Saint Thomas To D1 Looked To Be A Go

After the initial meetings, the path from D3 to D1 could be revamped to allow Saint Thomas to join is on track as approval. The final verdict will be in April once the revamp rules would be approved. All signs are pointing to Saint Thomas will join D1 next year.

So do they want to go beyond 10 w Augusta also and now possibly St. Could St. since they dropped football?

(01-24-2020 08:14 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  So do they want to go beyond 10 w Augusta also and now possibly St. Could St. since they dropped football?

I think they’re hoping WIU finds another home and then backfill with Augustana.

(01-24-2020 08:24 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(01-24-2020 08:14 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  So do they want to go beyond 10 w Augusta also and now possibly St. Could St. since they dropped football?

I think they’re hoping WIU finds another home and then backfill with Augustana.

The UAC may have a home for WIU...

Crap.. I've been reading too much DavidSt stuff.... nevermind...

(01-25-2020 12:32 AM)lion1983 Wrote:  

(01-24-2020 08:24 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(01-24-2020 08:14 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  So do they want to go beyond 10 w Augusta also and now possibly St. Could St. since they dropped football?

I think they’re hoping WIU finds another home and then backfill with Augustana.

The UAC may have a home for WIU...

Crap.. I've been reading too much DavidSt stuff.... nevermind...

WIU isn't really all that much of a geographical outlier:

Actually WIU fits the footprint okay, especially if St. Thomas is added. The Indiana schools have been the real outliers.

I don’t know how Summit members view adding Austana now that St. Thomas has landed in their laps, but pushing the membership to 11 doesn’t seem like a problem. The MWC plays with 11 and the Big West will play with 11 beginning next season. A 20-game full round-robin hoops schedule is workable and creates a bit more conference inventory to market.

(01-25-2020 09:11 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  Actually WIU fits the footprint okay, especially if St. Thomas is added. The Indiana schools have been the real outliers.

I don’t know how Summit members view adding Austana now that St. Thomas has landed in their laps, but pushing the membership to 11 doesn’t seem like a problem. The MWC plays with 11 and the Big West will play with 11 beginning next season. A 20-game full round-robin hoops schedule is workable and creates a bit more conference inventory to market.

I can't imagine the schools are too thrilled about it, but if the Sanfords want Augustana, the Summit's going to get Augustana. If it helps them shore up their baseball and soccer numbers and make it so flight risks aren't as potentially damaging to the conference they'll grit their teeth.

I personally wish they'd try to pull St. Cloud up, but that's just me.

(01-25-2020 03:45 AM)Nerdlinger Wrote:  

(01-25-2020 12:32 AM)lion1983 Wrote:  

(01-24-2020 08:24 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(01-24-2020 08:14 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  So do they want to go beyond 10 w Augusta also and now possibly St. Could St. since they dropped football?

I think they’re hoping WIU finds another home and then backfill with Augustana.

The UAC may have a home for WIU...

Crap.. I've been reading too much DavidSt stuff.... nevermind...

WIU isn't really all that much of a geographical outlier:

WIU has 2 roadtrips under 6 hours, plays in one of the most remote locations in D1 (zero recruiting benefits), and represents the league’s poorest school.

so Minnesota will finally get it's second DI program? Long overdue

They need Northern Colorado and Central Oklahoma to join the Summit as well. Two schools that would give the 2 outliers a travel partner.
UMKC is there as well. Summit could sponsor football.
NDSU
North Dakota
SDSU
South Dakota
Northern Colorado
Saint Thomas
Western Illinois
Augustana
Central Oklahoma

They could go 15 by taken over MVFC.

If Western was 30 miles to the west in Iowa, nobody would be questioning that it was in the Summit.

(01-25-2020 10:10 AM)Mav Wrote:  

(01-25-2020 09:11 AM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  Actually WIU fits the footprint okay, especially if St. Thomas is added. The Indiana schools have been the real outliers.

I don’t know how Summit members view adding Austana now that St. Thomas has landed in their laps, but pushing the membership to 11 doesn’t seem like a problem. The MWC plays with 11 and the Big West will play with 11 beginning next season. A 20-game full round-robin hoops schedule is workable and creates a bit more conference inventory to market.

I can't imagine the schools are too thrilled about it, but if the Sanfords want Augustana, the Summit's going to get Augustana. If it helps them shore up their baseball and soccer numbers and make it so flight risks aren't as potentially damaging to the conference they'll grit their teeth.

I personally wish they'd try to pull St. Cloud up, but that's just me.

Message to Denver, Oral Roberts and the Dakotas - beggars can't be choosers.

You guys know PFW is leaving for the Horizon right. Add UMKC who is back

(01-25-2020 10:35 AM)gosports1 Wrote:  so Minnesota will finally get it's second DI program? Long overdue

They should have at least 3. I thought for a while St.Cloud St. should be D-I. I don't know about Augusta but I guess they want it.

(01-25-2020 02:47 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(01-25-2020 10:35 AM)gosports1 Wrote:  so Minnesota will finally get it's second DI program? Long overdue

They should have at least 3. I thought for a while St.Cloud St. should be D-I. I don't know about Augusta but I guess they want it.

Honestly, you could build a geographically tight NCC D1 conference.

Minnesota St
Minn-Duluth
St Cloud
St Thomas
UND
NDSU
USD
SDSU
Augustana
Omaha

(01-25-2020 01:18 PM)MissouriStateBears Wrote:  If Western was 30 miles to the west in Iowa, nobody would be questioning that it was in the Summit.

It's in the middle of nowhere. The only good fit for them geographically would be the MVC, but WIU will never have the athletic department to make that step up.

(01-25-2020 03:02 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(01-25-2020 02:47 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  

(01-25-2020 10:35 AM)gosports1 Wrote:  so Minnesota will finally get it's second DI program? Long overdue

They should have at least 3. I thought for a while St.Cloud St. should be D-I. I don't know about Augusta but I guess they want it.

Honestly, you could build a geographically tight NCC D1 conference.

Minnesota St
Minn-Duluth
St Cloud
St Thomas
UND
NDSU
USD
SDSU
Augustana
Omaha

Five Minnesota schools in D1 might be a bit much, and then you'd have to deal with the awkwardness of the Summit pulling a B1G and forcing the six hockey schools together to make a hockey conference.

(01-25-2020 02:45 PM)Fresno St. Alum Wrote:  You guys know PFW is leaving for the Horizon right. Add UMKC who is back

Yup. And all things considered I think the Summit has done a nice job of conference-building over the past few years. They have enough members to ensure long-term stability, the footprint is sensible and the institutional mix provides for interesting rivalries. I think it would be fun to be a fan in that conference.

You cannot kick out members. They just have to hope WIU decides to leave on their own.

(01-25-2020 03:50 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  You cannot kick out members. They just have to hope WIU decides to leave on their own.

Ask Temple about that. Still, WIU sponsors soccer and baseball so you'd have to be stupid to throw them and your autobid status out.

(01-25-2020 03:29 PM)Mav Wrote:  

(01-25-2020 01:18 PM)MissouriStateBears Wrote:  If Western was 30 miles to the west in Iowa, nobody would be questioning that it was in the Summit.

It's in the middle of nowhere. The only good fit for them geographically would be the MVC, but WIU will never have the athletic department to make that step up.

That's correct. But if WIU was in Davenport or Burlington and was named Eastern Iowa. The perception would be totally different for them in the Summit League.