http://northeastconference.org/news/2018...EC_18.aspx

Men's and women's hockey are already D-I in Hockey East.

Shame to see NJIT snubbed. Let’s see Merrimack take down Michigan.

Merrimack has football. NJIT doesn't.


So either they are going to a 20-game basketball schedule, or they will invite another.

Merrimack also more closely fits the general NEC profile, as a smaller private college. NJIT eventually belongs in America East.

(09-10-2018 12:00 PM)Bogg Wrote:  Merrimack also more closely fits the general NEC profile, as a smaller private college. NJIT eventually belongs in America East.

NJIT will be waiting a long, long time if that's their end goal.

(09-10-2018 12:33 PM)ccd494 Wrote:  

(09-10-2018 12:00 PM)Bogg Wrote:  Merrimack also more closely fits the general NEC profile, as a smaller private college. NJIT eventually belongs in America East.

NJIT will be waiting a long, long time if that's their end goal.

Why? NJIT fits the institutional and geographic profile. They have good academics, large market, improving athletics, and are pumping serious $$$ into all their on-campus facilities: academic, athletic, cultural, et al. America East should welcome them while they have the chance.

Did David St “call this” one too?

(09-10-2018 01:12 PM)PDNJ Wrote:  

(09-10-2018 12:33 PM)ccd494 Wrote:  

(09-10-2018 12:00 PM)Bogg Wrote:  Merrimack also more closely fits the general NEC profile, as a smaller private college. NJIT eventually belongs in America East.

NJIT will be waiting a long, long time if that's their end goal.

Why? NJIT fits the institutional and geographic profile. They have good academics, large market, improving athletics, and are pumping serious $$$ into all their on-campus facilities: academic, athletic, cultural, et al. America East should welcome them while they have the chance.

Yeah, I agree on all points. NJIT is the other state school playing D1 sports in NJ. That fits with the mid-major profile of the NY-NE state schools in the AE. Plus NJIT's location provides a nice bridge between UMBC and the rest of AE. It is literally a 10 minute drive from the NJTPK exit to the campus. That makes foe a nice stopover before heading South to Maryland.

(09-10-2018 12:33 PM)ccd494 Wrote:  

(09-10-2018 12:00 PM)Bogg Wrote:  Merrimack also more closely fits the general NEC profile, as a smaller private college. NJIT eventually belongs in America East.

NJIT will be waiting a long, long time if that's their end goal.

If the CAA ever wises up and takes SUNY-SB and SUNY-A as all sports members, AE will be calling to extend an invitation to NJIT in about 5 minutes,

(09-10-2018 02:00 PM)mikeinsec127 Wrote:  

(09-10-2018 12:33 PM)ccd494 Wrote:  

(09-10-2018 12:00 PM)Bogg Wrote:  Merrimack also more closely fits the general NEC profile, as a smaller private college. NJIT eventually belongs in America East.

NJIT will be waiting a long, long time if that's their end goal.

If the CAA ever wises up and takes SUNY-SB and SUNY-A as all sports members, AE will be calling to extend an invitation to NJIT in about 5 minutes,

Not sure there's really a benefit to the CAA expanding past 10 unless they need to go to a 20-game conference schedule and need one more. There isn't a giant need for one-bid conferences to get big. AE at 9 members is slightly on the small side though.

What happens to Field Hockey? My guess is they replace Siena, who are dropping the sport, in the MAAC. The NEC has 5 teams sponsoring now.

I suspect the NEC will go to 20 game Basketball schedule next year. They will only ever be a one bid league, but like the Big Sky, it would give schools and extra conference home game to sell tickets to. Being compact geographically they should be able to do it with only 5 "out of sequence" games.

An 8th in football will make scheduling easier, as schools will only need 4 OOC instead of 5.

Very interesting move.

(09-10-2018 01:58 PM)mikeinsec127 Wrote:  

(09-10-2018 01:12 PM)PDNJ Wrote:  

(09-10-2018 12:33 PM)ccd494 Wrote:  

(09-10-2018 12:00 PM)Bogg Wrote:  Merrimack also more closely fits the general NEC profile, as a smaller private college. NJIT eventually belongs in America East.

NJIT will be waiting a long, long time if that's their end goal.

Why? NJIT fits the institutional and geographic profile. They have good academics, large market, improving athletics, and are pumping serious $$$ into all their on-campus facilities: academic, athletic, cultural, et al. America East should welcome them while they have the chance.

Yeah, I agree on all points. NJIT is the other state school playing D1 sports in NJ. That fits with the mid-major profile of the NY-NE state schools in the AE. Plus NJIT's location provides a nice bridge between UMBC and the rest of AE. It is literally a 10 minute drive from the NJTPK exit to the campus. That makes foe a nice stopover before heading South to Maryland.

When America East added UMass Lowell they invited both Lowell and NJIT to make presentations. Lowell's was great. NJIT's was very, very much not. Like, laughably not. Like, probably going to need the entire leadership in the conference office and at a number of AE schools to turn over before considering NJIT again bad.

NJIT also has a weird mix of sports because it is heavily male. It doesn't do a whole lot to help America East in any way. It's fairly large, it's public. But it doesn't add revenue or add numbers to sports America East is light in, excepting baseball.

(09-10-2018 11:18 AM)dbackjon Wrote:  So either they are going to a 20-game basketball schedule, or they will invite another.

Probably the former. NEC already has Duquesne as a football affiliate.

NJITs candidacy is hampered by its lack of football AND its small offering of womens sports.

(09-10-2018 03:06 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  What happens to Field Hockey? My guess is they replace Siena, who are dropping the sport, in the MAAC. The NEC has 5 teams sponsoring now.

I suspect the NEC will go to 20 game Basketball schedule next year. They will only ever be a one bid league, but like the Big Sky, it would give schools and extra conference home game to sell tickets to. Being compact geographically they should be able to do it with only 5 "out of sequence" games.

An 8th in football will make scheduling easier, as schools will only need 4 OOC instead of 5.

Very interesting move.

The NEC announced it is sponsoring field hockey again last week:

https://www.northeastconference.org/news...aspx?path=

(09-10-2018 06:07 PM)Tom in Lazybrook Wrote:  NJITs candidacy is hampered by its lack of football AND its small offering of womens sports.

That it’s a public school doesn’t help any, especially with FDU and Wagner not far away.

It’s always about enrollment and resources in these places...a distrust that the public member gets some sort of edge in the arrangement. Of course, tell me how CCSU is doing there...

This hurts NJIT...to hear it from close by, they may have wanted NEC even over AmEast, who they seem to align better institutionally.

If NJIT put together a decent FCS football team they'd be in a regional conference. I think a rebrand as "Jersey Tech" for athletics could help their image.

Would NJIT even have room for a stadium? The campus is 11 miles from the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan, and is adjacent to Rutgers-Newark. If the Highlanders ever play football, it probably would be at Red Bull Arena in Harrison.

(09-10-2018 01:12 PM)PDNJ Wrote:  

(09-10-2018 12:33 PM)ccd494 Wrote:  

(09-10-2018 12:00 PM)Bogg Wrote:  Merrimack also more closely fits the general NEC profile, as a smaller private college. NJIT eventually belongs in America East.

NJIT will be waiting a long, long time if that's their end goal.

Why? NJIT fits the institutional and geographic profile. They have good academics, large market, improving athletics, and are pumping serious $$$ into all their on-campus facilities: academic, athletic, cultural, et al. America East should welcome them while they have the chance.

And where are they getting "serious" money from exactly?

(09-10-2018 01:56 PM)DoubleRSU Wrote:  Did David St “call this” one too?

Yes. The rumors were also Bentley and Southern New Hampshire would follow suit. Bentley also have football, Sothern New Hampshire does not.

Merrimack To D1 Rumor Thread

I started this thread in December of 2016.