This makes a lot of sense, but it's made easier by the fact that all three are part of the Cal State system.  It seems like the Penn State branch campuses should be doing the same if they aren't already.  More broadly, consortiums are probably something a lot of small liberal arts colleges that are in close proximity may consider.  People know about cross-registration at the Claremont schools, but they also combine departments, such as communications, real estate & housing, campus safety (which makes the most sense since the campuses are contiguous), libraries, and student services.

Three Bay Area Universities Considering Merging Operations Amid Budget Cuts

QuoteThree of the Bay Area's five California State University campuses are considering merging some administrative services in an effort to cut costs in the face of budget crises.

The proposal, called the San Francisco Bay Region Network, would combine certain operational services — finance, administration, human resources, IT security and construction — at Sonoma State University, San Francisco State University and Cal State East Bay. Mildred Garcia, the chancellor of the California State University system, announced the proposal at a meeting of the Board of Trustees in Long Beach on Tuesday.

According to a post on their Instagram account, Concordia (TX) played two games in their spring match day today:

Concordia 2 - Southwestern 0

Concordia 0 - Huston Tillotson (NAIA) 0

Clark names MIT Assistant Samuel Matteson as its new Men's Soccer Head Coach

QuoteClark University Director of Athletics and Recreation, Trish Cronin, announced the hiring of Samuel Matteson as the 30th Head Men's Soccer Coach in program history on Thursday morning.

"I am honored and privileged to be named the Head Men's Soccer Coach at Clark University," said Matteson on being named the 30th Head Men's Soccer Coach in program history. "I would like to thank Athletic Director Cronin and the rest of the athletic department for this opportunity. I am excited to work with our student-athletes, families, and alumni as we look to continue to push the program forward."

"We are thrilled to welcome Samuel Matteson as the new Head Men's Soccer Coach at Clark University," said Cronin. "His passion for the game, strong leadership skills, and commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the field align perfectly with our vision for the program. We are excited to see where his expertise and dedication will take our men's soccer team."

Matteson arrives in Worcester familiar with the NEWMAC after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at MIT. During his time with the Engineers, he helped guide the team to a pair of NEWMAC Tournament appearances and was instrumental in the program's recruiting efforts. Matteson also helped organize, create, and facilitate training sessions as well as scouting reports to distribute to the team.

Before working at MIT, Matteson coached down the street as an assistant at Holy Cross for three years. During his time with the Crusaders, Holy Cross reached a pair of Patriot League Tournaments. Matteson spent three seasons in Smithfield, R.I. as an assistant coach at Bryant University. He helped guide Bryant to an NEC Championship appearance in 2018 and the NEC Semifinal in 2019.

Prior to Bryant, Matteson worked at Bridgewater State as an assistant coach for two seasons and reached the MASCAC Tournament in both seasons. Matteson also worked as an assistant coach at the University of New Haven for three seasons. Matteson also holds a USSFB License B and an NSCAA 3 License.

In addition to his collegiate coaching, Matteson is the ECNL Director for the Boston Bolts and has worked for the organization since 2015. He also coached with Global Premier Soccer from August of 2019 – June of 2020.

Interesting conversation with Pomona-Pitzer Athletic Director Miriam Merrill.  Part of the interview is about the benefits of the FloSports deal in a changing college sports world (and not just about the revenue they are getting) and about the possibility about collaborating across NCAA divisions and NAIA in a world where they had to play regionally even more than they do already.

Alfred State hires Vince Correa as Men's Soccer Head Coach

QuoteThe Alfred State Department proudly announces Vince Correa as the new Men's Soccer Head Coach. Correa will become the program's third Head Coach in the NCAA Era.

Director of Athletics, Jason Doviak said "Vince's experience, leadership, enthusiasm, and deep knowledge of soccer in our region made him the ideal candidate for this position. We had an incredible pool of candidates, and Vince clearly articulated his vision and goals for our program. His background and personality will be a perfect fit within our strong department culture."

Vince Correa added "I am truly grateful to be named the next Head Men's Soccer Coach at Alfred State. It is an honor to be able to continue the historic path laid by Coach Gabe Kuhn. I would like to thank Director of Athletics Jason Doviak, the search committee, coaches, and student-athletes that have entrusted me to bring the Men's Soccer program to new heights.  I am committed to carrying forward both academic and athletic success at Alfred State, while adding to the family-feel environment that Mr. Doviak has created."

Correa will join the Alfred State coaching staff after spending the past two years (2023-2024) as an Assistant Coach at SUNY Brockport. While at Brockport, Vince implemented exercise programs and training strategies, and helped lead their recruiting efforts. He earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors, and helped led the team to back-to-back Conference final four finishes.

Prior to his last stint at Brockport, Correa was the Head Coach at Finger Lakes Community College. In 2021, he was named MSAC Coach of the Year, after rebuilding the team to an 11-9 record in his second year and a 12-5 record in his third year. Both years he led the team to playoff berths.

Vince Correa graduated in May 2013 with a Bachelors Degree from SUNY Brockport, where he started his college coaching career as an assistant from 2011-2016.

Correa first day of duty is set for Thursday March 27th.

Letter from Bryn Athyn President to school community

QuoteAfter a comprehensive review of our financial position, we have made difficult —but essential
—changes to protect our core academic offerings and position the College for sustainable
growth. We have taken strong and necessary action to ensure the long-term sustainability of our
mission: to provide a distinctive higher-education offering grounded in the Heavenly Doctrine.
This is a turning point —not an ending.

I took a decisive step by reducing the equivalent of 20 full-time positions (FTE), impacting 29
individuals —colleagues who have given much of their lives to this place, and whose absence
will be deeply felt.
This decision is a necessary step for our survival. To ensure this institution, rooted in a
distinctive vision almost 150 years old, can thrive for the next 150 years.

Today's approach focuses on three critical areas:

1. Student Life and Athletics

We are restructuring Student Life and discontinuing all 11 NCAA Division III athletic
programs, our club hockey team, and associated athletic staff and trainers. These
programs will remain active through the end of the academic year, and all affected
students will receive full support. A new model —robust, inclusive, and financially
sustainable —will rise in the form of Club Sports. This change accounts for a net
reduction of 11 FTEs.

2. Information Technology

We are fully outsourcing our IT operations, encompassing everything from cybersecurity
to infrastructure management, support services, and other related areas. This results in a
reduction of 4 FTEs.

3. Streamlining Student and Institutional Support

To better align our functions with the College's evolving needs we are reorganizing
across Annual Giving, Alumni Engagement, Advancement and Development, Marketing
and Communications, Internal and External Partnerships, the Bookstore, Financial Aid,
and Academic Advising. This results in a net reduction of 5 FTE positions.

The review of athletics costs revealed an untenable financial reality. According to benchmarking
data from 69 DIII institutions without men's football, athletic expenses should comprise roughly
3% of an institution's budget. Ours, conservatively, stand at 12% and climb as high as 21% when
accounting for overhead. That places us at 400–700% of the national benchmark. This level of
financial expenditure is unsustainable. And the choice, due to NCAA requirements, is binary:
maintain ten teams or none. (NCAA, Trends in Division III Athletics Finances, November 2021,
p. 17)

I had hoped to preserve club hockey, given its storied legacy. But even stripped of overhead, its
cost remains too high. I share the grief this will bring especially considering the magnitude of
hockey's history in the college and in Bryn Athyn.

***

But the facts are clear. We are facing a $3.4 million "true deficit." We must stabilize —not later,
not soon —now.

Another loss for the America East conference

Bryn Athyn to End Athletics Program

QuoteAfter a comprehensive review of our financial position, we have made difficult —but essential
—changes to protect our core academic offerings and position the College for sustainable
growth. We have taken strong and necessary action to ensure the long-term sustainability of our
mission: to provide a distinctive higher-education offering grounded in the Heavenly Doctrine.
This is a turning point —not an ending.

...

We are restructuring Student Life and discontinuing all 11 NCAA Division III athletic
programs, our club hockey team, and associated athletic staff and trainers. These
programs will remain active through the end of the academic year, and all affected
students will receive full support. A new model —robust, inclusive, and financially
sustainable —will rise in the form of Club Sports. This change accounts for a net
reduction of 11 FTEs.

The review of athletics costs revealed an untenable financial reality. According to benchmarking
data from 69 DIII institutions without men's football, athletic expenses should comprise roughly
3% of an institution's budget. Ours, conservatively, stand at 12% and climb as high as 21% when
accounting for overhead. That places us at 400–700% of the national benchmark. This level of
financial expenditure is unsustainable. And the choice, due to NCAA requirements, is binary:
maintain ten teams or none. (NCAA, Trends in Division III Athletics Finances, November 2021,
p. 17)

I had hoped to preserve club hockey, given its storied legacy. But even stripped of overhead, its
cost remains too high. I share the grief this will bring especially considering the magnitude of
hockey's history in the college and in Bryn Athyn.

Pennsylvania College to Eliminate all NCAA Sports at end of School Year, Letter Says

QuoteBryn Athyn College in Pennsylvania is eliminating all 11 of its NCAA sports teams and its club hockey team to cut costs, according to a letter from the school's president.

The teams will be eliminated at the end of the academic year, and the school will also lay off all athletic staff and trainers. Ending the athletic programs will eliminate the equivalent of 11 full-time employees at the Montgomery County college, the letter posted online Wednesday evening says.

In the letter to the community, President Sean Connelly said cutting the teams is part of a series of "difficult — but essential changes to protect our core academic offerings and position the College for sustainable growth."

A forum with school leaders is scheduled for Thursday morning.

According to its athletics website, more than half of the students are athletes, and many play two or more sports. The school enrolls just a few hundred undergraduates.

Student-athletes on Wednesday said the news came as a surprise.

"We had no idea this was going to happen," said Sean Scalen, a sophomore who plays soccer and lacrosse.

He said he can empathize with the financial struggles, but he's disappointed. For many students, he said, sports are part of the reason they attend Bryn Athyn.

"It's looking like I am going to have to transfer to a place I don't even know," he said. "I'm going to have to start all over."

Junior Connor Walmsley, who plays ice hockey and lacrosse, said coaches have been recruiting new athletes all year. The athlete community is close, he said.

"You really notice it with a small school because everyone is always coming out to everyone's games," Walmsley said. "It's a close-knit community between the athletes here, and it's tough that they're just ripping that right away."

"A necessary step"

In the letter, the president calls the move "a necessary step" for the school's survival. Since 2007, the school's "total cumulative operating deficit is $48.7 million," the letter says.

The sports teams will be replaced by a club athletics program that is "robust, inclusive and financially sustainable," according to the president.

The letter says the club hockey program has a particularly storied history but is too expensive to maintain. It's not clear at this time what sports will be included as club teams going forward.

The NCAA requires schools to have at least 10 teams to participate in Division III. The school spends 21% of its budget on sports when accounting for overhead, the president wrote.

Other changes planned

In addition to ending all NCAA sports, the school also plans to outsource all IT operations and reorganize and streamline these departments: annual giving, alumni engagement, advancement and development, marketing and communications, internal and external partnerships, financial aid, and academic advising. Together, those two changes will eliminate the equivalent of nine full-time positions, the letter says.

A total of 29 people are losing their jobs, according to the president.

Adam King, a former college BB coach is reporting that a D3 school is going to drop athletics entirely today

https://x.com/hd_dirtking/status/1904945205599481861?s=46&t=uXiupHZfR0TxrRyWF9BmRg

D3 school "ceasing" athletics at the end of the academic year. Official announcement coming later this afternoon. Stay tuned...

Here's perspective from a men's soccer player at St. Francis about the move:

https://x.com/imcollegesoccer/status/1904728782336123096?s=46&t=uXiupHZfR0TxrRyWF9BmRg

DM: I am a current freshman at SFU and I can provide some insight on the schools decision today. We were notified less than a hour after our coaches were told, we were pulled from class for team meetings when the news was broken. It is definitely something very difficult to digest and I feel like we are the beginning of a lot of smaller division one schools that will make the transition to lower levels of play. My opinion is that we cannot financially afford to compete with the bigger division one schools because of the NIL lawsuit. It sucks because our school is such a high athletic population that enrollment will for sure decline.

8.  How do you stand out or make sure they are watching/noticing you in an ID camp?

It starts long before you arrive

The common misconception is that coaches watch a bunch of random players who show up at their ID camp and decide which ones are worth recruiting.  You mightbe able to get noticed for the first time at an ID camp, but that's not the most common way of making sure they notice you.

Most coaches have already identified a group of players they want to watch before the camp starts.  Some of those are players where the coaches have already watched them play in person and now want to see how they do when not surrounded by the familiar comforts of the team, its playing style, and the teammates with whom they play regularly.  Others, however, are players who have contacted the coaches before coming to the camp, sometimes long in advance of the camp, and this may be the first time the coach is able to lay eyes on the player.  You need to find out which coaches will be in attendance, send them your highlight video, explain your interest in their school, and mention that you will be coming to the camp and you look forward to meeting them there.  If you have been emailing the coaches before (which is ideal), then you can use this as an opportunity to send them an update about your plans to be at the ID camp (and perhaps include highlights from your most recent camps as well).  You want to pique their interest enough that they put your name on a list of players they want to look at during the camp.
 
How do you get their attention at the camp?

Off the field, it's mostly about good manners.  Go up to each and every coach before and after every session, look them in the eye, introduce yourself, and thank them.  If you've contacted them beforehand, you might remind them of that.  Do it early or hang back and do it late so you aren't caught in the scrum of fist bumps that are a just a blur for the coaches.  To stand out further, address them by name and don't just call them coach (check the photos on the website before the camp so you know them from the outset).  Don't just give your attention to the head coach either.  Make sure to address the assistant coaches by name too.  They may be the ones to bring your name up at a meeting.

On the field, take charge of the "controllables."  You can't control whether a pass is played, whether the ball is on your side of the field, or whether a shot is taken (if you're a keeper).  You also can't magically become the biggest, fastest, most athletic, or most skilled player in the camp.  There are some things, though, that you can control that might help you stand out among the large group of campers who are not game-changers, but not completely out of their element.  Here are just a few things:

Talk

You can control whether you talk and what you say.  You can control whether you are positive in your communications with other players and with the coaches.  You can control whether you are being positive and enthusiastic on the sidelines when you are off during a scrimmage (if you've done your homework and watched DIII men's soccer, you know that many coaches believe sideline cheering and engagement is an absolutely essential component of being a member of their team, especially given the absence of a full stadium worth of fans).  I've been at camps where the players are quiet as church mice during small-sided games and every coach turns his head because a goalkeeper one or two fields over shouted like his hair was on fire to snare a cross in goalkeeper drills.  That keeper just got noticed at your expense.  I've also seen a goalkeeper generate attention without the ball coming within 25 feet of him by identifying a developing situation and calling out a teammate by name (suggesting he has taken the time to learn those names while at the camp) to track a runner.  I've also seen a midfielder just calmly remind a teammate on the ball to relax when he was about to boot a ball, which almost completely changed the mood of the teammate and caused him to pick his head up and look for a better option.  Coaches love it when a player can lift everyone around him with his calm presence.

Movement

Too many players stand around or trot aimlessly if the ball isn't at their feet.  You can make diagonal runs off the ball to generate space for others, you can check-in for the ball, and you can check your shoulder or make runs off the shoulder of your defender, often talking when you do so not just to get the ball, but to attract/distract the other players. If you lose the ball, you can track back to recover it.  You don't need to move for no reason, but movement can catch the coaches' eyes if it is smart, effective, and basically indicates you understand the tactical side of the game even if your teammates do not. You also can demonstrate this by moving AFTER you pass the ball.  Too many players stand and admire their passes or continue running in a straight line.  "Control-pass-move" isn't just a mantra, it's an instruction manual.  Bonus points if you can trap the ball in the direction you want to go.  The player who can receive and immediately drive upfield is going to get the coaches' attention.  They want possession, but they also want players who can break lines with one turn.

Attitude

This seems obvious, but most players don't seem to know how to communicate that they have a great attitude.  How can you do so? 

Off the field, be the first to come back to the coaches after a water break and jog/run, not walk, back.  Be the first person to run to the next drill.  Be the player who picks up the cones and balls without being asked.  Listen when the coaches are giving instructions so that you know what to do the first time without having to ask questions.

On the field, if a teammate makes a mistake in a scrimmage, be the player to pick him up, rather than yell at him, shake your head at the mistake, or raise your hands in frustration.  If you make a mistake, try to rectify it immediately by tracking back to recover, take ownership with your teammates, and don't let it affect your next play.  Show that you have a short memory.  Make the right pass rather than assume that the coaches will only notice you if you take on three defenders and get off the shot and score.  Applaud your teammates when they do well and celebrate with them.

Are any of these controllables going to matter if you don't have enough technical skill or athletic ability to compete with the other players on the field at an ID camp?  Probably not, but they may lead a coach to recommend you to another coach, program or level where you do have a better chance of competing successfully. 

Will they help if you are even with another player and you've shown that you have a lot of the other intangibles they like by being in constant communication and showing definite interest in the program?  Maybe.  Plus, if you continue these habits outside of an ID camp setting you'll be more valuable to your club coach and team and that may bring you opportunities to get noticed at tournaments and showcases by coaches who may already like some of these intangibles.

Here's a post from 12 days ago about which DI schools "profile" as DIII schools.  We can quibble about what criteria he is using for his DIII profile, but St. Francis has already announced it will be moving to DIII.  It will be interesting to watch if any of the others mentioned follow suit.

https://bsky.app/profile/stevedittmore.bsky.social/post/3lk7x5qkpe226

QuoteThere are several DI schools that profile as DIII schools based on enrollment, geography, etc. e.g., St. Bonaventure, Mount St. Mary's, St. Francis (PA), Canisius, Gardner-Webb, Queens, Evansville, Wagner. Not saying any of these schools are ones Matt is hearing, but all have high % of athletes.

UPDATE:  Here's a link to an essay from the same person expanding upon what he means by a DIII profile

https://stevedittmore.substack.com/p/saint-francis-university-becomes

St. Francis moving from D1 to D3 and joining the PAC

https://sfuathletics.com/news/2025/3/25/inside-athletics-saint-francis-university-announces-move-from-ncaa-division-i-athletics-to-division-iii-athletics.aspx

Today, Saint Francis University announced a decision by its Board of Trustees that directs the president and the leadership team to pursue a reclassification of its NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics program to Division III. The shift in athletics offerings for men's and women's athletic competition would occur concurrent with the 2026-2027 academic year and fall 2026 athletic competition, with the Red Flash participating in the Presidents' Athletic Conference.

The university's athletics teams will continue to participate in Division I intercollegiate athletics as part of the Northeast Conference through summer 2026 competition. The university will file the necessary paperwork with the NCAA and has accepted an invitation from the Presidents' Athletic Conference.

"This was not an easy nor a quick decision for the Board of Trustees," stated Chairman and the Very Rev. Joseph Lehman, T.O.R., Ph.D. "The governance associated with intercollegiate athletics has always been complicated and is only growing in complexity based on realities like the transfer portal, pay-for-play, and other shifts that move athletics away from love of the game. For that reason, as a Board, we aim to best provide resources and support to our student-athletes in this changing environment that aligns with our mission, Catholic institution, and our community's expectations."

The Board of Trustees participated in an extensive discussion and review of their options for the future of the university's athletics program and determined that this decision helps Saint Francis to achieve the institution's mission and strategic plan.

Lehman continued, "All of the university's offerings that are a core part of the Saint Francis identity and student experience are reviewed by the Board on an ongoing basis, including intercollegiate athletics. Based on the changes in athletics nationally, it would be a disservice to our student-athletes and athletic department staff not to review and assess how we can best provide the resources necessary for them to be competitive."

President and the Very Rev. Malachi Van Tassell, T.O.R., Ph.D., added, "The Board and I have been concerned about the student-athlete experience for many years. The geography of our conference is huge. Our students travel either to Chicago or to Boston or to points in between. That's a lot of time not spent on campus, developing friendships or in the classroom. This change allows our students to be present on campus and lets their friends attend more of their home and away games. This decision is about creating and maintaining community and allowing our student-athletes to thrive in the classroom and their chosen sport."

Van Tassell stressed, "I want to be clear—we are very proud of our Division I history and success, and our student-athletes. We know this transition may be stressful. We will do everything possible to support our student-athletes, their families, our coaches, and our staff and do right by you."

Saint Francis has established a website with additional information, including a chart that outlines what this decision means for current student-athletes, coaches, and athletic department staff. In addition, anticipated questions are answered online and other questions can be submitted to athletics@francis.edu.

St. Francis moving from DI to DIII and joining the PAC

https://sfuathletics.com/news/2025/3/25/inside-athletics-saint-francis-university-announces-move-from-ncaa-division-i-athletics-to-division-iii-athletics.aspx

Today, Saint Francis University announced a decision by its Board of Trustees that directs the president and the leadership team to pursue a reclassification of its NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics program to Division III. The shift in athletics offerings for men's and women's athletic competition would occur concurrent with the 2026-2027 academic year and fall 2026 athletic competition, with the Red Flash participating in the Presidents' Athletic Conference.

The university's athletics teams will continue to participate in Division I intercollegiate athletics as part of the Northeast Conference through summer 2026 competition. The university will file the necessary paperwork with the NCAA and has accepted an invitation from the Presidents' Athletic Conference.

"This was not an easy nor a quick decision for the Board of Trustees," stated Chairman and the Very Rev. Joseph Lehman, T.O.R., Ph.D. "The governance associated with intercollegiate athletics has always been complicated and is only growing in complexity based on realities like the transfer portal, pay-for-play, and other shifts that move athletics away from love of the game. For that reason, as a Board, we aim to best provide resources and support to our student-athletes in this changing environment that aligns with our mission, Catholic institution, and our community's expectations."

The Board of Trustees participated in an extensive discussion and review of their options for the future of the university's athletics program and determined that this decision helps Saint Francis to achieve the institution's mission and strategic plan.

Lehman continued, "All of the university's offerings that are a core part of the Saint Francis identity and student experience are reviewed by the Board on an ongoing basis, including intercollegiate athletics. Based on the changes in athletics nationally, it would be a disservice to our student-athletes and athletic department staff not to review and assess how we can best provide the resources necessary for them to be competitive."

President and the Very Rev. Malachi Van Tassell, T.O.R., Ph.D., added, "The Board and I have been concerned about the student-athlete experience for many years. The geography of our conference is huge. Our students travel either to Chicago or to Boston or to points in between. That's a lot of time not spent on campus, developing friendships or in the classroom. This change allows our students to be present on campus and lets their friends attend more of their home and away games. This decision is about creating and maintaining community and allowing our student-athletes to thrive in the classroom and their chosen sport."

Van Tassell stressed, "I want to be clear—we are very proud of our Division I history and success, and our student-athletes. We know this transition may be stressful. We will do everything possible to support our student-athletes, their families, our coaches, and our staff and do right by you."

Saint Francis has established a website with additional information, including a chart that outlines what this decision means for current student-athletes, coaches, and athletic department staff. In addition, anticipated questions are answered online and other questions can be submitted to athletics@francis.edu.

Proposed rule changes:

1.  Video review for certain infractions during conference games
2.  Adopt IFAB rule changes
  a.  Eliminate red card for nondeliberate handling of a ball that denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity
  b.  Encroachment on a PK is penalized only in certain circumstances

Men's and Women's Soccer Committees Propose Experimental Video Review Challenges and Other Rule Changes

QuoteThe NCAA Men's and Women's Soccer Rules Committee proposed an optional experimental video review coaches challenge rule in conference games only for the 2025-26 academic year.

All rule recommendations must be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which is scheduled to discuss soccer rules proposals April 16.

Under the proposed rule, coaches would have one video review challenge. If the challenge is successful, the coach would retain the right to challenge one more time for the rest of the match.

If the challenge is unsuccessful, the coach would lose the right to challenge for the rest of the match.

In overtime, if a coach has a challenge remaining, the coach could initiate a video review. Officials also could initiate video reviews in overtime to make sure a call is right, provided the affected team does not have a challenge remaining.

Coaches could initiate video review challenges in the following scenarios:

Fighting/violent behavior.
Violations on penalty kicks.
Straight red cards (not second yellows).
Denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity/stopping a promising attack.
Offside.
Potential mistaken identity.
Determining the location of a foul that was called on the field against the defending team near or in its penalty area.

Referees could initiate video reviews to determine whether the entire ball passed over the goal line for a goal, as well as to decide timing issues.

Other rules proposals

The committee recommended adopting two rules that were put in place by the International Football Association Board in July.

One would eliminate a red card being issued for nondeliberate handling of the ball in the penalty area that denies a goal or goal-scoring opportunity. Inside the penalty area, red cards should be reserved for deliberate, cynical handling that denies a goal or goal-scoring opportunity.

The other proposal would amend encroachment by teammates of the kicker or goalkeeper during a penalty kick.

Referees should only penalize the encroachment if the player at fault prevents an opponent from playing the ball, challenges an opponent for the ball and then scores or prevents a goal, attempts to score or prevent a goal, or creates or stops a goal-scoring opportunity.