UND92,96

Maybe this is an over-simplification, but if I were an a.d. at a low-major division I school with a coach who is at or near the end of a contract, the question I would ask myself is: "is anybody else trying to hire this coach away from me?" If the answer is "no", then that's probably not the coach I want, either.

I disagree. He's the type of kid who has often ended up at MSU-Moorhead, and the Dragons would have beaten UND in several recent seasons IMO. Moody can score, and his athletic ability is better than several perimeter players who have played significant minutes at UND in the division I era. Even if he doesn't pan out for whatever reason, I have zero problem with Jones giving a ND kid a shot given the incredible numbers Moody put up in high school. I think Jones has made a lot of recruiting mistakes over the years, but I think this was a good decision.

He has not played at all, so it appears he is red shirting. I think he could have contributed this year.

I think it's only a matter of time before the financial realities force the issue at St. Cloud, Mankato and Bemidji. Maybe Duluth, too. The problem is that dropping women's hockey at those schools would likely require also dropping football. That nearly happened at St. Cloud a few years ago, so it's not necessarily all that far-fetched.

Football is the best friend of women's sports. How many women's sports would have to be cut to remain Title IX compliant if you were to eliminate 85 or 63 or 36 men's scholarships?

Given the massive budget/losses of women's hockey, and the fact that UND was significantly out of compliance with Title IX in favor of women, I'm still astounded as to how it was considered "untouchable" as recently as a few months ago.

So Schloss just tweeted that there's a women's hockey recruit on campus for an official visit right now. That's not awkward or anything...

The fact that men's hockey-playing schools like Michigan, Michigan State and Notre Dame don't have women's hockey tells me all I need to know about whether it makes any financial sense whatsoever to have it. There are far less expensive alternatives that can still result in Title IX compliance.

Not sure if this has already been posted or not, but in a radio interview with Mike McNamara yesterday, Tom Miller stated that in his opinion, there was a pretty good chance women's hockey would indeed be cut, possibly as early as today. If you are interested in hearing the entire interview, which also included Virg Foss, you can find a link to it on Miller's twitter feed.

Moton became the first ND high school girl ever to go over 50 feet in the shot put on Friday, with a throw of 50'3". I would expect she'll also exceed the previous state best in the javelin once the outdoor season starts, as she nearly did so last season.

I really like Moody's potential. Yes, he didn't play up to his standards in the semi's at the state tournament, but he's got a pretty unique skillset for a ND kid. I believe he will contribute a lot next year.

Agreed. UND and Jones have had a great year, and he deservedly was selected Big Sky coach of the year. But realistically, it you are an a.d., would you be willing to take the heat you know you'd get from your fan base by hiring a coach with a career record of 30 games under .500? I don't see it happening at this point, but then again stranger things have happened.

I understand what you're saying, but Gunther's teams played tough schedules, especially in the 1970's. Non-conference opponents included Minnesota (four times), Villanova, Gonzaga, St. Mary's (twice), Creighton (twice), Boise St., New Mexico and Nevada, among many other current division I schools. Plus Northern Iowa was in the NCC until 1978. A conference schedule including the three other Dakota schools, Northern Iowa, Omaha, etc. two to three times a year was pretty brutal.

UND also just hired a new soccer coach. Presumably to a multi-year contract. I don't think soccer is being cut. It's one of those women's sports, like basketball, volleyball and track, that nearly every division I school sponsors.

You know, maybe football really is keeping women's hockey down. Just ask the women's hockey coaches at UNO and Denver. Wait a minute...never mind .

An argument could be made that it would actually be safer from a Title IX standpoint to cut women's hockey than any other women's sport. Why? The so-called prong 3, or interests and abilities test. Even at the local level, and certainly at the state level, girls'/womens' hockey is far less popular in terms of participation than soccer, swimming and softball. Probably tennis, also. So by keeping the least popular sport (again, in terms of participation) it seems to me that a school would be opening itself up to a challenge by supporters of objectively more popular sports, arguing that if cuts absolutely had to be made, it should be the objectively least popular (not to mention most expensive) sport that was cut. I have no idea whether this argument would prove compelling, but it's probably a stronger Title IX argument than women's hockey supporters would have if that sport were cut.

IMO, it really depends on whether Faison figures out a way to conduct a search like a real division I athletic director despite the ND University System/UND rules. And that means not simply posting the job and waiting for applications to roll in (as he allegedly did in the football hiring process). Because unlike football, there's probably no Bubba out there who is both well-qualified and who sees this as his dream job. If we want somebody like Walthall, I don't believe he's going to apply without some "assurances" that the job is his. If there's truly no way for that to happen under the current hiring rules, then we may want to prepare ourselves for another hire of somebody as dubiously qualified as Jones was 10 years ago. I hope I'm wrong.

While I certainly understand people wishing the football crowd had been a bit larger yesterday given the circumstances, UND did have over 22,000 at its three home games on the day.

Matt Kellogg's contract will not be renewed: http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/4154101-und-soccer-coach-will-not-have-contract-renewed-next-season

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/4153154-und-negotiating-conference-move-missouri-valley-football-conference-summit-league#.WB5nPPp4KhU.twitter

UND started 9-0 in 2005. Then the infamous collapse against Omaha happened...

Per Tom Miller and SFI, UND has received a commitment from DE Ezekiel Ott of Caledonia (MN).

Buchanan has committed to UND.

Akealy Moton from West Fargo has committed to UND.

Interestingly, a few hours before Kvilvang's announcement, UND received a verbal commitment from 6'5" Melissa Leet from Portage (WI).