The collapse of Sun Belt men's soccer has turned Coastal Carolina to C-USA.

This should be a good league for the Chants - a win-win for everybody.
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DALLAS – Conference USA has announced the addition of Coastal Carolina University as an affiliate member for the sport of men's soccer. The Chanticleers will begin play in C-USA for the 2021 fall season.

"Coastal Carolina is a nationally-respected and accomplished men's soccer program," said C-USA Commissioner Judy MacLeod. "Adding them to an already strong lineup of teams will further enhance one of the conference's most successful sports."

The addition of Coastal Carolina will return Conference USA to nine men's soccer members as it competed with from 2014-19. Charlotte, FIU, Florida Atlantic, Marshall, Old Dominion, and UAB are joined by affiliate members CCU, Kentucky, and South Carolina.

"The goal for all of our programs is to compete on a national level, something our men's soccer program has accomplished throughout its history" commented Coastal Carolina University Director of Athletics Matt Hogue. "Joining Conference USA and its strong soccer membership will only strengthen our program's stature and assist in reaching our competitive goals. We are thrilled to begin this new partnership and thank Commissioner MacLeod and the C-USA CEOs for recognizing our program's success and extending the affiliate invitation."

https://goccusports.com/news/2021/2/25/c...e-usa.aspx

Nice. Welcome Chants!

Interesting as from what I understood one of the main reasons the Sun Belt took Coastal over EKU was men's Soccer. It wasn't the only reason, but it was a high consideration.

(02-25-2021 12:41 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  Interesting as from what I understood one of the main reasons the Sun Belt took Coastal over EKU was men's Soccer. It wasn't the only reason, but it was a high consideration.

Maybe things were different then but we barely have any mens soccer teams now.

(02-25-2021 12:41 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  Interesting as from what I understood one of the main reasons the Sun Belt took Coastal over EKU was men's Soccer. It wasn't the only reason, but it was a high consideration.

Sun Belt definitely needed bodies in soccer but don't think they put much weight on it as a sport. I'd say CCU coming off a baseball national title had more of an influence and is a sport the SB values.

What's next for the Georgia duo? State and Southern need homes too.

(02-25-2021 12:49 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(02-25-2021 12:41 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  Interesting as from what I understood one of the main reasons the Sun Belt took Coastal over EKU was men's Soccer. It wasn't the only reason, but it was a high consideration.

Sun Belt definitely needed bodies in soccer but don't think they put much weight on it as a sport. I'd say CCU coming off a baseball national title had more of an influence and is a sport the SB values.

They won the CWS after being accepted into the Sun Belt but before their time in the Big South ran out.

(02-25-2021 01:06 PM)whittx Wrote:  

(02-25-2021 12:49 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(02-25-2021 12:41 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  Interesting as from what I understood one of the main reasons the Sun Belt took Coastal over EKU was men's Soccer. It wasn't the only reason, but it was a high consideration.

Sun Belt definitely needed bodies in soccer but don't think they put much weight on it as a sport. I'd say CCU coming off a baseball national title had more of an influence and is a sport the SB values.

They won the CWS after being accepted into the Sun Belt but before their time in the Big South ran out.

That's right. They definitely have a strong Men's soccer and baseball program, I'd still argue that the baseball was likely more of a driver

(02-25-2021 01:10 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(02-25-2021 01:06 PM)whittx Wrote:  

(02-25-2021 12:49 PM)mturn017 Wrote:  

(02-25-2021 12:41 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  Interesting as from what I understood one of the main reasons the Sun Belt took Coastal over EKU was men's Soccer. It wasn't the only reason, but it was a high consideration.

Sun Belt definitely needed bodies in soccer but don't think they put much weight on it as a sport. I'd say CCU coming off a baseball national title had more of an influence and is a sport the SB values.

They won the CWS after being accepted into the Sun Belt but before their time in the Big South ran out.

That's right. They definitely have a strong Men's soccer and baseball program, I'd still argue that the baseball was likely more of a driver

Agreed, and they were definitely the stronger FCS football team too.

The MAC is down 4 soccer schools plus affiliate WVU. They could take the GA pair in to preserve their autobid

If the OVC takes WIU, they could take the Georgia duo and get soccer going

The SoCon makes the most sense for the Georgia schools, and they have only 6 members in Men's Soccer, so have some room.

(02-25-2021 02:56 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  The SoCon makes the most sense for the Georgia schools, and they have only 6 members in Men's Soccer, so have some room.

I like that set-up.

Georgia: Georgia Southern, Georgia St, Mercer
North Carolina: North Carolina - Greensboro
South Carolina: Furman
Tennessee: Belmont, East Tennessee St

(02-25-2021 12:41 PM)EKUSteve Wrote:  Interesting as from what I understood one of the main reasons the Sun Belt took Coastal over EKU was men's Soccer. It wasn't the only reason, but it was a high consideration.

I don't think EKU was ever a serious candidate. Coastal was a far better fit geographically and pouring tons of cash into facilities.

WVU should link up with the American, which only has the AQ minimum 6 now, and the rest of the MAC should move into the MVC to at least preserve 1 AQ.

(02-25-2021 06:37 PM)HatterFan Wrote:  WVU should link up with the American, which only has the AQ minimum 6 now, and the rest of the MAC should move into the MVC to at least preserve 1 AQ.

Color me unimpressed by this add. The only MAC school worth adding was Akron and since the MAC is their main conference that wasn't happening. WVU has spent more time in the bottom 1/3 of the MAC than anywhere else.

(02-25-2021 06:37 PM)HatterFan Wrote:  WVU should link up with the American, which only has the AQ minimum 6 now, and the rest of the MAC should move into the MVC to at least preserve 1 AQ.

WVU is going to CUSA as well, in 2022, and Georgia Southern and Georgia State are going to the MAC, which preserves the AQ.

Ever since Buffalo dropped soccer, the MAC has needed two affiliates, and given the departure of SIU-Edwardsville to MVC soccer and the instability of being in a conference needing two affiliates, WVU moving to CUSA is not surprising.

Whatever one feels about WVU's soccer program, CUSA is not going to turn down a 3rd affiliate from a P5 conference. Indeed, the WVU move could be why the Coastal Carolina move happened, with WVU #9 and Coastal Carolina #10, even if WVU's move is timed a year later.

(02-25-2021 01:21 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  The MAC is down 4 soccer schools plus affiliate WVU. They could take the GA pair in to preserve their autobid

SIUE plays soccer in the MAC as an affiliate. The MAC has 8 for 2021, and 7 for 2022 when West Virginia leaves.

Georgia Southern and Georgia State moved into the MAC as affiliates:
https://getsomemaction.com/news/2021/5/2...occer.aspx

West Virginia makes a lot of sense in CUSA, which is a strong Men's Soccer league. It has power FIU, plus SEC schools South Carolina and Kentucky (natural cross border rival), plus in state Marshal, and regional opponents in Old Dominion, UAB and also Charlotte and CCU (FAU is the 10th). That's a better line up than the AAC, which really only has Temple close by.

Chicago State is the only Independent in men's soccer. I'm not sure the WAC needs to accept them in conference play in 2021, since they were not an existing member. But for sure they will be independent in 2022.

Our attention should probably switch to MEAC baseball, as only Coppin State, UMES, Delaware State and Norfolk State remain for the Spring 2022 season.

(06-15-2021 03:21 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  

(02-25-2021 01:21 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  The MAC is down 4 soccer schools plus affiliate WVU. They could take the GA pair in to preserve their autobid

SIUE plays soccer in the MAC as an affiliate. The MAC has 8 for 2021, and 7 for 2022 when West Virginia leaves. ...

7 for 2021, 6 for 2022, as SIU-Edwardsville returns to MVC soccer next year.

(06-15-2021 12:27 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  Indeed, the WVU move could be why the Coastal Carolina move happened, with WVU #9 and Coastal Carolina #10, even if WVU's move is timed a year later.

Coastal Carolina's move to CUSA happened because the Sun Belt was down to 4 members and was about to lose their autobid after this fall.

Hartwick left after the 2017 season (Went DIII with the rest of their athletics)
Appy State dropped men's soccer after the 2019 season
Central Arkansas moved everything including men's soccer to the ASUN
Howard moved 6 programs including men's soccer to the NEC

That left Coastal Carolina, GA Southern and GA State in the Sun Belt. Coastal has 16 NCAA Tournament appearances and is regularly in the Top 25. It was a no brainer to bring Coastal Carolina to CUSA in Feb.

There was not even any chatter of WVU moving to CUSA until the Georgia duo ended up in the MAC as program 6 and 7. So Coastal was program 9 and WVU 10 for CUSA.