren’t making money and are supplementing athletics because they believe in the value it brings to students,” she says, advocating for different approaches for Power Five and smaller schools.”

» What They’re Saying. “The floodgate has already been opened,” she says, noting that 32 states have already passed their own NIL legislation. “At the federal level, I have absolutely no confidence that we are going to solve this problem.” - Mamie Locke (D-Va.). (NCSL)

2. DIII & NASO Launch New ‘Stay In the Game’ Officiating Recruitment Program Aimed at Student-Athletes

“The National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) and the Division III Commissioners Association (DIIICA) are pleased to announce the launch of a new sports officiating recruitment effort aimed at NCAA Division III student-athletes. The initiative is titled “Stay In the Game,” and is the first official program to launch from NASO and the DIIICA partnership announced earlier this year, as funded by the NCAA.

Stay in the Game is designed to help DIII athletes stay connected to sports through officiating. The program pairs athletes with mentors via the NASO GameSavers network, offering guidance, resources, and local opportunities to begin an officiating journey and continue making an impact in the game.”

» Driving The News. “With the Stay in the Game program, DIII coaches are asked to identify student-athletes who they believe would make great sports officials as those athletes’ playing days start to wind down. From there, NASO’s GameSavers network goes into action, and a local sports official working in the athlete’s chosen sport and community reaches out to the athlete and helps get them started as a sports official by guiding them to the right places to get licensed and registered, how to join a local association, get training and game assignments, and even where to find uniforms and equipment.”

» What They’re Saying. “Through this partnership, we’re able to take advantage of NASO’s established ‘Say Yes to Officiating’ infrastructure and focus it squarely onto new officiating recruits from the large pool of DIII athletes,” says Jeff Ligney, commissioner of the Northern Athletic Collegiate Conference and member of the DIIICA Officiating Committee. “It’s imperative that we give those athletes a pathway into sports officiating. Their experiences at the DIII level of competition will make them invaluable as they move up through the various competitive levels as officials.” (DIIICA)

3. Fall Ball Scrimmage Schedule

“This resource below catalogs the men’s events. Note that not all are open to the public, and times can fluctuate greatly given the informal and unofficial nature of fallball. Please confirm directly with an institution before attending any event. This only includes intercollegiate events and not alumni events. It is also an ever-changing list and will be updated as more events are finalized and some change.”

• Sept 28: Mount St. Mary’s, Rutgers at Gettysburg

• Oct. 18: Canisius, Detroit Mercy, John Carroll at Western Reserve Academy

• Oct. 25: Salisbury, Washington and Lee at VMI

Want your scrimmage listed here? Email us at [email protected]

4. Comings and Goings 

• ADRIAN - Cameron Reed named assistant men’s lacrosse coach

• ATLANTIC EAST CONFERENCE - Tyler Ingle named assistant commissioner

• BUFFALO STATE - Anastacia Wells and Lauren Rinow named assistant women’s lacrosse coaches

• CORTLAND - Riley LaTray named assistant women’s lacrosse coach

• HIRAM - Mark Payton named assistant men’s lacrosse coach

• MAINE-FARMINGTON - Joseph McConnell will stay on as president through 2027-28 academic year

• ST. JOHN FISHER - Logan Callahan named assistant men’s lacrosse coach

• UTICA - Kristin St. Hilaire named director of athletics 

Want your transaction listed here? Email us at [email protected]

5. Here is Lego’s $1,000 Death Star, the Most Expensive Lego Set Ever

“Eight years after breaking every record with an $800, 7,541-piece Star Wars Millennium Falcon, the Lego Group is introducing its first $1,000 set.

It’s an intricately detailed Death Star over two feet tall (70cm), well over two feet wide (79cm) and nearly a foot (27cm) deep, with enough compartments to re-enact nearly every iconic Death Star scene from Star Wars and Return of the Jedi.

“Lego bricks have won over adults, growing its $10 billion toy market foothold,” added Fortune, writing that roughly 15 percent of Lego’s sets are aimed at adults. ” (The Verge) 

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