(02-09-2014 04:08 AM)chargeradio Wrote:  If I were the Atlantic Sun, I'd invite Bellarmine for 2014 to get to 9, then Georgia Regents in 2017 to get to 10.

Depending on what happens to the Big South, I'd approach them about adding Winthrop, which doesn't play football and is the only school in the current footprint of both conferences. This would get the Big South down from 11 to 10 schools.

Bellarmine would be a good bridge to Northern Kentucky. Georgia Regents (USC-Upstate) and Columbus State (Kennesaw State) are good bridges too.

Regardless, I am a bit surprised we have not heard of the A-Sun grabbing somebody/anybody. They need someone with a pulse much sooner than later.

(02-09-2014 06:10 PM)SlyFox Wrote:  Why would Winthrop have any interest in jumping from the Big South to the A-Sun?

They wouldn't. They would essentially be greatly increasing the travel budget for very little gain. In the A-Sun the only close by teams would be USC-Upstate, where in the Big South they have a very travel friendly South Division composed of three other SC teams, UNC-Asheville, and Gardner-Webb.

(02-09-2014 03:59 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(11-03-2013 08:37 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(11-03-2013 03:21 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  If Albany and Stony Brook leave America East, America East will be on thin ice some maintaining its automatic bid in many sports, which can eventually impact basketball.

AE would be down to five in baseball, one of whom is UMass-Lowell (transitioning from Division II), six in men's soccer (one of which is UML), four in men's lacrosse, five in field hockey (including UML), eight in women's soccer (including UML), four in women's lacrosse, five in softball (including UML), and six in volleyball (including UML and Providence, who may be off to the Big East one day).

NJIT can help with volleyball, men's soccer, and women's soccer. The Highlanders have no lacrosse or field hockey programs. If men's ice hockey goes varsity it could allow America East to assume control of Hockey East (Maine, UML, New Hampshire, Vermont).

Maine and New Hampshire will be banging at the door wanting in for all sports if the CAA does this to America East - CAA Football could be torn apart.

A rumor is that Merrimack (DI in Hockey East) will go full DI and join America East. NJIT is still outside looking in.

What does NJIT have to do to find a D1 home? Nobody wants them. They might as well drop a division. Good Grief.

NJIT added Lax and is upgrading facilities and are hoping/thinking that will get them in the AEC as the 10th member.

(02-09-2014 01:52 AM)Chuck A Wrote:  

(02-09-2014 12:40 AM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  Here are the school that have had info posted the last few years about moving to D-I in the A-Sun footprint.

GRU-Augusta (That's how the PBC posts their scores on their site)
Columbus St.
N.Alabama (has fb and already waiting for an invite, they hope for OVC)
W.Georgia (has fb)

Bellarmine and Nova Southeastern were interested in D-I but haven't had any new info since the moratorium in 2007.

Okay, with all the names, possibilities and scenarios floating around, how long does all of this take? And in the interim, will the A-Sun even exist while these D-II schools decide and then apply for D-I status? Mind you now, the A-Sun will be down to 7 official D-I programs next season, as NKU will be in their 3rd year of provisional status and thusly doesn't count in the eyes of the NCAA as official. And sometime after that, they may be gone to the Horizon. Kennesaw State may even be gone before NKU. Then, they'll be at the AQ limit of 6 teams. Even if some of those listed D-II schools listed above apply now, it'll still be 4 years before they are fully NCAA D-I squads.

The A-Sun needs to be about that business...and quickly!

I think the rules in place now is 7 counting members, if they go under they can ask for a 2 year waiver. That would be long enough for NKU to be a counter if someone else leaves. If NKU leaves and say KSU then they'd be under the 7 plus even adding new D-II members would make them non counters until their 5th year. I guess they'd lose AQ for 2 years if that happened.

The truth is nobody who is currently in the A-Sun WANTS to be there. Lipscomb and NKU are trying to get out desperately, Kennesaw tried to get the SoCon but the private schools said no due to their size and pipe dream that they'll be FBS. FGCU would be gone if they had more money and a better geographic fit, but for them the A-Sun is a great fit with JU, Stetson and UNF there. There are several candidates, most likely Division II call ups. Truthfully, I'm surprised that two schools in Tennessee, Trevecca Nazarene and King University haven't both tried to put a bug in the A-Sun's ear to invite them. TNU would serve as a crosstown rival to Lipscomb, and while King would be on an island, they're pushing enrollment numbers however they can.
Everyone wants in the OVC, but there's simply no room at the inn unless EKU, EIU, and SEMO leave.

Wasn't Trevecca NAIA until recently? That would put the kibosh on them moving beyond Division II.

(03-05-2014 05:08 AM)chargeradio Wrote:  Wasn't Trevecca NAIA until recently? That would put the kibosh on them moving beyond Division II.

Why is that? You can't be Division I after being NAIA?

(03-05-2014 03:26 PM)Chuck A Wrote:  

(03-05-2014 05:08 AM)chargeradio Wrote:  Wasn't Trevecca NAIA until recently? That would put the kibosh on them moving beyond Division II.

Why is that? You can't be Division I after being NAIA?

They can, but not right away. They would have to spend a few years in the lower divisions on the way up. The process could take at least five years.

TNU must spend 3 years as a D-II provisional member then 5 as a core D-II member(8 years total) before being eligible to move to D-I. King is having money problems, no way they move. Columbus St., GRU-Augusta are the only names I've heard the last couple years. UNA is already ready to move up but needs a fb home and is hoping to get in the OVC. They're probably hoping EKU gets that last spot in the SBC so they can fill the OVC hole. Lincoln Memorial was also interested but that was before the 2007 moratorium.

North Alabama would be an excellent fit in the Atlantic Sun if it can get its football in the Big South - but I agree OVC is their preferred target. I just don't think EKU can make it far enough up the SBC's depth chart to get ahead of Missouri State or James Madison.

Big South Football could look like this:

North Alabama
Kennesaw State
Winthrop [if they start a program]
Coastal Carolina
Presbyterian
Gardner-Webb
Liberty
Monmouth

Monmouth football will probably be gone to the CAA once James Madison goes FBS, unless if the CAA adds Coastal Carolina to replace them, in which case Big South Football is still at seven schools. Big South member Campbell would possibly be an additional football member if they decided to start awarding scholarships.

Is the A-Sun going to die or add teams? looks to me like they are in a tough spot.Any solid rumors?

(03-25-2014 01:35 PM)TOPSTRAIGHT Wrote:  Is the A-Sun going to die or add teams? looks to me like they are in a tough spot.Any solid rumors?

They are adding App State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, USA, Troy, AState, ULM, and ULL to become the nation's newest FBS league.

Seriously though for all the talk they might go after a Peach Belt or Gulf South program or two it's gotten very quiet.

It depends on the amount of interest in DII call-ups. As an alumni of a A-Sun school (Lipscomb), I don't think dissolution would be the end of the world. Most of our schools are good individual pieces for non-football additions among the Southern, Big South, and OVC, and Northern Kentucky fits a variety of possibilities. There is definitely room for consolidation of a conferenc or two at the FCS and non-football level of D1.

(03-25-2014 03:29 PM)bigblueblindness Wrote:  It depends on the amount of interest in DII call-ups. As an alumni of a A-Sun school (Lipscomb), I don't think dissolution would be the end of the world. Most of our schools are good individual pieces for non-football additions among the Southern, Big South, and OVC, and Northern Kentucky fits a variety of possibilities. There is definitely room for consolidation of a conferenc or two at the FCS and non-football level of D1.

I honestly don't think the A-Sun will be going anywhere. They have always found a way to survive, and arguably thrive with recent additions. They'll make it.

IF they did dissolve, however, the team in the biggest trouble is clearly Florida Gulf Coast. The main reason being that they have really invested in their programs and have the most to lose. They are on an island down there and have already said no to football. I don't see who takes them if the A-Sun is gone. Stetson would also be a tough sell with only non-scholarship football, but they could in theory move that up much easier than FGCU start from scratch.

Jacksonville is the best remaining team and IMO are pushing for an invite and scholarship move-up with their football stadium renovation. They would be picked up first.

North Florida is in a good spot, but have also said no to football.

Lipscomb and Northern Kentucky have a lot of options geographically.

USC Upstate would probably be the 3rd toughest school to find a home. They are "too far" into the SoCon footprint, in Wofford's backyard. No football, no history, and their gym seats < 1,000 AFTER renovation.

Lastly, Kennesaw State.... They have promise, but so many negatives against them. They have a lot of work to do in the classroom and on the field (equally) before being considered.

After Northern Kentucky is gone within the next couple years (hopefully to the Horizon League), the A-Sun will be down to 7 teams. Hopefully they would have already contacted/invited teams to replenish the league from the teams that have left. It does appear that they might have to invite some D2 teams and groom them. Since it's a total 6 year process of reclassification, they need to be working on it now.

Big South could use a 12th member as well, KSU may end up all sports there soon or USC-Upstate could be the 12th.

NJIT anyone?

The Summit may also be interested in the remains since it is low on members who play baseball, especially with the Horizon League lurking over its shoulders.

The one thing that will keep the leave intact in the short term is all the NCAA credits that FGCU and Mercer have piled up over the past 2 seasons.

(04-05-2014 06:27 PM)orangefan Wrote:  NJIT anyone?

NJIT has been the most obvious fit for a while, in my opinion. Just plug them in and stay a step closer to survival.

With a little over a week to go before the change of division application deadline, it looks like there will be no movement for the Atlantic Sun this year.