bincitysioux Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 This may be a little premature to be talking about, but UND will get to designate two sports to become playoff eligible in two years rather than 5 after we move DI. I was wondering which two Sioux fans think it should be. I think the standard answer is going to be M & W Swimming & Diving, which makes alot of sense because they are so very competetive and often already compete and have success against DI competition. However, I am leaning toward Volleyball and Women's Soccer. The soccer team has seen alot of improvement in recent years, and there is a conference that could be a possibility for membership, the United Soccer Conference. The USC already has regional members in NDSU & SDSU. And even if NDSU & SDSU get into the Mid-Con, the USC would perhaps consider UND as a possible replacement for one of them. Although volleyball has struggled alot in DII, it has a huge asset recruiting-wise in the Sioux Center. And it is really the only sport currently offered at UND other than hockey, football, & basketball that has the potential to generate revenue. Also, this is one sport that could potentially have DI opponents in close proximity from the get-go in NDSU & SDSU that would probably be looking for nearby games, unless of course they do in-fact get into the Mid-Con by 2008-09. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 You're allowed to move up two sports, one mens, one womens, and the sport can not be FB or BB. Which eligible to move up mens sport is most ready for a move up? Swimming and Diving. Sorry but Golf, Cross-Country, T&F, and Baseball just aren't there. I'm with 'star2city' on the thoughts of Golf and Baseball in DI. Which eligible to move up womens sport is most ready for a move up? That's a tougher call. The womens S&D team is (relatively) weaker than the mens. Soccer and Volleyball aren't there but could probably get there just as fast as S&D could. Golf, CC, Track, Softball, and Tennis would take even more time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star2city Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 This may be a little premature to be talking about, but UND will get to designate two sports to become playoff eligible in two years rather than 5 after we move DI.Men's lacrosse and women's volleyball. Seriously, though, the two year transition makes it the perfect time to start lacrosse: all recruits would be post-season eligible in their career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeauxSioux Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 Men's and Women's and swimming and diving would be my choice to move up first. Since the Big Sky does not include it anyway, why not find a home at the Horizon or Mid Continent. Not all of the Horizon member have S&D teams, so they may be open to new members and UND has been competing with some of these teams in recent years anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supersioux Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 I think on the Men's side it's easy with Men's Swimming. On the women's side it's a little more debateable. I believe NDSU picked VB and just looking at NDSU I think that they didn't realize how big of a jump it is in VB. It's really got to be either Swimming or Soccer. I think that NDSU has had moderate success with soccer in the transition and UND has had hands down more success in DII soccer than did NDSU. Swimming makes some sense to keep men's and women's together but as successfull as UND has been I wonder how many of our swimmers PR's make the DI qualifying cut. With that said my vote goes for Men's Swimming and Soccer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 Men's lacrosse and women's volleyball. Nah, mens lacrosse and womens soccer after the FieldTurf is installed in The Al. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supersioux Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 I believe Men's lacrosse is an automatic because their is only DI lacrosse, like hockey. So really essentailly in 4 years we could have DI M Hockey W Hockey M Lacrosse W Lacrosse M Swimming W Soccer All eligible for and able for the post season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted June 25, 2006 Share Posted June 25, 2006 I believe Men's lacrosse is an automatic because their is only DI lacrosse, like hockey. So really essentailly in 4 years we could have DI M Hockey W Hockey M Lacrosse W Lacrosse M Swimming W Soccer All eligible for and able for the post season. There is DII mens and womens lax. It't be hockey and lax. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nodakvindy Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Swimming makes sense because the added fact that there is an individual component. A great single performance could make someone an All-America. That simply won't happen in soccer or volleyball. I think we should seriously look at Bowling and Rifle. Both are far cheaper that lax would be. Jumping in on the ground floor is a good way to be successful and UND could quickly move up in Bowling. Also imagine Grand Forks hosting the NCAA finals, with Red Ray lanes hosting the majority of the tourney, but the finals being at the Ralph with those portable alleys like the PBA uses. Rifle also has the potential of producing future Olympians, and as women's hockey showed, that can be a publicity goldmine. Lacrosse may be growing, but the power is still in the traditional areas. While the western league has some big name schools, that conference is to lacrosse what the CHA is to hockey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bison Dan Posted June 26, 2006 Share Posted June 26, 2006 Nah, mens lacrosse and womens soccer after the FieldTurf is installed in The Al. Who's going to pay for that? Oh I know out of the profits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katohtr Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 The thought of UND being DI at tennis, golf, softball, and baseball makes me want to shudder - we have a difficult enough time being competitive in DII - with ND's climate, DI in those sports would be a joke. DII conferences in the South are more competitive than DI nothern mid-major teams. It would be a waste of resources to put finances into those sports. If those sports are supported at a DI level, travel and scholarship costs would go up substantially. Without major $'s going into a baseball stadium / softball complex / tennis complex, fielding a DI team in those sports would not reflect well on UND. Why not put those resources into sports that we have a prayer of being competitive in, have existing facilities for, could be reasonably competitive in, and may actually provide revenue? BTW, the scholarship levels for a DI lacrosse team is 12.6 for men's and 12.0 for women's, not much different from baseball / softball. UND Men Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cratter Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 it obvioulsy it would be worse having to build a new field. I just don't want to see baseball go. Going by baseball attendance figures, you might not have to much company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eskimos Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 Going by baseball attendance figures, you might not have to much company. I agree with you about baseball not getting many fans, but I'm not sure of just cutting the program either. It is definitely going to be a tough decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeauxSioux Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 I agree with you about baseball not getting many fans, but I'm not sure of just cutting the program either. It is definitely going to be a tough decision. The decision gets harder. I read recently in Sioux Illustrated that the baseball alumni have put together the Pinky Kraft Endowment. In the article Greg Cascades says "Our goal is to raise enough money to ensure the program is endowed for it's future ...." and "As the Division I issue continues to linger at UND, the baseball program will need an increased level of support from its alumni to ensure the transition is successful if/when we make that jump." Looks like baseball will be around for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirtcoach Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 With all this talk about cutting baseball, I wonder how many recruits are backing away from UND? Because of speculation by fans on an Internet board? I sure hope not. Prospects should be listening to this, not fans here: The University of North Dakota will begin the process to move the rest of its athletic programs to Division I, UND President Charles Kupchella announced today. Nationally recognized for its successful athletic programs, UND currently competes in Division I Men Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted July 5, 2006 Share Posted July 5, 2006 I agree with you about baseball not getting many fans, but I'm not sure of just cutting the program either. It is definitely going to be a tough decision. It is a tough decision (if it's even being looked at). Look at what DU went through in 1999. If DU has "weather concerns", what do we have in North Dakota? As far as upgrading Kraft or building a new field, would this really help UND recruit against Newman Field? Would $2.5 million really be DI calibre? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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