Definitely worth a visit.

Here’s an official response!

The Ohio Valley Conference has retained Collegiate Sports Associates (CSA) to assist the Board of Presidents in its efforts to analyze and develop plans for strategic growth.

The hiring of CSA coincided with a joint meeting of the OVC Board of Presidents and Council of Directors of Athletics, where the members came together to boldly plan for the future of this storied league.

http://ovcsports.com/news/2021/2/18/gene...nsion.aspx

WIU seems easy pickings here to be in a conference with EIU and SIU-E.

What about Northern Kentucky to the OVC? Would they find it more appealing than the Horizon?

(02-22-2021 10:38 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  WIU seems easy pickings here to be in a conference with EIU and SIU-E.

What about Northern Kentucky to the OVC? Would they find it more appealing than the Horizon?

Bad blood between NKU and OVC from 2011. NKU thought they were getting in then was denied for “competitive imbalance” or something similarly absurd.

Also the Horizon fits NKU’s urban/suburban profile better and is a better fit geographically.

WIU will be #11 because they need a FB school. They’ll gun for Bellarmine and Lipscomb, but those two probably decline. If that’s the case, #12 will be USI — new arena, city hosts OVC Tournament.

WIU seems like a pretty easy add, unless football becomes jeopardized.

The OVC would probably like NKU right now but the OVC spurned them once and leaving the Horizon would be a lateral move.

They could find themselves dipping into D2 for someone like Southern Indiana. They could try and turn the tables on the ASUN and recruit Bellarmine and/or Lipscomb.

The OVC’s biggest concern right now is not losing any more schools to the likes of the ASUN, SoCon, MVC, or SWAC.

(02-22-2021 10:47 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(02-22-2021 10:38 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  WIU seems easy pickings here to be in a conference with EIU and SIU-E.

What about Northern Kentucky to the OVC? Would they find it more appealing than the Horizon?

Bad blood between NKU and OVC from 2011. NKU thought they were getting in then was denied for “competitive imbalance” or something similarly absurd.

Also the Horizon fits NKU’s urban/suburban profile better and is a better fit geographically.

WIU will be #11 because they need a FB school. They’ll gun for Bellarmine and Lipscomb, but those two probably decline. If that’s the case, #12 will be USI — new arena, city hosts OVC Tournament.

Didn't NKU join some conference for just one year before moving to the Horizon?_Was it the Sun?

(02-22-2021 10:52 PM)Todor Wrote:  Didn't NKU join some conference for just one year before moving to the Horizon?_Was it the Sun?

The Atlantic Sun (now ASUN). They joined for 4 years to complete their transition from D-II to D-I. As soon as they were psot season eligible they joined the Horizon.

(02-22-2021 10:47 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(02-22-2021 10:38 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  WIU seems easy pickings here to be in a conference with EIU and SIU-E.

What about Northern Kentucky to the OVC? Would they find it more appealing than the Horizon?

Bad blood between NKU and OVC from 2011. NKU thought they were getting in then was denied for “competitive imbalance” or something similarly absurd.

Also the Horizon fits NKU’s urban/suburban profile better and is a better fit geographically.

WIU will be #11 because they need a FB school. They’ll gun for Bellarmine and Lipscomb, but those two probably decline. If that’s the case, #12 will be USI — new arena, city hosts OVC Tournament.

10 years is quite a while from the NKU/OVC rejection. With Murray State in there I'm sure that has to be some interest to at least listen.

Horizon is downright terrible these days and looks more like the Mid Continent than the old Midwest Collegiate, the one that once had Xavier and Notre Dame as members.

(02-22-2021 11:28 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(02-22-2021 10:47 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(02-22-2021 10:38 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  WIU seems easy pickings here to be in a conference with EIU and SIU-E.

What about Northern Kentucky to the OVC? Would they find it more appealing than the Horizon?

Bad blood between NKU and OVC from 2011. NKU thought they were getting in then was denied for “competitive imbalance” or something similarly absurd.

Also the Horizon fits NKU’s urban/suburban profile better and is a better fit geographically.

WIU will be #11 because they need a FB school. They’ll gun for Bellarmine and Lipscomb, but those two probably decline. If that’s the case, #12 will be USI — new arena, city hosts OVC Tournament.

10 years is quite a while from the NKU/OVC rejection. With Murray State in there I'm sure that has to be some interest to at least listen.

Horizon is downright terrible these days and looks more like the Mid Continent than the old Midwest Collegiate, the one that once had Xavier and Notre Dame as members.

But the OVC is terrible too. If you’re picking between two terrible conferences, pick the one that fits better institutionally (urban), academically, & geographically.

OVC has quite a few football-focused rural schools which doesn’t appeal to NKU.

That said a Southern Indiana call up would not be bad at all. I've actually been to their campus and while small its fairly nice.

(02-22-2021 11:28 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(02-22-2021 10:47 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(02-22-2021 10:38 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  WIU seems easy pickings here to be in a conference with EIU and SIU-E.

What about Northern Kentucky to the OVC? Would they find it more appealing than the Horizon?

Bad blood between NKU and OVC from 2011. NKU thought they were getting in then was denied for “competitive imbalance” or something similarly absurd.

Also the Horizon fits NKU’s urban/suburban profile better and is a better fit geographically.

WIU will be #11 because they need a FB school. They’ll gun for Bellarmine and Lipscomb, but those two probably decline. If that’s the case, #12 will be USI — new arena, city hosts OVC Tournament.

10 years is quite a while from the NKU/OVC rejection. With Murray State in there I'm sure that has to be some interest to at least listen.

Horizon is downright terrible these days and looks more like the Mid Continent than the old Midwest Collegiate, the one that once had Xavier and Notre Dame as members.

It is pretty ironic that the Horizon members nearly all migrated over from the Summit/Mid Con. While they centralized further east, that left the Dakota schools right in the lap of the Summit.

(02-22-2021 10:38 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  WIU seems easy pickings here to be in a conference with EIU and SIU-E.

What about Northern Kentucky to the OVC? Would they find it more appealing than the Horizon?

After the Tennessee schools voted to reject them in 2012 I don't see it. But who knows.

Implications for the Summit are the most interesting part of this, imo. They were going to get to 10 members with St. Thomas next year, but they'll be straight back down to 9 if WIU leaves. Augie? CSBSJU? Northern Colorado? Seattle even? On the plus side, they're starting to look more institutionally cohesive.

Horizon Leaguen would fit better for the non-football for the likes of UMSL, Southern Indiana, Bellarmine, Belmont, Lipcombs etc. OVC should go after an all sports schools that includes footba..

Western Illinois
Youngstown State
Wayne State, Mich.
Milwauke/Green Bay which one would add football first.
Robert Morris

I put Wayne State there becausr they are a R1 research institution, and it could raise the image of OVC.

I may look at the best publics in the area, or look at Lindenwood and Indianapolis in D2 to move up for OVC. Lindenwood would be a paired with SE Missouri State.

(02-23-2021 12:06 AM)Todor Wrote:  

(02-22-2021 11:28 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(02-22-2021 10:47 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(02-22-2021 10:38 PM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  WIU seems easy pickings here to be in a conference with EIU and SIU-E.

What about Northern Kentucky to the OVC? Would they find it more appealing than the Horizon?

Bad blood between NKU and OVC from 2011. NKU thought they were getting in then was denied for “competitive imbalance” or something similarly absurd.

Also the Horizon fits NKU’s urban/suburban profile better and is a better fit geographically.

WIU will be #11 because they need a FB school. They’ll gun for Bellarmine and Lipscomb, but those two probably decline. If that’s the case, #12 will be USI — new arena, city hosts OVC Tournament.

10 years is quite a while from the NKU/OVC rejection. With Murray State in there I'm sure that has to be some interest to at least listen.

Horizon is downright terrible these days and looks more like the Mid Continent than the old Midwest Collegiate, the one that once had Xavier and Notre Dame as members.

It is pretty ironic that the Horizon members nearly all migrated over from the Summit/Mid Con. While they centralized further east, that left the Dakota schools right in the lap of the Summit.

There was that mass exodus in 1994 that made the Horizon the stable, geographically friendly conference and the Summit the far flung, unstable one.

You had schools like Troy, Buffalo, Central Connecticut St, Southern Utah, and Centenary passing in and out.

Things started to turn a new leaf when the Summit added NDSU and SDSU. The Great Lakes states schools continued to migrate East to the Horizon but the Summit built up a Great Plains league with Omaha, USD, Denver, UND, and now St Thomas in the fold. Bringing back Oral Roberts and Kansas City has also helped build the footprint,

Now, instead of two conferences stuck in a turf war, they each have their spheres of influence with the MVC nestled in the middle (and would be an upgrade for all the members of both the Summit and Horizon).

(02-23-2021 02:38 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  Implications for the Summit are the most interesting part of this, imo. They were going to get to 10 members with St. Thomas next year, but they'll be straight back down to 9 if WIU leaves. Augie? CSBSJU? Northern Colorado? Seattle even? On the plus side, they're starting to look more institutionally cohesive.

it would seem that the Summit would morph into a North Central Conference (NCC) reunion of sorts...

SLC ===> NCC (D1 version)

UND ===> NCC (1921-2008)
USD ===> NCC (1921-2008)
NDSU ===> NCC (1921-2004)
SDSU ===> NCC (1921-2004)
UNO ===> NCC (1934-1946, 1976-2008)
UST ===> NCC (1921-1928)

if Augie & Northern CO ===> Summit
Augustana ===> NCC (1941-2008)
UNC ===> NCC (1978-2003)

CSBSJU = D3...doubt the Summit would go for another D3 ===> D1 exemption...
Seattle...doubt that SU would leave the WAC for the Summit...

(02-23-2021 08:27 PM)joeben69 Wrote:  

(02-23-2021 02:38 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  Implications for the Summit are the most interesting part of this, imo. They were going to get to 10 members with St. Thomas next year, but they'll be straight back down to 9 if WIU leaves. Augie? CSBSJU? Northern Colorado? Seattle even? On the plus side, they're starting to look more institutionally cohesive.

it would seem that the Summit would morph into a North Central Conference (NCC) reunion of sorts...

SLC ===> NCC (D1 version)

UND ===> NCC (1921-2008)
USD ===> NCC (1921-2008)
NDSU ===> NCC (1921-2004)
SDSU ===> NCC (1921-2004)
UNO ===> NCC (1934-1946, 1976-2008)
UST ===> NCC (1921-1928)

if Augie & Northern CO ===> Summit
Augustana ===> NCC (1941-2008)
UNC ===> NCC (1978-2003)

CSBSJU = D3...doubt the Summit would go for another D3 ===> D1 exemption...
Seattle...doubt that SU would leave the WAC for the Summit...

Yeah, fans of the Dakota schools gripe about the similarities. They moved up to D1 to get out of the NCC, only to end up back in it.

I think there is a real possibility for Seattle to move. On their website, they list both Denver and St. Thomas as peer institutions, while listing none of the WAC schools as peer institutions. Plus, it's probably easier to fly to most of the Summit schools than the WAC schools, especially after WIU leaves.

(02-23-2021 09:26 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  

(02-23-2021 08:27 PM)joeben69 Wrote:  

(02-23-2021 02:38 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  Implications for the Summit are the most interesting part of this, imo. They were going to get to 10 members with St. Thomas next year, but they'll be straight back down to 9 if WIU leaves. Augie? CSBSJU? Northern Colorado? Seattle even? On the plus side, they're starting to look more institutionally cohesive.

it would seem that the Summit would morph into a North Central Conference (NCC) reunion of sorts...

SLC ===> NCC (D1 version)

UND ===> NCC (1921-2008)
USD ===> NCC (1921-2008)
NDSU ===> NCC (1921-2004)
SDSU ===> NCC (1921-2004)
UNO ===> NCC (1934-1946, 1976-2008)
UST ===> NCC (1921-1928)

if Augie & Northern CO ===> Summit
Augustana ===> NCC (1941-2008)
UNC ===> NCC (1978-2003)

CSBSJU = D3...doubt the Summit would go for another D3 ===> D1 exemption...
Seattle...doubt that SU would leave the WAC for the Summit...

Yeah, fans of the Dakota schools gripe about the similarities. They moved up to D1 to get out of the NCC, only to end up back in it.

I think there is a real possibility for Seattle to move. On their website, they list both Denver and St. Thomas as peer institutions, while listing none of the WAC schools as peer institutions. Plus, it's probably easier to fly to most of the Summit schools than the WAC schools, especially after WIU leaves.

Seattle to the Summit is DOA. With WIU leaving and the AAC looking to go West, the Summit would be a great fit for AFA Olympics.

(02-23-2021 09:44 PM)Shox Wrote:  

(02-23-2021 09:26 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  

(02-23-2021 08:27 PM)joeben69 Wrote:  

(02-23-2021 02:38 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  Implications for the Summit are the most interesting part of this, imo. They were going to get to 10 members with St. Thomas next year, but they'll be straight back down to 9 if WIU leaves. Augie? CSBSJU? Northern Colorado? Seattle even? On the plus side, they're starting to look more institutionally cohesive.

it would seem that the Summit would morph into a North Central Conference (NCC) reunion of sorts...

SLC ===> NCC (D1 version)

UND ===> NCC (1921-2008)
USD ===> NCC (1921-2008)
NDSU ===> NCC (1921-2004)
SDSU ===> NCC (1921-2004)
UNO ===> NCC (1934-1946, 1976-2008)
UST ===> NCC (1921-1928)

if Augie & Northern CO ===> Summit
Augustana ===> NCC (1941-2008)
UNC ===> NCC (1978-2003)

CSBSJU = D3...doubt the Summit would go for another D3 ===> D1 exemption...
Seattle...doubt that SU would leave the WAC for the Summit...

Yeah, fans of the Dakota schools gripe about the similarities. They moved up to D1 to get out of the NCC, only to end up back in it.

I think there is a real possibility for Seattle to move. On their website, they list both Denver and St. Thomas as peer institutions, while listing none of the WAC schools as peer institutions. Plus, it's probably easier to fly to most of the Summit schools than the WAC schools, especially after WIU leaves.

Seattle to the Summit is DOA. With WIU leaving and the AAC looking to go West, the Summit would be a great fit for AFA Olympics.

So if...
Augustana ===> Summit
UNC ===> Summit
AFA ===> Summit
then...
AFA (football) ===> MWC
AFA (non-fb) ===> Summit

Summit Football (2025)
UND
USD
NDSU
SDSU
UST ([2025] after D3=>D1 transition)
Augustana ([2025] after D2=>D1 transition)
UNC

(02-23-2021 09:26 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  

(02-23-2021 08:27 PM)joeben69 Wrote:  

(02-23-2021 02:38 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  Implications for the Summit are the most interesting part of this, imo. They were going to get to 10 members with St. Thomas next year, but they'll be straight back down to 9 if WIU leaves. Augie? CSBSJU? Northern Colorado? Seattle even? On the plus side, they're starting to look more institutionally cohesive.

it would seem that the Summit would morph into a North Central Conference (NCC) reunion of sorts...

SLC ===> NCC (D1 version)

UND ===> NCC (1921-2008)
USD ===> NCC (1921-2008)
NDSU ===> NCC (1921-2004)
SDSU ===> NCC (1921-2004)
UNO ===> NCC (1934-1946, 1976-2008)
UST ===> NCC (1921-1928)

if Augie & Northern CO ===> Summit
Augustana ===> NCC (1941-2008)
UNC ===> NCC (1978-2003)

CSBSJU = D3...doubt the Summit would go for another D3 ===> D1 exemption...
Seattle...doubt that SU would leave the WAC for the Summit...

Yeah, fans of the Dakota schools gripe about the similarities. They moved up to D1 to get out of the NCC, only to end up back in it.

I think there is a real possibility for Seattle to move. On their website, they list both Denver and St. Thomas as peer institutions, while listing none of the WAC schools as peer institutions. Plus, it's probably easier to fly to most of the Summit schools than the WAC schools, especially after WIU leaves.

Dakota schools have been in D1 a while now and are developing a true mid major identity. It was tough for them to shed the move up tag XDSU.

That was part of the reason North Dakota wanted out IMO.