Fallout.

[The Sicatoka]

Given UND's announcement of a transition timetable to Division I, how long until ...

1. Nebraska-Omaha announces they are changing DII conferences to the MIAA?

2. SCSU and USD announce more formal, more public reviews of Division I at their institutions?

3. Minnesota State - Mankato tags along with a "Me too!" behind SCSU in looking at DI?

4. Formal discussions between the NCC and NSIC about mergers or cross-scheduling begin?

[LuvState]

I don't know what to say or what SCSU will do. I know the vast majority want to stay in DII but the higher ups said straight out that we will do whatever UND does. I don't know where the funding will come from, but there must be things happening behind the scenes...whether we go DI, merge with the NSIC, create a new DII conference, or raid the NSIC and lower the football scholarship numbers.

It is an exciting and interesting time for UND and I wish you all the best! As for the future fo SCSU...I have no idea

[govikes27]

If some of the dominos fall as have been speculated (UNO to MIAA, NSIC unwilling to lift scholarship limits in event of some kind of merger), I think some NCC schools will look very closely at teaming up with UND and moving as a group. If USD comes under pressure, and the MN schools follow UND, perhaps there will be more area schools starting transition in 07-08?

[jimdahl]

Haven't seen this elsewhere here, but it fits in this thread anyway -- SC Times NCC, NSIC to discuss a merger

The North Central Conference and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference are discussing a possible merger.Commissioners from the conferences said this week that they

[MplsBison]

On Bisonville a poster mentioned that SCSU has applied to the NSIC!

If Duluth and Mankato follow suit and UNO goes to the MIAA, what happens to the NCC?

Augi has an easy decision (join the NSIC).

But what will USD do?

[LuvState]

On Bisonville a poster mentioned that SCSU has applied to the NSIC!

If Duluth and Mankato follow suit and UNO goes to the MIAA, what happens to the NCC?

Augi has an easy decision (join the NSIC).

But what will USD do?

I say the webcast and SCSU has only inquired about the NSIC...they have not received any official paperwork or notice.

[wsuwarrior]

http://www.keloland.com/Sports/NewsDetail4671.cfm?ID=0,48923

Well, it's mentioned here that USD is looking at their situation.

And here's USD's release:

http://www.usdcoyotes.com/sports/news/rele...release_id=3223

[Smoggy]

I kind of get the feeling that UND waiting the extra year for exploratory is to give some other NCC members a chance to look at DI.

There's been some talk about a DI NCC. I understand it's a 13 year wait for auto births. What's the chances of the NCAA granting an exception? Consider, that this is one of the only regions in the country with no close proximity conference for members to join (obviously Big 10/11 is not an option). They are more or less forced to band together. Though with UND in it, I doubt it would happen.

[rabidrabbit]

I kind of get the feeling that UND waiting the extra year for exploratory is to give some other NCC members a chance to look at DI.

There's been some talk about a DI NCC. I understand it's a 13 year wait for auto births. What's the chances of the NCAA granting an exception? Consider, that this is one of the only regions in the country with no close proximity conference for members to join (obviously Big 10/11 is not an option). They are more or less forced to band together. Though with UND in it, I doubt it would happen.

The NCAA going out of their way to HELP the SIOUX? I doubt that will happen. At least until UND are the Flickertails/Rough Riders/Ice Jammers -

However, from a scheduling standpoint that could work.

For football, I expect that NCC move-ups will find a home in the GWFC until it's filled with 9 teams, at 5 now.

In other sports, I expect that the Mid-con, with NDSU/SDSU on the inside, will be picking up ex-NCC schools probably toward end of transition time tho. Allows Mid-con to consolidate in the upper NW midwest.

[The Sicatoka]

I believe UNO to the MIAA is a 'gimme' at this point.

SCSU looking at the NSIC somewhat surprised me (heard it on KVLY-TV last night), but MnSCU dollars are tight. If that's SCSU's direction, MSU-M and UMD would almost surely follow, thus, I could see SCSU, MSU-M, UMD, Augie going NSIC. (I don't think Augie has many other options.)

USD is in the toughest spot:

Go NSIC? Go MIAA with UNO? Go DI?

[SiouxMD]

UND move to Division I ripples into S. Dakota - Argus Leader

UND DI decision and the effect on USD, Augie and SDSU.

[Sioux-cia]

The NCAA going out of their way to HELP the SIOUX? I doubt that will happen. At least until UND are the Flickertails/Rough Riders/Ice Jammers -

I don't believe the NC$$ would help anyone in this situation. But to think that their lack of 'extra' help is due to the nickname issue would be only wishful thinking on the part of our lawyers.

[knowledge]

Here are a couple of thoughts that came up in conversation last night after UND's announcement.

Don't be surprised if:

1) St. Cloud St, UMD, Mankato, UNO look hard at DI simply to team up with Hockey.

----My personal feelings are that UNO should look at DI as well. They are well rounded in most sports and are in a good area to have natural rivals for scheduling. (Creighton, Nebraska, The Missouri Valley schools etc.)

I think that St. Cloud State and Mankato are more apt to join the NSIC that to move up. St. Cloud proved that money is tight by not "going all the way" with their new stadium. Mankato has never really been much of a factor in football and I can't imagine that they think DI is possible. I think that UMD is much closer in terms of compitition and support to move than the others except St. Cloud. If St. Cloud has the support I'd like to see them try.

2) USD will move up simply not to be left behind. If they stay behind their travel to compete is going to be a little taxing. With UND, NDSU and SDSU going up.....USD almost has to follow.

3) Augie looks hard at dropping scholorships for athletics all together and attempting to go DIII. Being a private institution they would fit really well at that level. However they would need to find a conference. That being said it is a decent chance that they would get a good look from the MIAC. The MIAC said no to UM-Morris, but Augie is private and would be a good fit.

Just a few thoughts. I guess we'll see what happens. I think we also need to remember that NAIA isn't going to make it another decade and therefore some more teams will be looking at moving. I would like to see NAIA disband sooner rather than later and then the NCAA could do some reorgainization to level things off.

[bincitysioux]

A South Dakota radio station interviewed USD's A.D. Joel Neilson today. There is a breif recap of what he had to say about the situation that USD is left in at the USD Coyote Fan Board.

I would really like to see USD take the plunge with us. At the very least it would be one guaranteed entertaining football game and two guaranteed entertaining basketball games each year throughout the transition.

[RD17]

I already posted this on another message board, but these are my thoughts:

After talking to a couple of NCC athletic directors last week and getting a chance to digest everything since UND's announcement, this is what I now think is going to happen:

USD will do their D-I study and I think they will make every attempt to convince themselves that D-I is doable. Ultimately, USD will go ahead and make the move.

That leaves the other five NCC schools and I believe that all of them would prefer to stay D-II and in the NCC (even UNO). So I think what will happen is that those five schools will present themselves as a unified front and get very aggressive with expansion, probably officially inviting four or five schools at once (all from the NSIC with the possible exception of Kearney).

If the NCC is successful in expanding, then the NSIC will simply fill itself back up with schools like Minot State, U of Sioux Falls, Jamestown College, Black Hills State, etc. and life will go on with the same two conferences.

If the NCC's attempts to expand fail, then I think UNO will go to the MIAA and St. Cloud and Mankato will go D-I. UMD and Augie will probably also look at D-I, but ultimately I think both would have to attempt to join the NSIC, making for one northern plains D-II superconference.

[bincitysioux]

Ultimately, USD will go ahead and make the move.

That leaves the other five NCC schools and I believe that all of them would prefer to stay D-II and in the NCC (even UNO). So I think what will happen is that those five schools will present themselves as a unified front and get very aggressive with expansion, probably officially inviting four or five schools at once (all from the NSIC with the possible exception of Kearney).

If the NCC's attempts to expand fail, then I think UNO will go to the MIAA and St. Cloud and Mankato will go D-I. UMD and Augie will probably also look at D-I, but ultimately I think both would have to attempt to join the NSIC, making for one northern plains D-II superconference.

That makes alot of sense. Kearney is the key, I think. If the NCC loses USD and fails to add Kearney, UNO has absolutely no incentive at all to stay in the NCC. I also think that the NCC and the NSIC will do everything that they can to avoid an actual merger. But they will perhaps work together on an unoffical expansion and scheduling arrangement, in order to maintain the two NCAA autobids that they currently have in the Northwest Region. The remaining NCC schools will look to add a few of the NSIC schools and/or DAC/GPAC schools like USF, Minot St., or preferably Winona St. or Northern St from the NSIC. Remember, Roger Thomas also has ties to Augustana and the Sioux Falls area. Although, I think that with UND and USD gone (if USD ends up going), that the top NSIC schools would prefer to remain in the NSIC. I think 5-10 years from now, the NSIC is going to be the premier DII conference in the upper midwest.

[UND92,96]

Here's a very interesting column on the problems with the UNO athletic department, with some pointed criticism of the school's administration.

[The Sicatoka]

I believe that most of the cards are already on the table:

- UNO has talked about the MIAA in the past. That would be much better travel for them.

- SCSU has already talked to the NSIC. I believe MSU-Mankato will follow them in any decision.

- UM-Duluth is not that far removed from being in the NSIC

- Augustana (private) isn't that wealthy. MIAC or NSIC?

- USD will probably try to make a go of it in DI. That, or maybe they tag along with UNO.

[RD17]

I believe that most of the cards are already on the table:

- UNO has talked about the MIAA in the past. That would be much better travel for them.

The MIAA is not as attractive an option for UNO as it might appear because the sports sponsorships don't line up. I believe UNO would have to add two sports to meet the MIAA's "core sports" requirements and the Mavs would have to find somewhere else to play in wrestling and a couple of women's sports. Plus, apparently there are some inequities in tuition reciprocity agreements between Nebraska and Missouri/Kansas that would put UNO at a disadvantage in the MIAA.

- SCSU has already talked to the NSIC. I believe MSU-Mankato will follow them in any decision.

Agree... these two will stick together and I don't think there is much momentum towards moving to D-I at either right now. I think both would accept being the "flagship" schools in a new and improved NSIC, but I think the chances of them going D-I (if the NCC falls apart) are just as good.

- UM-Duluth is not that far removed from being in the NSIC

I think UMD is much more resistant to joining the NSIC than SCSU or MSU are, but they may not have a choice in the long run. UMD's athletic director is their former football coach and I think they see the potential to build that program into a D2 power. Won't happen if they have to go back to the NSIC.

- Augustana (private) isn't that wealthy. MIAC or NSIC?

The Augie people have told me point blank that any consideration of D-III or NAIA is off the table. The one outside possibility (purely speculation by me) is that they go D-I with non-scholarship football and join Drake's league. But ultimately I think they will remain D-II.

- USD will probably try to make a go of it in DI. That, or maybe they tag along with UNO.

Agree that USD will attempt to go D-I if it appears at all feasible. The MIAA is not an option because they feel the schools in that conference are not on par with them academically.

Also, I think it is very premature at this point to totally write off the future of the NCC. I think 5 of the 6 remaining schools don't have much interest in D-I at this time and the NCC is going to make a major play to try to land 4 or 5 schools at once. If they could get a group of presidents from (for example) Winona, Northern, Concordia-St. Paul, and Bemidji in one room and convince them that the NCC still has a future in D-II, I think they could get them to join.

[MplsBison]

Wasn't NDSU the first of the Dakota flagships to announce DI? And then didn't SDSU follow afterward?

We could be looking at the same thing with UND leading the way and then USD considering it and then deciding to partner with UND for the transition.

Here's my prediciton for the start of the 2009 season:

Great West:

NDSU

SDSU

UND

USD

Poly

Davis

SUU

Mid Con:

NDSU

SDSU

UND

USD

SUU

UVSC

ORU

UMKC

WIU

IUPUI

IPFW

Oakland

NCC:

Mankato

Saint Cloud

Duluth

Augi

Northern State

Omaha

UN Kearny

Winona

Bimidji

NSIC:

Concordia

Wayne

Southwest State

Moorhead

Crookston

Upper Iowa

Mary

Minot State

U Sioux Falls

[beersong]

tUMD will not go D1 - we've had a hard enough time moving up from tNSIC to tNCC (money wise anyways - co-champs in FB ). As anyone that has been to tDECC can attest, our facilities are severely lacking. Our basketball gymnasium (I can't call it an arena) and our football stadium are terrible. There isn't any money or support here to move up. Hopefully the NCC only loses USD and then they gain Winona, Concordia. Northern and/or Bemidji or some combination of those and we move forward without having to take Mary, SWMS or the Upper Iowa Fighting Peacocks.

[bincitysioux]

Article regarding NCC from the Duluth News Tribune. UMD not interested in DI. No new news.

Future of North Central Conference Uncertain

Summers are normally a slow time on college campuses, but North Central Conference officials are busy discussing the future of their league after North Dakota announced plans last week to move to NCAA Division I.

That would leave the Division II conference, which includes Minnesota Duluth, with an NCAA-minimum six teams by 2008-09.

UMD athletic director Bob Nielson said he wasn't surprised by the move, but said it makes the NCC's desire to expand all the more pressing.

"We're looking at being even more aggressive," said Nielson, who added that UMD has no desire at this point to move to Division I. "We knew North Dakota had been seriously looking at this and had been giving indications that this was something that was going to happen."

After a monthly conference call with league athletic directors Wednesday, Nielson said the conclusion was: "It's going to be a very interesting year."...........................................................................

......

[bincitysioux]

Augustana going to study "athletic changes". Article from the Argus Leader.

Augie to study athletic changes

The new group will study conference and NCAA membership options, including potential revenue and expenses and then submit a recommendation regarding which option best fits the overall strategic plan for the college..

[bincitysioux]

There are several articles in today's Argus Leader (Sioux Falls Newspaper), regarding South Dakota's and Augustana's looking into DI.

Seven questions facing USD, Augustana with D-I decision

Q: What are the key factors behind renewing an investigation into reclassification?

USD

Nielsen: "The driving force is the reduction in league members from seven down to six. Now any further reduction puts a whole different set of challenges in play, and those are challenges none of us really want to see. It was UND that made the decision to leave. There were only two charter members of the league remaining. Now we're the only one. We've been together a very long time and we've had a great rivalry - we've been very good colleagues for many years. UND is probably the most similar school to us as far as academics, with a med school and a law school in a state that is very similar to ours. UND most resembles us in the region and the nation."

Augustana

Gross: "We did a very detailed strategic plan in 2005 where we reinforced our commitment to the NCC and Division II. But then the North Dakota thing broke. Obviously, USD is looking at moving and UNO is looking into it, too. It became apparent that we needed to get the group back together. We decided we needed to be proactive - we needed to be looking toward the future. . . . We didn't want to sit back and wait to see what's going to happen. We wanted to take a pro-active approach in finding out what is best for Augie sports and everything else here."

SDSU's D-I move gives Augie, USD blueprint for possible step up

The investigative process regarding a reclassification began most publicly at SDSU when the school announced it had received a preliminary report from the consulting firm Carr Sports Associates in early 2002.

The school conducted marketing analysis and continued its feasibility analysis with an SDSU committee then reviewing recommendations. The committee also met with various constituencies both within and outside the university. In August of 2003, the school announced it would be reclassifying to Division I with Division I-AA football. The 2003-04 school year was its last in the NCC.

Division I stats, figures

Average Division II expenses: $2,875,707

Average Division I with Division IAA football: $7,913,441

SDSU expenses: $6,547,381

USD expenses: $4,265,076

Augustana expenses: $3,632,204

UND expenses, minus hockey: $4,700,873

[bincitysioux]

GF Herald article, USD should decide by the end of the year.

NCC schools contemplate conference's future

Given the University of South Dakota's similarity to UND - it too must compete for students and athletes against an in-state Division I rival - several athletic administrators in the conference expect the Coyotes to follow in UND's footsteps. USD athletic director Joel Nielsen said members of the committee studying the issue will be named in the next week or two and likely will make a decision by the end of the year.