star2city

This year thought both NDSU's men (especially after Wisconsin and Marquette) and SDSU's women (which has consistently beat schools from power conferences) would have very stellar attendance relative to UND's program. Both NDSU and SDSU have much more attractive home schedules than they've had in the past. One would think both schools would be drawing very well. The season-to-date numbers don't indicate any substantial basketball upsurge relative to UND. Men's Basketball - average attendance NDSU 2617 UND 2048 SDSU 1780 If NDSU had not had a home game against Kansas State with 6000+ in attendance, UND and NDSU attendance would be very close. Women's BB- average attendance SDSU 2163 UND 1939 NDSU 1446 SDSU has had two big home draws with Southern Cal and Marquette. Without those two games, UND would easily be leading in attendance. NDSU has had one big draw: Minnesota. Without that game, UND attendance is practically double that of NDSU's. Total Attendance (when UND has men's/women's doubleheader, only second game attendance counted) NDSU 31,068 UND 27,975 SDSU 26,206 Without NDSU's games against Kansas State/Minnesota and SDSU's games with USC/Marquette, UND would easily be the attendance leader. It seems the lure of bigger name DI teams is what really only brings out fans at NDSU / SDSU. Will NDSU and SDSU's attendance improve next year when they have a MidContinent home schedule? Arguably, both schools have more interesting home schedules this year than they will have next.

With the Minnesota State High School League sanctioning lacrosse recently, the schools sponsoring lacrosse are almost exclusively Twin City based. When an outstate school district adds lacrosse, another barrier will be broken. Mankato schools: adding lacrosse?

When UND obtains DI conference affiliation, would really like to see a press release like this one from the University of Cincinnati, Strategic Positioning, Maximizing Opportunities Prompts Change in UC Athletics With Cincinnati, Florida, and South Carolina all having announced the addition of women's lacrosse past six months, the number of collegiate women's teams may soon double the number of men's teams. No BCS-type school has added men's lacrosse in a number of years, in spite of the growth of that sport. A headline down the road for UND (?): Strategic Positioning, Maximizing Opportunities Prompts Changes in UND Fighting Sioux Athletics, Men's Lacrosse and Women's Synchronized Skating to be added as Varsity Sports

Had wondered that myself. Here's an answer from a Winnipeg blog.

Alberta's NCAA Hopes

If they ever pursued NCAA football, they just might have a shiny new stadium to play in. Just announced yesterday: New $120 Mill Stadium proposed for Winnipeg Blue Bombers CBC: New stadium could be 'phenomenal' for Winnipeg

Door Opens for University of Alberta? If Schulha would have read Siouxsports.com, he would have known this NCAA opportunity would come about.

Domino effect on Canadian schools?

Meant to post this earlier this week, but there has been additional stories out this weeked. Vote for inclusion of UBC likely next January UBC brings plenty of pluses to the NCAA's table Highlights:

A couple of other stories on DI transitioning schools: Little NJIT takes giant step into Division I basketball Washington TImes: Winston-Salem move to DI calls for traveling

Long Road Ahead at SIUE SIU-E is smack dab in the middle of the MidCon with no media overlap and gives the MidCon a natural media center and tournament host (St. Louis). SIUE would be on the northwest fringe of the Ohio Valley, which has been moving South. No way would the MoValley or Horizon look at SIUE until they have some level of success. The Big West may some day need core DI schools (if Pacific moves to the WCC, and Davis or Cal Poly get move up to the WAC), so it could be forced to take non-California schools. Adding UVSC adds another permanent thorn. Why add another Utah school when SUU can be gone in 3-5 years anyway? Chicago State Cougars hope best days in front of them? Anything is possible, but Chicago State's administration probably didn't make a lot of friends with MidCon members after their divorce. With Chicago State still being looked on questionably as a reliable DI school, they'll have to prove themselves for an extended time before a non-desparate conference grabs them. But it looks like the United Basketball Conference that SDSU and NDSU helped set up will continue to survive.: Fate did seem to smile on NDSU / SDSU.

SIUE set for giant leap to Division I Kentucky.com: SIU-Edwardsville to Division I No surprise. SIU-E's Chancellor asked for the DI study precisely because he had already cleared the way for SIU-E to join the MidCon a few years down the road. SIU-E and USD will go to the MidCon. St. Louis will become a regular tournament host city for the MidCon, with SIU-E as the host school. UTPA will be the replacement school in the event that any MidCon core schools leave, in spite of UTPA's limitations

NDSU (to their boosters): We are really too good for DII now. We

The Herald listed two majojr projects that were not on this list, including a $20 mill graduate business building. As far as paying for the projects, Kupchella's proposal of a dollar-for-dollar state match on gifts to the UND Foundation would seem to imply that there is some expectation of $'s forthcoming.

Stating that the nickname has nothing to do with these Indiana Studies programs is as preposterous as talk about threatening to defund Indian programs. History says the nickname had a tremendous impact on Indian programs at UND. If it wasn't for the Fighting Sioux nickname, UND would likely be no more distinquished than NDSU or SDSU as far as its Indian programs. In other words: pathetic. I do however wonder what a person like Art Raymond, who founded the Indian Studies program at UND, would think of the present politicized nature of the Indian Studies program. Would Art Raymond disband the Indian Studies program so that it could again be an academic, rather than political, department? But then again, an Art Raymond of today probably wouldn't even be offered a position within the College of Arts and Sciences, as he wouldn't have been PC-enough. Art Raymond

Lamoureuxs pick Minnesota

Until reading this article, Playoff plunderer - Big 10 Commissioner Jim Delany, I was skeptical that a Big Ten Hockey Conference would ever make an appearance. But with these types behaviors and quotes, Delany certainly seems like he has the capacity and capability to put the screws to the college hockey world.

An old thread, but maybe even more relevant. An inside view of Boise St's move to DIA

Denver's basketball performance this year is practically killing off any chance it had for the WCC (and certainly the WAC). It's Sagarin rating is next to last in all DI: they are even worse than SDSU. A basketball league like the WCC would certainly hesitate to take two basketball bottom-dwellers: a move-up Seattle and Denver. A Seattle/Pacific combo is much more likely, IMHO, as Pacific is historically a top-100 program (though Pacific's program is also down this year). HOME ADVANTAGE= 4.41 RATING W L SCHEDL(RANK) VS top 25 | 125 North Dakota State = 75.26 6 5 73.90( 122) 0 0 214 Pacific = 69.67 3 9 78.21( 22) 0 3 321 South Dakota State = 59.46 4 11 68.35( 320) 0 0 335 Denver = 52.26 1 13 69.33( 301) 0 0 http://www.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/bkt0607.htm

Perhaps my memory is fading, but hasn't the deadline been changed twice: first from Sept 1st to June 1st, and then more recently, from June 1st to Jan 1st. Perhaps the second deadline date change hasn't been made effective yet, or that I've confused this deadline with another (like withrawal from the NCC).

Seems the Fargo Forum is attempting to recreate North Dakota into some kind of Banana Republic, with their first-ever Man of the Year award. Apparently, the Forum strongly approves of underhandedness and backstabbing as character attributes. The First Ever Forum Person of the Year:

The #1 Sports Story in South Dakota: USD takes plunge, enters Division I Finally, a sportswriter who understands and agrees with me. USD already has a gentleman's agreement to enter the MidCon: a couple more years and it will happen. UND may very well be attractive to the MidCon, but when Sac St moves on from the Big Sky, there will be another option. Anyone want to bet that "non-SDSU fans" like Aff will be descending down and slamming the Argus-Leader writer?

Former powerhouse Seattle U looks at return to Division I Looks like Seattle U did not make the deadline for declaring next year it's exploratory one. Was it ever officially announced that UND sent in its paperwork for for a 2007-8 exploratory year before the end of 2006?

Bismarck Tribune: Dressler sportsman of the year Finalists

Earlier this year, there actually was support on FSU message boards to help out UND in basketball scheduling as a show of solidarity. With Florida State's adamant protection of its Seminole name and its disdain for the NCAA's stance, I would be rather surprised if UND was not on FSU's 2008-9 basketball schedule, with a home game granted to UND in a subsequent year. If FSU does not schedule UND, that would be quite telling.