I'd love to see UT Arlington restart football and be part of the FCS WAC. Keep the other sports in the Sunbelt if that makes economic sense. Strictly fantasy/pipe dream though.

(04-08-2021 10:41 AM)72Tiger Wrote:  I'd love to see UT Arlington restart football and be part of the FCS WAC. Keep the other sports in the Sunbelt if that makes economic sense. Strictly fantasy/pipe dream though.

The UTA President said years ago they want to be the Gonzaga of Texas. Whatever that is, I wish they'd hurry it up and help the Belt out in BBall NET.

(04-08-2021 10:30 AM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 10:21 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 10:01 AM)TexasTerror Wrote:  Posted this on the WAC board (so cross-posting here)

I do not believe the WAC is leaning towards Incarnate Word over West Texas A&M or any other schools.

Even over the Greyhounds of Eastern New Mexico?

Can't remember who, but I actually remember a realignment debate about Eastern New Mexico on this board.

The Lonestar Conference is, in its football incarnation, a neat little 8-school conference. The schools are all located in New Mexico and the "cowboy" parts of Texas, so it's a good cultural fit for everyone. Would hate to see that buste dup.

So awful conference adds awful school.
Awesome, just what Div I needs.

(04-08-2021 10:57 AM)Scoochpooch1 Wrote:  So awful conference adds awful school.
Awesome, just what Div I needs.

Your comments, per usual, provide no value and are useless. (Heck, it's not even accurate as UIW is *already* D1.)

This is a realignment board. Mid-major leagues get discussed. The topic title clearly indicates the content of the thread.

If you have nothing constructive to add to a relevant realignment news topic, don't click the thread. You have been a chronic spreader of toxic garbage and it needs to stop.

(04-08-2021 10:45 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  The UTA President said years ago they want to be the Gonzaga of Texas. Whatever that is, I wish they'd hurry it up and help the Belt out in BBall NET.

Didn't Texas-Arlington botch their men's basketball head coaching situation a few years back and let a guy get away who was actually winning? Saw their replacement just got hired away to be an assistant at Texas (just like UTEP's head coach) and they bumped a longtime assistant up.

As a Sam Houston State guy, would love to see Arlington play the WAC schools in more sports - particularly M/W basketball. Makes a lot of sense. Easy travel to the 'Southwest Division' schools.

(04-08-2021 11:09 AM)TexasTerror Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 10:45 AM)Yosef Himself Wrote:  The UTA President said years ago they want to be the Gonzaga of Texas. Whatever that is, I wish they'd hurry it up and help the Belt out in BBall NET.

Didn't Texas-Arlington botch their men's basketball head coaching situation a few years back and let a guy get away who was actually winning? Saw their replacement just got hired away to be an assistant at Texas (just like UTEP's head coach) and they bumped a longtime assistant up.

As a Sam Houston State guy, would love to see Arlington play the WAC schools in more sports - particularly M/W basketball. Makes a lot of sense. Easy travel to the 'Southwest Division' schools.

“Botch” is very subjective. Scott Cross isn’t exactly tearing it up at Troy. Was it the right move to let him go? Maybe, but it’s definitely not a super horrible decision at the moment. He made 1 NCAA tournament at UTA.

(04-08-2021 06:59 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 02:40 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Well FWIW they have a bigger budget than everyone else in the SLC, including the Texas 4. Can't speak for facilities. I do see they play at the Gayle and Tom Benson stadium. So maybe the Benson family is influencing.

Their stadium capacity and basketball gym capacity are pretty low (HBU is even lower). Their basketball attendance was only 370.

They definitely have the finances, but attendance is weak and they play in undersized facilities, even for the SLC. I file this under "hum".

Perhaps IUW was asking the WAC for a visit. Sure San Antonio would be a good destination for the WAC. But, their facilities are still lacking even after the D1 move.
It would be better to wait for Texas A&M - San Antonio to develop their sports program and invite them. If they are looking at San Antonio.
WT is the best option, in my opinion, but with 2 schools still in D1 transition stage it may be feasible.

Nope...they are too similar to UTSA.

Incarnate Word is actually a pretty large private university. I used to live about 1/2 Mile from the school. They could support a low major there.

(04-08-2021 10:57 AM)Scoochpooch1 Wrote:  So awful conference adds awful school.
Awesome, just what Div I needs.

Your point is noted...I don't disagree.

I think a bunch of G5 schools need to join with the best FCS schools for a new division. Get a TV package and do a playoff.

(04-08-2021 09:54 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 09:44 AM)teamvsn Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 09:26 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 09:13 AM)teamvsn Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 06:59 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  Perhaps IUW was asking the WAC for a visit. Sure San Antonio would be a good destination for the WAC. But, their facilities are still lacking even after the D1 move.
It would be better to wait for Texas A&M - San Antonio to develop their sports program and invite them. If they are looking at San Antonio.
WT is the best option, in my opinion, but with 2 schools still in D1 transition stage it may be feasible.

TAMU San Antonio will be a no brainier in 10 years. Their NAIA ramp up is going slowly. They don't even have a web site yet. They do not seem to be in any hurry at all.

So if they're so unambitious then what makes them a no brainer?

They'll get there eventually. And often the people who launch athletic programs aren't there 5 years later.

Look at TAMU Texarkana's trajectory, and they're in a much smaller market.

Looking down the road IWU would make an interesting cross town rival for TAMU SA.

I've not even heard of TAMU Texarkana honestly. Where is their trajectory headed?

2000 - UG enrollment 775
2014 - Launches athletic program and joins the NAIA with M & W Tennis and W Soccer, UG Enrollment 1363
2015 - adds Baseball, goes 2-2 in NAIA opening round (2-2), UG Enrollment 1,422
2016 - Joins Red River Conference, adds M Soccer, UG Enrollment 1,583
2017 - adds Softball, UG Enrollment 1,647
2018 - Completes Patterson Student Center (Gymnasium), UG Enrollment 1,664
2019 - adds M & W Basketball
2020 - M Basketball qualifies for NAIA Opening Round (L), EG Enrollment 1,723

This is a typical trajectory for an NAIA start up. Truly a "start up". They had no facilities, administration or coaches. For any start up, first you have to hire a core administration, decide which sports to sponsor and when, decide where to play, possibly build new facilities, hire coaches to coach those sports, recruit players, recruit sponsors, build support in the community, etc. You can't just pop that all into place in one year. So even if you're super ambitious, you are probably going to roll out one or two sports at a time. Where are your early sports going to play until you have enough to meet NCAA requirements? The NAIA.

Texarkana fits the profile of a typical NAIA school, so they might make the NAIA their permanent home. I could see them going D2 if they found a good conference fit at some point. I think they will probably add W and possibly M Volleyball soon. Football is a possibility as well, although facilities would be a big question. Lots of other minor sports could follow such as golf, track, cross country, etc.

TAMU SA is a different story. I am happy they are in the NAIA but I have no doubt that they will outgrow it pretty quickly. I think their enrollment goals are in the 10s of thousands. They already have 6800. A city of 1.5 million can easily support multiple D1 schools. Think of all the TAMU main campus alumni that are in SA that would like to see a TAMU "little brother" playing in their town. It may never be a heavyweight D1, but there's room for success there.

(04-08-2021 12:09 PM)TexanMark Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 06:59 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 02:40 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Well FWIW they have a bigger budget than everyone else in the SLC, including the Texas 4. Can't speak for facilities. I do see they play at the Gayle and Tom Benson stadium. So maybe the Benson family is influencing.

Their stadium capacity and basketball gym capacity are pretty low (HBU is even lower). Their basketball attendance was only 370.

They definitely have the finances, but attendance is weak and they play in undersized facilities, even for the SLC. I file this under "hum".

Perhaps IUW was asking the WAC for a visit. Sure San Antonio would be a good destination for the WAC. But, their facilities are still lacking even after the D1 move.
It would be better to wait for Texas A&M - San Antonio to develop their sports program and invite them. If they are looking at San Antonio.
WT is the best option, in my opinion, but with 2 schools still in D1 transition stage it may be feasible.

Nope...they are too similar to UTSA.

Incarnate Word is actually a pretty large private university. I used to live about 1/2 Mile from the school. They could support a low major there.

They have like 7k students on campus. 5k of which are undergrads, not very big. Maybe they could support a low major, but they currently don't.

(04-07-2021 11:37 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  I thought the "Texas 4" were trying to get away from those schools.

I think this is how realignment decisions often work out. There's no real master plan, nobody planning out 3 chess moves in advance. Schools do things that are only 90% thought out, are committed to something, then circumstances dictate they accept an option.

Even if that means that the original purpose of the move is gone.

I can EASILY believe that the Texas 4 left the SLC to get away from UIW and whoever else, and now they feel they have to invite UIW. Now they're committed to the WAC, the WAC absolutely positively NEEDS another football school* and UIW is the best available option, or most available option, or whatever.

so yeah, you tell me that the Texas-4 left the SLC to get away from UIW's college realignment BO, and now six months later they're inviting UIW into their league? Yeah, that happens.

* Do they? I don't know, but they're acting like they do, which is pretty much the same thing

(04-08-2021 10:41 AM)72Tiger Wrote:  I'd love to see UT Arlington restart football and be part of the FCS WAC. Keep the other sports in the Sunbelt if that makes economic sense. Strictly fantasy/pipe dream though.

There's lots of talk of Golden tickets to FBS on here but UTA actually has one. All they have to do is start football and they automatically become football members of the Sun Belt. Same with Little Rock.

(04-08-2021 12:13 PM)TexanMark Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 10:57 AM)Scoochpooch1 Wrote:  So awful conference adds awful school.
Awesome, just what Div I needs.

Your point is noted...I don't disagree.

I think a bunch of G5 schools need to join with the best FCS schools for a new division. Get a TV package and do a playoff.

True but pride will not let that happen.
But if or when the p5 leave it's possible.

(04-08-2021 12:15 PM)teamvsn Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 09:54 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 09:44 AM)teamvsn Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 09:26 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 09:13 AM)teamvsn Wrote:  TAMU San Antonio will be a no brainier in 10 years. Their NAIA ramp up is going slowly. They don't even have a web site yet. They do not seem to be in any hurry at all.

So if they're so unambitious then what makes them a no brainer?

They'll get there eventually. And often the people who launch athletic programs aren't there 5 years later.

Look at TAMU Texarkana's trajectory, and they're in a much smaller market.

Looking down the road IWU would make an interesting cross town rival for TAMU SA.

I've not even heard of TAMU Texarkana honestly. Where is their trajectory headed?

2000 - UG enrollment 775
2014 - Launches athletic program and joins the NAIA with M & W Tennis and W Soccer, UG Enrollment 1363
2015 - adds Baseball, goes 2-2 in NAIA opening round (2-2), UG Enrollment 1,422
2016 - Joins Red River Conference, adds M Soccer, UG Enrollment 1,583
2017 - adds Softball, UG Enrollment 1,647
2018 - Completes Patterson Student Center (Gymnasium), UG Enrollment 1,664
2019 - adds M & W Basketball
2020 - M Basketball qualifies for NAIA Opening Round (L), EG Enrollment 1,723

This is a typical trajectory for an NAIA start up. Truly a "start up". They had no facilities, administration or coaches. For any start up, first you have to hire a core administration, decide which sports to sponsor and when, decide where to play, possibly build new facilities, hire coaches to coach those sports, recruit players, recruit sponsors, build support in the community, etc. You can't just pop that all into place in one year. So even if you're super ambitious, you are probably going to roll out one or two sports at a time. Where are your early sports going to play until you have enough to meet NCAA requirements? The NAIA.

Texarkana fits the profile of a typical NAIA school, so they might make the NAIA their permanent home. I could see them going D2 if they found a good conference fit at some point. I think they will probably add W and possibly M Volleyball soon. Football is a possibility as well, although facilities would be a big question. Lots of other minor sports could follow such as golf, track, cross country, etc.

TAMU SA is a different story. I am happy they are in the NAIA but I have no doubt that they will outgrow it pretty quickly. I think their enrollment goals are in the 10s of thousands. They already have 6800. A city of 1.5 million can easily support multiple D1 schools. Think of all the TAMU main campus alumni that are in SA that would like to see a TAMU "little brother" playing in their town. It may never be a heavyweight D1, but there's room for success there.

I don't think I've ever seen a UT or A&M fan really care about the "little brother" schools. I mean they might want them to win, but probably wouldn't care enough to go out of their way to watch a game. Do Houston A&M fans support Prairie View? Do DFW Aggies support Tarleton?

Same with SA UT fans and UTSA or DFW UT fans and UTA. For the most part, no.

I could be wrong though.

(04-08-2021 12:19 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(04-07-2021 11:37 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  I thought the "Texas 4" were trying to get away from those schools.

I think this is how realignment decisions often work out. There's no real master plan, nobody planning out 3 chess moves in advance. Schools do things that are only 90% thought out, are committed to something, then circumstances dictate they accept an option.

Even if that means that the original purpose of the move is gone.

I can EASILY believe that the Texas 4 left the SLC to get away from UIW and whoever else, and now they feel they have to invite UIW. Now they're committed to the WAC, the WAC absolutely positively NEEDS another football school* and UIW is the best available option, or most available option, or whatever.

so yeah, you tell me that the Texas-4 left the SLC to get away from UIW's college realignment BO, and now six months later they're inviting UIW into their league? Yeah, that happens.

* Do they? I don't know, but they're acting like they do, which is pretty much the same thing

If the A-Sun doesn't get its 6th FB member for 2022, I think we could easily see the 3 WAC FB affiliates in 2021 from the A-Sun continue on in the WAC for at least one additional season. Then the WAC wouldn't need its own 6th non-transitional member for 2022 either.

(04-08-2021 12:17 PM)Bobcat2013 Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 12:09 PM)TexanMark Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 06:59 AM)MWC Tex Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 02:40 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Well FWIW they have a bigger budget than everyone else in the SLC, including the Texas 4. Can't speak for facilities. I do see they play at the Gayle and Tom Benson stadium. So maybe the Benson family is influencing.

Their stadium capacity and basketball gym capacity are pretty low (HBU is even lower). Their basketball attendance was only 370.

They definitely have the finances, but attendance is weak and they play in undersized facilities, even for the SLC. I file this under "hum".

Perhaps IUW was asking the WAC for a visit. Sure San Antonio would be a good destination for the WAC. But, their facilities are still lacking even after the D1 move.
It would be better to wait for Texas A&M - San Antonio to develop their sports program and invite them. If they are looking at San Antonio.
WT is the best option, in my opinion, but with 2 schools still in D1 transition stage it may be feasible.

Nope...they are too similar to UTSA.

Incarnate Word is actually a pretty large private university. I used to live about 1/2 Mile from the school. They could support a low major there.

They have like 7k students on campus. 5k of which are undergrads, not very big. Maybe they could support a low major, but they currently don't.

10K total which for a private is pretty large especially considering it is for entry as a low G5 type league

(04-08-2021 12:23 PM)cleburneslim Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 12:13 PM)TexanMark Wrote:  

(04-08-2021 10:57 AM)Scoochpooch1 Wrote:  So awful conference adds awful school.
Awesome, just what Div I needs.

Your point is noted...I don't disagree.

I think a bunch of G5 schools need to join with the best FCS schools for a new division. Get a TV package and do a playoff.

True but pride will not let that happen.
But if or when the p5 leave it's possible.

I think if the P5 leaves they'll bring along the AAC and MWC as junior members

Is IW "the" Texas Catholic university?

The other thing of note with any Southland Conference members being mentioned for expansion.

If Incarnate Word (or any school currently in the Southland that has football leaves), the league would then begin its two-year period of not being able to meet automatic bid requirements in no less than five sports (football, mens golf, womens golf, mens tennis and womens tennis). If I am not mistaken, even without UIW - the Southland has this issue in a few of the aforementioned sport albeit not football.

Hence why the Southland is really trying to shore up its membership with an active Division I member (though few options exist in the "footprint" to begin with and as we've said before, why would Texas Southern or Prairie View A&M make the move?).