http://thedailycougar.com/2017/04/26/pow...l-wichita/

The American Athletic Conference is becoming the powerhouse it claims to be — and is definitely worthy of being called a power six conference.

With AAC football snagging Charlie Strong to coach at University of South Florida, a five-star recruit at Houston and a consistently competitive atmosphere, the AAC is definitely a “power six” conference.

AAC basketball is keeping up with their football counterparts as well. With the addition of Wichita State University earlier in April, the American has become a strong presence in the college basketball world.

“We didn’t want to simply be a power-six conference in football and lag behind in any way in basketball,” said AAC commissioner Mike Aresco in a conference call with reporters. “Wichita will give us a tremendous boost. If it has a beneficial effect on our next TV negotiation, that’s wonderful, and I hope it does.

“In the end, we took them in because we think they’re the right fit four our conference. You have to have quality product, and I believe we’ve strengthened ourselves in a key area.”

http://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wic...77184.html

AAC membership comes with perks for Wichita State coaches to sell

The rarest trick in recruiting is to out-perform conference affiliation.

Wichita State men’s basketball reached that level in recent seasons, piling up talent that outranks the Missouri Valley Conference. Now Shocker coaches are back on the recruiting trail selling membership in the American Athletic Conference.

“They did something that most can’t do,” Hutchinson Community College coach Steve Eck said. “They got kids to look past the conference.”

The immediate consensus from athletes and coaches: American membership makes a good situation better. While it might not dramatically change Wichita State’s recruiting — say into five-star, one-and-done territory — that edge won’t go to waste.

Conference affiliation matters. Opponents matter. ESPN matters. Big cities matter. The American offers more of all those things than the MVC.

Those things matter to players such as Denver East guard Daylen Kountz, a senior-to-be who liked WSU as an MVC member. He said the move to the American increases his interest in WSU’s scholarship offer for all those reasons.

“That’s a big move, a lot more competition,” he said. “That’s very important.”

His father agrees. Daryl Kountz grew up in Kansas City, Kan., and played basketball for Wyandotte High. Sending his son to Wichita State is appealing for the same reasons he wears his Chiefs gear in Broncos territory.

“We try to make sure to represent where we’re from,” he said.

Representing the American is also appealing.

Daylen Kountz (6-foot-4) also has offers from Colorado and Wyoming. When he looks at a schedule and sees Colorado vs. UCLA or Wyoming vs. San Diego State, Wichita State can compete with games against 2014 NCAA champion Connecticut, Cincinnati, SMU and Memphis.

“UConn, Memphis — those are big-time programs,” Daryl Kountz said. “For Wichita State to be one of those schools, it’s marking their name on the map.”

The Shockers will have six seniors on the 2017-18 roster, which makes this spring and summer crucial to fill those roster spots for the 2018-19 season. Coaches are busy in April with a recruiting period (during which coaches visit athletes and talk to them) and two three-day evaluation periods during which coaches cover the country to watch AAU tournaments. After this weekend, the next evaluation periods are in July.

Marshall and assistant coach Kyle Lindsted recently visited Grundy, Va., to recruit center Flo Thamba, a senior-to-be, of Mountain Mission School.

“The American is right there knocking on the door of the Power 5,” said Mountain Mission associate head coach Jared Miller. “It will draw the attention of probably a higher-level player. The kids we work with pay attention to that, because they become the best they can be by going against the best.”

AAC Power 6 confirmed.

http://www.newsrecord.org/sports/opinion...5569b.html

Wichita State could make the AAC a power six conference

emember all that talk about the University of Cincinnati joining the Big 12? Remember how it all amounted to nothing?

In case you missed it, UC made a bid to join the Big 12 six months ago, hoping to enter a power five conference. Ultimately, UC and a slew of other schools in the American Athletic Conference were denied entry into the Big 12.

Cincinnati, Houston and Memphis weren’t outright rejected by the Big 12. Instead, the conference decided that it was in its own best interest not to expand.

The non-move provided a lesson for UC and Bearcat fans: Moving to another athletic conference is by no means guaranteed, even for the most attractive candidates.

For now, it appears that UC will stay put in the AAC, whether they like it or not.

But maybe the Bearcats don’t have to join a power five conference. Maybe — just maybe — the AAC could help build a Power 6.

The recent addition of Wichita State certainly helps increase the level of competition within the conference.

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Building the AAC into a more competitive conference may be the most realistic way for UC to play in a power conference.

Why not? Who needs a power five when you can create a power six?

https://www.si.com/college-basketball/20...-expansion

Last week was a big one for the American Athletic Conference, which added Wichita State to its ranks on Friday, immediately boosting its basketball resume and bolstering its claims that it should be the sixth league in a “Power 6” conference tier. A day after the announcement, Sports Illustrated spoke with AAC commissioner Mike Aresco about the addition of the Shockers, which he termed a “win-win,” and the state of his conference.

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I think [a Power 6] is attainable. I really do. I think these schools have resources. We'll get a better TV deal. That's going to be key. In a few years, we're going to be negotiating. We've got the '17–'18, '18–'19 and '19–'20 seasons left to go, but we'll negotiate well before that. I think our guys have done more with less already.

The fact that the AAC is #6 is indisputable.
The gap between AAC and #7 is also indisputable.
The only question is how close can they be to the ones above them? Could they move into 5th? I think it would have happened last year if not for the poor showing in bowl games.

(04-27-2017 02:48 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  The fact that the AAC is #6 is indisputable.
The gap between AAC and #7 is also indisputable.
The only question is how close can they be to the ones above them? Could they move into 5th? I think it would have happened last year if not for the poor showing in bowl games.

We're getting there, but it's a process. UConn winning NC and UCF and Houston winning NY6 bowls helped, but we need to continue on that success. We believe we are truly there. However, I think even AAC fans admit, we need improved bowls and media deals in the next go around. This will further cement the P6 agenda.

(04-27-2017 02:54 PM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 02:48 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  The fact that the AAC is #6 is indisputable.
The gap between AAC and #7 is also indisputable.
The only question is how close can they be to the ones above them? Could they move into 5th? I think it would have happened last year if not for the poor showing in bowl games.

We're getting there, but it's a process. UConn winning NC and UCF and Houston winning NY6 bowls helped, but we need to continue on that success. We believe we are truly there. However, I think even AAC fans admit, we need improved bowls and media deals in the next go around. This will further cement the P6 agenda.

Huge letdown by Houston, demolishing Oklahoma and Louisville and then letting the Big 12 / Texas distraction get in the way of conference play.

That is by no means whatsoever an insult to quality wins over Houston from SMU, Memphis, and Navy.

Still. What could have been.

But but...Boise.....

And how many articles were there about the AAC teams being added to the Big 12 and when is it that those teams will be added again? I must have missed all the news. Surely it's happening based on the # of articles about it.

The Daily Cougar seems like an unbiased source. OK I"m sold.

(04-27-2017 03:05 PM)Kruciff Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 02:54 PM)BullsFanInTX Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 02:48 PM)Hokie Mark Wrote:  The fact that the AAC is #6 is indisputable.
The gap between AAC and #7 is also indisputable.
The only question is how close can they be to the ones above them? Could they move into 5th? I think it would have happened last year if not for the poor showing in bowl games.

We're getting there, but it's a process. UConn winning NC and UCF and Houston winning NY6 bowls helped, but we need to continue on that success. We believe we are truly there. However, I think even AAC fans admit, we need improved bowls and media deals in the next go around. This will further cement the P6 agenda.

Huge letdown by Houston, demolishing Oklahoma and Louisville and then letting the Big 12 / Texas distraction get in the way of conference play.

That is by no means whatsoever an insult to quality wins over Houston from SMU, Memphis, and Navy.

Still. What could have been.

You are right though. I honestly thought if Houston went undefeated they would have at least been in the talk for the playoff. I still think they would have gotten left out but it would have been nice to see them in the conversation. I think you would likely need several playoff teams with two losses to jump in and even then I could see them screwing the league.

(04-27-2017 03:16 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  And how many articles were there about the AAC teams being added to the Big 12 and when is it that those teams will be added again? I must have missed all the news. Surely it's happening based on the # of articles about it.

How many C-USA teams were in that conversation again?

(04-27-2017 03:50 PM)Kruciff Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 03:16 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  And how many articles were there about the AAC teams being added to the Big 12 and when is it that those teams will be added again? I must have missed all the news. Surely it's happening based on the # of articles about it.

How many C-USA teams were in that conversation again?

You and your friends can continue to hype yourselves but we all know what all that hype will do for you. Like Maximus said - "The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end...."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEMPyjATNC0

(04-27-2017 04:15 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 03:50 PM)Kruciff Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 03:16 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  And how many articles were there about the AAC teams being added to the Big 12 and when is it that those teams will be added again? I must have missed all the news. Surely it's happening based on the # of articles about it.

How many C-USA teams were in that conversation again?

You and your friends can continue to hype yourselves but we all know what all that hype will do for you. Like Maximus said - "The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end...."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEMPyjATNC0

well stay and be happy in ur lower tear conference

(04-27-2017 04:15 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 03:50 PM)Kruciff Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 03:16 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  And how many articles were there about the AAC teams being added to the Big 12 and when is it that those teams will be added again? I must have missed all the news. Surely it's happening based on the # of articles about it.

How many C-USA teams were in that conversation again?

You and your friends can continue to hype yourselves but we all know what all that hype will do for you. Like Maximus said - "The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end...."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEMPyjATNC0

There's no such thing as a P6, but you'd be lying if you said you didn't want to be in the AAC.

(04-27-2017 03:18 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  The Daily Cougar seems like an unbiased source. OK I"m sold.

Again, yes, these are local papers promoting this P6 thing. But you'd give both nuts to see your school in the AAC. It's what every SB, CUSA and MAC school is trying to attain.

(04-27-2017 04:20 PM)Huskypride Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 04:15 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 03:50 PM)Kruciff Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 03:16 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  And how many articles were there about the AAC teams being added to the Big 12 and when is it that those teams will be added again? I must have missed all the news. Surely it's happening based on the # of articles about it.

How many C-USA teams were in that conversation again?

You and your friends can continue to hype yourselves but we all know what all that hype will do for you. Like Maximus said - "The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end...."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEMPyjATNC0

well stay and be happy in ur lower tear conference

I'm not sure this misspelling was intended, but it's oh so appropriate.

(04-27-2017 04:20 PM)Huskypride Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 04:15 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 03:50 PM)Kruciff Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 03:16 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  And how many articles were there about the AAC teams being added to the Big 12 and when is it that those teams will be added again? I must have missed all the news. Surely it's happening based on the # of articles about it.

How many C-USA teams were in that conversation again?

You and your friends can continue to hype yourselves but we all know what all that hype will do for you. Like Maximus said - "The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end...."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEMPyjATNC0

well stay and be happy in ur lower tear conference

Your women's basketball team could play better football than your so called football team. Bunch of softies. Yes, I am butt hurt from all the squats. Do you even lift, bro?

(04-27-2017 04:31 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 04:20 PM)Huskypride Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 04:15 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 03:50 PM)Kruciff Wrote:  

(04-27-2017 03:16 PM)goldeneagle21 Wrote:  And how many articles were there about the AAC teams being added to the Big 12 and when is it that those teams will be added again? I must have missed all the news. Surely it's happening based on the # of articles about it.

How many C-USA teams were in that conversation again?

You and your friends can continue to hype yourselves but we all know what all that hype will do for you. Like Maximus said - "The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end...."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEMPyjATNC0

well stay and be happy in ur lower tear conference

Your women's basketball team could play better football than your so called football team. Bunch of softies. Yes, I am butt hurt from all the squats. Do you even lift, bro?

well our womans team is basically a bunch of men so that doesn't surprise me lol