(04-08-2021 09:54 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote: (04-08-2021 09:44 AM)teamvsn Wrote: (04-08-2021 09:26 AM)Bobcat2013 Wrote: (04-08-2021 09:13 AM)teamvsn Wrote: (04-08-2021 06:59 AM)MWC Tex Wrote: Perhaps IUW was asking the WAC for a visit. Sure San Antonio would be a good destination for the WAC. But, their facilities are still lacking even after the D1 move.
It would be better to wait for Texas A&M - San Antonio to develop their sports program and invite them. If they are looking at San Antonio.
WT is the best option, in my opinion, but with 2 schools still in D1 transition stage it may be feasible.
TAMU San Antonio will be a no brainier in 10 years. Their NAIA ramp up is going slowly. They don't even have a web site yet. They do not seem to be in any hurry at all.
So if they're so unambitious then what makes them a no brainer?
They'll get there eventually. And often the people who launch athletic programs aren't there 5 years later.
Look at TAMU Texarkana's trajectory, and they're in a much smaller market.
Looking down the road IWU would make an interesting cross town rival for TAMU SA.
I've not even heard of TAMU Texarkana honestly. Where is their trajectory headed?
2000 - UG enrollment 775
2014 - Launches athletic program and joins the NAIA with M & W Tennis and W Soccer, UG Enrollment 1363
2015 - adds Baseball, goes 2-2 in NAIA opening round (2-2), UG Enrollment 1,422
2016 - Joins Red River Conference, adds M Soccer, UG Enrollment 1,583
2017 - adds Softball, UG Enrollment 1,647
2018 - Completes Patterson Student Center (Gymnasium), UG Enrollment 1,664
2019 - adds M & W Basketball
2020 - M Basketball qualifies for NAIA Opening Round (L), EG Enrollment 1,723
This is a typical trajectory for an NAIA start up. Truly a "start up". They had no facilities, administration or coaches. For any start up, first you have to hire a core administration, decide which sports to sponsor and when, decide where to play, possibly build new facilities, hire coaches to coach those sports, recruit players, recruit sponsors, build support in the community, etc. You can't just pop that all into place in one year. So even if you're super ambitious, you are probably going to roll out one or two sports at a time. Where are your early sports going to play until you have enough to meet NCAA requirements? The NAIA.
Texarkana fits the profile of a typical NAIA school, so they might make the NAIA their permanent home. I could see them going D2 if they found a good conference fit at some point. I think they will probably add W and possibly M Volleyball soon. Football is a possibility as well, although facilities would be a big question. Lots of other minor sports could follow such as golf, track, cross country, etc.
TAMU SA is a different story. I am happy they are in the NAIA but I have no doubt that they will outgrow it pretty quickly. I think their enrollment goals are in the 10s of thousands. They already have 6800. A city of 1.5 million can easily support multiple D1 schools. Think of all the TAMU main campus alumni that are in SA that would like to see a TAMU "little brother" playing in their town. It may never be a heavyweight D1, but there's room for success there.