star2city

A couple more lacrosse notes: Hmm ... a camera- and satelllite-ready Alerus Center in a conference with Notre Dame and Ohio State equals how many annual national TV appearances? Participation in High School Lacrosse growing rapidly: http://www.laxpower.com/common/ParticipationRates2004.php

So just how good is Draxten of Fergus Falls? Is Wahlin's talent level comparable? Amazing both are sophomores. http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm...&section=Sports

Quote from the BRAC hearings: Recent defense bill includes provision for UAV center: http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/13446288.htm But more coming? From the School of Engineering & Mines Christmas newsletter: Seems like its time for UND to step up and offer an aerospace/aeronautical engineering major.

Happened to come across this article Columbs (GA) hopes to move railyard out of downtown After reading this, seems UND (and Grand Forks) could really use a page out of Columbus' book. Right now, UND is in dire need of more parking spaces, room to expand near the heart of campus, and intramural fields. The EERC needs more real estate and the athletic deparment could use more practice fields near Memorial if the indoor practice facility is built nearby. Instead of UND building a parking ramp for $19 mil, the city of GF building a $15 mill 42nd street underpass, and UND being hemmed in, couldn't the railyards be considered for relocation to the west side of town, in the alkali area, like south of the airport, where land is cheap anyway. It would seem this would be a win-win arrangment for everyone: valuable land underneath the railyard could be redeveloped and a new BNSF railyard gets built on cheap land with truck and air access with an adjoining industrial park. Instead of spending $30+ million on projects that really don't add value to UND or the city, why not redirect that funding towards a railyard relocation project that could pay major dividends for GF's, UND's, and BNSF's growth?

If UND were to move to DI, an increase in attendance is often cited as how the additional costs would be financed. However, bball attendance does not apear to have increased compared to NCC years for the 'SU's. UND is actually outdrawing both SDSU and NDSU in men's and women's basketball. UND's NCC schedule hasn't started yet, while NDSU and SDSU both have already had their 'meatiest' DI games. More than half of UND's games have also been single-header nights, which makes the attendance comparable to SU's single games. What's sad for the SU's is that the strongest portion of their home schedules have already been completed (i.e. Alabama women and Manhattan men for both SU's). Average Attendance UND M 1963 NDSU M 1893 SDSU M 1891 UND W 2116 NDSU W 1610 SDSU W 1578 Perhaps the anticipation of a conference season drives both season ticket sales and single ticket sales for Nov.-Dec. games.

It would be difficult to move to DI at the same time as adding lacrosse. If adding lacrosse makes sense, it should be a multi-year goal, not a short term one. Negotiations with the Big Sky and whatever other conferences could include the pre-condition that lacrosse may be added later - so perhaps UND could be exempted from offering a varsity sport like golf/tennis. Also, maybe a real option that should be considered is staying at DII and offering men’s/women’s DI lacrosse. That way the 27 extra full football scholarships don’t have to be added (as well as the 27 Title IX women’s scholarships). Because DII does not offer men’s/women’s ice hockey championships, UND can technically play up a division in four sports, not just two. The more I think about lacrosse the more I like it - especially because even at the DI level, lacrosse schools only offer partial scholarships. UND easily has some of the lowest tuition around, expecially from reciprocity states (including California under the western compact). A 1/3rd or 1/4rd scholarship player at Denver or Notre Dame or Johns Hopkins or Syracuse still have to cough up over $100,000 in tuition during their playing days - the athlete's opportunity cost at UND would be much less. It would seem that dual football/lacrosse athletes from California/Minnesota/ Illinois/Colorado would relish the option of playing either (or both). Since the U of Minn does not offer either men’s or women’s lax, what better opportunity for UND to emerge as a sport leader/camp location for lax in the Twin Cities, which is growing fast. The annual cost of fielding a lacrosse team would probably be $400,000 - that’s with 12.6 scholarships. But if it is considered that maybe 40 athletes would part of the team, with 12.6 scholarship effectively about 70% of the tuition/room/board/books would need to be paid for by the athletes themselves. Since these out-of-state athletes in all likelihood would never have attended UND, around $250 k in additional tuition would be paid to UND because of the presence of lax.

http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/13428724.htm - IP to reopen as Biloxi's big player It’s rather fascinating how the Imperical Palace Biloxi hotel/casino, a property that the Engelstad Trust couldn’t sell at any decent price just a few months ago, is now transformed into Biloxi’s big player, rather than the numerous properties owned by big corporate entities. Although I am not a casino advocate, I can’t help but wonder if what is transpiring is not a demonstration of the “freely give, freely receive” principle that the Engelstad’s embraced. Corporations would pay an extraordinary price now for that property.

A major advantage to adding lacrosse IMO is that lacrosse conferences in the west and midwest are still in their infancy. There is likely a five-ten year window, that if UND acted now, it would later be viewed as an established power - on par with Big 10 / Pac 10 type schools - much as we are perceived in hockey. That potential realistically can never exist for a UND softball, baseball, tennis or golf team. If we dropped those sports at the varsity level, they still should be offered as club sports.

IMO, the NCC is still attracting plenty of women basketball recruits that are more than capable of playing mid-major DI ball, while the NCC men’s teams are not. Women are much less likely to be swayed by a DI label, because they aren’t as intoxicated by the DI Big Dance as the men are. Although this year certainly appears to be a down year for NCC men’s basketball, there are probably a number of reasons why the NSIC is now almost as strong as the NCC. - The proliferation of basketball and AAU camps makes it less likely that a talented kid would only get a DII scholarship when he had the capability to play DI at a mid-major. Kids that had mid-major DI talent used to find their way into the NCC. Now, out of region mid-major teams are recruting them. - Twenty years ago, Minnesota and Wisconsin were considered ‘backwater’ areas for DI recrutiing . The number of Minnesota kids that used to get DI basketball scholarships was almost always less than five. Now its 10 or fifteen. Some of those overlooked used to find their way into the NCC. - Newer DI schools like UW-Green Bay and even NDSU and SDSU are sucking up talent that formerly would have found their way into the NCC. Almost every freshman or red-shirt freshman on the NDSU roster from Minnesota would likely have been an NCC player twenty years ago. (and its doubtful they would have gone to NDSU). IMO, there is less cream around for NCC schools, so the difference in recruit levels between the NCC and NSIC is much less. The NCC’s advantage in talent level can much more easily be overcome with coaching.

Roper: Having no local kids to recruit would be a major concern. But if UND wants to attract students from well outside the state, lacrosse would be one vehicle to attract them. Give 36 kids 1/3rd of a ride- they still have to pay 67% of the way but they get to play DI lacrosse. Right now, there is no men’s lacrosse DI team west of Chicago except the U of Denver. There’s got to be hundreds of kids capable of playing DI lacrosse on the West Coast, Canada, in the Denver area, and in the Midwest who don’t have the financial capacity to enroll at DU or Notre Dame (or private east coast schools), but would be able to handle UND’s tuition. With few other schools looking to fill the lacrosse void in the midwest and west, why shouldn’t UND attempt to fill that void, especially considering there’s an existing first-rate facility to play in and UND is looking for ways to expand its geographical base from where it draws students. For a school like NDSU to attempt to add lacrosse would make much less sense - it already has a first-rate baseball field in Newman ( which ties NDSU’s hands - doubt NDSU would ever drop baseball ) - it doesn’t have a cultural base (hockey base) that would take to lacrosse - and NDSU leadership and fans want so badly to be viewed as a legitimate DI school, that a “niche” sport like lacrosse would offend their sensitivities.

So based on Sicatoka's numbers above, women's hockey costs are $174 general team expenses + $24.5k recruiting, + coaches salaries + scholarships + fraction of game management & adminsitration . Contrast that with a $2 Mill increase ito move all sports to DI. IMO, women's hockey was a no brainer to add - it would be the onlyDI sport other than men’s hockey that UND will have a chance to be a dominant DI power in. If you have an asset like the REA, it would be foolhardy not to maximize its benefit. The question is: what is a decent shot at a DI national championship worth? In any other relatively minor NCAA sport, UND would have to spend millions in capital improvements and have a half-million $ budget to have a shot. Women’s hockey gives UND that shot. (Never mind future Olympic exposure from UND Olympians- which will happen - but not in 2006)

GK is correct if percentages are used: An American Indian is 133% more likely to be a military recruit than the average person, a black person is 32% more likely to be a military recruit, a white person is 2% less likely, and a Hispanic person is 5% less likely. But IMO, this data should be used to defend the Fighting Sioux nickname: Siouxan people have an honorable and heroic warrior tradition that continues to this day.

This may or may not affect Sioux men's basketball, but is interesting nonetheless. Haven't seen any UND press release to confirm. University of Belize Bballer’s to train at UND http://new.channel5belize.com/archive_deta...?story_id=15361

1. Synchronized skating organizations have petitioned the NCAA to recognize it as as an emerging women's sport, much like equestrian. 2. The link was accurate at time of the original posting. You can pay the Denver Post for a search to clear up your ignorance. 4. Very few require 16 sports like the Big SKy "does", which would make for 'exceptions' like Denver. If the BSC would have made an exceptions for Denver, they’d make others. The Missouri Valley requires very few core sports. When the Big East originally took in Miami, it didn't have a basketball program, which was then the marquee program of the Big East. Is your world always such a tiny box? 5. If its such a hard and fast rule, Portland St would be kicked out. 6. Your birdie must have been a cuckoo, cause its Wrong again. Denver had an invitation without football and wouldn't have had to add any other so-called "core" sports. (9 football+ 1 basketball only allows for perfect scheduling.) 7. Show me anywhere that anyone said NDSU had a Big Sky invititation: From a Bisonville search Hope your bisonville pals weren't your 'birdie'.

If the Denver Post article was available, it would be MAJORLY clear that Fullerton and the Big Sky were the assertive party (they requested meetings with Denver about Big Sky membership). Denver met with them but eventually rejected the Big Sky overture, much the same way as the Big Sky has, to this point, rejected NDSU's overtures. So, no, even in my world, NDSU has never had a Big Sky offer. (But it does seem in the NDSU la-la world, before the rejections, NDSU did have a "offer".)

Synchronized skating would help out UND's Title IX - 30 girls or so could be on the team. With the REA as an attraction, UND could be a leader in the sport, which is likely to become an Olympic event. See this post with quotes- Denver Post article is no longer available Isn't this one of Chapman's long-term goals? Denver has lacrosse and the Big Sky didn't seem to hold that against them. For golf, tennis, baseball, and softball, there greater DI expenses (coaches, travel, schollies) in which there would be essentially no return - but there is no questioning about their cashflow when there should be. Lacrosse wouldn't be cash flow positive but it has a chance of less cash flow negative compared with other spring sports. The question is if the BSC would really require tennis (or golf) for all members if they go to 12. If travel costs to the Dakotas are such an issue for Big Sky schools, why would the BSC demand that Dakota schools field teams in those sports. Wouldn't it be reasonable for the Big Sky to make the following compromise? The BSC will accept NDSU, SDSU, and UND as full conference members. In basketball, volleyball, football, and soccer, the original nine members will travel to the Dakotas. For M&W golf, M&W tennis, M&W I&O track & field, & M&W cross country, to save on travel costs the BSC will not schedule the original nine members for travel to the Dakotas and in turn the Dakota schools will only be required to field teams in 6 of those 10 sports. Seems like everyone would be pleased with this type of agreement.

So by adding equestrian, NDSU will help accomplish a portion of their strategic plan: expand and finance the equine program and (presumably someday) begin a veterinarian program. For UND, lacrosse in many respects would fit its strategic plan: Target key states for enrollment: Lacrosse would help target key states for recruitment (California, Washington, Colorado, and Illinois are all targeted states and all play lacrosse

Since many Bison fans continually berate hockey as a UND sport, it shouldn't surprise anyone that you find lacrosse "politely interesting". If the UND athletic department's best future state means dropping or adding sports, so be it. At a DII level, scholarship opportunities are more intended for local/regional athletes. Changing to a DI level broadens the potential pool to regionally/nationally. With UND's weather (golf and baseball effected) and facilities (baseball facility not DI quality), these sports become even more disadvantaged at the DI level. So isn't NDSU going to add equestrian, just like SDSU? Isn't NDSU considering adding hockey after the DI transition is over? Isn't it too early to even ponder, what with no conference and all? When the Big Sky was offering Denver U a position, it didn't make any demands to add sports on Denver U, which has a rather unique but limited sports offering. Why? Because Denver was bargaining from a position of strength. Not saying at all that UND would be in Denver's position, but it never hurts to bargain or at least ask. If the Big Sky goes to 12 teams, mandating that all 12 schools have all the core sports won't be as important. On a cool spring weekend evening in GF a crowd to 2000 to a lacrosse match in the Alerus might not be unreasonable. For synchronized skating, that could actually attract an audience of non-traditional fans, much like televised figure skating reaches a predominantly female non-sports audience.

Some interesting stats: partipication in men's lacrosse in growing fast, but because of Title IX issues, few DI men's teams have been added. Growth of NCAA College Lacrosse Growth of Lacrosse Puts a Pinch on College Game Because Lacrosse is relatively easy to pick up on, athletic ability, not lacrosse skills, are what's in demand: lacrosse is the fastest-growing game in the U.S. at every level.

The thought of UND being DI at tennis, golf, softball, and baseball makes me want to shudder - we have a difficult enough time being competitive in DII - with ND's climate, DI in those sports would be a joke. DII conferences in the South are more competitive than DI nothern mid-major teams. It would be a waste of resources to put finances into those sports. If those sports are supported at a DI level, travel and scholarship costs would go up substantially. Without major $'s going into a baseball stadium / softball complex / tennis complex, fielding a DI team in those sports would not reflect well on UND. Why not put those resources into sports that we have a prayer of being competitive in, have existing facilities for, could be reasonably competitive in, and may actually provide revenue? BTW, the scholarship levels for a DI lacrosse team is 12.6 for men's and 12.0 for women's, not much different from baseball / softball. UND Men

From today's Herald, seems there is still some issues to be resolved on an indoor training facility: So a new football-oriented training facility (weights/lockers) gets built near Memorial, but an indoor track/field gets built somewhere else, maybe with other partners, where it can easily be rented out? Is a deal being discussed with the Alerus? It would also seem that any future conference affiliation (and required sports offerings) would need to be known prior to making a final decision.

Local Boy: What have been your alternatives? As far as CANAD, if the city-CANAD deal was such a give-away, why would the financials have taken so long to be put in place? By the opposite token, if a consortium of banks were in the end willing to loan CANAD $50 million, isn’t that evidence that a CANAD INN/water park has more than a reasonable chance of being profitable? The city I live in, with four times the population and seven times the regional population, has been trying to lure developers to build a indoor/outdoor water park for almost a decade now. Most cities GF’s size to five times larger would kill to have a development like the Canad/water park. With the CANAD and water park, GF will be that much more attractive from an amenities standpoint to new business and new people. If you are a business person in GF, that can only be good for your long-term future. In my view, if the city projects that really need more discussion are the city water treatment plant and the landfill issue.

Syracuse plays outdoor lacrosse in the Carrier dome, so it would seem the Alerus would be acceptable. Since this DI commission has been formed, maybe this is the proper timing to give consideration to offering Lacrosse as a sport. I seem to recall The Sicatoka has advocated adding lacrosse, so the idea has good pedigree!! In men’s Lacrosse, there is only one western/midwestern league: Great Western Lacrosse League Ohio State Notre Dame Butler Denver Air Force Quinnipiac (probably not permanent) add North Dakota --> permanent autobid for the Great Western Lacrosse For the women, the only western conference really needs another team: Mountain Pacific Lacrosse Cal-Berkeley Stanford St. Mary’s Oregon Denver add North Dakota --> permanent autobid for Mountain Pacific Lacrosse Positives: Revenue potential Affiliation with Big 10 / Pac 10 schools Alerus has open dates in spring Proposed practice facility could be used - limited conflict with football Athletes available from Canada/Twin Cities/Denver/Chicago/Seattle with otherwise limited scholarship options Getting walk-ons might not be as difficult as expected - most other lacrosse schools are private with large tuitions or public with high academic requirements Would increase geographic diversity of students UND would be a leader and trendsetter / not a follower - in this region Fast growing sport Northern location not harmful compared with other spring sports like baseball/softball/tennis/golf Generally appeals to hockey fans Tailgate weekends in the spring Negatives: Lack of local familiarity with sport No local athletes Startup costs Recruiting / travel costs Practice facility required before startup Would probably require dropping other spring sports like baseball, golf, or tennis Doesn’t mesh well with Big Sky sports requirements Could be viewed as to trendy / faddish Non-traditional risk Comments?