Impact Report: Atlantic Coast Conference

UNLV Names Jay Vickers Associate AD for Rebel Athletic Fund

"➤ UNLV Sports Innovation Institute COO Jay Vickers has returned to the athletic department as Assoc. AD for Rebel Athletic Fund."

Ole Miss Hires Goldman Sachs Finance Executive Jack Borris

"Ole Miss has hired Jack Borris, a finance executive from Goldman Sachs, to focus on “athlete finance strategy, cap management, revenue-share, NIL and roster construction” mainly for the football program, according to FootballScoop's Scott Roussel."

Virginia Reports Record $120.4M in Athletics Fundraising for FY26

"Virginia brought in a record $120.4M in total fundraising dollars during FY26 from 11,166 Virginia Athletics Foundation donors. The revenue breakdown consisted of $30.9M to scholarship & operational endowments; $28.5M in John Paul Jones Arena seating plan commitments; $27.3M in sport enhancement funds; $17.7M to the annual fund; and $8.8M in planned gifts. Included were 522 major gifts of $25K or more with record five-figure (328), six-figure (172) and seven-figure (22) commitments."

Purdue AD Tommy McClelland Outlines Initial Priorities on Big Ten Network

"Purdue AD Tommy McClelland goes over his initial priorities in a sitdown with the Big Ten Network, including his evaluation process across the major revenue sports, how he plans to protect the university's core educational mission and more. Here's what he had to say…"

Miami (FL) Summons Three AD Candidates for In-Person Meetings

"Miami (FL) recently summoned three AD candidates for in-person meetings, per the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson, who notes Executive VP for University Operations and External Affairs Rudy Fernandez and Miami Board of Trustees Chair Manny Kadre have been heavily involved in the process. Finalists will likely interview with UM President Joe Echevarria, but nothing is imminent over the next few days. Jackson adds: “In this new NIL era, UM continues to seek a non-traditional hire as opposed to a current college AD. The negative reaction to former [Florida] Panthers President Michael Yormark appears to have torpedoed his chances; he was a favorite before his name leaked many, many months ago.”"

SEC School Leaders Exploring Extreme Steps Over LSU's Plan to Sign Former Pro Athletes

"High-ranking SEC university executives are reportedly exploring legal and internal channels with the intention of addressing LSU's plans to add former pro athletes to its rosters, per Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger, who notes possible extreme measures include boycotting competition against the Tigers; sanctioning the school with probation or even expulsion; and/or filing a federal legal challenge. One school staff member with knowledge of the discussions on the potential penalties the Bayou Bengals could face: “The risk is enormous for LSU.” Over the last 36-48 hours, increasing conversations among 15 school executives — without LSU — have signaled a certain aggressive approach. Those discussions are being described as “not league driven, but membership led,” and what avenues the conference or its members might ultimately pursue remain unclear. For some, the answer is the conference's ultimate and unprecedented penalty: expulsion or a membership probation, with one anonymous league stakeholder remarking: “It is fair to say we are discussing multiple options, including that. Enough is enough. This is ridiculous.” Another high-ranking SEC school leader took it a step further: “There are plenty of other schools that would take [LSU's] place.”"

Missouri AD Laird Veatch Unveils New North End Zone at Memorial Stadium

"Missouri AD Laird Veatch addressed the media as the Tigers unveiled their newly constructed north end zone facilities at Memorial Stadium. Veatch talked about how MU prioritized premium seating and fan experience over raw capacity, confirming the stadium now holds 63,609 fans, and addressed the integration of a new uniform patch sponsorship with Centene Company's Ambetter Health as well as the specialized premium sections backed by local corporate partners Equipment Share and Farmer Company."

Saving College Sports Releases New Ad Featuring Nick Saban

"Saving College Sports has released its latest 30-second ad in support of the Protect College Sports Act, featuring former Alabama Football HC and current ESPN analyst Nick Saban. Take a look."

Troy AD Kyle George Discusses $2.1M Troy Bank & Trust Jersey Patch Deal

"Troy AD Kyle George discussed the school's new $2.1M Troy Bank & Trust jersey patch deal with The Messenger's Josh Boutwell. Key takeaways… George referenced the lucrative jersey patch sponsorship deal, a rarity among Group of Six programs, as “huge” for the Trojans in college sports' new NIL/rev-share era: “They have been a great partner for us, not only Troy Athletics but Troy University at large, for years. We've both grown here in Troy and beyond.” With jersey patch deals becoming more prevalent in college athletics, gaudy patches that some programs don can become an eye sore — a fact not lost on either George or Troy Bank & Trust: “Any time you do something like this, you want to make sure you do it right. There's a lot of history with our jerseys and you have to make sure you respect that… I think Troy Bank & Trust was great to work with us in knowing that we want it to be a part of the jersey but not be an eyesore.”"