Through this dissertation, I seek to examine the sports retirement of Division II Black male student-athletes and how they negotiate their identity as they transition into sports retirement. Consistent with similar research on Black male student-athletes, this dissertation makes the argument that the racialization of many college campuses…

This study investigates the predictive validity of lower extremity strength, strength asymmetry, and soccer-specific fitness in talent identification among elite male youth soccer players. Employing a Retrospective Cohort design, we established a cohort consisting of K-League registered youth players, totaling 219 individuals (all males, aged 16…

College football is a significant part of American culture and a revenue source for many schools. At first thought, college football is associated with large Division I programs within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) with fanfare, traditions, and national following. However, most college football athletes do not play at the…

Patriarchal systems of power, privilege, and oppression are reinforced by college men every day, but there are certain populations of college men who wield a stronger ability to influence change. Student-athlete men at NCAA Division III institutions are often viewed as "culture creators" on their campuses. Moreover, many of these…

Student-athletes have many commitments during their college experience. Their role as student-athletes impacts their career readiness. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) promotes the fact that most student-athletes will not become professional athletes. However, they do little to help prepare student-athletes for life after…

This dissertation examines the self-perceived career goal achievement capabilities of African-American former Division I basketball players through the lens of Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy (CDMSE) and its impact on their post-athletic career decisions. Through a phenomenological approach, this study aims to contribute a nuanced…

This study looked to determine if being classified as a Cinderella Story team in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, also known as March Madness, led to a statistically significant change in NCAA Division I men's basketball spending for that team's respective institution one, two, and three years after being labeled. The purpose of…

The majority of Division I sports are composed of Black male players. These athletes can have the media spotlight and a lifestyle comparable to a celebrity, but what happens when their time with college athletics is done, the fans go way and the bright lights fade? The purpose of this narrative study was to understand the experiences of retired…

Although outcomes of stereotypes, self-fulfilling prophecy, and care have long been examined, student athlete perceptions of stereotypes have not (Dee, 2014; Knust & Fisher, 2015; Lachman, 2012; Noddings, 2005; Riciputi & Erdal, 2017; Schools et al., 2020; Steele & Aronson, 1995). The study's purpose was to examine collegiate…

The purpose of this study was to center the experiences of National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division I (DI) first-generation student-athletes within a predominantly White institution and explore how they define and experience "success" as it pertains to their collegiate careers. Narratives of diverse student-athletes were…

The Cross the Finish Line e-Learning tool is designed to be utilized by Kentucky State University coaches and athletic department staff who work with Black male student-athletes. The Cross the Finish Line e-Learning tool contains modules that provide information on academics, mental health, and cultural competence to the user. When its use is…

COVID-19 threw a curveball to higher education and college athletics during the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 academic years. The purpose of this case study was to examine the transitional effects that the COVID-19 pandemic had on Division I Men's and Women's basketball student-athletes. The primary goal of this study was to provide recommendations that…

Over the past 10 years, Black student-athletes at Division I institutions have seen their graduation rates grow from 52% in 2010 to 59% in 2020 (NCAA, 2020b). However, even with this growth, Black student-athletes still fall behind their non-Black peers and below the average student-athlete graduation rate of 69% (NCAA, 2020b), with some schools…

The purpose of this study was to explore the meanings Black male student-athletes ascribed to their involvement in the "Redefining Athletic Standards" student organization and to analyze interpretations of both the academic and athletic aspects of their collegiate experience. The research design was a multiple-case study. The…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of African American male former community college student-athletes who succeeded on their educational pathway. The study also sought to identify the supportive services African American male former student-athletes reported as contributing to their academic success. For the…