From the Desk of Dr. Brandon Martin: A Time to Unite
11/8/2024 9:00:00 AM | Administration
Dear UMKC Family:
This has undoubtedly been an exciting fall 2024 season of competition for our programs. Our men's soccer program ranked as high as 22nd nationally and has an opportunity to compete for a Summit League Championship in mid-November and make an NCAA Tournament appearance. Several of our women's soccer student-athletes earned individual recognition. Sophia Limongi (Second Team All-Conference), Kinsley Smith (All Summit League Newcomer Team) and Emery Ruliffson (All Summit League Newcomer Team).Â
Additionally, our men's basketball team is ranked preseason #1 in the Summit League Conference—a first in program history. Our coaches and student-athletes have worked diligently to earn this recognition while remaining steadfast in our departmental mantra of Intentional Excellence.
As we continue our quest as Kansas City's College Team, we face a rapidly changing landscape that continues to require adaptive, innovative, and courageous leadership. The use of Name, Image or Likeness (NIL), the transfer portal, conference realignment and a plethora of legal challenges have forced a paradigm shift in the way we serve our student-athletes and make prudent plans for Athletics success.
One seismic reality in college athletics involves "House vs. NCAA," a class-action federal lawsuit seeking damages for athletes going back to 2016, who were not able to earn NIL money. There's a high probability a settlement in the case will be approved this spring. Â
That settlement would set in motion a number of key changes to athletics programs, including:
NIL Back Payments
As part of the settlement, NCAA Division I student-athletes who competed from 2016-24 are eligible for back damages. The NCAA and its member institutions would pay nearly $2.8 billion to impacted student-athletes over the next 10 years. To help cover a portion of those damages, our department and all Summit League institutions will receive a reduction in NCAA revenue distributions for the next 10 years.Â
Roster Limits and Scholarship Changes
Sport scholarship limits would be removed. As a result, newly established roster caps would be established for each sport. This would provide the flexibility to allocate additional scholarships to select sports within the Athletics Department. We would assess annually how we distribute scholarships within our sport programs. This would not eliminate or suspend competition for any programs, nor would it impact any student-athlete currently on athletics aid.
A Time to Unite
Without a doubt, this is a crucible moment in college athletics and for our Athletics Department. Because of these new shifts and changes, it is imperative for us to prioritize our investments and some sports to build the proper infrastructure for student-athletes to succeed. We want to continue to build outstanding athletes who will leave UMKC with a world-class college degree. I encourage us to embrace this new reality and come together as 'one team' to position our program for both local and national prominence. As we stand united in bringing this to fruition, we will leave an indelible mark for our Athletics Department, our university and Kansas City.
Thank you in advance for supporting us through this epic season of college athletics. I look forward to celebrating our successes with you in the near future.
With thanks and gratitude,
Dr. Brandon MartinÂ
Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics
