Teeder11

NCAA officially approves UND’s full Division I active membership Five-year transition complete, UND now eligible for postseason competition in 2012-13 The University of North Dakota is proud to announce that it has been elected to full Division I active membership status from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), officially completing UND’s transition from Division II status. UND President Dr. Robert Kelley received a letter from the NCAA today confirming the University’s active membership in Division I athletics. With the five-year reclassification process to Division I (Football Championship Subdivision) now complete, UND is eligible to participate in Division I postseason competition beginning this fall. “The University has been waiting for formal notification of its successful completion of the NCAA D-1 transition process. That notification arrived today,” said UND President Robert O. Kelley. “This completes a significant milestone in the long tradition of UND athletics. The announcement signals a great deal of coming excitement as UND’s teams compete in Big Sky Conference D-1 competition. UND extends a grateful note of thanks to the NCAA and to everyone who has been engaged in the transition process. Their hard work has built a solid foundation for continued success for our student athletes and the UND program for intercollegiate athletics.” In Thursday’s letter to Kelley, Stephen Mallonee, the NCAA’s Managing Director of Academic and Membership Affairs/Division I Governance Liaison, wrote, “It is my pleasure to inform you that the NCAA Division I Board of Directors approved the recommendation from the NCAA Division I Administration Cabinet to elect the University of North Dakota to Division I active membership effective September 1 (or the beginning of the 2012-13 academic year if earlier than September 1).” Mallonee went on to write, “I congratulate you on your successful transition to Division I status and urge your institution to continue strengthening its commitment to meet all applicable Division I members requirements during the course of the 2012-13 academic year and thereafter.” “This marks a historic moment for UND Athletics,” said UND Athletics Director Brian Faison. “This has been a long and involved process. It has clearly been a tremendous team effort involving hundreds of staff, student-athletes and administrators in the process. I want to thank our alumni and fans for their patience and support throughout these five years.” UND’s transition to Division I has been highlighted by numerous successes in competition, in the classroom and in the community. Following its exploratory year of NCAA Division I members in 2007-08, UND captured 10 conference tournament championships and seven conference regular season championships at the Division I level while competing in the Great West Conference (GWC), Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA), Western Athletic Conference (WAC), Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) and the America Sky Conference. In the classroom, UND’s 377 student-athletes emerged from the transition in 2011-12 with a grade point average of 3.173 that was the highest in UND Athletics history. Twelve student-athletes garnered Academic All-America honors during the five-year transition, while five earned prestigious NCAA postgraduate scholarships. In addition to balancing the demands of athletics and academics, UND’s student-athletes logged between 6,000 and 7,000 hours of community service in each of the last two years. UND’s 2012-13 Conference Affiliations America Sky Conference: Men’s golf Big Sky Conference (BSC): Baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, women’s golf, soccer, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, volleyball Great West Conference (GWC): Baseball Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF): Men’s swimming and diving Western Athletic Conference (WAC): Women’s swimming and diving (affiliate member) Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA): Men’s and women’s hockey --30-- Peter B. Johnson Executive Associate Vice President for University Relations Media Relations Coordinator Office of University Relations 264 Centennial Drive Stop 7144 Grand Forks, ND 58202-7144 701.777.4317 | 701.777.4616 fax Peter.johnson@email.und.edu UND.edu North Dakota Spirit | The Campaign for UND Raising $300 million. | Share your Spirit @ www.spirit.und.edu

The NCAA just sent UND the gift it's been waiting for. Stay tuned.

Sic is right. Never is a long time. I will support UND no matter what the name will be.

It is funny, though, that UND (even after the UND-NDSU confusion was presumably ironed out among voters ) was being ranked in the low 20s in the poll. And now, with a stronger team -- at least on paper-- UND has fallen off the radar. Lends credence to the theory that these poll mean nothing in the pre-season.

It might be more plausible to expect an announcement in late April/early May -- before graduation-- and after the 2013 legislative session has adjourned.

Oh, I truly believe the IPF money is there. What's holding things up is that UND and the donor(s) have a dilemma on their hands as far as how to give the University the money and ensure that it goes to its intended purpose and not be forced to use it for other academic and infrastructure needs that UND is asking the Legislature to fund. The dilemma, in short, is: how do you ask the state to pony up for important things like a new medical school, etc., when you are getting big donations from donors for recreational needs like athletics? The short-sighted, anti-higher ed lawmakers, especially the ones out west in Tioga, Watford City, Hazen and the like, will have a hard time loosening up their purse strings if there is an appearance that UND is getting millions in donations for "mere athletics." They would say "Why not use the donations for athletics to move other money around (legally) to fund some of these other projects internally instead of asking the state for more money? It's a PR perception thing that will be hard to overcome. I am sure there are other technical matters holding things up, but that's my slightly educated read on things.

I love our local guys in the media -- don't get me wrong -- but they sure don't seem to have the same fire or desire to get on top of recruiting committments like Izzo and Kolpack do. Those two seemingly are always abuzz on Twitter with new info on recruits. Maybe it's not a priority for the local media guys, but there sure seems to be a thirst for it.

Pretty good analysis here on the current situation in the Big Sky/WAC/MWC. A little on the longish side, but the writer is obviously knowledgable and passionate about the subject. I especially like the part in bold below!

Don't disagree. However, I think it's natural to have feelings of hope and enthusiasm going into each new season -- that's what makes it fun. That combined with last year's flashes of stellar play in the Southern Utah game, or taking FBS Fresno St. to the wire, or the dog fight against Cal Poly or the come-back against USD, as well as our returning strengths at DL, OL, K and RB, and new talent and improved prospects at QB, TE, WR and the secondary -- give fans reasons to believe. Hope springs eternal! Now let's just get it done on the field.

Per Mike Mannausau's tweet: New turf has arrived at the Alerus!

Wow.... just wow!

I like the moves that Midco is making of late. It reminds me of the old "MSC" (now FSN) back in its infancy. If Midco takes the same trajectory (albeit on a bit smaller scale, as we don't have a huge anchor market like the Twin Cities), it could be a very powerful media force in the Dakotas and whatever other markets it eventually conquers. It's huge that UND is becoming a major part of Midco so early. The upside and potential for growth is incredible. Right now the Midco empire spans a lot of North and South Dakota, except for an island that Cable One clings to in Fargo (but not West Fargo, which has Midco), various markets in western Minnesota and smatterings beyond. I think Midco is poised to conquer more ground, taking UND along for the ride!

I think we get too used to folks coming on here just to stir things up and get the hive buzzing that we lose sight that there are some opposing fans (in-conferene and otherwise) who want an honest, collegial debate. Lakes and the ilk do you know favors, as I am sure there are some in our camp who invade BV and Kolpack/Izzo's forum to sir the pot.

Let's leave Bison06 alone on this one. It was an honest oversight and it happens.

Frank White is the man!

Amen. Well put.

I liked Grand Forks 20 years ago and I like Grand Forks now and I imagine that I will still love it in 20 years. It's the perfect size for me. Not too big and not too small. It's got everything I could need and want. This whole idea that we have to keep growing to keep up with Fargo, Bismarck, Sioux Falls, etc. is misguided. A slow growth rate is a lot better than the growing pains that come with boom cycles and it's a lot better than the alternative of regression. I think some people have a hard time grasping that there are lots of us who love it here, and that we don't have any envy for others in the region who right now are "booming."

Stud!

I was about to ask the same thing? Is this where we start the p!$$ing contest by extrapolating imaginary win-loss comparisons for non-common opponents from higher divisions? Thanks, but no thanks; I'll just go beat my head against the wall. More productive.

The "Big West" -- sounds intriguing, to say the least!

Nothing new on Schobert, but stumbled across a couple of posts over on BadgerNation, one of them from someone who watched Joe play in H.S. and seems to vouch for his athleticism. The poster wonders if Bucky game him any PWO consideration or if that still might be in the offing. http://mbd.scout.com...=2561&t=9151372

Schobert and Javen Butler COULD be a hell of a safety tandem in a couple years.

Very interesting.... I like where you're going with that. He certainly sounds like he has the speed, and at 6-2, the height is much needed.

Even if Schobert slips through our fingers, I still love our LB corps of the future. Labat, Jared Tuilagi, J.D. Allen, Taj Rich -- all appear to be the real deal and underrated recruits, at least on the national scene. Now throw Schobert in there and LOOK OUT!

I plead ignorance here.... was Comes on any kind of a scholly -- partial or otherwise? Does that free up money to leverage more for Schoberg?