http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/a...-softball/

Columbus State University moving to D1 next year. Prep softball signee unknowingly makes it official. Rumors in and around the community have the A-Sun as the main target.

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2013/04/1...hould.html

(05-24-2013 07:26 PM)MidniteMadness Wrote:  http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/a...-softball/

Columbus State University moving to D1 next year. Prep softball signee unknowingly makes it official. Rumors in and around the community have the A-Sun as the main target.

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2013/04/1...hould.html

Keep us updated. There will be room for you in the A-Sun soon.

Assuming Mercer and ETSU are gone, Columbus State is a sensible add:

FGCU/Stetson
Jacksonville/North Florida
Kennesaw State/Columbus State
NKU/Lipscomb
USCU

The key is not to have any further losses before 2016 (outside of NKU) to keep 7 Division I members.

(05-25-2013 09:47 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Assuming Mercer and ETSU are gone, Columbus State is a sensible add:

FGCU/Stetson
Jacksonville/North Florida
Kennesaw State/Columbus State
NKU/Lipscomb
USCU

The key is not to have any further losses before 2016 (outside of NKU) to keep 7 Division I members.

Kennesaw might be the one to go, since they are planning football by 2015. But who will take them?

Big South will take anyone with football and a pulse.

It's official, Mercer & ETSU move to the SoCon. This leaves the A-Sun with 8 schools:

Florida Gulf Coast
Kennesaw State
Lipscomb
North Florida
Jacksonville
Northern Kentucky
Stetson
USC-Upstate

Out of the 8 schools left in the A-Sun...

- Florida Gulf Coast is on an island, and without football there is no escape. They desperately need the A-Sun remain.

- Kennesaw State by necessity will be looking to leave. I wouldn't mind seeing them in the Southern if they expanded further.

- Lipscomb seems like they are staying put. I personally don't ever want to be affiliated with that school again.

- North Florida is a good school on the rise. They seem attractive, but no football is the problem.

- Jacksonville could have made a push to improve athletics 10 years ago, but yet they remain at a consistent level. A small enrollment hurts, but I'd think they have the ability to move if they wanted to. An A-Sun implosion and JAX & Kennesaw are the first 2 picks.

- Northern Kentucky...I guess a northern league might take them, but I don't know much on that situation.

- Stetson appears to be staying put in the A-Sun. I don't see them going scholarship football at the current field they use. They'd need a major facility upgrade first.

- USC Upstate should be staying put for the long haul.


I think the A-Sun will survive with no problems, just need 2+ schools for flexibility. Probably 3 since Kennesaw will be leaving at some point.

(05-30-2013 01:00 PM)MercerFan Wrote:  Out of the 8 schools left in the A-Sun...

- Florida Gulf Coast is on an island, and without football there is no escape. They desperately need the A-Sun remain.

- Kennesaw State by necessity will be looking to leave. I wouldn't mind seeing them in the Southern if they expanded further.

- Lipscomb seems like they are staying put. I personally don't ever want to be affiliated with that school again.

- North Florida is a good school on the rise. They seem attractive, but no football is the problem.

- Jacksonville could have made a push to improve athletics 10 years ago, but yet they remain at a consistent level. A small enrollment hurts, but I'd think they have the ability to move if they wanted to. An A-Sun implosion and JAX & Kennesaw are the first 2 picks.

- Northern Kentucky...I guess a northern league might take them, but I don't know much on that situation.

- Stetson appears to be staying put in the A-Sun. I don't see them going scholarship football at the current field they use. They'd need a major facility upgrade first.

- USC Upstate should be staying put for the long haul.


I think the A-Sun will survive with no problems, just need 2+ schools for flexibility. Probably 3 since Kennesaw will be leaving at some point.

DI rules require at least 7 full DI members to maintain men's basketball autobid. Since NKU is not a full member for three more years, the ASun is at the minimum number and can't afford to lose anyone else.

Think they could add IUPUI or IPFW and maybe W Ill to go with NKU and Lipscomb in the north, but those additions would kill the Summit.

What the ASun should do is add a bunch of DII schools in the north (Bellarmine, S Indiana, Lincoln Memorial, Lindenwood (St L), and maybe North Alabama) and a number of schools in the south (Columbus St, W Georgia, Clayton St, Wingate, Nova Southeastern, Florida Tech) and eventually split the conference in two.

What is the problem with Lipscomb, athletically?

Read on another post that the Atlantic Sun only has today to respond if it adds a DII school, as June 1st is the NCAA deadline for moving to DI from DII. Columbus St (Ga) is one that is rumored. The SoCon's dragging this out really put the Atlantic Sun in a bind.

Thanks, SoCon.

Yes but the ASUN can add new members July 1st of 2014 to be ready to compete immediately can't they?

The Atlantic Sun's grace period will begin July 1, 2014 unless if it adds another D-I school. Any D-II school must apply by Friday to move up to D-I starting July 1, 2014 (the 2013-14 year is the "exploratory year").

NKU comes out of transition July 1, 2016.

(05-30-2013 02:45 PM)bigblueblindness Wrote:  Read on another post that the Atlantic Sun only has today to respond if it adds a DII school, as June 1st is the NCAA deadline for moving to DI from DII. Columbus St (Ga) is one that is rumored. The SoCon's dragging this out really put the Atlantic Sun in a bind.

Thanks, SoCon.

Not really the A-Sun should have had the foresight to know that those 3(2 ASC) would be gone. Socon said they're looking at them for 2 months or more. Plus had campus visits. When a conf. loses 5 members and they name 2 of your schools as targets, you get on the phone w/ Columbus St., Georgia Regents, UNA, UWG, UWF and see how many are interested. The football schools should ask if the Big South would take them for fb only. A-Sun needs to have more foresight since the Big South will be coming for USCU or KSU to replace VMI. NKU is on the Summit and Horizon radar

http://www.news-press.com/article/201305...-blow-FGCU

Interesting article posted a few hours ago.

I hope the A-Sun adds a couple schools, I want to see them do well. The commissioner had a nice statement today about the situation. Classy and complimentary toward Mercer and ETSU's contributions over the years.

(05-30-2013 10:25 PM)MidniteMadness Wrote:  http://www.news-press.com/article/201305...-blow-FGCU

Interesting article posted a few hours ago.

Gumbart is whistling by the graveyard.

I doubt this would happen, but here's one way to save the ship:

New Orleans/Southeastern Louisiana
Nicholls State/McNeese State
Florida Gulf Coast/Stetson
Jacksonville/North Florida
North Alabama/Lipscomb

The Southland schools will not be 1 of 14 competing for an automatic bid in a league transitioning 3 schools from Division II at the same time. If Kennesaw State and NKU don't get the big promotion, they can be schools #11 and #12. If only one of them leaves bring Columbus (Ga) State or Bellarmine in as a travel partner to form 3 quads of four schools.

FCS football would be a mess, but one of five things happens:

1) The Louisiana schools and UNA drop football
2) Everyone goes non-scholarship
3) Everyone goes reduced scholarship (see the NEC)
4) Jacksonville and Stetson go full scholarship
5) Everyone plays football elsewhere

ASun needs to decide which football they will sponsor.
That decision is overdue.

(06-01-2013 05:37 AM)mufootballfan Wrote:  ASun needs to decide which football they will sponsor.
That decision is overdue.

Too late. That decision should have been made 5-10 years ago. The A-Suck has passed Titanic status and gone right to Hindenburg.

It is overdue but you have to give your members that play or want to play football some kind of option within the conference.