BisonCardinal

FSSD, good point on ORU and the Southland. Didn't occur to me that the Southland may be back in the hunt after losing members. Still, I think ORU likes being in a non-football conference. Plus the I29 schools provide a pretty solid base for continuity, something the WAC and Southland are lacking right now.

I think Denver likes being in a conference with other hockey schools like UND and UNO. No hockey schools in the WAC. UMKC just came from the WAC and they couldn't care less about the addition of football schools. All they care about is saving travel expense. Oral Roberts, I think they are content where they are at geographically. I doubt they want to get into a conference that is going to emphasize football eventually. I think we are safe on all three. Just my opinion.

The Summit passed on Augustana, which is at least a viable institution. On December 23, Chicago State cancelled the rest of their men's basketball season because of the lack of players and coaches. Hard pass on this dumpster fire.

SW, good catch on Utah Valley football. That press release I was looking at is dated 2014 and none of the links worked. Kind of Babylon Bee-ish. Sorry

I think it is becoming pretty obvious that WAC football is going to happen. Why would a conference pickup 3 football playing schools (Dixie State, Tarleton and SUU), if it weren't going to sponsor it? Plus WAC member Utah Valley is starting football with UTRGV seriously considering it. The question becomes what division will they play in? I am guessing FCS. With the D2 move ups and a mediocre team like SUU, I don't see how they can pull off an FBS move. NMSU is going to have to decide if they want to stay FBS independent or be a strong contender in a decent FCS conference. I predict NMSU will drop down to FCS and play in the WAC conference. I also predict that NAU will follow SUU into the WAC. So the Big Sky will consist of: EWU, Idaho, Idaho State, Montana, Montana State, Portland State, Sac State, UNC and Weber State with UCD and Cal Poly as football affilates. The WAC would look like this with 7 football playing schools: Dixie State, Utah Valley, SUU, NMSU, NAU, UTRGV and Tarleton State. The WAC also has the non-football schools of Cal Baptist, Grand Canyon and Seattle, so there would be 10 members total. Chicago State is out there but I anticipate them ceasing to exist or dropping sports totally in the next couple years. There are rumblings of West Texas A & M wanting to make a move. They look like they would fit nicely into the WAC. I had thought UNC would be a candidate for the WAC but am thinking they will stay in the Big Sky. Considering they just signed their baseball program, which the WAC sponsors, into the Summit makes me think they are not considering the WAC. Besides the Big Sky kind of needs them and Weber State for the numbers.

Posted August 6, 2019 UMKC - coming back - check UNO - staying put - check Fort Wayne - leaving - check WIU - staying put - check UNC - ???? SV's take that the Summit is in crisis because of baseball is an exaggeration. The NCAA does not give a crap about the smaller leagues like the Summit, Big Sky and Horizon. All the Summit has to do is present a plan for a couple years here and then another one a couple years later of getting back to the proper number and the NCAA says whatever. Kind of like the attendance requirement. Nailed it. St Thomas having baseball is a bonus. We will be lucky to have St Thomas in the Summit for very long. I see them emphasizing basketball to move them into becoming a Big East candidate. That conference would crave a MSP presence. I really don't see them pushing football very hard. They will be content in the Pioneer like other basketball schools like Butler, Drake and Valpo. A suitable basketball facility already exists or can be built for 25% of a new football facility. I am doing some thinking on the MVFC and Summit football situation. For some reason I think that football will break along the lines of those that can consistently put 10,000 butts in the seats and those that can't. I see the MVFC as the conference that will be able to stack teams in the 75 scholarship level with teams like NDSU, SDSU, UND, USD, UNI, and Ill State, while the Summit will sponsor less than 75 scollies with teams like Ind. State, WIU, SIU, etc. Honestly, I don't see much happening until Viverito retires. I don't see her pushing for a new division or conference in her waning years.

https://siouxcityjournal.com/sports/college/summit-league-faces-uphill-battle-in-adding-st-thomas/article_8d27ea6a-44d3-50d5-a161-a5585d827037.html Douple talks about five teams have expressed interest in the Summit. UST and Augie a given. Who are the other three? My wild guess is Duluth, Mankato and St Cloud.

Had to bump this gem. Can hockey replace baseball as a required mens's sport in regards to the NCAA? With the addition of UST, it just might be easier for the Summit to meet hockey team requirements instead of baseball. PS: I realize that UST has baseball also, but hockey affiliates may be easier to come by in the Summit footprint.

I saw in a couple posts on the D2 board that the Big Sky Conference is assisting Tarleton State in their transition. Why would they do this? If the northern BSC schools move to the Summit, like SV says, and southern BSC schools move to the WAC, wouldn't the Big Sky Conference cease to exist?

Thanks for your honesty!

This is spot on. They have probably determined that improving the fan experience and boosting attendance is the best and easiest way to increase revenue. Nowhere in the article do I see that they are even trying to hit the 15,000 attendance mark.

Yes, like it or not both add football and baseball. Summit is more palatable to UNC with Denver, Oral Roberts and UMKC in it now. I guess I am okay with Augie as long as they guarantee they will become our Loyola-Chicago, Valpo or Butler.

So the Summit doesn't need to get serious about baseball/autobid until 2022, correct? A lot can happen in three years in college realignment. I'll take the bet that baseball never becomes an issue for the Summit.

Pixie dust Sioux>Bison. The Summit is fine. I doubt the NCAA is all of a sudden going to grow a pair.

UMKC - coming back - check UNO - staying put - check Fort Wayne - leaving - check WIU - staying put - check UNC - ???? SV's take that the Summit is in crisis because of baseball is an exaggeration. The NCAA does not give a crap about the smaller leagues like the Summit, Big Sky and Horizon. All the Summit has to do is present a plan for a couple years here and then another one a couple years later of getting back to the proper number and the NCAA says whatever. Kind of like the attendance requirement.

I think he is talking about International Delight French Vanilla creamer. I could be wrong though.

And if they never leave, no exit fee problem.

Which can easily be waived if they bring baseball to the Summit.

Is the offensive line coach to blame for any of the offensive line woes?

Football > Hockey

Screw the SEC. SV talks about aligning with like-minded institutions. Lets skip the SDSU, MSU and Idaho talk, small potatoes. Lets shoot for the land grants of Iowa State, Kansas State and Oklahoma State. Big 12 here we come. We're practically family now with wrestling.

What about cross country (both), track and field (both), golf (both) and volleyball (w)?

I think UMKC coming back is realistic. UNO, I don't see going anywhere with Denver and UND as Summit members. Fort Wayne will probably go to Horizon. I also think WIU stays put. So now the Summit puts full court press on U of Northern Colorado. I'm really not too concerned with baseball compliance as the Summit just coming up with a "plan" will satisfy the NCAA for a couple years, but getting UNC would also help with Summit football, if that happens. Although SV's DMI conference has its merits, I just don't see it happening primarily because of non-revenue sports. Hard to justify flying all those sports west, when busing south is a lot cheaper.

SV, if UMKC rejoins the Summit, does that change your thinking at all on the Dakota/Montana/Idaho conference? I asked this earlier in this thread, but you didn't reply. Why does your DMI conference have to go FBS? Wouldn't staying FCS also work?

I think both teams should consider going 100% wildcat for the rest of the game.