To say that all 4 athletic departments were in very different situations in the early 2000s is an understatement. The SUs were the two most similarly situated departments with the most upside for a move. UND had the Ralph and the Al just coming online, women's soccer wasn't that old, was starting women's hockey, then had the Betty coming online. To say UND had a lot of new balls to juggle at the time is an understatement.
Waiting a few years before taking on a move of the entire athletic department to DI was not a bad decision by any means. UND made the right decision at the time.
How the administration played it out in the media is a whole nother mistake to discuss. But what does this have to do with UND having rivalry trophies with NDSU and USD?