(04-09-2017 10:08 AM)sctvman Wrote:  SC has 12 Division I programs, more than almost any state of our size (less than 5 million population). They are at varying rates of resources, but the big schools, of course are at the top.

1a. South Carolina (10)- SEC money has helped to make Carolina one of the fastest growing ADs in the country. Before the SEC (25 years ago), it was a school with no identity. Now, it is doing well in most sports, with the basketball success only helping.

1b. Clemson (10)- Basically no gap between Carolina and Clemson. Clemson's football facilities rival a couple of the NFL teams. Their football money allowed them to renovate their baseball stadium and basketball arena, and the school's prestige has only grown since Dabo came in.

Huge gap

3. Coastal Carolina (probably a 6): Coastal has become the #3 in the past few years, with the baseball national title, football going to Sun Belt, more media coverage, and the new basketball arena. As recently as the late 2000s, CCU was probably 6 or 7.

4. The Citadel (5): Citadel has a lot of resources for a FCS. Large football stadium, a league (the SoCon) which they can do very well in after schools like App and Georgia Southern left, lots of old money alums who spend a lot of money into the program.

5. Wofford (5): A school with a small enrollment that does very well. Has been very consistent in football and basketball the last 20 years, has Jerry Richardson (Panthers owner)'s backing, with a arena named after him, and Panthers training camp.

6. Furman (5): Another school with a lot of money headed to it. Has added lacrosse in the last few years, growing market, and many of the same resources as The Citadel (Furman's long-standing rival).

7. College of Charleston (5): Growing program. 2/3 female students, has no football team, but has grown in prestige with the new basketball arena, and their conference move has helped them recruit students throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

4-7 is interchangeable. There is a gap though to the rest.

8. Winthrop (4): Basically a men's basketball school to most observers, but good in soccer and other sports. Stuck in the shadow of other Charlotte area schools. Sends out a lot of teachers.

9. Presbyterian (3.5): Small school in a small town (40 miles from Greenville, 60 from Columbia). Hasn't really had success in most sports since they moved to D1. Does have a pharmacy school and some well-to-do alums.

10. Charleston Southern (3): The third school in Charleston. Football has improved over the past few years, but basketball still plays in 900 seat gym. Just lost their head coach to a coordinator position at Coastal. Doesn't have a lot of resources, but have done pretty well with what they have.

11. USC-Upstate (2.5): Basically an outlier. Only SC school in A-Sun, and hasn't grown an identity since they joined D1 about a decade ago. Still treated as a "branch campus" by Columbia.

12. SC State (2): Has been a threat of closing at pretty much all times over the past decade. Came very close to happening, but school has stabilized over the past year. Football program does well, but basketball draws poor attendance, and has no baseball program.

Some of the D2s in SC actually do very well. Newberry, Francis Marion, and USC-Aiken would possibly be D1s in other states.

Updating this from last year I’d say CofC may have moved up to #6. Furman, Wofford, CofC and The Citadel are still interchangeable, but CofC has made some good choices with the Earl Grant hiring (taking them to the tourney this year), and hiring Holbrook from South Carolina. That proves they are serious in their two big sports.

In basketball, CofC is probably the #4 program in the state, maybe even #3, only behind USC and Clemson.