Great to see. Hope it translates on the court.

St Thomas is one of the most impressive D1 move up in many years. I believe this is just their 2nd season. They have more going on than many schools do in their first decade.

St Thomas should have been D-I a long time ago.

(01-17-2023 04:07 PM)The Sicatoka Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 03:38 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 02:42 PM)The Sicatoka Wrote:  St. Thomas has long been the sleeping giant of the upper Midwest: location, alumni, endowment.

The giant awakes.

What's impressive about a $540 endowment and Minneapolis?

Fordham has double the endowment and is in the Big Apple.

The fact they've been Division I for all of 18 months. They've been quietly idling along up to this time.

Giant though?

NYU is a sleeping giant.

(01-17-2023 02:43 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 02:42 PM)The Sicatoka Wrote:  St. Thomas has long been the sleeping giant of the upper Midwest: location, alumni, endowment.

The giant awakes.

100%. They were just hiding in D3 where no one could see them.

We have a lot of hidden gems in D2 and D3 that needs thia type of gift to upgrade their facilities.

(01-17-2023 03:38 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 02:42 PM)The Sicatoka Wrote:  St. Thomas has long been the sleeping giant of the upper Midwest: location, alumni, endowment.

The giant awakes.

What's impressive about a $540 endowment and Minneapolis?

Fordham has double the endowment and is in the Big Apple.

Endowment is $700 million per most recent audited financial statements.

To me the most impressive part is that they just received a top-10, all time athletic gift. More than UNC, Duke, or any Big East member has ever received for athletics. Closest is Georgetown, who received $50 million in 2015 ($62 million in 2022 dollars). Granted, if UNC or Duke were trying to build a new basketball arena, it would likely be a different story.

The Twin Cities are arguably the most second-most demographically appealing market in the Midwest when balancing population, growth, and wealth. Only smaller than Chicago and Detroit, and Detroit is poorer and stagnant.

Seems the University of St. Thomas would be a strong candidate for A10 membership if Dayton and/or Saint Louis are ever added to the Big East.

Add another southern Minnesota school & a couple in Wisconsin, maybe the MAC looks that way.

I think eventually they'll become a middle-of-the-pack CCHA team w/ a potential to be a consistent top dog.

(01-17-2023 09:45 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  We have a lot of hidden gems in D2 and D3 that needs thia type of gift to upgrade their facilities.

List please.

Also, what is the criteria to be a "hidden gem" at the small-college level?

(01-18-2023 01:50 PM)Bronco14 Wrote:  Add another southern Minnesota school & a couple in Wisconsin, maybe the MAC looks that way.

I think eventually they'll become a middle-of-the-pack CCHA team w/ a potential to be a consistent top dog.

You think the NCHC would give them an offer when their arena opens, to be paired with ASU, Mankato, or BGSU?

(01-18-2023 12:57 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 03:38 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 02:42 PM)The Sicatoka Wrote:  St. Thomas has long been the sleeping giant of the upper Midwest: location, alumni, endowment.

The giant awakes.

What's impressive about a $540 endowment and Minneapolis?

Fordham has double the endowment and is in the Big Apple.

Endowment is $700 million per most recent audited financial statements.

To me the most impressive part is that they just received a top-10, all time athletic gift. More than UNC, Duke, or any Big East member has ever received for athletics. Closest is Georgetown, who received $50 million in 2015 ($62 million in 2022 dollars). Granted, if UNC or Duke were trying to build a new basketball arena, it would likely be a different story.

The Twin Cities are arguably the most second-most demographically appealing market in the Midwest when balancing population, growth, and wealth. Only smaller than Chicago and Detroit, and Detroit is poorer and stagnant.

If that's the case, then the endowment is comparative to Dayton, Creighton, Marquette, and conference mate Denver. I wouldn't go as far as calling any of them "giants".

A one time gift like that is like winning the alumni lottery, it's great, but I bet any school would rather take consistent donations with flexible terms.

Aren't t-shirt fans in Minneapolis going to be Gopher fans?

(01-18-2023 02:04 PM)PeteTheChop Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 09:45 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  We have a lot of hidden gems in D2 and D3 that needs thia type of gift to upgrade their facilities.

List please.

Also, what is the criteria to be a "hidden gem" at the small-college level?

Great. You released the kraken.

(01-18-2023 02:20 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 12:57 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 03:38 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 02:42 PM)The Sicatoka Wrote:  St. Thomas has long been the sleeping giant of the upper Midwest: location, alumni, endowment.

The giant awakes.

What's impressive about a $540 endowment and Minneapolis?

Fordham has double the endowment and is in the Big Apple.

Endowment is $700 million per most recent audited financial statements.

To me the most impressive part is that they just received a top-10, all time athletic gift. More than UNC, Duke, or any Big East member has ever received for athletics. Closest is Georgetown, who received $50 million in 2015 ($62 million in 2022 dollars). Granted, if UNC or Duke were trying to build a new basketball arena, it would likely be a different story.

The Twin Cities are arguably the most second-most demographically appealing market in the Midwest when balancing population, growth, and wealth. Only smaller than Chicago and Detroit, and Detroit is poorer and stagnant.

If that's the case, then the endowment is comparative to Dayton, Creighton, Marquette, and conference mate Denver. I wouldn't go as far as calling any of them "giants".

A one time gift like that is like winning the alumni lottery, it's great, but I bet any school would rather take consistent donations with flexible terms.

Aren't t-shirt fans in Minneapolis going to be Gopher fans?

“Giant” isn’t an objective standard, so I don’t think there’s any point litigating whether or not they’re a “giant” or “giant of the upper Midwest.” The original intent was that they are a newly arrived D1 school that appears to have a fairly high ceiling on their success. Most would agree that this gift demonstrates that to be the case, although we can quibble about how high their ceiling is.

An aspect that makes the donation arguably more impressive is that the donors aren’t alumni. I’m very interested to see if this galvanizes the alumni and they quickly raise the remaining $50 million.

Sure, but T-shirt fans in Milwaukee are mostly Badger fans.

(01-17-2023 03:06 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 03:05 PM)nodak651 Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 03:00 PM)e-parade Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 02:42 PM)The Sicatoka Wrote:  St. Thomas has long been the sleeping giant of the upper Midwest: location, alumni, endowment.

The giant awakes.

I honestly had no idea they were basically in the center of the twin cities until this thread. I had assumed the outskirts, but man is that location prime.

Only draw back is the neighborhood HATES them.

I feel like 90% of town/college relationships aren't great. Even in some college towns, the townies seem to hate the students.

I grew up in one. Even then, there was more hatred for the Ivy League one even though both are private.

(01-18-2023 02:21 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 02:04 PM)PeteTheChop Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 09:45 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  We have a lot of hidden gems in D2 and D3 that needs thia type of gift to upgrade their facilities.

List please.

Also, what is the criteria to be a "hidden gem" at the small-college level?

Great. You released the kraken.

I was just ready to comment on that.

I believe this is the first time I’ve seen anyone requesting a David St list!

(01-18-2023 03:41 PM)whittx Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 03:06 PM)TDenverFan Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 03:05 PM)nodak651 Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 03:00 PM)e-parade Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 02:42 PM)The Sicatoka Wrote:  St. Thomas has long been the sleeping giant of the upper Midwest: location, alumni, endowment.

The giant awakes.

I honestly had no idea they were basically in the center of the twin cities until this thread. I had assumed the outskirts, but man is that location prime.

Only draw back is the neighborhood HATES them.

I feel like 90% of town/college relationships aren't great. Even in some college towns, the townies seem to hate the students.

I grew up in one. Even then, there was more hatred for the Ivy League one even though both are private.

The local Facebook group has some old guy who is always bashing Jax State. I called him on his BS once (he claimed he had an inside source who told him the university was going to take over a street and close it) and he blocked me.

(01-18-2023 07:15 PM)Todor Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 02:21 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 02:04 PM)PeteTheChop Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 09:45 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  We have a lot of hidden gems in D2 and D3 that needs thia type of gift to upgrade their facilities.

List please.

Also, what is the criteria to be a "hidden gem" at the small-college level?

Great. You released the kraken.

I was just ready to comment on that.

I believe this is the first time I’ve seen anyone requesting a David St list!

One day, there will be a museum with an extensive catalog of DavidSt's lists that will rival presidential museums.

(01-18-2023 03:36 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 02:20 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(01-18-2023 12:57 PM)OhioBoilermaker Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 03:38 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(01-17-2023 02:42 PM)The Sicatoka Wrote:  St. Thomas has long been the sleeping giant of the upper Midwest: location, alumni, endowment.

The giant awakes.

What's impressive about a $540 endowment and Minneapolis?

Fordham has double the endowment and is in the Big Apple.

Endowment is $700 million per most recent audited financial statements.

To me the most impressive part is that they just received a top-10, all time athletic gift. More than UNC, Duke, or any Big East member has ever received for athletics. Closest is Georgetown, who received $50 million in 2015 ($62 million in 2022 dollars). Granted, if UNC or Duke were trying to build a new basketball arena, it would likely be a different story.

The Twin Cities are arguably the most second-most demographically appealing market in the Midwest when balancing population, growth, and wealth. Only smaller than Chicago and Detroit, and Detroit is poorer and stagnant.

If that's the case, then the endowment is comparative to Dayton, Creighton, Marquette, and conference mate Denver. I wouldn't go as far as calling any of them "giants".

A one time gift like that is like winning the alumni lottery, it's great, but I bet any school would rather take consistent donations with flexible terms.

Aren't t-shirt fans in Minneapolis going to be Gopher fans?

“Giant” isn’t an objective standard, so I don’t think there’s any point litigating whether or not they’re a “giant” or “giant of the upper Midwest.” The original intent was that they are a newly arrived D1 school that appears to have a fairly high ceiling on their success. Most would agree that this gift demonstrates that to be the case, although we can quibble about how high their ceiling is.

An aspect that makes the donation arguably more impressive is that the donors aren’t alumni. I’m very interested to see if this galvanizes the alumni and they quickly raise the remaining $50 million.

Sure, but T-shirt fans in Milwaukee are mostly Badger fans.

You didn't't even make the initial comment, and mine was addressing the "giant" aspect of the comment. There aren't objective standards, but there certainly are relative standards—hence, my comment.

Now if somebody wants to argue they're a hockey sleeping giant? I have no clue if a 4k seat arena does that for a school in a hockey-mad area. But for people to say Big East or Atlantic 10? Their 5k seat basketball arena is not comparable to the schools I mentioned those leagues: Dayton, Creighton, and Marquette, nor do they have anywhere the history of recent additions Butler, Loyola, Xavier, etc. I think they have a long ways to go before they get that call.

Best part is they paid for a parking garage. That's long term free money for the university.

Reusse is a long-time columnist for the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Guessing his prediction is based on conversations with leadership at St. Thomas, who no doubt have talked to folks at the Big East office.

UST isn't building a $175M arena to max out in the Missouri Valley Conference with it's mostly low-profile membership.

Gotta figure this means Saint Louis (and Dayton if there's any justice) are on deck for BE membership as well. Very possibly the Zags, too.