May 2025
Collegiate Consulting Partners with New Haven in Reclassification
Collegiate Consulting is proud to support the University of New Haven as it makes the transition to Division I and accepts an invitation to join the Northeast Conference. Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, UNH will become the NEC’s 10th full-time member.
Collegiate Consulting was initially retained in January 2020 to provide a comprehensive Division I Feasibility Study. The 175-page study was presented to UNH in May 2020. The report provided a comprehensive comparison to ASUN, NEC and MAAC. In 2022 and 2024, Collegiate Consulting returned to update the report and focused exclusively on the NEC.
Collegiate Consulting is currently assisting UNH with their DI Membership Application and DI Strategic Plan, which is due on June 1, 2025. The Chargers will attain full Division I membership in 2028-29 following the NCAA-mandated reclassification period.
University of the Pacific Operational Study Completed by Collegiate Consulting
Collegiate Consulting performed a comprehensive Operational Analysis for University of the Pacific consisting of a benchmarking analysis compared to West Coast Conference; as well as roster management assessment; sports sponsorship fit and Net Tuition Revenue analysis.
The benchmarking analysis compared Pacific against its peer institutions in the
WCC across both institutional and intercollegiate athletic metrics, including enrollment trends; first-year profile; total athletic budgets; competitive performance; athletic financial aid; sports operating expenditures; staffing/salaries; and external revenue.
In addition, Collegiate Consulting examined current roster management trends for the past five years as well as Net Tuition Revenue analysis both historically and projections based on House Settlement roster caps with multiple modeling
provided for each Pacific varsity program.
In the past 24 months, Collegiate Consulting has completed similar studies for Portland State, Canisius, Rider and South Carolina State. Having recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, Collegiate Consulting is recognized as one of the leading consulting firms within higher education/intercollegiate athletics
Quick Bytes
- First championship for NCAA acrobatics and tumbling could be held in 2027
- Anderson to discontinue men’s and women’s lacrosse immediately
- Schools concerned about House memo regarding competitive effects
- Switching to yellow ball ushered in ‘a hitter’s era’ in college softball
- Ole Miss sees record alcohol concession sales
- Tides are turning, but equality in sports remains elusive
- NCAA president confirms it will cede its enforcement authority of amateurism to the College Sports Commission
- Limestone to close citing financial pressures, declining enrollment trends
- Christian Brothers U. announces letter of intent for potential partnership with Lewis University
- Commissioner Dan Butterly celebrates Big West championships
- After it was reported Nick Saban was going to help lead presidential commission on college athletics, plans ‘have paused’ – Alabama senator claims national NIL standards are needed to save college athletics
- Collegiate Consulting’s Robin Capehart gives thoughts on struggling colleges
- St. Andrews announces it will close at the end of the spring semester
- Power conferences would celebrate approval of the House settlement, but efforts to prevent potential litigation could get flagged
- Georgia Athletic Association’s proposed FY26 budget is nearly $223M
What's the Word?
In the current climate of college sports, it’s either sunshine or rain. The optimist in us all sees great, new pathways for emerging sports and record attendance in women’s basketball; and the pessimist observes multiple schools shutting down athletic programs due to fiscal responsibilities.
This pronounces a trend that we’ve seen many times before; the David versus Goliath metaphor doesn’t make sense in a time where money and budgets are the sincere determining factor. Our own Robin Capehart noted “this crisis is particularly pronounced among small private colleges, which struggle to adapt to shifting demographics and rising operational costs.”
Sports can change a college students’ life. Involvement in athletics can give new opportunities, it can redefine a life and it can build lifelong friendships and bonds. This is exactly why we need to protect programs that are on the brink. Good pilots can navigate storms, but it’s better if you can predict turbulence.
Athletic Departments Seek Authentic Transparency
You can’t work on an engine with the hood down. Connecting wires can be a lot like connecting people and setting up teams for success.
Athletic departments adjust and adapt to change, but a vision sometimes has to be supported, verified and even justified to the board of trustees, alumni and
the campus community.
Collegiate Consulting specializes in comprehensive Operational Reviews and has the tools to provide an in-depth approach to making a thoughtful and
beneficial changes.
As we continue to partner with institutions of varying size and conference competition level, we are excited to explore opportunities for each new and existing clients. There are several moving pieces to research that give our university partners an expanded perspective for potential excellence.
We thrive on connection with our college athletic community, and we seek to champion their notable actions and achievements.
Please follow us so we can celebrate and elevate each other together.
