(03-07-2012 02:16 PM)SubGod22 Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 01:13 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 10:43 AM)SubGod22 Wrote:  Would the A-10 ever consider going to 16 and split into East/West? I know of a couple of schools that are a little far West that would probably strongly consider leaving their current conference if that presented itself as an option. Neither one plays football.

Just wondering what others think.

So Creighton and Wichita State would consider joining the A10 with St Louis, Xavier, and Dayton? Adding Butler, Detroit, and maybe Loyola would really make that a powerhouse Midwest division of the A10. With that type alignment, the CAA would probably gain many of the eastern A10 schools, but the A10 would come out stronger - certainly if attendance is a standard.

Play the conference tournament in St Louis and that would cause the MVC tournament and conference status to instantly be downgraded.

I think both would strongly consider it. I know Wichita isn't all that pleased with the MVC. I think Creighton would love moving to a conference in which it could be affiliated with some of the other Catholic/Private schools that the A10 offers. And if they were to join together, I think that would seal the deal. If only one, it may be tougher. There's a nice rivalry between the two schools and they're far and away the best supported and attended in the conference. You could put the conference tournament in Honolulu for all we care. Travel isn't a concern. But the battles on the hardwood between Creighton, Wichita, Xavier, Dayton and Saint Louis would be something to see and could make for some nice TV games.

If the Big East ever split, always thought that Creighton and St Louis would be natural additions. Wichita State is more problematic because of its public status. It would make sense for Wichita State to align itself with Creighton every step of the way, and the A10 could be the first step for that goal.

After high conference RPIs most of the last decade, the Missouri Valley has fallen off, and a lot of that seems to be due to resources. Creighton and Wichita State have $'s, while S Illinois, Indiana St, Evansville, Bradley, N Iowa, etc don't have anywhere near the potential to go to the next level and sustain it.

(03-05-2012 12:51 AM)sctvman Wrote:  Butler will be an interesting case for the A-10. Men's basketball of course is strong, but what about their other sports?

In the South, you could have some movement with the football alliance. If Georgia State leaves the CAA (very likely) and goes to the Sun Belt or C-USA (longer shot), that leaves a spot.

Domino effect if App State or Georgia Southern leave FCS and Charlotte moves conferences.

CAA would look at Coastal Carolina, College of Charleston, maybe Georgia Southern and Liberty. Also would look at other schools in footprint. Maybe an Albany. Several others possible.

I never quite understood Ga State to the CAA; it's way out of the footprint. If the CAA was trying to get some exposure in the Atlanta media market (CAA has the largest TV contract for an FCS conference), then they could backfill with Kennesaw State, which plans to start football. Kennesaw is in an Atlanta suburb. But if they go for a more established program, then I think Coastal Carolina is their choice. I don't know that Ga Southern or App State would be interested in leaving the SoCon, and the College of Charleston doesn't play football.

(03-07-2012 02:37 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(02-21-2012 11:25 PM)sctvman Wrote:  West Florida would be interesting. Would grab a pretty good-sized market, and except for an AA baseball team and low-level hockey, is already the only thing in town.

I have spoken to administrators at UWF as part of my job and asked them about their athletics plans. They are starting D-2 football and have absolutely no intention of moving to D-1. If I were them, I'd go D-1 without football, but they think a state university in Florida needs football and that D-2 will be well-supported in Pensacola by the locals.

Agree. Move to DI, then later start non-scholarship football, then later go scholarship at the FCS level. UWF should have started DII football around 1970, not 40 years later.

South Alabama and West Florida campuses were created just about the same time and look at the difference now. UWF had a 40 year head start on FGCU, and look at how far FGCU is ahead of it. Definitely a study in contrasting goals.

(03-07-2012 02:53 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 02:37 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(02-21-2012 11:25 PM)sctvman Wrote:  West Florida would be interesting. Would grab a pretty good-sized market, and except for an AA baseball team and low-level hockey, is already the only thing in town.

I have spoken to administrators at UWF as part of my job and asked them about their athletics plans. They are starting D-2 football and have absolutely no intention of moving to D-1. If I were them, I'd go D-1 without football, but they think a state university in Florida needs football and that D-2 will be well-supported in Pensacola by the locals.

Agree. Move to DI, then later start non-scholarship football, then later go scholarship at the FCS level. UWF should have started DII football around 1970, not 40 years later.

South Alabama and West Florida campuses were created just about the same time and look at the difference now. UWF had a 40 year head start on FGCU, and look at how far FGCU is ahead of it. Definitely a study in contrasting goals.

How do you figure FGCU is ahead of UWF?

(03-07-2012 03:14 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 02:53 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 02:37 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(02-21-2012 11:25 PM)sctvman Wrote:  West Florida would be interesting. Would grab a pretty good-sized market, and except for an AA baseball team and low-level hockey, is already the only thing in town.

I have spoken to administrators at UWF as part of my job and asked them about their athletics plans. They are starting D-2 football and have absolutely no intention of moving to D-1. If I were them, I'd go D-1 without football, but they think a state university in Florida needs football and that D-2 will be well-supported in Pensacola by the locals.

Agree. Move to DI, then later start non-scholarship football, then later go scholarship at the FCS level. UWF should have started DII football around 1970, not 40 years later.

South Alabama and West Florida campuses were created just about the same time and look at the difference now. UWF had a 40 year head start on FGCU, and look at how far FGCU is ahead of it. Definitely a study in contrasting goals.

How do you figure FGCU is ahead of UWF?

FGCU is DI, a member of the ASun, and is developing a very credible DI athletic program in many sports (impressive considering it resides in the ASun and just finished its DI transition.)

FGCU has also been in discussions about sponsoring a non-scholarship football team. FGCU isn't ahead of UWF as far as football, but they are ahead in everything else. Granted, Fort Myers/Naples has more resources than Pensacola/Fort Walton Beach, but UWF had a 40 year head start.

(03-07-2012 02:41 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 02:16 PM)SubGod22 Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 01:13 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 10:43 AM)SubGod22 Wrote:  Would the A-10 ever consider going to 16 and split into East/West? I know of a couple of schools that are a little far West that would probably strongly consider leaving their current conference if that presented itself as an option. Neither one plays football.

Just wondering what others think.

So Creighton and Wichita State would consider joining the A10 with St Louis, Xavier, and Dayton? Adding Butler, Detroit, and maybe Loyola would really make that a powerhouse Midwest division of the A10. With that type alignment, the CAA would probably gain many of the eastern A10 schools, but the A10 would come out stronger - certainly if attendance is a standard.

Play the conference tournament in St Louis and that would cause the MVC tournament and conference status to instantly be downgraded.

I think both would strongly consider it. I know Wichita isn't all that pleased with the MVC. I think Creighton would love moving to a conference in which it could be affiliated with some of the other Catholic/Private schools that the A10 offers. And if they were to join together, I think that would seal the deal. If only one, it may be tougher. There's a nice rivalry between the two schools and they're far and away the best supported and attended in the conference. You could put the conference tournament in Honolulu for all we care. Travel isn't a concern. But the battles on the hardwood between Creighton, Wichita, Xavier, Dayton and Saint Louis would be something to see and could make for some nice TV games.

If the Big East ever split, always thought that Creighton and St Louis would be natural additions. Wichita State is more problematic because of its public status. It would make sense for Wichita State to align itself with Creighton every step of the way, and the A10 could be the first step for that goal.

After high conference RPIs most of the last decade, the Missouri Valley has fallen off, and a lot of that seems to be due to resources. Creighton and Wichita State have $'s, while S Illinois, Indiana St, Evansville, Bradley, N Iowa, etc don't have anywhere near the potential to go to the next level and sustain it.

We haven't gotten the bids, but we've remained a top 10 conference in RPI. But we have schools that drag their feet when it comes to increasing the difficulty of their schedules and paying coaches and upgrades. Wichita is in a tough spot as you pointed out. We're a public school and we don't have football. And our location isn't the greatest as far as geography. We're a slightly larger market the Creighton, but I'm not sure that matters too much.

Personally, I'm hoping for something to happen on the East Coast that opens a door, even to a public school. It's probably a bigger issue than I realize though. We either give in and bring football back and hope for an invite down the road, or we hope for a basketball conference to let us in. Otherwise, we're stuck with what we have.

(03-07-2012 04:37 PM)SubGod22 Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 02:41 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 02:16 PM)SubGod22 Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 01:13 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 10:43 AM)SubGod22 Wrote:  Would the A-10 ever consider going to 16 and split into East/West? I know of a couple of schools that are a little far West that would probably strongly consider leaving their current conference if that presented itself as an option. Neither one plays football.

Just wondering what others think.

So Creighton and Wichita State would consider joining the A10 with St Louis, Xavier, and Dayton? Adding Butler, Detroit, and maybe Loyola would really make that a powerhouse Midwest division of the A10. With that type alignment, the CAA would probably gain many of the eastern A10 schools, but the A10 would come out stronger - certainly if attendance is a standard.

Play the conference tournament in St Louis and that would cause the MVC tournament and conference status to instantly be downgraded.

I think both would strongly consider it. I know Wichita isn't all that pleased with the MVC. I think Creighton would love moving to a conference in which it could be affiliated with some of the other Catholic/Private schools that the A10 offers. And if they were to join together, I think that would seal the deal. If only one, it may be tougher. There's a nice rivalry between the two schools and they're far and away the best supported and attended in the conference. You could put the conference tournament in Honolulu for all we care. Travel isn't a concern. But the battles on the hardwood between Creighton, Wichita, Xavier, Dayton and Saint Louis would be something to see and could make for some nice TV games.

If the Big East ever split, always thought that Creighton and St Louis would be natural additions. Wichita State is more problematic because of its public status. It would make sense for Wichita State to align itself with Creighton every step of the way, and the A10 could be the first step for that goal.

After high conference RPIs most of the last decade, the Missouri Valley has fallen off, and a lot of that seems to be due to resources. Creighton and Wichita State have $'s, while S Illinois, Indiana St, Evansville, Bradley, N Iowa, etc don't have anywhere near the potential to go to the next level and sustain it.

We haven't gotten the bids, but we've remained a top 10 conference in RPI. But we have schools that drag their feet when it comes to increasing the difficulty of their schedules and paying coaches and upgrades. Wichita is in a tough spot as you pointed out. We're a public school and we don't have football. And our location isn't the greatest as far as geography. We're a slightly larger market the Creighton, but I'm not sure that matters too much.

Personally, I'm hoping for something to happen on the East Coast that opens a door, even to a public school. It's probably a bigger issue than I realize though. We either give in and bring football back and hope for an invite down the road, or we hope for a basketball conference to let us in. Otherwise, we're stuck with what we have.

How bout a new conference made up of the best combined schools from the region, something like:

Wichita, Creighton, Bradley, Missouri St., St. Louis, Dayton, Xavier and Butler

(03-07-2012 01:30 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 01:30 AM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(03-06-2012 08:37 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-06-2012 08:07 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  Chic St is likely a last resort option for the Summit. Same for the Southland with UTPA.

If the Great West is granted the ability to invite DII member to DI, could almost see the Great West patching together schools like:

GVSU, SVSU don't want to move up, unless you heard something new. Wayne St. was supposed to in 2006ish but didn't. 33,000 students and fb but still D-II. GVSU has 25,000. Both are bigger than Fresno St. 21,300. Haven't heard anything new on USI since the moratorium, I know they were thinging about it. That's good conf. though. Mainly because CSU is the only GWC school in your version

GVSU's AD has stated they don't have a place to go that would protect their football program. That type league certainly isn't ideal, but workable. GVSU really needs SVSU and Wayne for a Michigan presence in football (Oakland would do but they don't have football). Of course, with Michigan's economy, the chances are ridiculously low.

Would the MVFC ever go to 12? I know they didn't want 11 but what about 12 w/ UND and GVSU?

UND and Grand Valley would love to be affiliated with each other (UND would have won additional DII football championships if GVSU's Brian Kelley hadn't been in the way). The two schools' fan bases have a lot of respect for each other.

On paper, it makes some sense, but too much politics are involved.

When UN-Omaha dropped football to go DI, it wasn't just because of finances. Some of the other Summit League football schools were practically demanding it as a condition of acceptance (see below). By UNO dropping football, the recruiting prospects of USD and SDSU in Nebraska markedly increase.

If two more Summit League football teams were added to the MVFC, the MVFC would then be six Summit, five MVC, and one Horizon team. The MVC doesn't want to cede control (the MVFC is run out of the MVC office) nor does it want to create a chance that a Summit football league would form. W Illinois is passionately against Summit football (would break up rivalries with S Ill and Ill St), and NDSU and SDSU believe that by associating themselves with the MVFC, that opens the door to the MVC. All three are likely against even the possibility of Summit football, which six football teams in the Summit would create. Furthermore, low budget football teams like Indiana State don't want any travel further than four hours (NDSU barely was accepted into the MVFC because travel would require a flight for some teams). USD only barely got into the MVFC because the Summit League schools were fearful that USD accepting a Big Sky all-sports bid (which was at the time the only option for USD football) would mean the Summit League could later drop below core membership requirements, so SDSU, NDSU, and W Ill suddenly changed their stance against USD in the MVFC to demanding that the others MVC schools add USD. Only then was USD added, and only after Indiana St, Ill St, Youngstown, and maybe S Ill were promised that they would only have at most 1 trip a year to the Dakotas.

MVC keeping football is easy. If the Summit had 6 and said we're going to start football as a conf sport. The next day the MVC invites NDSU and SDSU as full members and it announces the MVFC will become the MVC since it would have 7 full fb playing members and Summit would be down to 4.

(03-07-2012 03:21 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 03:14 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 02:53 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 02:37 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(02-21-2012 11:25 PM)sctvman Wrote:  West Florida would be interesting. Would grab a pretty good-sized market, and except for an AA baseball team and low-level hockey, is already the only thing in town.

I have spoken to administrators at UWF as part of my job and asked them about their athletics plans. They are starting D-2 football and have absolutely no intention of moving to D-1. If I were them, I'd go D-1 without football, but they think a state university in Florida needs football and that D-2 will be well-supported in Pensacola by the locals.

Agree. Move to DI, then later start non-scholarship football, then later go scholarship at the FCS level. UWF should have started DII football around 1970, not 40 years later.

South Alabama and West Florida campuses were created just about the same time and look at the difference now. UWF had a 40 year head start on FGCU, and look at how far FGCU is ahead of it. Definitely a study in contrasting goals.

How do you figure FGCU is ahead of UWF?

FGCU is DI, a member of the ASun, and is developing a very credible DI athletic program in many sports (impressive considering it resides in the ASun and just finished its DI transition.)

FGCU has also been in discussions about sponsoring a non-scholarship football team. FGCU isn't ahead of UWF as far as football, but they are ahead in everything else. Granted, Fort Myers/Naples has more resources than Pensacola/Fort Walton Beach, but UWF had a 40 year head start.

FGCU only started sports in 2004 and moved to D-I in 2007. They made the women's D-II title game their last year there and made the D-I tourney this year. Their mens team lost the A-Sun title to Belmont(who will be in the OVC this fall) this year. That's impressive.

(03-07-2012 02:31 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 01:58 PM)AndreWhere Wrote:  What is the point of any of this? What do these schools hope to accomplish by moving up? Are they trying to be the next Boise State? Do they not realize that it's more likely they'll end up being the next UAB (if they lose) or, at best, the next USM (if they win)?

I think that yniversity administrators justify a move to D-I based on national visibility. I'm not sure the sort of national exposure USM has been getting is really a positive, though. Most of this exposure consists of articles about how "USM is not good enough for the Big East" or "USM is not good enough for the Big XII" or "USM is not good enough for the SEC."

This has been going on for almost 15 years now, and I think most USM fans have given up on ever making any more progress with respect to prestige or affiliation. We've made our peace with the fact that we've been shoved away from the table by some nearby bullies, and just hope to garner a couple more appearances in the bowls and polls before we finally get shoved into some new I-AAA classification for good.

But the drumbeat of media negativity about conference affiliation will go on until this happens, and probably even after, and this does nothing to enhance the overall public perception of USM.

Who would ever aspire to that? At least toiling away anonymously offers the benefits of anonymity.

You are using an FBS vs FCS argument rather than a DI vs DII basketball argument. To most of the media, FCS and DII football are the same: no visibility

DII basketball has no practically no national media consciousness whatsoever. On the other hand, DI basketball, even among the lowest conference, offers the potential of orders of magnitude greater exposure than DII basketball.

See Murrary State, Va Commonwealth, Valparaiso, Northern Iowa, Gonzaga, Butler, Richmond, George Mason.

I agree; moving up to D-I basketball can still make sense even though moving up to mid-major status in football does not.

Having a non-major football team (I-AA, D-II, D-III, or even NAIA) has advantages as well, compared to having no football team whatsoever. A football team is something some prospective students will look for. It enables certain campus activities.

What I do not see the point of is moving up to the mid-major level in football. That's not a happy place to be right now, and I don't think that ESPN and/or the SEC will allow it to be a happy place for the foreseeable future. If there is any prospect of a happy ending I'd be glad to hear about it.

Got this from the Senior Reports facebook page. So UNO looking at the SLC or Great West? Going back to D-I. If so I bet they shut down football, which they were going to start in the Gulf South Conf. in 2015.

UNO President Peter Fos will make an announcement about the future of athletics at the University of New Orleans.

When: Tomorrow, March 8, 3:00 p.m.

Where: UNO Lakefront Arena, Spotlights Lounge

(03-07-2012 07:41 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  Got this from the Senior Reports facebook page. So UNO looking at the SLC or Great West? Going back to D-I. If so I bet they shut down football, which they were going to start in the Gulf South Conf. in 2015.

UNO President Peter Fos will make an announcement about the future of athletics at the University of New Orleans.

When: Tomorrow, March 8, 3:00 p.m.

Where: UNO Lakefront Arena, Spotlights Lounge

Since it's tomorrow, it has got to be the Southland. Until the Great West situation is clarified and/or other schools co-announce, the Great West is not an option.

The Southland is at 10, so it needs 2 more and at least one preferably two must have football.

(03-07-2012 04:59 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 01:30 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 01:30 AM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(03-06-2012 08:37 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-06-2012 08:07 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  Chic St is likely a last resort option for the Summit. Same for the Southland with UTPA.

If the Great West is granted the ability to invite DII member to DI, could almost see the Great West patching together schools like:

GVSU, SVSU don't want to move up, unless you heard something new. Wayne St. was supposed to in 2006ish but didn't. 33,000 students and fb but still D-II. GVSU has 25,000. Both are bigger than Fresno St. 21,300. Haven't heard anything new on USI since the moratorium, I know they were thinging about it. That's good conf. though. Mainly because CSU is the only GWC school in your version

GVSU's AD has stated they don't have a place to go that would protect their football program. That type league certainly isn't ideal, but workable. GVSU really needs SVSU and Wayne for a Michigan presence in football (Oakland would do but they don't have football). Of course, with Michigan's economy, the chances are ridiculously low.

Would the MVFC ever go to 12? I know they didn't want 11 but what about 12 w/ UND and GVSU?

UND and Grand Valley would love to be affiliated with each other (UND would have won additional DII football championships if GVSU's Brian Kelley hadn't been in the way). The two schools' fan bases have a lot of respect for each other.

On paper, it makes some sense, but too much politics are involved.

When UN-Omaha dropped football to go DI, it wasn't just because of finances. Some of the other Summit League football schools were practically demanding it as a condition of acceptance (see below). By UNO dropping football, the recruiting prospects of USD and SDSU in Nebraska markedly increase.

If two more Summit League football teams were added to the MVFC, the MVFC would then be six Summit, five MVC, and one Horizon team. The MVC doesn't want to cede control (the MVFC is run out of the MVC office) nor does it want to create a chance that a Summit football league would form. W Illinois is passionately against Summit football (would break up rivalries with S Ill and Ill St), and NDSU and SDSU believe that by associating themselves with the MVFC, that opens the door to the MVC. All three are likely against even the possibility of Summit football, which six football teams in the Summit would create. Furthermore, low budget football teams like Indiana State don't want any travel further than four hours (NDSU barely was accepted into the MVFC because travel would require a flight for some teams). USD only barely got into the MVFC because the Summit League schools were fearful that USD accepting a Big Sky all-sports bid (which was at the time the only option for USD football) would mean the Summit League could later drop below core membership requirements, so SDSU, NDSU, and W Ill suddenly changed their stance against USD in the MVFC to demanding that the others MVC schools add USD. Only then was USD added, and only after Indiana St, Ill St, Youngstown, and maybe S Ill were promised that they would only have at most 1 trip a year to the Dakotas.

MVC keeping football is easy. If the Summit had 6 and said we're going to start football as a conf sport. The next day the MVC invites NDSU and SDSU as full members and it announces the MVFC will become the MVC since it would have 7 full fb playing members and Summit would be down to 4.

The fastest way to drive out Creighton, Wichita St, and Evansville would be to add NDSU and SDSU. NDSU just doesn't have a decent basketball facility, SDSU is in a small town, and the Dakota's population doesn't help ratings or recruiting.

(03-07-2012 07:57 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 07:41 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  Got this from the Senior Reports facebook page. So UNO looking at the SLC or Great West? Going back to D-I. If so I bet they shut down football, which they were going to start in the Gulf South Conf. in 2015.

UNO President Peter Fos will make an announcement about the future of athletics at the University of New Orleans.

When: Tomorrow, March 8, 3:00 p.m.

Where: UNO Lakefront Arena, Spotlights Lounge

Since it's tomorrow, it has got to be the Southland. Until the Great West situation is clarified and/or other schools co-announce, the Great West is not an option.

The Southland is at 10, so it needs 2 more and at least one preferably two must have football.

SLC has 11. They added HBU which is starting fb and ORU for 11. They are talking to ACU and UIW from D-II who both have fb and also UTPA(no fb)

(03-07-2012 08:04 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 04:59 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 01:30 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 01:30 AM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(03-06-2012 08:37 PM)NoDak Wrote:  GVSU's AD has stated they don't have a place to go that would protect their football program. That type league certainly isn't ideal, but workable. GVSU really needs SVSU and Wayne for a Michigan presence in football (Oakland would do but they don't have football). Of course, with Michigan's economy, the chances are ridiculously low.

Would the MVFC ever go to 12? I know they didn't want 11 but what about 12 w/ UND and GVSU?

UND and Grand Valley would love to be affiliated with each other (UND would have won additional DII football championships if GVSU's Brian Kelley hadn't been in the way). The two schools' fan bases have a lot of respect for each other.

On paper, it makes some sense, but too much politics are involved.

When UN-Omaha dropped football to go DI, it wasn't just because of finances. Some of the other Summit League football schools were practically demanding it as a condition of acceptance (see below). By UNO dropping football, the recruiting prospects of USD and SDSU in Nebraska markedly increase.

If two more Summit League football teams were added to the MVFC, the MVFC would then be six Summit, five MVC, and one Horizon team. The MVC doesn't want to cede control (the MVFC is run out of the MVC office) nor does it want to create a chance that a Summit football league would form. W Illinois is passionately against Summit football (would break up rivalries with S Ill and Ill St), and NDSU and SDSU believe that by associating themselves with the MVFC, that opens the door to the MVC. All three are likely against even the possibility of Summit football, which six football teams in the Summit would create. Furthermore, low budget football teams like Indiana State don't want any travel further than four hours (NDSU barely was accepted into the MVFC because travel would require a flight for some teams). USD only barely got into the MVFC because the Summit League schools were fearful that USD accepting a Big Sky all-sports bid (which was at the time the only option for USD football) would mean the Summit League could later drop below core membership requirements, so SDSU, NDSU, and W Ill suddenly changed their stance against USD in the MVFC to demanding that the others MVC schools add USD. Only then was USD added, and only after Indiana St, Ill St, Youngstown, and maybe S Ill were promised that they would only have at most 1 trip a year to the Dakotas.

MVC keeping football is easy. If the Summit had 6 and said we're going to start football as a conf sport. The next day the MVC invites NDSU and SDSU as full members and it announces the MVFC will become the MVC since it would have 7 full fb playing members and Summit would be down to 4.

The fastest way to drive out Creighton, Wichita St, and Evansville would be to add NDSU and SDSU. NDSU just doesn't have a decent basketball facility, SDSU is in a small town, and the Dakota's population doesn't help ratings or recruiting.

Right now Creighton and Wichita St. don't have anywhere better to go. They could throw in Butler and someone else to help ease their pain.

(03-07-2012 08:12 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 07:57 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 07:41 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  Got this from the Senior Reports facebook page. So UNO looking at the SLC or Great West? Going back to D-I. If so I bet they shut down football, which they were going to start in the Gulf South Conf. in 2015.

UNO President Peter Fos will make an announcement about the future of athletics at the University of New Orleans.

When: Tomorrow, March 8, 3:00 p.m.

Where: UNO Lakefront Arena, Spotlights Lounge

Since it's tomorrow, it has got to be the Southland. Until the Great West situation is clarified and/or other schools co-announce, the Great West is not an option.

The Southland is at 10, so it needs 2 more and at least one preferably two must have football.

SLC has 11. They added HBU which is starting fb and ORU for 11. They are talking to ACU and UIW from D-II who both have fb and also UTPA(no fb)

HBU slipped my mind.

Does the Southland go to 14 just to protect itself from possible losses of Lamar and Sam Houston?

(03-07-2012 08:17 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 08:12 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 07:57 PM)NoDak Wrote:  

(03-07-2012 07:41 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  Got this from the Senior Reports facebook page. So UNO looking at the SLC or Great West? Going back to D-I. If so I bet they shut down football, which they were going to start in the Gulf South Conf. in 2015.

UNO President Peter Fos will make an announcement about the future of athletics at the University of New Orleans.

When: Tomorrow, March 8, 3:00 p.m.

Where: UNO Lakefront Arena, Spotlights Lounge

Since it's tomorrow, it has got to be the Southland. Until the Great West situation is clarified and/or other schools co-announce, the Great West is not an option.

The Southland is at 10, so it needs 2 more and at least one preferably two must have football.

SLC has 11. They added HBU which is starting fb and ORU for 11. They are talking to ACU and UIW from D-II who both have fb and also UTPA(no fb)

HBU slipped my mind.

Does the Southland go to 14 just to protect itself from possible losses of Lamar and Sam Houston?

I hope that is their thinking. UIW and ACU are way better options than UTPA, UNO and even HBU who they added. UIW has Benson's money(Saints owner).

UNO will remain D-I and is hoping for a SLC invite.

http://www.sportsnola.com/sports/uno/582...ion-i.html

The Dakotas won't get a full invite. I don't know how many members have to approve a move like that but I'm pretty sure No votes would be cast by Wichita, Creighton, Evansville and Indiana State. I'd guess Bradley and Missouri State wouldn't be fans of that either.

If the Valley ever expands, it will be for basketball purposes only. Butler isn't going to join. Elgin wants SLU, but SLU isn't interested and neither are a number of Valley schools. There just aren't enough good basketball only schools in the area to improve the standing of the conference. The best options as far as basketball goes would be SLU, Butler, Belmont, Wright State, Milwaukee and Oral Roberts. I may have missed a few but I'm not sure you add a lot by any of those schools outside of Butler. Would have to look more into how their athletic departments run and what kind of potential they could have with a better conference. But the Valley isn't in a good place. They screwed up by adding the likes of Evansville in the first place.

Oral Roberts is headed to the Southland in July, so ORU to the MVC wouldn't happen for a while. Belmont is joining the OVC, which is much more travel-friendly than the MVC. A Milwaukee/Green Bay pairing would make sense as far as new territory, although St. Louis and Butler make more sense from a competitive standpoint.