Future of the NCC

[The Sicatoka]

New NCC commissioner Roger Thomas has a mission:

The Presidents Council of the North Central Conference has directed Roger Thomas, NCC commissioner, to aggressively pursue up to three new members for the current seven-member league.

The story goes on to speculate on "possibles" and offers an on-line poll.

Full Story.

On-line poll.

[bigmrg74]

What about the issue of the washington schools being brought in as Football only members and the pursuit of the UP schools??

[dakotadan]

They sure gave alot of options in that poll

Where was the "None of the above" option? Why did they even stick Moorhead on there? Was it just to give NDSU fans a smart a$$ option to choose?

[bigmrg74]

Its because Federov didn't make the poll!!

[star2city]

The Presidents Council of the North Central Conference has directed Roger Thomas, NCC commissioner, to aggressively pursue up to three new members for the current seven-member league.

If there is a perceived expectation that one or two schools could leave by the end of the decade, three additional schools would be required. Doubt a single school would commit to the NCC unless one or two others committed simultaneously.

[mksioux]

That poll about made me want to puke. Where is the "none of the above" option? If UND is in the same league as the friggin Dragons of Moorhead State, I'm not sure I could stomach to follow non-hockey sports.

[UND92,96]

This column from the Yankton paper says that Winona St., Concordia-St. Paul and St. Thomas have been contacted regarding possible NCC membership, and "haven't said no."

[star2city]

Understand that Roger Thomas has been very upfront in conversations that if the Big Sky expands east, UND will be included. Any Big Sky expansion will likely happen sooner (within this decade), rather than later. The likelihood of UND moving to DI “soon” is one of the reasons that UND/Alerus Center pulled out of bidding on the DII football championship games later this decade. Lacking DI experience and financial expertise and having a passion for the DII game, RT’s move to the NCC and overseeing its restructuring was a natural move in all parties best interest. It really seems to be an open secret that UND and UNO will be moving on sometime (not sure about USD). If/when the NCC expands, it will be multiple teams en-masse when it is clear that UND and UNO are on their way out. The NSIC will move to 12 teams to protect itself.

Predictions:

August-05 - UND announces fundraising efforts for new indoor track/football complex. Fundraising for schlolarship trust fund also is announced.

Winter-06 - New volleyball coach announced at UND.

Spring-06 - New Men’s basketball coach announced at UND.

Spring-06- Big Sky Conference announces it will again consider expansion.

Spring-06- NSIC adds Minot St and Dakota St. Dac-8 disbands. Dickinson St applies for Frontier Conference membership. Jamestown joins GPAC. Mayville and Valley City are accepted into DIII Upper Midwest Conference. Black Hills St and SD Tech join RMAC.

Summer06- Nebraska-Omaha announces it will enter exploratory year for DI.

Summer 06- UND announces construction of new track/football complex.

Summer-06- UND announces it will enter exploratory year for DI. (Still eligible for DII championships for 06-07)

Fall-06 - NCC adds Winona St, Northern St., Concordia-St Paul, and St. Thomas for 07-08 seasons, moving to nine members (losing two).

Spring-07 - Gateway Conference accepts UNO as football member, replacing Western Kentucky, beginning in 08-09.

Spring-07- Big Sky Conference accepts UND, NDSU, and SDSU as full members, beginning with 08-09 school year. BSC will split into two six-team (High Plains/Intermountain) divisions.

Spring-07- MidContinent Conference accepts UNO as full-time member for 08-09 season.

Summer-07- UND announces addition of men’s tennis as a sport to fulfill Big Sky requirement. Announces refurbishment of Hyslop Fieldhouse as an Indoor Tennis Center.

Summer 07- UND elects to move Volleyball and Men’s Swimming to DI status with two-year probation periods rather than five year probation. (Since DII does not sponsor men’s or women’s hockey, UND is allowed to designate two additional sports for the DI level.)

07-08 - UND and UNO play single seasons without a conference.

Fall-07 - UND swimming teams accepted as associate members into the Missouri Valley Conference. (Valley only has three men’s teams, five women’s teams.)

Winter-07- Unless fundraising specific to new baseball/softball facilities is successful (and a conference affiliation found), UND is forced to drop baseball and softball as sponsored sports.

Fall 08- UND begins play in Big Sky conference. Not eligible for playoffs until ‘11-’12 seaons except in Volleyball.

[bisonguy]

star2city- why a new VB coach? I thought the UND VB team has seen marked improvement in the last couple years.

[Cratter]

It seems it would all be so simple if the NCAA got rid of the Football and Basketball must be in the same division.

[star2city]

why a new VB coach? I thought the UND VB team has seen marked improvement in the last couple years.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Last season, UND was 0-12 in the NCC. Granted, it was supposed to be a rebuilding year, but the highs are not that high and the lows are very low.

http://www.fightingsioux.com/sports/wvball...04/schedule.asp

As UND prepares to go DI, the coaching situation for each sport will likely get additional scrutiny. Obviously, some coaches could probably be at DI now, if they so chose. Others, like volleyball or men’s basketball, would definitely not have a DI opportunity elsewhere, due to credentials and performance, even if they wanted it. Those two sports, being potential revenue generators, need an upgrade, IMO.

[star2city]

Another DII power, Cal State-Bakersfield, is likely to move to DI and the Big West Conference, after its students approved an increased activity fee. Bakersfield was one of the few DII schools left in the California or the west that actually has strong fan support.

http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/bulldogs/s...-11392287c.html

By my count, there are now ten schools that have moved to DI since the moratorium was lifted:

UC-Davis

N Colorado

NDSU

SDSU

Kennesaw St

N Florida

Longwood

Utah Valley St

N Carolina Central

Winston-Salem St

Seven more DII schools have had their Presidents speaking to the press about potential DI interest or are publicly seeking DI conference membership:

Indiana U PA

Northern Kentucky

Tarleton St

Central Arkansas

Cal St-Bakersfield

Florida Gulf Coast U

West Georgia

If the above move up, the number of DII schools with more than a 10,000 student enrollment and a competitive athletic department is getting rather limited:

5 NCC schools (UNO, UND, SCSU, MSU-M, UMD)

3 GLIAC (Wayne St (Mich), Grand Valley St, Ferris St)

Central Oklahoma

Valdosta St

C Missouri

W Washington

West Chester St

4 western nonfootball schools (UAA, Chico St., UC-San Diego, Cal Poly Pomona)

[bisonguy]

Last season, UND was 0-12 in the NCC. Granted, it was supposed to be a rebuilding year, but the highs are not that high and the lows are very low.

http://www.fightingsioux.com/sports/wvball...04/schedule.asp

As UND prepares to go DI, the coaching situation for each sport will likely get additional scrutiny. Obviously, some coaches could probably be at DI now, if they so chose. Others, like volleyball or men

[Goon]

This column from the Yankton paper says that Winona St., Concordia-St. Paul and St. Thomas have been contacted regarding possible NCC membership, and "haven't said no."

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why would they say no. The NCC is a better league than the NSIC, the NSIC is percieved as a week league like the CHA is in hockey. Also, if Winona is in the NCC, we dont' have to worry about them competing for a spot in the NCAA tourney then because if they were in the NCC I can't see them walking to a conference title like they do in the NSIC. Concordia is also a legitimate up and coming school and played NDSU tough its last year in division II.

[Goon]

Spring-06 - New Men

[BisonMav]

Concordia is also a legitimate up and coming school and played NDSU tough its last year in division II.

They acted tough in the endzone prior to the game. CSP lost 58-24, they scored the last two TD's in the waining minutes of the game. That being said, I agree they would be a legitimate school for the NCC. They still are not on par in football with UND, UNO or SCSU.

[bincitysioux]

Why would they say no. The NCC is a better league than the NSIC, the NSIC is percieved as a week league like the CHA is in hockey. Also, if Winona is in the NCC, we dont' have to worry about them competing for a spot in the NCAA tourney then because if they were in the NCC I can't see them walking to a conference title like they do in the NSIC. Concordia is also a legitimate up and coming school and played NDSU tough its last year in division II.

I think that Winona St. is the most likely to say no simply because they are all but guaranteed a spot in the playoffs every year. It is certain they wouldn't dominate in the NCC, that's why I think they like where they're at.

That being said, they'd be my first choice to join the NCC because they are a quality program. I don't want CSP or St. Thomas. I think the only advantage, from my standpoint (pro-moving to DI) is that bringing in more and more NSIC schools, will upset more and more alumni forcing them to put pressure on the administration about making the move. If UND is going to stay DII, I want the NCC to be built of schools with quality academics, athletics, funding, supportive alumni, and of decent size enrollment (at least around 5,000).

UMD was a nice addition last year, and Winona would be a great addition as well. To me, any other NSIC school would be disappointing. My top four teams to consider for addition would be:

1)Winona St.--Good geographical fit, quality school, with an excellent football

program and pretty solid basketball as well.

2)Nebraska-Kearney--Great potential rivalry with UNO, generally a pretty decent

football program, keeps UNO happy.

3)Michigan Tech--Football program has shown improvement as of late, WCHA DI hockey school which already gives the school a history with UND, UMD, SCSU,

Mankato, plus UNO also has DI hockey.

4)Northern Michigan--I don't think the NCC can justify taking just one of the

Michigan schools. The two together would be a nice rivalry and travel partners

*The problem with the Michigan schools is that if the NCC adds one or both of them, without adding Kearney, I think that they run the risk of alienating UNO, which is the second most important school in the conference, and having them bolt to the MIAA.

[The Sicatoka]

Whoops, looks like a coaching change would be in order. I thought I saw something about the team being on an upswing.

You'd be right if it was summer of 2004. The 2004-05 season was a tough one.

Looking through the scenario put forth by star2city it seems to cover everything, including sport misalignments between UND and the (admitted possibility) of the BSC. Because the BSC doesn't sponsor baseball, softball, and swimming, those three seem to be the odd-man out.

This climate just doesn't seem to support springtime baseball/softball. If UND had a dome for those sports, but I won't hold my breath there. If the season was moved later in the spring/early summer it would probably help them also. If UND ends up in a conference that doesn't support those sports it won't help them unless they come up with a way to be self-supporting.

Now, let me toss a crazy idea out there:

- it's the national summertime sport of Canada

- DU just built a stadium for just this sport

- UND already has facilities that would support it (Memorial, Bronson, or Alerus)

- it draws better ($$$) than baseball where it is played today

- it's more in-line with the hockey demographic (already present in Grand Forks)

If the current emerging growth (HS and college) signs stay on course, and if conference affiliation possibilities arise, way (and I mean way, half a decade from now) down the road should UND be evaluating adding lacrosse as a potential spring revenue sport?

[bigmrg74]

The thing with the two UP Michigan schools is that a lot of their alumni base is down state in the Mitten. They do tend to draw a little better than most of the conference when it comes to away visitors, at least it seemed that way to me. If they go NCC, they run the risk of alienating their most supportive alumni base because then they can't easily go catch a game anytime they want to.