(02-12-2021 10:12 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(02-12-2021 02:34 PM)solohawks Wrote:  

(02-12-2021 01:16 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  That will drop them down to 4 Baseball schools (Coppin State, Delaware State, UMES, Norfolk State), which is not close to enough for that 3rd men's team sport. Football is down to the bare minimum of 6 schools (Delaware State, Morgan State, Norfolk State, Howard, NC Central, SC State).

Chicago State also dropped baseball and doesn't have football. They do not help, cannot even provide help as an affiliate.

Of note, men's golf is down to just 3 (Howard, Morgan State, NC Central), plus affiliate D-II Augusta U. who play golf in D-I.

Chicago State could be useful as a Golf associate, allowing the MEAC to sponsor for both genders. But this doesn't help the team sport count.

Only Howard plays men's soccer (moving men's and women's soccer to the NEC, along with women's lacrosse, women's golf and men's and women's swimming and diving), so starting that sport is off the table.

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Howard has one foot in the NEC. If men's golf isn't started one can easily see Howard adding that to their NEC portfolio. It would be an easy walk frankly for them to join the NEC.

Delaware State has also talked with the NEC, although that was likely just an inquiry. At a minimum one could see the Hornets moving baseball, women's soccer, women's lacrosse (independent) and women's golf (independent) over to the NEC given the MEAC probably won't sponsor any of those.

I think you'll see schools looking for affiliate memberships for soon to be orphaned sports

The MEAC looks headed to Great West status if they cannot find a couple baseball schools in the next two years. At the point I'd expect a complete break up. The celebration bowl is the one thing holding it together.

If the MEAC loses a football schools they are in deep trouble.

The Big South could take NC Central, SC State, and/or Norfolk State. The NEC could take Howard, Morgan State, and/or Delaware St.

Best case scenario for those left behind is the SWAC allows them in as a group so they can operate under a intradivison only outside of Championship tournaments

No Division I conference would take Morgan St., Delaware St., Coppin St. or Maryland Eastern Shore. Doubtful even the SWAC would take South Carolina St. Howard has a decent shot simply because of their academic prestige. NCCU and Norfolk have to hope someone is interested.

Of the remaining MEAC schools, I only see Howard, Norfolk St, and North Carolina Central as having legitimate options to join another Division I conference. The others might if there’s a need. I liked the idea of OVC remnants (if there’s more defections) joining with the remaining MEAC schools plus Chicago St.