UNC move up to Div I

[star2city]

The Greeley Tribune has had three recent articles on UNC's move:

This article on UNC baseball and wrestling explains that since there are no other Div I Colorado schools (except national 'recruiter' Air Force) offering these sports, the caliber of recruited athlete and eventual success of UNC in these sports should be high.

UNC also has a considerable baseball tradition that they would like to revisit:

Last year, 24 high school or college baseball players with Colorado ties were selected in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.

Eight of those 24 were Colorado high school students while the remaining 16 were playing college baseball, either in Colorado or out-of-state at Division I.

...

[Bison_Kent]

With these articles, it seems NDSU is far more ready for I-AA then UNC. We are playing Montana and Cal-Davis, who are in I-AA this year, in football. I am sure we will get them again in 2004 along with some other I-AA teams such as Western Illinios and Montana State, who we have been discussing with already.

NDSU also is in a better situation in baseball. I believe we already have a deal with the Gophers to play a home and home. Also, Newman Field is going to rival any Division I teams. It is very close to the Wichita State stadium (I live close to Wichita and have gone to some games). Wichita State is usually one of the top baseball schools in the country.

Wrestling has always been a top sport for NDSU and shouldn't have any trouble getting Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, and other top Division I wrestling schools in home and homes. Remember, 8-9 years ago Iowa came to a sold out Bison Sports Arena when Iowa had two Bismarck natives on the team.

I hope the best for N. Colorado but I don't think their fan base or recruiting base is going to be any bigger. With UC, CSU, and Air Force in the state, I don't think anyone is going to add into the Bear's fan base.

[UND92,96]

With these articles, it seems NDSU is far more ready for I-AA then UNC.

[NDSU grad]

I can't say this is true for sure, but I think I remember reading on the d2football site that Coors and Monfort ponied up some big bucks for UNC athletics. This may be driving their move to D1.

[UND92,96]

I can't say this is true for sure, but I think I remember reading on the d2football site that Coors and Monfort ponied up some big bucks for UNC athletics.  This may be driving their move to D1.

I read in the Greeley paper that they have received private donations for an additional 70 scholarships, but it's unclear whether that's 70 scholarships for one year, or 70 scholarships per year. In any event, scholarships are only part of the equation. If I'm not mistaken, they have a terrible basketball/volleyball facility which needs addressing, they will have additional travel expenses, coaches' salaries will be on the rise, and at some point they need to start drawing some fans for basketball, as well as getting football attendance to a more respectable level.

I would be shocked if donations can overcome their lack of ticket revenue over the long haul, unless Monfort and/or Coors make an Engelstad-sized donation. Barring that, I think that they are going to be in some serious financial trouble in the near future.

[The Sicatoka]

I had heard that UNC had a big campaign to get all of their scholarships endowed (meaning they'd never have to fundraise for scholarships again).

[WYOBISONMAN]

It would be hard to imagine UNC being able to raise that kind of funding, but if there is Coors money involved who knows. I know that the D1 move will be a challenge to NDSU and I would think we have much more potential to fundraise than does UNC.

[The Sicatoka]

Then again, Colorado's population has grown by almost double North Dakota's total population in the last ten years. Growth and available money almost always walk hand-in-hand.

[elmduf]

This article on UNC baseball and wrestling explains that since there are no other Div I Colorado schools (except national 'recruiter' Air Force) offering these sports, the caliber of recruited athlete and eventual success of UNC in these sports should be high.

I agree that UNC will have a difficult time attracting fans to their basketball, football and volleyball games. Their baskeball/volleyball facility if a joke. However, they make a good point in that article about recruiting for baseball and wrestling. The Coors and Monfort families are good donors for UNC, they could put up the cash for a good baseball facility. One thing that hurts NDSU is the nasty spring weather. Northern climate baseball programs usually suffer because of this problem. Just check and see how many UND and NDSU baseball games were cancelled this year. That isn't unusual. Colorado isn't nearly as bad, but spring storms can throw a monkey wrench into any baseball program here.

[star2city]

What UNC official gave the following answer to this question: "So why would UNC ever want to move up to I-AA?"

"I don't have a clue. We're going to have a very difficult time getting funding. I don't know where we'll get a fan base from.  I've asked that same question, but I'm supposed to be positive, so we'll give it our best shot."

Answer: Kay Dalton, UNC Head Football Coach

Source: N. Colorado coach laments move to I-AA football

Of all UNC sports, I would have thought football would have been the driver to Div I.

[BisonMav]

Here is a link to some I-AA talk on the subject:

N. Colorado Coach not Happy with Move to I-AA

[CoteauRinkRat]

I bet the folks at UNC were not too pleased to hear those kind of remarks made for the public to hear.

Do you think that there will be this kind of stuff coming from NDSU coaches? I'm not talking about football here either.

Obviously Glas isn't thrilled with the idea at all and UND hasn't even made the decision to go.

[BisonMav]

Coach Townsend resigned as head soccer coach shortly after the Division I announcement. That is the only coach I know of that did not want to go through with the Division I move.

The other coaches I have met and talked with support the move.

[CoteauRinkRat]

BisonMav

I believe most of them support the move, but I'm sure there are a few who are not too thrilled about the notion, but have been told privately they had better not let their feelings be known to the public.

I was very surprised to read those quotes from Coach Dalton. I guess some things are not as smooth as they looked to be.

[elmduf]

I'm not surprised at Coach Dalton saying these things. He probably is thinking of retiring, and possibly is a little frustrated at this transition. After all, what exactly is this team playing for this year? No playoffs (I am assuming..) and no conference championship.

They appear to be doing well so far in the transition phase, but I think Dalton isn't interested in this transition. Maybe I'm wrong, but this appears to be more of a younger coaches dream. I don't think he would be extremely interested in putting in the energy to bring this program up to the I-AA standard that is necessary.

I could be wrong though....

[star2city]

UNC has issued their men’s 2003-4 basketball schedule, which includes nine home and twenty away. Surprisingly, they were able to get 8 current DivI teams to schedule them, all away of course. But their home schedule is limited to DII RMAC teams as well as low level NAIA schools, including a home/home with Johnson&Wales, which is a Denver culinary /business school.

Utah Valley State College, another Div I transition school, announced a schedule that's even worse.

It will be very interesting this time next year when NDSU and SDSU announce their BB schedules. They, especially SDSU, may not be looked upon by Div I schools as much of a cupcake as UNC is. Their home schedules will probably most resemble a DAK-10 or Northern Sun schedule and are bound to be especially weak in January and February. If SDSU announces a home schedule like this (similar to UNC or UVSC), there probably would be riots breaking out in front of Pres. Miller’s home in Brookings. For either school, basketball will not be creating a lot of revenue. Away games in Ames or Omaha will only create extra cash for Iowa State or Creighton. For UND, the new REA SportsCenter needs to be paid off before a Div I move could even remotely be financially feasible.

[TheSiouxFan]

For UND, the new REA SportsCenter needs to be paid off before a Div I move could even remotely be financially feasible.

REA SportsCenter is already paid off. Thanks mostly to the revenue generated from REA.

[star2city]

REA SportsCenter is already paid off.  Thanks mostly to the revenue generated from REA.

TheSiouxFan,

That's impressive. A seven million expansion already paid for by the the REA. That would certainly seem to put to rest rumors, most from non-GF sources, that the REA is not as profitable as hoped. For example, see this letter to this editor in the Fargo Forum. Much of that speculation has to be grossly inaccurate.

[bisonguy]

You would figure that a $7 million project being paid off by profits from REA would have been in the news.

[diggerdan]

The sports center is most certainly not paid off. There is no way the arena could have generated, in two years, the funds necessary to build the sports center and no further donations have come in. It is my understanding that financing has not been finalized but that REA will be borrowing the $7 million.

edit - BTW, much of the information in the Forum letter is inaccurate. The arena makes money. How much we may never know, but enough that it was able to jump start the women's hockey program to the tune of about $300K last year. Also, REA is taking over much of the athletic department "leg work" like ticketing and marketing. I don't know if that's a good thing or not as their priorities may not be in sync with the AD's office but I can tell you that from a bottom line ($$$) perspective, they are very good at what they do.

Back on topic - UNC's BB schedule is quite an eye opener....and a revenue killer. It's only year one though.

[jimdahl]

So, I may be the only Sioux fan who finds UNC's basketball schedule impressive--

Colorado

Colorado State

Denver

NDSU (or UND) would kill for such non-conference opponents. It's clearly not a revenue generating schedule, since all good games are road games, but it's better than I thought they could get. Clearly geography played a big part; their home schedule is another matter.

[elmduf]

It's good to see that the other local D-1 schools are including UNC in their basketball schedule. I am a bit confused as to why the game with CSU is an exhibition game and won't count. I noticed that in the Denver Post today. ??

[TheSiouxFan]

OK, my bad. Obviously I didn't mean it was already paid off. Just implying that it won't be a drain to the athletic department in any way. The arena last year made $1.7 million in profit and only continue to grow.

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/?id=41064