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Ken Morey

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Canisius Introduces Blue & Gold Excellence Funds for Basketball and Hockey

On Monday (July 21), Canisius Vice President and Director of Athletics Bill Maher announced the creation of the Blue & Gold Excellence Funds for the University's men's and women's basketball and ice hockey programs.

Below is a copy of the email Maher sent to supporters of the Canisius athletic department detailing how Canisius is strategically positioned for success as the landscape of college athletics continues to shift.
Dear Golden Griffin Fans:
 
I write to you today to share an important update that will shape the future of Canisius Athletics, particularly our commitment to Division I basketball and ice hockey.
 
As many of you know, the landscape of college athletics is evolving at a rapid pace. As of July 1, 2025, the NCAA now permits student-athletes to earn income directly from their school while maintaining their eligibility to compete. This change is being driven by litigation focused on the institutions from the NCAA's major conferences, those that drive substantial revenue from their intercollegiate athletic programs, primarily from broadcast rights. The impact on the broader Division I membership – on programs like Canisius or what are commonly referred to as "mid-major schools", is that we must adjust to this new competitive marketplace.
 
Determining our best path forward has been challenging because of frequent changes to the framework, often with limited information. However, we are now past the July 1 settlement implementation date, and because we have some clarity on the new rules, it is important we provide this update on how Canisius and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) are planning to proceed.
 
Canisius has decided to "opt in" to the settlement for the 2025-26 academic year. We have chosen this path because we believe it provides Canisius with the best opportunity to compete in the MAAC and Atlantic Hockey America (AHA). This will ensure student-athletes who elect to profit from their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) will have that opportunity. It will also provide us with a mechanism to share revenue with our student-athletes in the same manner as most of our MAAC peers and the vast majority of NCAA Division I institutions.
 
It is important to note that any revenue to be shared with student-athletes will require that we identify and secure those additional financial resources. Some of these resources will be generated through game scheduling and more importantly through philanthropy. Recently, we have established the Blue & Gold Excellence Fund, a tax-deductible fundraising initiative primarily geared towards supporting our men's and women's basketball and ice hockey programs. I am often asked; How is everyone else in our league doing this? The answer to that question is the same as we are at Canisius, by scheduling additional guarantee games, doing all we can to optimize current revenue and through fundraising from those who share the goal of having a competitive program in the MAAC and AHA.  
 
As the landscape of intercollegiate athletics evolves, your philanthropic support of our program will be vital to securing our future. As we navigate this new landscape together, Canisius' steadfast commitment to excellence, service and leadership, and to provide the best experience possible to our student-athletes endures. 

Together, we will build the next generation of Golden Griffin Champions. 
 
St. Peter Canisius… Pray for us!
 
Sincerely,
Bill Maher Signature
 


  
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