Apparently Utah Valley president Matthew Holland mentioned in a press conference about the WAC making an expansion announcement at the end of the basketball season.

Has UC San Diego quit waiting on the Big West, or is another school about to make the leap?

Cal Baptist is my guess.

I think maybe its Cal Baptist Univ. They are currently in D2 and will finish their new 6,000 seat arena for the 2017 opening season. The have a growing enrollment and a current private Christian university...so no issues like Chi-St. With GCU being a full D1 member next season, this will be the time for the WAC to add another D2 move up.

Getting 1 more school into the fold, will solidify the WAC for the loss of Chicago St and if NMSU moves to another conference. I also have to wonder if there is a D1 school ready to change conferences like Univ of New Orleans that may like to get out of the Southland Conference and into a better conference like the WAC.

North Dakota, Idaho, Montana, Montana State, Portland State, Sacramento State, and Eastern Washington.

Seems there is some chatter that Montana State, Weber State, Eastern Washington and Northern Arizona wants to go FBS. Is there something to the Big Sky and WAC rumors going around? Could Azusa Pacific be on the clock as well with Dixie State and Colorado Mesa? Central Washington have been doing a lot of work to their Athletic's facilities lately as well.

(01-09-2017 11:21 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  Seems there is some chatter that Montana State, Weber State, Eastern Washington and Northern Arizona wants to go FBS. Is there something to the Big Sky and WAC rumors going around? Could Azusa Pacific be on the clock as well with Dixie State and Colorado Mesa? Central Washington have been doing a lot of work to their Athletic's facilities lately as well.

NO....no Big Sky FBS stuff.
It doesn't sound like the WAC is going to start FCS football if they are getting some schools that don't play football.

Azusa Pac could be a target but they haven't spent enough time as a D2 school to jump to D1 yet.

Why is Umkc in the wac and not the Summit?

(01-09-2017 10:27 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  I think maybe its Cal Baptist Univ. They are currently in D2 and will finish their new 6,000 seat arena for the 2017 opening season. The have a growing enrollment and a current private Christian university...so no issues like Chi-St. With GCU being a full D1 member next season, this will be the time for the WAC to add another D2 move up.

Getting 1 more school into the fold, will solidify the WAC for the loss of Chicago St and if NMSU moves to another conference. I also have to wonder if there is a D1 school ready to change conferences like Univ of New Orleans that may like to get out of the Southland Conference and into a better conference like the WAC.

No it won't. Cal Baptist joining and NMSU and Chicago State leaving will leave the WAC with seven members. It'll need more than just Cal Baptist.

North Dakota going to the Summit, not the WAC.

Don't see why any current Big Sky schools will voluntarily leave for he WAC.

(01-09-2017 11:30 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(01-09-2017 11:21 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  Seems there is some chatter that Montana State, Weber State, Eastern Washington and Northern Arizona wants to go FBS. Is there something to the Big Sky and WAC rumors going around? Could Azusa Pacific be on the clock as well with Dixie State and Colorado Mesa? Central Washington have been doing a lot of work to their Athletic's facilities lately as well.

NO....no Big Sky FBS stuff.
It doesn't sound like the WAC is going to start FCS football if they are getting some schools that don't play football.

Azusa Pac could be a target but they haven't spent enough time as a D2 school to jump to D1 yet.

Cal. Baptist is not eligible yet either. It has to be D1 or schools in the footprint.

Cal.-San Diego
Dixie State
Western Washington
Colorado Mesa
Metro State
West Texas A&M
Midwestern State
Angelo State
Dallas Baptist
Drury
Hawaii-Hilo
Tarleton State
Texas A&M-Kingsville
Texas A&M-Commerce
Central Washington
Alaska
Colorado State-Pueblo

All D2 possibles.

Omaha
Oral Roberts
SIU-Edwardsville
Texas A&M-Commerce
Denver
New Orleans
All could be targets as well.

(01-09-2017 11:35 AM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(01-09-2017 10:27 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  I think maybe its Cal Baptist Univ. They are currently in D2 and will finish their new 6,000 seat arena for the 2017 opening season. The have a growing enrollment and a current private Christian university...so no issues like Chi-St. With GCU being a full D1 member next season, this will be the time for the WAC to add another D2 move up.

Getting 1 more school into the fold, will solidify the WAC for the loss of Chicago St and if NMSU moves to another conference. I also have to wonder if there is a D1 school ready to change conferences like Univ of New Orleans that may like to get out of the Southland Conference and into a better conference like the WAC.

No it won't. Cal Baptist joining and NMSU and Chicago State leaving will leave the WAC with seven members. It'll need more than just Cal Baptist.

7 members is all you need now to remain a conference.

(01-09-2017 11:45 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(01-09-2017 11:35 AM)jdgaucho Wrote:  

(01-09-2017 10:27 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  I think maybe its Cal Baptist Univ. They are currently in D2 and will finish their new 6,000 seat arena for the 2017 opening season. The have a growing enrollment and a current private Christian university...so no issues like Chi-St. With GCU being a full D1 member next season, this will be the time for the WAC to add another D2 move up.

Getting 1 more school into the fold, will solidify the WAC for the loss of Chicago St and if NMSU moves to another conference. I also have to wonder if there is a D1 school ready to change conferences like Univ of New Orleans that may like to get out of the Southland Conference and into a better conference like the WAC.

No it won't. Cal Baptist joining and NMSU and Chicago State leaving will leave the WAC with seven members. It'll need more than just Cal Baptist.

7 members is all you need now to remain a conference.

That is true. What's also true is being at the bare minimum will not stop GCU, Seattle or CSUB from looking elsewhere.

(01-09-2017 11:32 AM)bluesox Wrote:  Why is Umkc in the wac and not the Summit?

There was a hot moment there where Summit could have been a distant memory and WAC looked like a survivor. ORU and UMKC both bolted ahead...ORU got to come back, UMKC not so lucky.

I have to wonder if it's out of bitterness that UMKC hasn't been asked to rejoin the group. They didn't hide their business very well, even airing their candidacy as a replacement in the MVC after Creighton left, iirc (well, it got out there somehow that they got a site visit)?

I also have to wonder how they aren't more featured in Horizon and Southland discussions.

(01-09-2017 12:54 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(01-09-2017 11:32 AM)bluesox Wrote:  Why is Umkc in the wac and not the Summit?

There was a hot moment there where Summit could have been a distant memory and WAC looked like a survivor. ORU and UMKC both bolted ahead...ORU got to come back, UMKC not so lucky.

I have to wonder if it's out of bitterness that UMKC hasn't been asked to rejoin the group. They didn't hide their business very well, even airing their candidacy as a replacement in the MVC after Creighton left, iirc (well, it got out there somehow that they got a site visit)?

I also have to wonder how they aren't more featured in Horizon and Southland discussions.

Because I think they are happy in the WAC and they get more exposure from the WAC footprint. In addition, the students don't want 8 hr bus rides to the Dakotas...which run the Summit basically. It great for the UMKC students to catch a flight that has many direct non-stop flights to the WAC schools.

CBU was accepted to DII in 2010.
They went through a 3 yr transition culminating in full membership in 2013.
They need five full years in DII before they can move to DI.
That mears 2018 is the first year they can move up.
It takes five years to become fully DI, so CBU wouldn't help the WAC until 2023 in case any school leaves.

If GCU, Seattle, or NMSU leave before 2023, the rest of the conference is SOL.

Not saying CBU is not aspirational for DI, but it's not a WAC savior for six years. The WAC needs full DI schools right now, not in 2023.
.

(01-09-2017 01:24 PM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(01-09-2017 12:54 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  

(01-09-2017 11:32 AM)bluesox Wrote:  Why is Umkc in the wac and not the Summit?

There was a hot moment there where Summit could have been a distant memory and WAC looked like a survivor. ORU and UMKC both bolted ahead...ORU got to come back, UMKC not so lucky.

I have to wonder if it's out of bitterness that UMKC hasn't been asked to rejoin the group. They didn't hide their business very well, even airing their candidacy as a replacement in the MVC after Creighton left, iirc (well, it got out there somehow that they got a site visit)?

I also have to wonder how they aren't more featured in Horizon and Southland discussions.

Because I think they are happy in the WAC and they get more exposure from the WAC footprint. In addition, the students don't want 8 hr bus rides to the Dakotas...which run the Summit basically. It great for the UMKC students to catch a flight that has many direct non-stop flights to the WAC schools.

UMKC knows what's coming.

They didn't want to be part of the Slummit, which was a DII move up league.

(01-09-2017 01:30 PM)NoDak Wrote:  CBU was accepted to DII in 2010.
They went through a 3 yr transition culminating in full membership in 2013.
They need five full years in DII before they can move to DI.
That mears 2018 is the first year they can move up.
It takes five years to become fully DI, so CBU wouldn't help the WAC until 2023 in case any school leaves.

If GCU, Seattle, or NMSU leave before 2023, the rest of the conference is SOL.

Not saying CBU is not aspirational for DI, but it's not a WAC savior for six years. The WAC needs full DI schools right now, not in 2023.
.

They need both, IMHO. Cal Baptist in 2018 would show that there is a future for the WAC as an alternative Western DI conference. And, with GCU having finished transition, no harm. Remember, GCU has the same founding legacy as CBU.

But they do need another DI school. Not sure who would join though.

(01-09-2017 01:38 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(01-09-2017 01:30 PM)NoDak Wrote:  CBU was accepted to DII in 2010.
They went through a 3 yr transition culminating in full membership in 2013.
They need five full years in DII before they can move to DI.
That mears 2018 is the first year they can move up.
It takes five years to become fully DI, so CBU wouldn't help the WAC until 2023 in case any school leaves.

If GCU, Seattle, or NMSU leave before 2023, the rest of the conference is SOL.

Not saying CBU is not aspirational for DI, but it's not a WAC savior for six years. The WAC needs full DI schools right now, not in 2023.
.

They need both, IMHO. Cal Baptist in 2018 would show that there is a future for the WAC as an alternative Western DI conference. And, with GCU having finished transition, no harm. Remember, GCU has the same founding legacy as CBU.

But they do need another DI school. Not sure who would join though.

The carrot is FBS football. There are many schools that are willing to join a conference for a future FBS WAC Conference. Liberty might be able to pay their way in until they get a better offer.

Any MVFC who aspire FBS could join. Lamar, Sam Houston State and SFA might be interested. Wichita State could used the WAC as a stepping stone.

Jacksonville State, Eastern Kentucky, James Madison and Delaware along with Stony Brook could be interested.


West:
Seattle *
Bakersfield State*
Utah Valley*
Grand Canyon U.*
New Mexico State
UTRGV*
Cal.-San Diego* (ready to join now)
North Dakota State
South Dakota State
South Dakota
Wichita State*
Sam Houston State
Lamar
SFA

East:
Missouri State
Northern Iowa
Liberty
UMKC*
Chicago State*
James Madison
Delaware
Youngstown State
Illinois State
Stony Brook
Eastern Kentucky
Jacksonville State

Some of the schools on the east coast could be football only.

18 football members. 26 overall. The conferences that are in trouble are MVFC, CAA, Summit and Big South.

(01-09-2017 02:49 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(01-09-2017 01:38 PM)dbackjon Wrote:  

(01-09-2017 01:30 PM)NoDak Wrote:  CBU was accepted to DII in 2010.
They went through a 3 yr transition culminating in full membership in 2013.
They need five full years in DII before they can move to DI.
That mears 2018 is the first year they can move up.
It takes five years to become fully DI, so CBU wouldn't help the WAC until 2023 in case any school leaves.

If GCU, Seattle, or NMSU leave before 2023, the rest of the conference is SOL.

Not saying CBU is not aspirational for DI, but it's not a WAC savior for six years. The WAC needs full DI schools right now, not in 2023.
.

They need both, IMHO. Cal Baptist in 2018 would show that there is a future for the WAC as an alternative Western DI conference. And, with GCU having finished transition, no harm. Remember, GCU has the same founding legacy as CBU.

But they do need another DI school. Not sure who would join though.

The carrot is FBS football. There are many schools that are willing to join a conference for a future FBS WAC Conference. Liberty might be able to pay their way in until they get a better offer.

Any MVFC who aspire FBS could join. Lamar, Sam Houston State and SFA might be interested. Wichita State could used the WAC as a stepping stone.

Jacksonville State, Eastern Kentucky, James Madison and Delaware along with Stony Brook could be interested.


West:
Seattle *
Bakersfield State*
Utah Valley*
Grand Canyon U.*
New Mexico State
UTRGV*
Cal.-San Diego* (ready to join now)
North Dakota State
South Dakota State
South Dakota
Wichita State*
Sam Houston State
Lamar
SFA

East:
Missouri State
Northern Iowa
Liberty
UMKC*
Chicago State*
James Madison
Delaware
Youngstown State
Illinois State
Stony Brook
Eastern Kentucky
Jacksonville State

Some of the schools on the east coast could be football only.

18 football members. 26 overall. The conferences that are in trouble are MVFC, CAA, Summit and Big South.

There is no FBS carrot for the WAC....its over and done with.

Unless there is a clear better option for NMSU like the MW or WCC, I don't see what's all that bad about NMSU just sitting in the WAC and milking the conference for its auto-bid every year until something better comes along.