Wish this had come across a little sooner for the chance to drum more interest. Former Dartmouth linebacker Macklin Ayers ’24, who played at UMass last fall as a grad transfer, is using his Pro Day to raise money for a worthy cause:
From Ayers' pledge campaign statement:
I am dedicating every rep of 225 I bench press at my Pro Day on March 26 to raise money for The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation to help children across the country beat cancer.
Your pledge will convert to a donation on April 15 based on the number of reps completed by Macklin at his Pro Day. For example, if you pledge $5 - and Macklin bench presses 225 15 times, then your pledge turns into a $75 donation on April 15th.
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Speaking of grad transfers, there’s this from a story headlined FCS Football: Top 10 Pre-Spring Transfer Portal Classes (LINK):
Transfers helped lead Rhode Island back to the FCS Playoffs last season. It was another successful transfer haul for the Rams this offseason. Running backs Q Jones (Dartmouth) and Antwain Littleton (Temple) are important additions after the Rams lost All-American Malik Grant to graduation.
The story also has a mention of former Dartmouth defensive lineman Derrell Porter ’24 heading to UC Davis.
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And more from the grad transfer front on the USA Today College Sports Wire under the heading All 16 players attending Colorado's pro day including Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders (LINK):
DL Shane Cokes
Cokes came to Boulder as a transfer from Dartmouth and was an integral piece on CU's defensive line. He recorded 48 tackles, one sack and a forced fumble. He could be a valuable depth piece on an NFL defensive line.
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Those who aren’t thrilled with Dartmouth and Ivy League football teams scheduling opponents from the NEC can cross off a future game against Saint Francis. The school in Loretto, Pa., won’t be fielding an FCS team much longer. From a New York Times story (LINK):
Saint Francis (Pa.) plans to reclassify from Division I to Division III, the school announced Tuesday, just one week after its men’s basketball team was bounced from the NCAA Tournament in a thrillingly narrow First Four loss.
Saint Francis lost to Alabama State 70-68 in a No. 16-seeded game on March 18 after winning the Northeast Conference to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991. The school will continue competing in the NEC through the summer of 2026. Then, it will transition into the Division III Presidents’ Athletic Conference for the 2026-27 school year.
And, to the point:
The Red Flash football program has fielded a team since 1892 and competes in the Football Championship Subdivision. It has twice qualified for the FCS playoffs, most recently in 2022. It’s scheduled to face Buffalo and Louisiana-Monroe next season.
It also has future games scheduled against FBS members Bowling Green, Ohio and West Virginia.
Saint Francis follows in the footsteps of the University of Hartford, which voted in 2021 to drop from DI to DIII. (LINK)
The home of former NBA all-star and Olympic gold medalist Vin Baker, Hartford went 5-20 overall and 3-15 in conference this winter playing the likes of Wentworth Institute of Technology, Gordon College and Nazareth University as a member of the Conference of New England.
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EXTRA POINT
Did you know the average lifespan of a robin is two years, although they have been known to live up to 14 years in the wild? Or that while more and more are forgoing migration given climate change, some from these parts winter as far away as Mexico and Central America? And that they can average 100-200 miles per day while migrating, flying mostly at night? Or that they can fly upward of 35 mph?
Ah, the things you learn when you look out the window, get a little inspiration and then do some Googling. ;-)
