Conference Realignments - Take 2

[SiouxVolley]

Interesting quote by Ohio State’s AD:  Rutgers and Maryland were added to the Big Ten so Penn St wasn’t so isolated and on an island.

Well, Penn State was added in 1990 and those two added 24 years later.  There was talk in the early 90’s that other schools like Syracuse could be added then, but it took 24 years for Penn State to get more local rivals.  Penn St was very attrative to the ACC and Big East for years, but academics, research, name brands and money won out.

The  North Dakota schools with the Montana ones will be together in under that time frame from when they moved to DI.  Patience is a virtue.

https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2019/03/ohio-state-ad-gene-smith-says-part-of-big-ten-expansion-with-rutgers-maryland-was-to-protect-penn-state.html

[Yote 53]

I drove to Detroit recently, 12 hours from Vermillion, SD to Detroit.  While there it dawned on me that Pittsburgh was only a little more than 4 hours away, and New York City was only a little over 9 hours away.  Point is, I always thought of Penn State as being out of the Big Ten footprint.  The reality is that Penn State, Maryland, Rutgers are closer to the eastern Big Ten schools (OSU, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State) than the Big Ten East schools are to the Big Ten West schools like Iowa, Minnesota, and obviously Nebraska, yet we think of those schools as "Midwestern" Big Ten type schools.  I mean, it's only a 12 hour drive from Chicago to New York City.

It also crystalized in my mind why schools like Fort Wayne, Indiana State, and Youngstown don't really want to have anything to do with the Dakota schools.  Once you get west of the Mississippi River the country starts to get really, really big.

Bottom line is that Rutgers and Maryland really aren't out of the Big Ten footprint and are easily accessible by the Big Ten East schools, even if we think it's crazy it really isn't.

[SiouxVolley]

5 hours ago, Yote 53 said:

I drove to Detroit recently, 12 hours from Vermillion, SD to Detroit.  While there it dawned on me that Pittsburgh was only a little more than 4 hours away, and New York City was only a little over 9 hours away.  Point is, I always thought of Penn State as being out of the Big Ten footprint.  The reality is that Penn State, Maryland, Rutgers are closer to the eastern Big Ten schools (OSU, Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State) than the Big Ten East schools are to the Big Ten West schools like Iowa, Minnesota, and obviously Nebraska, yet we think of those schools as "Midwestern" Big Ten type schools.  I mean, it's only a 12 hour drive from Chicago to New York City.

It also crystalized in my mind why schools like Fort Wayne, Indiana State, and Youngstown don't really want to have anything to do with the Dakota schools.  Once you get west of the Mississippi River the country starts to get really, really big.

Bottom line is that Rutgers and Maryland really aren't out of the Big Ten footprint and are easily accessible by the Big Ten East schools, even if we think it's crazy it really isn't.

So obviously the then new Mid Con got UNI to join and Minot St quality schools like Eastern and Western Illinois as charter members, but didn’t consider any of the Dakotas for travel reasons.  Only conferences with national TV impact like the Big Ten, Big East and A-10 include both Midwest and east of Ohio schools.

Lower conferences in the Midwest avoiding the Dakota like a plague confirms the Summit is in trouble relying a schools east of the Mississippi.  They want out now.  The Summit has to have a solution to that conundrum or it won’t have an autobid.

[Yote 53]

The best option for the Summit is to look west for members or to form some sort of new conference (yes, the Montana strategy, the Great North Conference).  The reason is that once you get out west the mentality about travel changes, we're used to driving long distances.  Pretty much everybody on this board knows somebody or personally has to drive multiple hours round trip just to make a trip to the grocery store, or Home Depot, Menards, even Walmart, we're used to living in this spread out country west of the Mississippi.  Schools in the east, there are so many of them and the travel is so condensed, they won't stay in a western based conference if they have a choice.

[SiouxVolley]

The  Pioneer Press has a story about no one in the MIAC wants to talk.  All the other schools don’t want to open their traps because the premise of kicking out UST is a lie.  UST wants to advance in divisions.

https://www.twincities.com/2019/04/17/somebody-in-the-miac-wants-st-thomas-out-nobody-in-the-miac-want-to-talk-about-it/

In the realignment world, only a few schools have been kicked out in the last 20 years:

Chicago St out of the MidCon because there were several cheating scandals.

UTPA (now UTRGV) out of the Sun Belt for cheating and lying.

Denver out of the Sun Belt as the Belt changed the rules for sport requirements and Denver chose not to comply after several years.

Associate members have been far more common in being kicked out.

[southpaw]

1 hour ago, SiouxVolley said:

 All the other schools don’t want to open their traps because the premise of kicking out UST is a lie.

Proof?

[SiouxVolley]

14 minutes ago, southpaw said:

Proof?

A brain that actually works, unlike yours.

[southpaw]

9 hours ago, SiouxVolley said:

A brain that actually works, unlike yours.

So once again, you have no proof.

[SWSiouxMN]

I don't think the MIAC presidents have the stones to remove UST.  

Pretty sure UST didn't win the league last year. 

[southpaw]

 

On 1/4/2019 at 4:08 AM, SiouxVolley said:

If the announcements aren’t made by July 1st, 2019, I’ll shut my trap permanently to this board about Summit movement.

The clock is ticking...

[Yote 53]

6 minutes ago, SWSiouxMN said:

I don't think the MIAC presidents have the stones to remove UST.  

Pretty sure UST didn't win the league last year. 

I agree, but UST has received the message they are not wanted.  Who wants to be in a relationship where they are not wanted?  No matter the vote I expect UST will do an evaluation of their athletics program and will seek greener pastures whether that be another D3 conference or a move up to D2 or possibly even D1.

[The Sicatoka]

On 4/17/2019 at 8:40 AM, Yote 53 said:

..., we're used to living in this spread out country west of the Mississippi.  Schools in the east, there are so many of them and the travel is so condensed, ...

I have a buddy from NJ who had to go to an event in Milwaukee. He flew to Chicago and thought the drive to Milwaukee was "long"; but, he called me up and said he was "real close by" and wondered if he should drive out and visit, 'cause WI and ND are close ...  

He got it after the third time I said, " ... more than 8 hours in the car ... ". 

[Siouxphan27]

4 hours ago, southpaw said:

 

The clock is ticking...

I think he attempted to buy himself another 15 years to be able to claim he was correct with this post made on Monday...

 

On ‎4‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 10:39 PM, SiouxVolley said:

Interesting quote by Ohio State’s AD:  Rutgers and Maryland were added to the Big Ten so Penn St wasn’t so isolated and on an island.

Well, Penn State was added in 1990 and those two added 24 years later.  There was talk in the early 90’s that other schools like Syracuse could be added then, but it took 24 years for Penn State to get more local rivals.  Penn St was very attrative to the ACC and Big East for years, but academics, research, name brands and money won out.

The  North Dakota schools with the Montana ones will be together in under that time frame from when they moved to DI.  Patience is a virtue.

https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2019/03/ohio-state-ad-gene-smith-says-part-of-big-ten-expansion-with-rutgers-maryland-was-to-protect-penn-state.html

 

[SiouxVolley]

Another report that Bellarmine is considering DI.  Since they are an old conference mate of PUFW, they would be a natural for the Summit says the trolls.  Why isn’t Douple and the Presidents of the Summit pursuing them?

https://www.wdrb.com/sports/crawford-is-bellarmine-heading-to-division-i-internal-discussions-are/article_be1586ba-61df-11e9-beac-3b28c11a2c11.html

[jdub27]

15 minutes ago, SiouxVolley said:

Why isn’t Douple and the Presidents of the Summit pursuing them?

The would require him to be proactive instead of reactive.

That being said, just because there aren't news reports of it happening doesn't mean is isn't. UND was continuously in contact with the Summit/MVFC for a few years, particularly the last year before joining, which included in person meetings, yet there were no reports of it happening. I believe that was the same time frame were there were those adamant that UND would never join the Summit/MVFC as the Dakotas were moving to the Big Sky in short order.

[The Sicatoka]

41 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

The would require him to be proactive instead of reactive.

But he reacts proactively? Does that count?  

[zonadub]

18 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

But he reacts proactively? Does that count?  

Or does he proactively react? 

[SiouxVolley]

The St Olaf student newspaper has made the claim that St Thomas has hired a consultant in the past about a move to DI.

https://www.manitoumessenger.com/2019/st-thomas-may-be-booted-from-the-miac/

[SiouxVolley]

Yeah, Douple has talked about why PUFW wants out soon, Augie has talked with him, and he doesn’t know that name of the UMKC big wig, so hasn’t talked with them.

Yeah, it really sounds like he is on the trail of Bellarmine on the other side of the Mason-Dixon Line..

[nodak651]

Don't think it will happen, but I think St. Thomas has the potential to make a play and compete with the U of M in D1.  Play football at MN United's new stadium, which is eventually going to be expanded to around 26,000.  City of St. Paul vs Minneapolis.  David vs Goliath.  Could be a great rivalry and St. Paul could rally around them.  In this situation they would have a great on campus practice field.  

I think both FBS and FCS could be successful.  They would have great attendance if they played in the valley for football.  Could see huge crowds with the Dakotas and UNI nearby.  If they were FCS, they could play a split schedule with some games on campus and some at the MLS stadium.

If they didn't drop hockey, they could pay to have ice put back in the coliseum.  Though that place would be a morgue if they didn't draw well.  Great atmosphere when full.  This one is more wishful thinking than anything.

[SWSiouxMN]

MIAC punts

http://www.startribune.com/miac-presidents-meet-postpone-decision-on-st-thomas/508766932/

[The Sicatoka]

A direct DIII --> DI hop is no longer allowed.
St. Thomas would have to spend time, like half a decade, in DII before going DI (and spending another half decade in that transition). 

They could do it, but it's chess, not checkers. 

[SiouxVolley]

The whole charade has been very useful for St Thomas.  Expect them to unilaterally leave the MIAC as that supposed threat of expulsion still exists.  Their fans are in a panic and will follow their leaders just as this board mostly followed Kelley obediently on the Sioux charade (ie Kelley arranged that the Summit and then the Big Sky issue threats if the name wasn’t changed).  

KARE’s story:  https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/breaking-the-news/are-st-thomas-days-in-the-miac-numbered/89-e23c702b-0197-434e-9a51-ea2ef59a4fc5

[SiouxVolley]

This article says the ASUN visited the Bellarmine campus and Bellarmine has until May 15 to make a decision..

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentuckiana/2019/04/18/bellarmine-university-considers-moving-athletics-division-i/3507480002/

Didn’t see a reference to Douple inviting them or even being interested.  Adding Bellarmine and Southern Indiana would almost cement the eastern wing of PUFW and WIU in, but apparently they’re not interested.

[SiouxVolley]

Am so excited for NDSU.  They can add another women’s sport at low cost without building new facilities.

https://news.theopenmat.com/womens-wrestling/augsburg-to-add-womens-wrestling-for-2019-20/72753

There are local teams at Jamestown, Augsburg, and Iowa teams now.  Presbyterian has the sole DI program now so NDSU would be a trailblazer.  Maybe they can even have a trans team, which don’t have a place to go now,