(03-20-2023 06:30 PM)Mid-Major Hoops Enthusiast Wrote: Merrimack were already in this predicament in their first year in D1 when they won the NEC regular season but were ineligible to compete in the NEC tournament. The NEC allows you to start competing in it's tournament in your 4th and last year in transition hence why Stonehill who finished tied for 2nd with FDU could not compete in it. I'm glad Merrimack got the chance and took it even if they didn't get to go to the Big Dance. I could see the NEC changing their rules though next season with St Francis (NY) cutting all athletics today and some D2 call-ups likely on the horizon.
Ultimately it's up to the conferences to decide if programs that are still in their transition period can compete in their conferences tournaments.
Atlantic Sun lets you compete right away. Bellarmine won it last year and North Alabama got to the tournament final in their third year. The WAC makes you wait two years. As a result Tarleton State and Utah Tech got to take part in the WAC tournament for the first time this year. The Summit League until this was going to make programs wait until they completed all 4 years but the format changed and all teams now take part. I'm not sure about the Big West if UC-San Diego can take part in their tournament next year or if they have to wait one more year.
The NEC changed its rule last Spring to permit 3rd and 4th year schools to compete. This let 4th year Merrimack to compete, though they missed the third year because of when the rule changed.
Stonehill will be able to compete in the tournament 2024-2025.
The announcement said they changed the rule because of more emphasis on the student-athlete experience and the practice of peer conferences.
ASUN let North Alabama, Bellarmine, and Queens compete in their tournament beginning in the first year. So did the OVC and Lindenwood and Southern Indiana.
The WAC, OVC, and ASUN may have been more willing to let early participation because adding new members was more existential. It may be becoming more like that for the NEC now that they've lost Bryant, Mount St. Mary's and St. Francis Brooklyn.
The Big West can be more discerning. UCSD might not have been willing to join the WAC. CSU Bakersfield got out as soon as they could.
It may be harder to recruit and retain players. If you were on the DII team, you may now be getting a full scholarship, better facilities, and better competition. You were playing for a DII school because no DI school recruited you.
But the new recruits may realize there is zero chance to play in the NCAAT. It become attractive to jump to a school where you can play in the conference tournament or even if you get lucky to choose a school like St. Peter's, Bryant or Fairleigh Dickinson to play in the NCAAT.