January 17, 2025 | composed by STEVE ULRICH

Welcome to D3 Lacrosse, devoted to NCAA Division III men’s and women’s lacrosse

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Headlines
🏛️ NCAA Athlete NIL Pay Must Be Title IX Compliant
👀  Centennial Men’s Preview
🟥  Zabel Named Bates Women’s Coach
🟦  Daugherty Hired at Marian
🟩  Skelly Gets Nod at Sage
💰️ Penn College in the Community

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1. NCAA Athlete NIL Pay Must Be Title IX Compliant, Dept. of Education Says

by Daniel Libit, Sportico

“The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued guidance regarding college athlete name, image and likeness, putting the onus on schools to ensure their male and female athletes receive proportionate NIL opportunities and resources—regardless of whether the funding comes from external sources.

In a nine-page “fact sheet” released Thursday, OCR clarified that, under Title IX, NIL money paid to college athletes should be held to the same gender-equity standards as athletic scholarships. Specifically, it stated that the amounts paid to athletes through NIL deals should be considered part of a school’s athletic financial assistance, just as grants-in-aid and cost-of-attendance funds are.”

» Why It Matters. “OCR’s release comes two weeks before settlement objections are due in House v. NCAA, a monumental case the parties have reached an agreement to resolve by allocating billions in future revenue sharing for college athletes, with an overwhelming portion favoring male athletes in football and men’s basketball.”

» Between the Lines. “Despite the NCAA currently forbidding schools from directly entering into NIL agreement, a number of state laws explicitly provide for those relationships. OCR now says that in such instances, NIL agreements would be considered a form of “athletic financial assistance,” and would be used for calculating whether schools are providing equal athletic opportunities for men and women.”

» What They’re Saying. “OCR has long recognized that a school has Title IX obligations when funding from private sources, including private donations and funds raised by booster clubs, creates disparities based on sex in a school’s athletic program or a program component,” OCR wrote. “The fact that funds are provided by a private source does not relieve a school of its responsibility to treat all of its student-athletes in a nondiscriminatory manner.”

» Of Note. Did you know, the Southern Athletic Association is the top D3 conference for NIL Compensation on Opendorse? The SAA is ranked #23 amongst ALL conferences in both the NCAA & NAIA

» Continue Reading

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2. Preview: Centennial (M)

The Centennial Conference had a down year by its standards, despite 15+ win seasons from Dickinson and Swarthmore. The Red Devils “three-peated” as conference champs, downing Gettysburg, 13-8 in the final.

Both Dickinson and Swarthmore reached the third round of the NCAA tourney before being ousted by Salisbury and Middlebury, respectively.

Haverford’s Reid Tietjen led the circuit with 52 goals, while McDaniel’s Jason Fritz topped the loop with 40 assists.

Returning Statistical Leaders

Dickinson (17-3, 7-1) | Goals: Owen Porter (39) | Assists: Porter (14)
Goalie: none
Franklin & Marshall (7-10, 1-7) | Goals: Kai Kelly (37) | Assists: Jack Luviano (13)
Goalie: Teddy Scarborough (9.97 / 56.7%)
Gettysburg (10-8, 4-4) | Goals: Jack Dunleavy (35) | Assists: Dunleavy (27)
Goalie: none
Haverford (7-9, 3-5) | Goals: Reid Tietjen (52) | Assists: Tietjen (24)
Goalie: Jake Abraham (12.92 / 59.1%)
McDaniel (8-9, 0-8) | Goals: Jason Fritz (37) | Assists: Fritz (40)
Goalie: none
Muhlenberg (10-8, 6-2) | Goals: Jack Bill (40) | Assists: Chase Kusko (14)
Goalie: none
Swarthmore (15-3, 8-0) | Goals: Michael Hardiman (51) | Assists: Clay Almgren (21)
Goalie: Drew Tyson (9.66 / 59.6%)
Ursinus (7-9, 3-5) | Goals: Chris Pucciarelli/Harry Sweitzer (23) | Assists: Sweitzer (18)
Goalie: none
Washington College (6-11, 4-4) | Goals: Ben Dickinson (27) |
Assists: Grant Matthews (19) | Goalie: Will Charvala (12.79 / 49.4%)

D3Lacrosse’s Preseason All-Centennial Conference
A-Jack Dunleavy, Gettysburg: A- Reid Tietjen, Haverford; A-Owen Porter, Dickinson;
M-Jack Bill, Muhlenberg: M-Clay Almgren, Swarthmore; M-Chris Pucciarelli, Ursinus;
D-Brendan Lavarra, Muhlenberg; D-Frank Barbera, Gettysburg; D-Andy Marquet, Gettysburg; FO-Jack McHenry, Swarthmore; LSM-Will Hedley, Gettysburg;
SSDM-Matthew Hochegger, Muhlenberg; GK-Drew Tyson, Swarthmore.

3. Zabel Named Bates Head Coach

“Bates College is excited to announce Princess L. Zabel as the new head coach of its women's lacrosse program. Zabel, a dynamic and accomplished coach with over a decade of experience, brings a proven track record of success, leadership, and a commitment to excellence both on and off the field.

Zabel, now the eighth head coach in program history, joins Bates after a highly successful tenure at the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.), where she most-recently guided the Blue Jays to a remarkable 10-1 conference record (12-5 overall), and their first playoff berth since 2014.”

» Background. “Before her tenure at Saint Joseph, Zabel also served in various capacities at High Point University, Sacred Heart University, Bucknell University, Central Connecticut State University (head coach) and Villanova University, making significant contributions to those respective programs. She also currently serves as the head coach for the Dominican Republic Women's National Lacrosse Team, preparing it for the PALA 2025 Games and World Games in 2026.”

» Quotable. "Bates has long been recognized for its excellence in academics and athletics, and the opportunity to lead the Bobcats in the highly competitive NESCAC is both exciting and humbling. I look forward to working with our student-athletes to build a championship-caliber team that excels on the field, in the classroom, and beyond."

» Read More

4. Daughtery Picked to Head Marian Men

“James Daugherty has been announced as the sixth head coach of the Marian University men's lacrosse program.

Daugherty brings with him a wealth of NCAA Division III experience having served in a coaching role at the Division III ranks since 2018. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach at Elizabethtown College for the past two seasons. During his time he had a heavy emphasis in recruiting, strategic planning, and player development.”

» Background. “Prior to Elizabethtown, Daugherty served as an assistant coach at Washington and Lee and Arcadia University for a season each. He began coaching at the NCAA Division III level at Widener University as a graduate assistant where he began to pursue a master's degree in public administration. Daugherty started his overall coaching career in 2017 serving as a volunteer assistant coach at the Virginia Military Institute, NCAA Division I.”

» What They’re Saying. "I am beyond excited to be joining Marian University and start this new journey. We will do everything in our power to develop our young men on and off the field and make this university, along with our alumni, proud to be associated with our program."

» Continue Reading

5. Sage Taps Skelly

“Russell Sage College announced the hiring of Erich Skelly as its head men's lacrosse coach.

Skelly, who played collegiately at SUNY Brockport, has been coaching at the college level since 2011, most recently serving as the head coach at Albright College, located in Reading, Pennsylvania. After establishing and building the program's culture during his first season in 2023, he doubled the Lions' win total in 2024. The six victories were the most by Albright in a season since 2017.”

» Before. “Prior to coming to Albright, Skelly served as an assistant coach at both Sacred Heart University and Binghamton University and was a graduate assistant at SUNY Brockport.”

» Quotable. "I feel strongly that Coach Skelly is the right person to lead us into the next stage of our growth. Erich's passion for teaching lacrosse and developing young people was evident immediately in the interview process. Gator lacrosse couldn't be in better hands, said Jim Lyons, director of athletics.”

» Keep Reading

6. Comings and Goings

CAPITAL - Katie Paige named assistant women’s coach
COAST GUARD - Archbishop Spalding M Taylor Thorne announced her commitment
MIT - Loyola Blakefield D James Lukish announced his commitment
TRANSYLVANIA - Brianna McCulley named head women’s lacrosse coach
YORK (Pa.) - Severn School GK Eli Wilkins announced his commitment

7. Penn College in the Community

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