UNDATED (AP) — It is less than four months before the scheduled kickoff of the college football season. Not one of the 14 schools in the Big Ten Conference can say for sure they will have students back on campus this fall. That is a crucial step for sports. The most resolute about having students back has been Purdue President Mitch Daniels. He says he expects students will be back on campus “in typical numbers.” No other school has gone even that far.&nbsp;

UNDATED (AP) — There are 130 major college football teams spread across 41 states. The goal is to have all those teams start the upcoming season at the same time around Labor Day weekend or later if needed. The hope is to also play the same number of games. With each passing day it is becoming apparent the pandemic is going to make that difficult to achieve. There is a chance some schools will go ahead while others wait, throwing uncertainty and inconsistency into the fall college sports season.

UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA approved a waiver that will allow schools to spend below the minimum level on athletic scholarships required to compete in Division I. The Division I Council approved two other blanket waivers that had been requested by several conferences in recent weeks in response to coronavirus pandemic. Basketball and football players will be allowed to participate in summer athletic activities without being enrolled in school. Also, schools that are in the process of moving to D-I can be counted toward the minimum required Division I opponents. &nbsp;

UNDATED (AP) — It is less than four months before the scheduled kickoff of the college football season. Not one of the 14 schools in the Big Ten Conference can say for sure they will have students back on campus this fall. That is a crucial step for sports. The most resolute about having students back has been Purdue President Mitch Daniels. He says he expects students will be back on campus “in typical numbers.” No other school has gone even that far.&nbsp;UNDATED (AP) — There are 130 major college football teams spread across 41 states. The goal is to have all those teams start the upcoming season at the same time around Labor Day weekend or later if needed. The hope is to also play the same number of games. With each passing day it is becoming apparent the pandemic is going to make that difficult to achieve. There is a chance some schools will go ahead while others wait, throwing uncertainty and inconsistency into the fall college sports season.UNDATED (AP) — The NCAA approved a waiver that will allow schools to spend below the minimum level on athletic scholarships required to compete in Division I. The Division I Council approved two other blanket waivers that had been requested by several conferences in recent weeks in response to coronavirus pandemic. Basketball and football players will be allowed to participate in summer athletic activities without being enrolled in school. Also, schools that are in the process of moving to D-I can be counted toward the minimum required Division I opponents. &nbsp;

College Football news amid outbreak

<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/814761064&color=%232a1bd9&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/eagleradio-1" title="eagleradio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">eagleradio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/eagleradio-1/55-jaylen-ruffin" title="5.5 Jaylen Ruffin talks coronavirus" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">5.5 Jaylen Ruffin talks coronavirus</a></div></div>

Post Podcast: NP Legion outfielder and 3 sport NPHS athlete Jaylan Ruffin

Story by Heather Johnson NPCC Area Public Information Specialist

If you work hard and surround yourself with good people, you can accomplish a lot.

That’s the lesson Sally Thalken, health and physical education instructor at North Platte Community College, has learned throughout her 45 years of teaching, and it’s one she tries to pass on to her students.

Facing retirement next week, she has spent a lot of time reflecting. With that has come an acknowledgement that there were many times when it would have been easy to let other people’s opinions, or even her own misgivings, get the best of her. She is thankful for the support systems that not only didn’t let her fall, but also lifted her up.

Thalken wasn’t always as confident as she is today. A lot of that was due to the fact that when she graduated from Ogallala High School in 1971, she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life.

“I was pretty rudderless,” Thalken said. “I had some people who doubted my ability to be successful and graduate from college, and to be honest, my freshman year wasn’t very productive. The first semester, I took 12 credit hours and ended up with three Ds and a C. Part of that was because of freedom and lack of discipline. I had a lot of fun, but I was also naïve.”

The turning point came during her sophomore year at what is now the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

“By then, I had surrounded myself with friends who were fun, but who also had goals,” Thalken said. “They were focused on graduating and teaching. I also had some good role models in my instructors.”

Because of an influential biology teacher in high school, Ken Meyer, the idea of teaching science had always been in the back of Thalken’s mind. That vision began to shift as she made her way through college.

“I kind of floated out of science into health and physical education because the people I gravitated to were health and physical education people,” Thalken said.

The field of study challenged her in ways she’d never been challenged before.

“The instructors were tough,” Thalken said. “I was not an athlete, per say, and the instructors made the classes hard to thin out the wannabes. Several of my classes began at 7:30 a.m., and I really had to work to succeed. I didn’t want to be the only one of my friends who couldn’t do something. I developed good relationships with my instructors, and I didn’t want to let them down either.”

Thalken graduated in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education then took a job teaching PE to grades K-12 in Ainsworth. She also coached volleyball,&nbsp;girl’s basketball and track.

“I had taken some classes in elementary education in college, but didn’t feel like that was a strength of mine,” Thalken said. “I thought I was better with junior high and high school students. When I was hired in Ainsworth, the principal told me I would have three classes of elementary students. It wasn’t until I actually started and saw my schedule that I realized within those three class periods was the entire elementary school – divided into 20-minutes sections.”

It forced her to rethink everything she thought she knew about teaching.

“When I left Kearney, I thought I knew a lot,” Thalken said. “After the first week of teaching, I realized I didn’t know squat. I needed to learn and learn fast. I had to take off one hat in terms of how I approached the elementary level and put on a different hat to teach high school students.”

She gained valuable people skills in the process – not to mention confidence in her ability to adapt and adjust on the fly. Those attributes would prove beneficial with her next job.

In 1981, Thalken found herself learning how to teach all over again. NPCC hired her as the health education instructor and coach for volleyball and women’s&nbsp;basketball.

“I had never prepared or delivered a class lecture until I arrived in North Platte,” Thalken said. “At Ainsworth, everything was in the gym or outside. Suddenly, I was faced with a classroom of 24 students, and I had to figure out how to deliver meaningful material for an entire class period.

Although she lettered as part of the swim team at Kearney, Thalken also considered herself a bit of a rookie in terms of college athletics.

“I had six years’ worth of experience coaching,” Thalken said. “I thought I was fairly mature and had a good grasp of things, but as a first-year college coach I was blown away by the responsibilities.”

At that time, NPCC students were required to take four half credit classes of PE to graduate. Thalken’s days began with swim class at 7:30 a.m., followed by&nbsp;other activity classes and lecture classes until 2 p.m. Practice was from 3-6 p.m., after which there were many evening sports activities.

In addition to teaching health education and a variety of lecture classes, Thalken was the instructor for swimming, tennis, archery, badminton, volleyball and bowling.&nbsp;

Early in her career, she also took classes to earn a master’s degree in educational administration.&nbsp;

“That was an especially challenging time to not only teach and coach during the day, but to take graduate classes in the evenings, weekends and summer that did not conflict with&nbsp;my regular jobs,” Thalken said. “Back then, we did not have classes that were livestreamed or online.&nbsp;I felt lucky because I could end volleyball or basketball practice and walk down the hall to a three-hour night class and not have to travel like many of the other graduate students or our instructors from Kearney.&nbsp;Everything was face-to-face.”

Still, the stress of such a full schedule was almost more than she could stand.

“I was meeting myself coming and going,” Thalken said. “What really complicated things was my lack of experience in fundraising and recruiting for the teams. That first year was truly an eye-opener. I guess I survived because of pride, a lot of hard work and support from my family and Dr. Darrel Hildebrand, who was the dean of students and athletic director at the time.”

During her years in Ainsworth, Thalken had also learned to lean on other faculty, staff and administrators when needed. She drew on those same resources at NPCC while putting in numerous hours late at night and in-between classes to be better prepared.

For her, failure was not an option, and knowing that she had the opportunity to make a difference in her students’ lives kept her going.

“You have to think about the people you connect with,” Thalken said. “To see students bettering themselves – going to college and then going on to be successful - all the while knowing you might have given them a leg up, that’s what teaching is all about. I wanted to be the instructor that students said, ‘You know what? I learned some things from her’.”

Her past experiences, including her rocky start in college, only served to make her more relatable to those she taught.

“I’ve seen a lot of students over the years who didn’t know what they wanted to do with their lives,” Thalken said. “They were fragile, and at one time, I was fragile, too. I was not one of those people who things came easy to. I was on academic probation, and it took people telling me I needed to get my act together, while still being supportive of me, to turn things around. I made mistakes, and I learned from them. Because of that, I think I can give hope to others. Early struggles don’t need to define who you are later on.”

Thalken’s roles and responsibilities changed significantly over the years.

“Somewhere along the line the PE requirement was dropped and that affected my load, and enrollments in activity classes began to decline,” Thalken said. “During a restructuring&nbsp;of the Instructional Leadership Team, Marilyn McGahan asked if I would be interested in being the chair for the division of Science and Human Services, which encompassed criminal justice, early childhood education and the sciences.”

Thalken accepted, but once again, was concerned about not being able to live up to everyone else’s expectations.

“It was sink or swim with academic leadership,” Thalken said. “I swam. You know that saying, ‘Fake it ’til you feel it?’ I sometimes faked that I was comfortable with being a division chair until I became comfortable as a division chair. The thing is, people helped me, and I learned from those people.”

When the academic leadership team was restructured again, years later, Thalken also picked up oversight of the mathematics and science programs – continuing to juggle teaching, coaching and being a division chair.&nbsp;

“That position was really gratifying for me professionally,” Thalken said. “I worked hard to develop credibility as someone who would go to bat for the faculty and serve students. I felt like I became a better teacher because I was just immersed in that academic area. I also understood the mission of the college better because I sat in the same room as the administration.”

Thalken continued coaching women’s basketball until 1991. She coached volleyball until 2014, at which time, she retired as the winningest active coach in the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Thalken had 921 wins and 610 losses, coached 12 All-Americans and led her team to nationals five times throughout her 34-year career. She was named Region IX Coach of the Year, District Coach of the Year and was inducted into the NJCAA Volleyball Hall of Fame.

She has plans to retire again, this time from teaching, on May 13. But, that doesn’t mean she will slow down.

“I’m very optimistic about the unknown, and I’m excited to open a new door,” Thalken said. “I’ve jokingly said I would like to improve my golf game. I’m looking forward to traveling and exploring every corner of the U.S. and everywhere in between. I would also like to be able to make a difference through volunteering. I believe there’s a niche for me there.”

Still, walking away from 45 years of teaching, and NPCC in particular, will be bittersweet.

“It’s crazy where I started and where I’m ending,” Thalken said. “Not many people can say they’ve spent 39 years with an organization, and I am forever grateful to the people at the beginning who had faith in me and supported and pushed me.”

She will especially miss her students and colleagues who have given her some of the best memories of her life.&nbsp;

“The college has made my life very happy, very fulfilling,” Thalken said. “I can look in the mirror and say I’ve made a difference in a lot of people’s lives, and I think I’ve done that because a lot of people have made a difference in mine. I’m thankful to the college for the opportunities it has provided. It’s been a wonderful career. It really has.

Story by Heather Johnson NPCC Area Public Information SpecialistIf you work hard and surround yourself with good people, you can accomplish a lot.That’s the lesson Sally Thalken, health and physical education instructor at North Platte Community College, has learned throughout her 45 years of teaching, and it’s one she tries to pass on to her students.Facing retirement next week, she has spent a lot of time reflecting. With that has come an acknowledgement that there were many times when it would have been easy to let other people’s opinions, or even her own misgivings, get the best of her. She is thankful for the support systems that not only didn’t let her fall, but also lifted her up.The early daysThalken wasn’t always as confident as she is today. A lot of that was due to the fact that when she graduated from Ogallala High School in 1971, she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life.“I was pretty rudderless,” Thalken said. “I had some people who doubted my ability to be successful and graduate from college, and to be honest, my freshman year wasn’t very productive. The first semester, I took 12 credit hours and ended up with three Ds and a C. Part of that was because of freedom and lack of discipline. I had a lot of fun, but I was also naïve.”The turning point came during her sophomore year at what is now the University of Nebraska at Kearney.“By then, I had surrounded myself with friends who were fun, but who also had goals,” Thalken said. “They were focused on graduating and teaching. I also had some good role models in my instructors.”Because of an influential biology teacher in high school, Ken Meyer, the idea of teaching science had always been in the back of Thalken’s mind. That vision began to shift as she made her way through college.“I kind of floated out of science into health and physical education because the people I gravitated to were health and physical education people,” Thalken said.The field of study challenged her in ways she’d never been challenged before.“The instructors were tough,” Thalken said. “I was not an athlete, per say, and the instructors made the classes hard to thin out the wannabes. Several of my classes began at 7:30 a.m., and I really had to work to succeed. I didn’t want to be the only one of my friends who couldn’t do something. I developed good relationships with my instructors, and I didn’t want to let them down either.”Into the real worldThalken graduated in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education then took a job teaching PE to grades K-12 in Ainsworth. She also coached volleyball,&nbsp;girl’s basketball and track.“I had taken some classes in elementary education in college, but didn’t feel like that was a strength of mine,” Thalken said. “I thought I was better with junior high and high school students. When I was hired in Ainsworth, the principal told me I would have three classes of elementary students. It wasn’t until I actually started and saw my schedule that I realized within those three class periods was the entire elementary school – divided into 20-minutes sections.”It forced her to rethink everything she thought she knew about teaching.“When I left Kearney, I thought I knew a lot,” Thalken said. “After the first week of teaching, I realized I didn’t know squat. I needed to learn and learn fast. I had to take off one hat in terms of how I approached the elementary level and put on a different hat to teach high school students.”She gained valuable people skills in the process – not to mention confidence in her ability to adapt and adjust on the fly. Those attributes would prove beneficial with her next job.A return to collegeIn 1981, Thalken found herself learning how to teach all over again. NPCC hired her as the health education instructor and coach for volleyball and women’s&nbsp;basketball.“I had never prepared or delivered a class lecture until I arrived in North Platte,” Thalken said. “At Ainsworth, everything was in the gym or outside. Suddenly, I was faced with a classroom of 24 students, and I had to figure out how to deliver meaningful material for an entire class period.Although she lettered as part of the swim team at Kearney, Thalken also considered herself a bit of a rookie in terms of college athletics.“I had six years’ worth of experience coaching,” Thalken said. “I thought I was fairly mature and had a good grasp of things, but as a first-year college coach I was blown away by the responsibilities.”At that time, NPCC students were required to take four half credit classes of PE to graduate. Thalken’s days began with swim class at 7:30 a.m., followed by&nbsp;other activity classes and lecture classes until 2 p.m. Practice was from 3-6 p.m., after which there were many evening sports activities.In addition to teaching health education and a variety of lecture classes, Thalken was the instructor for swimming, tennis, archery, badminton, volleyball and bowling.&nbsp;Early in her career, she also took classes to earn a master’s degree in educational administration.&nbsp;“That was an especially challenging time to not only teach and coach during the day, but to take graduate classes in the evenings, weekends and summer that did not conflict with&nbsp;my regular jobs,” Thalken said. “Back then, we did not have classes that were livestreamed or online.&nbsp;I felt lucky because I could end volleyball or basketball practice and walk down the hall to a three-hour night class and not have to travel like many of the other graduate students or our instructors from Kearney.&nbsp;Everything was face-to-face.”Still, the stress of such a full schedule was almost more than she could stand.“I was meeting myself coming and going,” Thalken said. “What really complicated things was my lack of experience in fundraising and recruiting for the teams. That first year was truly an eye-opener. I guess I survived because of pride, a lot of hard work and support from my family and Dr. Darrel Hildebrand, who was the dean of students and athletic director at the time.”During her years in Ainsworth, Thalken had also learned to lean on other faculty, staff and administrators when needed. She drew on those same resources at NPCC while putting in numerous hours late at night and in-between classes to be better prepared.For her, failure was not an option, and knowing that she had the opportunity to make a difference in her students’ lives kept her going.“You have to think about the people you connect with,” Thalken said. “To see students bettering themselves – going to college and then going on to be successful - all the while knowing you might have given them a leg up, that’s what teaching is all about. I wanted to be the instructor that students said, ‘You know what? I learned some things from her’.”Her past experiences, including her rocky start in college, only served to make her more relatable to those she taught.“I’ve seen a lot of students over the years who didn’t know what they wanted to do with their lives,” Thalken said. “They were fragile, and at one time, I was fragile, too. I was not one of those people who things came easy to. I was on academic probation, and it took people telling me I needed to get my act together, while still being supportive of me, to turn things around. I made mistakes, and I learned from them. Because of that, I think I can give hope to others. Early struggles don’t need to define who you are later on.”Taking on another roleThalken’s roles and responsibilities changed significantly over the years.“Somewhere along the line the PE requirement was dropped and that affected my load, and enrollments in activity classes began to decline,” Thalken said. “During a restructuring&nbsp;of the Instructional Leadership Team, Marilyn McGahan asked if I would be interested in being the chair for the division of Science and Human Services, which encompassed criminal justice, early childhood education and the sciences.”Thalken accepted, but once again, was concerned about not being able to live up to everyone else’s expectations.“It was sink or swim with academic leadership,” Thalken said. “I swam. You know that saying, ‘Fake it ’til you feel it?’ I sometimes faked that I was comfortable with being a division chair until I became comfortable as a division chair. The thing is, people helped me, and I learned from those people.”When the academic leadership team was restructured again, years later, Thalken also picked up oversight of the mathematics and science programs – continuing to juggle teaching, coaching and being a division chair.&nbsp;“That position was really gratifying for me professionally,” Thalken said. “I worked hard to develop credibility as someone who would go to bat for the faculty and serve students. I felt like I became a better teacher because I was just immersed in that academic area. I also understood the mission of the college better because I sat in the same room as the administration.”A new chapterThalken continued coaching women’s basketball until 1991. She coached volleyball until 2014, at which time, she retired as the winningest active coach in the National Junior College Athletic Association.Thalken had 921 wins and 610 losses, coached 12 All-Americans and led her team to nationals five times throughout her 34-year career. She was named Region IX Coach of the Year, District Coach of the Year and was inducted into the NJCAA Volleyball Hall of Fame.She has plans to retire again, this time from teaching, on May 13. But, that doesn’t mean she will slow down.“I’m very optimistic about the unknown, and I’m excited to open a new door,” Thalken said. “I’ve jokingly said I would like to improve my golf game. I’m looking forward to traveling and exploring every corner of the U.S. and everywhere in between. I would also like to be able to make a difference through volunteering. I believe there’s a niche for me there.”Still, walking away from 45 years of teaching, and NPCC in particular, will be bittersweet.“It’s crazy where I started and where I’m ending,” Thalken said. “Not many people can say they’ve spent 39 years with an organization, and I am forever grateful to the people at the beginning who had faith in me and supported and pushed me.”She will especially miss her students and colleagues who have given her some of the best memories of her life.&nbsp;“The college has made my life very happy, very fulfilling,” Thalken said. “I can look in the mirror and say I’ve made a difference in a lot of people’s lives, and I think I’ve done that because a lot of people have made a difference in mine. I’m thankful to the college for the opportunities it has provided. It’s been a wonderful career. It really has.

Thalken to retire from NPCC

<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/813962515&color=%232a1bd9&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/eagleradio-1" title="eagleradio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">eagleradio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/eagleradio-1/derrik-kuhlman-legion-bb-player" title="Derrik Kuhlman Legion BB player" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Derrik Kuhlman Legion BB player</a></div></div>

Post Podcast: NP Legion player Derrick Kuhlmann

Recruiting around the nation may have slowed down because of COVID-19 but it hasn't stopped.&nbsp; That's good news for Kearney Catholic QB&nbsp;Heinrich Haarberg who just recently announced that the Nebraska Cornhuskers have extended him an offer.&nbsp;

Haarberg is a 3-star recruit with multiple offers already including Nebraska, Boston College, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Harvard, Yale, and Wyoming.&nbsp;

Haarberg is a 6'5" Junior and a three-sport athlete at Kearney Catholic High School: Football, Basketball, and Track. He was third place in the Class C finals for high jump last year.&nbsp;

Recruiting around the nation may have slowed down because of COVID-19 but it hasn't stopped.&nbsp; That's good news for Kearney Catholic QB&nbsp;Heinrich Haarberg who just recently announced that the Nebraska Cornhuskers have extended him an offer.&nbsp;Haarberg is a 3-star recruit with multiple offers already including Nebraska, Boston College, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Harvard, Yale, and Wyoming.&nbsp;Haarberg is a 6'5" Junior and a three-sport athlete at Kearney Catholic High School: Football, Basketball, and Track. He was third place in the Class C finals for high jump last year.&nbsp;

Kearney QB receives Huskers offer

The NCAA is facing a federal lawsuit accusing the organization of failing to address gender-based violence by male athletes against female students at colleges and universities.

Plaintiffs in the suit, filed this week in U.S. District Court in Michigan, include women who have been athletes at Michigan State, Nebraska and an unidentified America East school. Other plaintiffs have been students at Michigan State or Nebraska.

"Defendants routinely issue harsh punishments against student-athletes who accept payments in exchange for use of their likenesses, or who accept free meals, but they have no specific penalty for student-athletes who commit sexual assault," the suit says. "Defendants have repeatedly and persistently failed to take any meaningful action to mitigate the severe issue of sexual misconduct perpetrated by male student-athletes against women at their member institutions."

A Nebraska spokeswoman said Thursday the school received a copy of the lawsuit against the NCAA and cannot comment on pending litigation. A message was left with the NCAA seeking comment.

A former track athlete at Michigan State, a former volleyball player at Nebraska and a swimmer at an America East school are among the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit accuses the defendants of negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, negligent supervision, fraud, breach of contract with student-athletes and breach of contract with non-student athletes.

The suit accuses a men's track athlete at Michigan State of rape in 2017, and it accuses football players at Nebraska of rape in 2018 and 2019 and of nonconsensual groping in 2019. It also accuses a Nebraska athlete of rape in 2015, and a men's basketball player at the America East school of rape in 2019.

The suit includes allegations of rape against three Michigan State basketball players in 2015. The woman who made those allegations spoke about them last year and filed a lawsuit in 2018.

The lawsuit against the NCAA alleges that after the female track athlete at Michigan State was raped by a member of the men's team, she reported the rape to an assistant coach, who told her "if she pursued any claims against (the man, no one would like her, and that because (she) is 'pretty,' she would become a 'distraction.'"

The suit says members of the men's track team threatened her if she pursued charges. The suit says the woman was removed from the sprint squad so she would not be around the man she said raped her.

The female track athlete also filed her own suit against Michigan State. The school would not comment on the suit against the NCAA, while spokeswoman Emily Guerrant said it would be inappropriate to comment about the suit against MSU.

"That said, we take allegations of sexual misconduct and retaliation very seriously, and our Office of Institutional Equity reviews all allegations it receives," she said. "In the last several years, MSU has taken significant steps to increase resources for survivors, to revise and to educate the campus community on our policies, as well as to further its prevention efforts."

The lawsuit against the NCAA says the swimmer at an America East school was raped by a basketball player last year, and that the swimmer's mother was told by an athletics employee that a formal Title IX investigation would result in an immediate suspension of the basketball player, pending the outcome of the investigation.

According to the complaint, the athletics employee said an informal Title IX resolution process could not result in the player being suspended "because it 'wouldn't be fair to other players' and it 'would have a negative impact on the community' who attended games expecting to see (him) play."

The woman did not want to initiate the formal Title IX investigation because she feared retaliation, the suit says. In January, she learned the school was going to be running an ad featuring the basketball player to promote the athletic department.

The America East Conference said it doesn't comment on legal matters.

The NCAA is facing a federal lawsuit accusing the organization of failing to address gender-based violence by male athletes against female students at colleges and universities.Plaintiffs in the suit, filed this week in U.S. District Court in Michigan, include women who have been athletes at Michigan State, Nebraska and an unidentified America East school. Other plaintiffs have been students at Michigan State or Nebraska."Defendants routinely issue harsh punishments against student-athletes who accept payments in exchange for use of their likenesses, or who accept free meals, but they have no specific penalty for student-athletes who commit sexual assault," the suit says. "Defendants have repeatedly and persistently failed to take any meaningful action to mitigate the severe issue of sexual misconduct perpetrated by male student-athletes against women at their member institutions."A Nebraska spokeswoman said Thursday the school received a copy of the lawsuit against the NCAA and cannot comment on pending litigation. A message was left with the NCAA seeking comment.A former track athlete at Michigan State, a former volleyball player at Nebraska and a swimmer at an America East school are among the plaintiffs.The lawsuit accuses the defendants of negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, negligent supervision, fraud, breach of contract with student-athletes and breach of contract with non-student athletes.The suit accuses a men's track athlete at Michigan State of rape in 2017, and it accuses football players at Nebraska of rape in 2018 and 2019 and of nonconsensual groping in 2019. It also accuses a Nebraska athlete of rape in 2015, and a men's basketball player at the America East school of rape in 2019.The suit includes allegations of rape against three Michigan State basketball players in 2015. The woman who made those allegations spoke about them last year and filed a lawsuit in 2018.The lawsuit against the NCAA alleges that after the female track athlete at Michigan State was raped by a member of the men's team, she reported the rape to an assistant coach, who told her "if she pursued any claims against (the man, no one would like her, and that because (she) is 'pretty,' she would become a 'distraction.'"The suit says members of the men's track team threatened her if she pursued charges. The suit says the woman was removed from the sprint squad so she would not be around the man she said raped her.The female track athlete also filed her own suit against Michigan State. The school would not comment on the suit against the NCAA, while spokeswoman Emily Guerrant said it would be inappropriate to comment about the suit against MSU."That said, we take allegations of sexual misconduct and retaliation very seriously, and our Office of Institutional Equity reviews all allegations it receives," she said. "In the last several years, MSU has taken significant steps to increase resources for survivors, to revise and to educate the campus community on our policies, as well as to further its prevention efforts."The lawsuit against the NCAA says the swimmer at an America East school was raped by a basketball player last year, and that the swimmer's mother was told by an athletics employee that a formal Title IX investigation would result in an immediate suspension of the basketball player, pending the outcome of the investigation.According to the complaint, the athletics employee said an informal Title IX resolution process could not result in the player being suspended "because it 'wouldn't be fair to other players' and it 'would have a negative impact on the community' who attended games expecting to see (him) play."The woman did not want to initiate the formal Title IX investigation because she feared retaliation, the suit says. In January, she learned the school was going to be running an ad featuring the basketball player to promote the athletic department.The America East Conference said it doesn't comment on legal matters.

NCAA faces lawsuit over violence against women at colleges

With longtime AD Mark Skillstad stepping down from his position, North Platte St. Pats High School was in need of a new Athletic Director. They didn't need to look very far to find their person.&nbsp; Brendan Lynes was announced as the new AD on April 30th. Lynes is a NPSP graduate and familiar with the program having been under Skillstad for so many years.&nbsp; The press release from the school is below:&nbsp; North Platte Catholic Schools has hired Brendan Lynes as the new athletic director for St. Pat’s High School.Current AD, Mark Skillstad, will be retiring after 40 years with the NPCS system.Mr. Lynes is a 2010 graduate of St. Pat's. He currently teaches Physical Education for McDaid Elementary (K-6) and will remain in that role. He is the head coach of our St. Pat’s boys golf team, served as assistant coach on the boys basketball team and was an assistant coach for the football team.Superintendent, Kevin Dodson, shared, “ Mr. Lynes is a respected member of our faculty and brings with him a strong work ethic and a commitment to maintaining a strong activities program. He is a great leader of our students and will represent our school very well."

With longtime AD Mark Skillstad stepping down from his position, North Platte St. Pats High School was in need of a new Athletic Director. They didn't need to look very far to find their person.&nbsp; Brendan Lynes was announced as the new AD on April 30th. Lynes is a NPSP graduate and familiar with the program having been under Skillstad for so many years.&nbsp; The press release from the school is below:&nbsp; North Platte Catholic Schools has hired Brendan Lynes as the new athletic director for St. Pat’s High School.Current AD, Mark Skillstad, will be retiring after 40 years with the NPCS system.Mr. Lynes is a 2010 graduate of St. Pat's. He currently teaches Physical Education for McDaid Elementary (K-6) and will remain in that role. He is the head coach of our St. Pat’s boys golf team, served as assistant coach on the boys basketball team and was an assistant coach for the football team.Superintendent, Kevin Dodson, shared, “ Mr. Lynes is a respected member of our faculty and brings with him a strong work ethic and a commitment to maintaining a strong activities program. He is a great leader of our students and will represent our school very well."

NPSP brings on new Athletic Director

It hit twitter in the morning of April 30th. Mister Basketball summer camps have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak

It hit twitter in the morning of April 30th. Mister Basketball summer camps have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak<figure>
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Mr Basketball summer camps cancelled

<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/809695096&color=%232a1bd9&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/eagleradio-1" title="eagleradio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">eagleradio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/eagleradio-1/427-makenna-koehn" title="4.27 Makenna Koehn Midland dance" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">4.27 Makenna Koehn Midland dance</a></div></div>

Post Podcast:  MaKenna Koehn signs her letter of intent to dance at Midland

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska quarterback Noah Vedral has entered the transfer portal and plans to play his final two seasons at another school, an athletic department spokesman confirmed Tuesday.

Vedral has been backup to Adrian Martinez for two years and will be a junior in the fall. He transferred to Nebraska from Central Florida after Scott Frost was hired away from UCF in December 2017.

With Martinez out because of injury, Vedral started against Minnesota and Indiana last season. The native of Wahoo, Nebraska, appeared in four other games and finished 34-of-52 passing for 418 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He rushed for 106 yards and three TDs.

Martinez, who will be a junior in the fall, and Luke McCaffrey, who'll be a redshirt freshman, are the Cornhuskers' only returning scholarship quarterbacks.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - Nebraska quarterback Noah Vedral has entered the transfer portal and plans to play his final two seasons at another school, an athletic department spokesman confirmed Tuesday.Vedral has been backup to Adrian Martinez for two years and will be a junior in the fall. He transferred to Nebraska from Central Florida after Scott Frost was hired away from UCF in December 2017.With Martinez out because of injury, Vedral started against Minnesota and Indiana last season. The native of Wahoo, Nebraska, appeared in four other games and finished 34-of-52 passing for 418 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He rushed for 106 yards and three TDs.Martinez, who will be a junior in the fall, and Luke McCaffrey, who'll be a redshirt freshman, are the Cornhuskers' only returning scholarship quarterbacks.

Nebraska backup quarterback Noah Vedral planning to transfer

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The Nebraska women's gymnastics program has been given two years of probation and fined for breaking NCAA rules under former head coach Dan Kendig.

The Division I Committee on Infractions announced Tuesday that the program exceeded the number of allowable coaches when Kendig and members of the program arranged for a former volunteer assistant coach to receive impermissible compensation from 2014-18.

Kendig announced his retirement in October 2018, with athletic director Bill Moos saying the coach's decision came amid concerns about compliance issues. Kendig coached the Cornhuskers for 25 seasons and led them to 14 conference titles and 12 NCAA Super Six Finals.

The unnamed volunteer coach had served as an outside consultant beginning in 2011 and developed floor exercise choreography and music. While acting as an outside consultant, it was permissible for the gymnasts to pay him for his services.

The consultant, at Kendig's request, took a position as volunteer assistant in 2014 so he could have an expanded role with the team. The violations occurred when the volunteer received $300 per year from each gymnast for floor exercise choreography and an undisclosed amount from the university for floor exercise music. NCAA rules forbid volunteer assistants from being paid.

According to the case resolution agreement between the NCAA and the school, Kendig coordinated with the volunteer to submit invoices for floor exercise music from a fictitious company, Fantasy Floor Music. The invoices requested the check be made payable to an associate of the volunteer coach so the university would not detect the impermissible payments.

Because of his personal involvement in the violations, Kendig agreed he did not promote an atmosphere of compliance.

In addition to the program being on probation through April 2022, Nebraska must pay a fine of $5,000 plus 1% of the women's gymnastics budget.

Kendig and the former volunteer assistant also face restrictions if they are employed by other NCAA schools.

The program already served a self-imposed penalty, reducing its coaching staff by one member for 2018-19.

Nebraska Athletics said in a statement: "We appreciate the cooperation and dialogue we have had with the NCAA during this process. Our focus now is on the future of our women's gymnastics program under the direction of Head Coach Heather Brink."

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The Nebraska women's gymnastics program has been given two years of probation and fined for breaking NCAA rules under former head coach Dan Kendig.The Division I Committee on Infractions announced Tuesday that the program exceeded the number of allowable coaches when Kendig and members of the program arranged for a former volunteer assistant coach to receive impermissible compensation from 2014-18.Kendig announced his retirement in October 2018, with athletic director Bill Moos saying the coach's decision came amid concerns about compliance issues. Kendig coached the Cornhuskers for 25 seasons and led them to 14 conference titles and 12 NCAA Super Six Finals.The unnamed volunteer coach had served as an outside consultant beginning in 2011 and developed floor exercise choreography and music. While acting as an outside consultant, it was permissible for the gymnasts to pay him for his services.The consultant, at Kendig's request, took a position as volunteer assistant in 2014 so he could have an expanded role with the team. The violations occurred when the volunteer received $300 per year from each gymnast for floor exercise choreography and an undisclosed amount from the university for floor exercise music. NCAA rules forbid volunteer assistants from being paid.According to the case resolution agreement between the NCAA and the school, Kendig coordinated with the volunteer to submit invoices for floor exercise music from a fictitious company, Fantasy Floor Music. The invoices requested the check be made payable to an associate of the volunteer coach so the university would not detect the impermissible payments.Because of his personal involvement in the violations, Kendig agreed he did not promote an atmosphere of compliance.In addition to the program being on probation through April 2022, Nebraska must pay a fine of $5,000 plus 1% of the women's gymnastics budget.Kendig and the former volunteer assistant also face restrictions if they are employed by other NCAA schools.The program already served a self-imposed penalty, reducing its coaching staff by one member for 2018-19.Nebraska Athletics said in a statement: "We appreciate the cooperation and dialogue we have had with the NCAA during this process. Our focus now is on the future of our women's gymnastics program under the direction of Head Coach Heather Brink."

Violations bring probation for Nebraska women's gymnastics

<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/808884724&color=%232a1bd9&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/eagleradio-1" title="eagleradio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">eagleradio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/eagleradio-1/427-nick-borges" title="Post Podcast: Nick Borges signing interview" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Post Podcast: Nick Borges signing interview</a></div></div>

Post Podcast: Nick Borges signing interview 

Story by Philip Senff, NPCC Sports Information Coordinator

The North Platte Community College Knights Basketball team has signed two recruits out of Spring Creek Academy in Texas. German Plotnikov, a 6’6” guard from Belarus and Timur Krupalijah, a 6’9” forward from Bosnia both played their senior year at the Plano, Tx academy.

Plotnikov was named to the 1st&nbsp;team All-State Texas Christian Athletic League Division. He averaged 20 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 45% from behind the three-point line. German served as captain for the Spring Creek Spartans during the 2019-20 season and helped lead them to a 25-8 record.

Plotnikov was named Most Valuable Player of the Cedar Hill Classic where he scored a career high 36 points in the semifinal game. German has also competed in multiple FIBA European events as a member of the Belarus U18 National Team. “German was an efficient scoring threat who plays to his strengths and reads the game very well,” commented NPCC Head Coach Kevin O’Connor. “He accomplished all this while also maintaining over a 3.5 GPA during the 2019-20 school year.”

Timur Krupalijah was named to the 2nd&nbsp;team All-State Texas Christian Athletic League Division. Timur let the Spring Creek Spartans with 7.5 rebounds per game and two blocks per game. He also finished as the third leading scorer with 10 points per game. Krupalijah served as a team captain for the Bosnian U18 National Tea, while competing in FIBA European events.&nbsp;

“Timur has a mixture of athleticism and skill which allows him to bring versatility to the roster,” commented Coach O’Connor. “His quickness allows him to switch pick and rolls where he is comfortable guarding away from the basket while also having time to block shots and rebound. He maintained over a 3.5 GPA during the 2019-20 school year.”

Story by Philip Senff, NPCC Sports Information CoordinatorThe North Platte Community College Knights Basketball team has signed two recruits out of Spring Creek Academy in Texas. German Plotnikov, a 6’6” guard from Belarus and Timur Krupalijah, a 6’9” forward from Bosnia both played their senior year at the Plano, Tx academy.Plotnikov was named to the 1st&nbsp;team All-State Texas Christian Athletic League Division. He averaged 20 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 45% from behind the three-point line. German served as captain for the Spring Creek Spartans during the 2019-20 season and helped lead them to a 25-8 record.Plotnikov was named Most Valuable Player of the Cedar Hill Classic where he scored a career high 36 points in the semifinal game. German has also competed in multiple FIBA European events as a member of the Belarus U18 National Team. “German was an efficient scoring threat who plays to his strengths and reads the game very well,” commented NPCC Head Coach Kevin O’Connor. “He accomplished all this while also maintaining over a 3.5 GPA during the 2019-20 school year.”Timur Krupalijah was named to the 2nd&nbsp;team All-State Texas Christian Athletic League Division. Timur let the Spring Creek Spartans with 7.5 rebounds per game and two blocks per game. He also finished as the third leading scorer with 10 points per game. Krupalijah served as a team captain for the Bosnian U18 National Tea, while competing in FIBA European events.&nbsp;“Timur has a mixture of athleticism and skill which allows him to bring versatility to the roster,” commented Coach O’Connor. “His quickness allows him to switch pick and rolls where he is comfortable guarding away from the basket while also having time to block shots and rebound. He maintained over a 3.5 GPA during the 2019-20 school year.”

NPCC Knights add two international recruits

Though, no one is quite sure how it will all play out during the coronavirus pandemic.

The national governing body unveiled a tentative schedule Monday that begins with a series of regional events in August before a national lineup of meets kicks off in early November - all leading up to next summer's Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska and the Tokyo Games.

"I think everything is taken with a grain of salt and maybe even more than one grain of salt," said Mike Unger, USA Swimming's chief operating officer. "We're trying to bring normalcy back when it's not normal, and we know that. But we have to have a Plan A, a Plan B and even a Plan C."

Olympic champion Ryan Murphy, who won three gold medals at the Rio Games, welcomed news of a revamped schedule but said he's not ready to celebrate just yet.

"I view it as a good sign," Murphy told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from his training base at Cal-Berkeley. "By the same token, I'll be ready to adjust. Until we get out of this thing, I'm going to stay in a flexible mindset."

USA Swimming canceled all national events in July and early August, most notably the Speedo Summer Championships. The regional events would be held in mid to late August, with an eye toward limiting the need for travel and promoting a safer environment for athletes, coaches, officials and families.

Unger said the organization is talking with pools all over the country to assess potential availability, but also recognizes that any plans would be subject to health guidelines and the approval of local officials. USA Swimming is considering anywhere from 12 to 16 meets, divided equally between four geographic regions that are already set up for lower-level meets.

"We're not trying to rush into anything, but we've got to be methodical," Unger said. "With these regional meets, we would not be forcing someone from, say, Boston to go to Atlanta for a meet. Hypothetically, they could go to Long Island instead."

The first meet of the TYR Pro Swim Series is set for Richmond, Virginia from Nov. 5-8, followed by events in Knoxville, Tennessee (Jan. 13-16); San Antonio (March 3-6); Mission Viejo, California (April 8-11, 2021); and Indianapolis (May 12-15).

Also, the Toyota U.S. Open in Atlanta would be held from Dec. 2-5.

The U.S. Olympic trials in Omaha have already been rescheduled for June 13-20, about a month ahead of the new 2021 dates for the Tokyo Summer Games.

There are some changes from this season's Pro Swim Series, with Richmond replacing Greensboro, North Carolina as the leadoff event in November and San Antonio taking Des Moines' spot on the schedule in March.

Des Moines was the last TYR meet this year before the pandemic largely shut down live sporting events around the world and forced a one-year postponement of the Olympics.

Even if swim meets are able to resume, they may look different than they have in the past. USA Swimming will consider everything from competing without fans to maintaining social distancing on pool decks that are usually jammed with athletes, coaches and officials.

"From an optics standpoint, we need to be smart and wise about how we gather when we are able to gather," Unger told the AP.

After getting an unexpected break when the Olympics were officially postponed last month, most swimmers have returned to some form of training.

Murphy said he's been able to get in occasional pool training at private facilities in the Bay Area, but the main training pool at Cal-Berkeley remains closed. The bulk of his training is on dry land, mostly in the garage of the house he shares with five roommates since gyms have yet to reopen in California.

"No one is really leaving the house, so we're all just working out together," Murphy said. "We pull the cars out of the garage and work out there. We have a boxing bag, some ropes. I got a stationary bike. We've got a 30-pound dumbbell and a 50-pound kettlebell. We're making it work. We don't need all the fancy bells and whistles to stay in shape."

And now, at least, he has a series of meets to look forward to - assuming they actually take place.

"I'll be there for sure if they do," Murphy said. "But I'm also going to be ready if potentially everything gets pushed back again."

Though, no one is quite sure how it will all play out during the coronavirus pandemic.The national governing body unveiled a tentative schedule Monday that begins with a series of regional events in August before a national lineup of meets kicks off in early November - all leading up to next summer's Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska and the Tokyo Games.Tentative is the key word, for sure."I think everything is taken with a grain of salt and maybe even more than one grain of salt," said Mike Unger, USA Swimming's chief operating officer. "We're trying to bring normalcy back when it's not normal, and we know that. But we have to have a Plan A, a Plan B and even a Plan C."Olympic champion Ryan Murphy, who won three gold medals at the Rio Games, welcomed news of a revamped schedule but said he's not ready to celebrate just yet."I view it as a good sign," Murphy told The Associated Press in a telephone interview from his training base at Cal-Berkeley. "By the same token, I'll be ready to adjust. Until we get out of this thing, I'm going to stay in a flexible mindset."USA Swimming canceled all national events in July and early August, most notably the Speedo Summer Championships. The regional events would be held in mid to late August, with an eye toward limiting the need for travel and promoting a safer environment for athletes, coaches, officials and families.Unger said the organization is talking with pools all over the country to assess potential availability, but also recognizes that any plans would be subject to health guidelines and the approval of local officials. USA Swimming is considering anywhere from 12 to 16 meets, divided equally between four geographic regions that are already set up for lower-level meets."We're not trying to rush into anything, but we've got to be methodical," Unger said. "With these regional meets, we would not be forcing someone from, say, Boston to go to Atlanta for a meet. Hypothetically, they could go to Long Island instead."The first meet of the TYR Pro Swim Series is set for Richmond, Virginia from Nov. 5-8, followed by events in Knoxville, Tennessee (Jan. 13-16); San Antonio (March 3-6); Mission Viejo, California (April 8-11, 2021); and Indianapolis (May 12-15).Also, the Toyota U.S. Open in Atlanta would be held from Dec. 2-5.The U.S. Olympic trials in Omaha have already been rescheduled for June 13-20, about a month ahead of the new 2021 dates for the Tokyo Summer Games.There are some changes from this season's Pro Swim Series, with Richmond replacing Greensboro, North Carolina as the leadoff event in November and San Antonio taking Des Moines' spot on the schedule in March.Des Moines was the last TYR meet this year before the pandemic largely shut down live sporting events around the world and forced a one-year postponement of the Olympics.Even if swim meets are able to resume, they may look different than they have in the past. USA Swimming will consider everything from competing without fans to maintaining social distancing on pool decks that are usually jammed with athletes, coaches and officials."From an optics standpoint, we need to be smart and wise about how we gather when we are able to gather," Unger told the AP.After getting an unexpected break when the Olympics were officially postponed last month, most swimmers have returned to some form of training.Murphy said he's been able to get in occasional pool training at private facilities in the Bay Area, but the main training pool at Cal-Berkeley remains closed. The bulk of his training is on dry land, mostly in the garage of the house he shares with five roommates since gyms have yet to reopen in California."No one is really leaving the house, so we're all just working out together," Murphy said. "We pull the cars out of the garage and work out there. We have a boxing bag, some ropes. I got a stationary bike. We've got a 30-pound dumbbell and a 50-pound kettlebell. We're making it work. We don't need all the fancy bells and whistles to stay in shape."And now, at least, he has a series of meets to look forward to - assuming they actually take place."I'll be there for sure if they do," Murphy said. "But I'm also going to be ready if potentially everything gets pushed back again."

USA Swimming is planning a return to the pool.

Imagine a major-college quarterback with a sizable social media following who posts entertaining and informative updates about his life on and off the field.

Now imagine a restaurant hiring him as its pitchman and paying him $500 or $1,000 each time he posts content with its messaging.

That scenario could become reality as soon as 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a059f16cba96ce115152b577a97e3ea6" target="_blank">as the NCAA figures out the details of how college athletes can be compensated</a>&nbsp;for the use of their name, image or likeness.

Blake Lawrence crunched the numbers on earning potential for that imaginary quarterback based on the QB having 40,000 followers on Twitter and 50,000 on Instagram. The co-founder and CEO of athlete marketing platform Opendorse based his projection on a popular college athlete having a market value approximate to that of a retired, well-known pro athlete; active pros command higher fees.

Lawrence said it would be reasonable to assume the quarterback would sign separate deals with 10 local businesses and post a total of 60 to 120 sponsored content messages a year on one of his social media accounts.

"So quickly it's $60,000 to $120,000 a year," Lawrence said. "You can see how the math adds up pretty quick in terms of opportunities for high level student-athletes to earn a significant sum of money from activating their social and digital media presence on behalf of sponsors in the local community."

While autograph signing and public appearances have been traditional ways for professional athletes to make extra money, most opportunities now are tied to social media. The bridge between athlete and sponsor will likely be content delivery platforms - a cottage industry of sorts eager to link the two and cash in. And having those platform relationships in place will almost surely be a recruiting tool for schools.

"There's going to be a whole industry springing up around NIL," or name, image and likeness, Lawrence said. "There is an ecosystem forming, and the incumbents are jostling and developing different types of tools and technology, and it's going to be wild."

Opendorse and INFLCR (pronounced "Influencer") will be major players to start, and another company, Greenfly, plans to establish more of a presence in the college market.

All three have contracts with pro teams and leagues as well as college athletic departments. They store and manage content - game photos and videos, for example - that athletes can share on their personal social media accounts. The photos and videos are provided by the teams themselves and through agreements with media organizations.

Athletes can access the content and share it with their followers. The pros use it to promote brands and supplement their income; college athletes will be able to do the same once they get the green light.

"Will some athletes make less than $1,000 (per year)? Yes. Can some athletes make more than $100,000? Yes," INFLCR founder and CEO Jim Cavale said. "Are any millionaires going to be made off this? Very few, if any."

Opendorse, based in Lincoln, Nebraska, has contracts with 75 colleges in addition to deals with the PGA Tour and players' unions for the NFL and Major League Baseball, among other entities. INFLCR, based in Birmingham, Alabama, has 100-plus colleges as clients as well as NBA and NFL players, NASCAR drivers and other pro athletes. Greenfly, based in Santa Monica, California, has worked mostly with professional sports, notably baseball.

Once NIL rules go into effect, athletic departments will be under pressure to go all in with opportunities for their athletes or risk watching recruits go elsewhere. The delivery platforms will need to provide transaction management technology that meets NCAA standards for oversight amid concerns about abuses, sham deals and play-for-pay schemes.

An athlete wouldn't necessarily have to use the platform provided by their school, but going elsewhere would mean paying for it and there could be technical obstacles in reporting transactions to their school.

Opendorse, launched in 2012, counts schools such as Clemson and Michigan among its clients, along with Nebraska. INFLCR has signed deals with teams such as Duke, Kansas and Kentucky, among others, since its start in 2017. INFLCR was acquired last fall by Teamworks, which develops software teams used for in-house scheduling and messaging for teams at 264 Division I schools. Greenfly went live in 2014, and the only college partnership it publicizes is one with Kansas State.

Athletes would conduct most or all of their NIL business through an app developed by the content delivery company. They could post sponsored content in different ways, perhaps mixing a personal message with an agreed-upon shoutout to the sponsor, or with the tap of a button relay a post composed by the sponsor.

Under Nebraska's contract with Opendorse for the year ending Feb. 28, 2021, obtained through a public records request, the athletic department will pay $235,000 for the company to maintain the content management system that's been in place since 2015. The company will also educate athletes on branding and polishing their online profiles to make them more attractive to potential sponsors, a program called "Ready Now."

Nebraska, where Lawrence played football from 2007-09, received $150,000 in discounts for bulk pricing (more than 500 athletes) and for being the first school to sign on with "Ready Now."

The tech companies will generate revenue through contracts to provide their services to schools and possibly from commissions. Sponsors - not the athletes - pay commissions ranging from 10% to 30% in pro sports.

"It's yet to be seen if those types of margins or commissions make sense at the college level," Lawrence said.

INFLCR's Cavale said the day of college athletes getting paid for use of their NIL has been coming since former UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon brought the issue to the forefront with his 2009 class-action antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA.

"Everybody understood it wasn't a matter of if but when NIL comes," Cavale said.

By ERIC OLSON-AP Sports WriterImagine a major-college quarterback with a sizable social media following who posts entertaining and informative updates about his life on and off the field.Now imagine a restaurant hiring him as its pitchman and paying him $500 or $1,000 each time he posts content with its messaging.That scenario could become reality as soon as 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a059f16cba96ce115152b577a97e3ea6" target="_blank">as the NCAA figures out the details of how college athletes can be compensated</a>&nbsp;for the use of their name, image or likeness.Blake Lawrence crunched the numbers on earning potential for that imaginary quarterback based on the QB having 40,000 followers on Twitter and 50,000 on Instagram. The co-founder and CEO of athlete marketing platform Opendorse based his projection on a popular college athlete having a market value approximate to that of a retired, well-known pro athlete; active pros command higher fees.Lawrence said it would be reasonable to assume the quarterback would sign separate deals with 10 local businesses and post a total of 60 to 120 sponsored content messages a year on one of his social media accounts."So quickly it's $60,000 to $120,000 a year," Lawrence said. "You can see how the math adds up pretty quick in terms of opportunities for high level student-athletes to earn a significant sum of money from activating their social and digital media presence on behalf of sponsors in the local community."While autograph signing and public appearances have been traditional ways for professional athletes to make extra money, most opportunities now are tied to social media. The bridge between athlete and sponsor will likely be content delivery platforms - a cottage industry of sorts eager to link the two and cash in. And having those platform relationships in place will almost surely be a recruiting tool for schools."There's going to be a whole industry springing up around NIL," or name, image and likeness, Lawrence said. "There is an ecosystem forming, and the incumbents are jostling and developing different types of tools and technology, and it's going to be wild."Opendorse and INFLCR (pronounced "Influencer") will be major players to start, and another company, Greenfly, plans to establish more of a presence in the college market.All three have contracts with pro teams and leagues as well as college athletic departments. They store and manage content - game photos and videos, for example - that athletes can share on their personal social media accounts. The photos and videos are provided by the teams themselves and through agreements with media organizations.Athletes can access the content and share it with their followers. The pros use it to promote brands and supplement their income; college athletes will be able to do the same once they get the green light."Will some athletes make less than $1,000 (per year)? Yes. Can some athletes make more than $100,000? Yes," INFLCR founder and CEO Jim Cavale said. "Are any millionaires going to be made off this? Very few, if any."Opendorse, based in Lincoln, Nebraska, has contracts with 75 colleges in addition to deals with the PGA Tour and players' unions for the NFL and Major League Baseball, among other entities. INFLCR, based in Birmingham, Alabama, has 100-plus colleges as clients as well as NBA and NFL players, NASCAR drivers and other pro athletes. Greenfly, based in Santa Monica, California, has worked mostly with professional sports, notably baseball.Once NIL rules go into effect, athletic departments will be under pressure to go all in with opportunities for their athletes or risk watching recruits go elsewhere. The delivery platforms will need to provide transaction management technology that meets NCAA standards for oversight amid concerns about abuses, sham deals and play-for-pay schemes.An athlete wouldn't necessarily have to use the platform provided by their school, but going elsewhere would mean paying for it and there could be technical obstacles in reporting transactions to their school.Opendorse, launched in 2012, counts schools such as Clemson and Michigan among its clients, along with Nebraska. INFLCR has signed deals with teams such as Duke, Kansas and Kentucky, among others, since its start in 2017. INFLCR was acquired last fall by Teamworks, which develops software teams used for in-house scheduling and messaging for teams at 264 Division I schools. Greenfly went live in 2014, and the only college partnership it publicizes is one with Kansas State.Athletes would conduct most or all of their NIL business through an app developed by the content delivery company. They could post sponsored content in different ways, perhaps mixing a personal message with an agreed-upon shoutout to the sponsor, or with the tap of a button relay a post composed by the sponsor.Under Nebraska's contract with Opendorse for the year ending Feb. 28, 2021, obtained through a public records request, the athletic department will pay $235,000 for the company to maintain the content management system that's been in place since 2015. The company will also educate athletes on branding and polishing their online profiles to make them more attractive to potential sponsors, a program called "Ready Now."Nebraska, where Lawrence played football from 2007-09, received $150,000 in discounts for bulk pricing (more than 500 athletes) and for being the first school to sign on with "Ready Now."The tech companies will generate revenue through contracts to provide their services to schools and possibly from commissions. Sponsors - not the athletes - pay commissions ranging from 10% to 30% in pro sports."It's yet to be seen if those types of margins or commissions make sense at the college level," Lawrence said.INFLCR's Cavale said the day of college athletes getting paid for use of their NIL has been coming since former UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon brought the issue to the forefront with his 2009 class-action antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA."Everybody understood it wasn't a matter of if but when NIL comes," Cavale said.

Tech companies, like college athletes, eager to cash in

<div><iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/806038561&color=%232a1bd9&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/eagleradio-1" title="eagleradio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">eagleradio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/eagleradio-1/423-dalton-lunkwitz" title="Post Podcast: Dalton Lunkwitz on signing" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Post Podcast: Dalton Lunkwitz on signing</a></div></div>

Post Podcast: NPHS Senior Dalton Lunkwitz signs his letter of intent

According to a post on the Nebraska American Legion website, The Department of Nebraska Athletic Committee has cancelled all postseason play including Area and State tournaments. However the announcement goes on to say that regular season baseball is still possible.&nbsp;

Below is the full text of the announcement:&nbsp;

American Legion Baseball’s highest priority is the health, well-being and safety of all our participants, families, volunteers and fans. You can monitor COVID-19 developments through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;We ask that you continue to review the guidelines, restrictions and regulations established by your local, Nebraska and federal government to ensure doing whatever is required for the safety and well-being of everyone involved.&nbsp;

The Department of Nebraska Athletic Committee has canceled all Area and State post season playoff tournaments. All Tournament Host sites will remain the same for the 2021 season.

It is the intention of the Department of Nebraska Athletic Committee to hold as much of / or any part of a playing season here in NE that the situation allows, and to allow the local communities and regional areas to conduct their own tournaments as they see fit based on the current restriction for that region/area.

Practices are NOT authorized&nbsp;until the date the Athletic Committee announces will be the initial date of practice. ALL registered and insured Legion teams will then be required to conduct&nbsp;14 days&nbsp;of practice prior to their first official Legion baseball game against another team. Once the Governor announces a date to allow youth sports,&nbsp;the committee will stipulate a start date&nbsp;of the 14 day practice period. Even at that time, Legion teams will&nbsp;still be required to adhere to ALL local, state and national health measures.

If you are a high school coach, it is recommended that you contact your high school AD and initiate the request for the waiver to participate in an amateur sport past the July 31 NSAA rule.

1) the Transfer Form 76 deadline remains May 31st.2) submitting a roster deadline will be June 25th (only those players and adults listed on a roster are covered by insurance)

- if you intend to participate in Legion baseball no matter what the timeline turns out to be;1) insurance must be purchased prior to June 252) it is recommended that you purchase “Annual” insurance

- if you are unsure or will not be participating in Legion baseball1) again, the insurance deadline is June 25th2) if you have already purchased insurance and will not be having a team/program – a request for refund of already purchased insurance must be sent to my office no later than June 15th (the 10 days is for confirmation from the insurance of your refund)

- if you do not purchase insurance or have requested a refund by the above deadline and then still play baseball1) that team cannot be associated in any way with the American Legion. (no patch, jersey wording, head gear, banners, etc……..)

1) Register the team, put at a minimum, the team manager in place (add the additional coaches as they take the background check)

2)&nbsp;submit&nbsp;that team without paying registration or getting insurance

3) take the online course for Abuse awareness and send me the .pdf of your certificate (this must be every adult listed on the team)

4) take the background check (again every adult)(list those on the team)

5) email out the form 2, have your players fill it out, scan it and send it back to you

6) fill out the Birth ID card request, scan it and email it to me

7) complete the concussion training (required every 2 years)

9) if you have questions, contact the Committee representative for your Area.

According to a post on the Nebraska American Legion website, The Department of Nebraska Athletic Committee has cancelled all postseason play including Area and State tournaments. However the announcement goes on to say that regular season baseball is still possible.&nbsp;Below is the full text of the announcement:&nbsp; American Legion Baseball’s highest priority is the health, well-being and safety of all our participants, families, volunteers and fans. You can monitor COVID-19 developments through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html" target="_blank">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;We ask that you continue to review the guidelines, restrictions and regulations established by your local, Nebraska and federal government to ensure doing whatever is required for the safety and well-being of everyone involved.&nbsp;The Department of Nebraska Athletic Committee has canceled all Area and State post season playoff tournaments. All Tournament Host sites will remain the same for the 2021 season.It is the intention of the Department of Nebraska Athletic Committee to hold as much of / or any part of a playing season here in NE that the situation allows, and to allow the local communities and regional areas to conduct their own tournaments as they see fit based on the current restriction for that region/area.Practices are NOT authorized&nbsp;until the date the Athletic Committee announces will be the initial date of practice. ALL registered and insured Legion teams will then be required to conduct&nbsp;14 days&nbsp;of practice prior to their first official Legion baseball game against another team. Once the Governor announces a date to allow youth sports,&nbsp;the committee will stipulate a start date&nbsp;of the 14 day practice period. Even at that time, Legion teams will&nbsp;still be required to adhere to ALL local, state and national health measures.If you are a high school coach, it is recommended that you contact your high school AD and initiate the request for the waiver to participate in an amateur sport past the July 31 NSAA rule.Until further notice;1) the Transfer Form 76 deadline remains May 31st.2) submitting a roster deadline will be June 25th (only those players and adults listed on a roster are covered by insurance)Insurance –- if you intend to participate in Legion baseball no matter what the timeline turns out to be;1) insurance must be purchased prior to June 252) it is recommended that you purchase “Annual” insurance- if you are unsure or will not be participating in Legion baseball1) again, the insurance deadline is June 25th2) if you have already purchased insurance and will not be having a team/program – a request for refund of already purchased insurance must be sent to my office no later than June 15th (the 10 days is for confirmation from the insurance of your refund)- if you do not purchase insurance or have requested a refund by the above deadline and then still play baseball1) that team cannot be associated in any way with the American Legion. (no patch, jersey wording, head gear, banners, etc……..)Please continue to:1) Register the team, put at a minimum, the team manager in place (add the additional coaches as they take the background check)2)&nbsp;submit&nbsp;that team without paying registration or getting insurance3) take the online course for Abuse awareness and send me the .pdf of your certificate (this must be every adult listed on the team)4) take the background check (again every adult)(list those on the team)5) email out the form 2, have your players fill it out, scan it and send it back to you6) fill out the Birth ID card request, scan it and email it to me7) complete the concussion training (required every 2 years)8) submit Form 769) if you have questions, contact the Committee representative for your Area.

Nebraska Legion baseball cancels post season play, regular season still possible

Maxwell hires new Girls basketball coach

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Players ejected from football games for targeting will be allowed to remain on the sidelines, the NCAA announced Tuesday.

The Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the rules change no longer requiring players to head to the locker room after targeting is confirmed. All other aspects of the rule discouraging above-the-shoulders contact remain the same.

The panel also approved a pace-of-play guideline for instant replay officials to complete video reviews in less than two minutes. Reviews that are exceptionally complicated or involve end-of-game issues should be completed as efficiently as possible without a stated time limit.

A clock rule regarding instant replay also was approved. If the game clock expires at the end of a half and replay determines there was time remaining and the clock should start on the referee’s signal, there must be at least 3 seconds left, when the ball should have been declared dead, to restore time. If less than 3 seconds remain on the game clock, the half is over.

The panel approved a rule that officials’ jurisdiction of a game begins 90 minutes before kickoff, instead of the current 60. There had been concerns about dust-ups between opponents before officials were required to be on the field.

Only two players on a team will be allowed to wear the same jersey number to limit confusion among officials and to make opponent scouting less difficult. The players must not be on the field at the same time. Also, players will be allowed to wear number “0” this season.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Players ejected from football games for targeting will be allowed to remain on the sidelines, the NCAA announced Tuesday.The Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the rules change no longer requiring players to head to the locker room after targeting is confirmed. All other aspects of the rule discouraging above-the-shoulders contact remain the same.The panel also approved a pace-of-play guideline for instant replay officials to complete video reviews in less than two minutes. Reviews that are exceptionally complicated or involve end-of-game issues should be completed as efficiently as possible without a stated time limit.A clock rule regarding instant replay also was approved. If the game clock expires at the end of a half and replay determines there was time remaining and the clock should start on the referee’s signal, there must be at least 3 seconds left, when the ball should have been declared dead, to restore time. If less than 3 seconds remain on the game clock, the half is over.The panel approved a rule that officials’ jurisdiction of a game begins 90 minutes before kickoff, instead of the current 60. There had been concerns about dust-ups between opponents before officials were required to be on the field.Only two players on a team will be allowed to wear the same jersey number to limit confusion among officials and to make opponent scouting less difficult. The players must not be on the field at the same time. Also, players will be allowed to wear number “0” this season.

NCAA: Players ejected for targeting can remain on sidelines

Story by Phillip Senff NPCC Sports Information Coordinator

The North Platte Community College Knights Basketball team has signed another recruit for the 2020 season. Trevon Dennis, of Paris, TX., joins the Knights as a 6’5” guard out of Paris High School.

Dennis helped lead his high school team to the Regional Finals while earning numerous individual honors in 2020 including 4A All State, All Area MVP, All District, All 4A Region 2 Team and East Texas Top 24 All-Stars. Dennis averaged 14.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocked shots per game during the 2019-20 season.

“We are extremely excited that Trevon made the decision to join our program,” commented NPCC Head Coach Kevin O’Connor. “He is very talented and plays the game with tremendous passion. It’s evident that he has been well coached. We believe he is going to have an immediate impact on next year’s team. He is a young man with great character which I believe is just as, if not more important than his basketball abilities.”&nbsp;

Story by Phillip Senff NPCC Sports Information CoordinatorThe North Platte Community College Knights Basketball team has signed another recruit for the 2020 season. Trevon Dennis, of Paris, TX., joins the Knights as a 6’5” guard out of Paris High School.Dennis helped lead his high school team to the Regional Finals while earning numerous individual honors in 2020 including 4A All State, All Area MVP, All District, All 4A Region 2 Team and East Texas Top 24 All-Stars. Dennis averaged 14.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocked shots per game during the 2019-20 season.“We are extremely excited that Trevon made the decision to join our program,” commented NPCC Head Coach Kevin O’Connor. “He is very talented and plays the game with tremendous passion. It’s evident that he has been well coached. We believe he is going to have an immediate impact on next year’s team. He is a young man with great character which I believe is just as, if not more important than his basketball abilities.”&nbsp;