BisonMav Posted April 4, 2003 Share Posted April 4, 2003 I know it has been discussed on this board, but the schools are finally talking about a new conference. Article from the Forum: NDSU, other orphans may form own league By Jeff Kolpack jkolpack@forumcomm.com The Forum - 04/04/2003 Talks to create a new Division I-AA football conference to include North Dakota State University are expected to begin this spring. NDSU Athletic Director Gene Taylor and University of Northern Colorado Athletic Director Jim Fallis say there is strong interest to form a seven-team football league. It would include: NDSU; UNC; South Dakota State University, Southern Utah State College, Cedar City; University of California-Davis; Cal Poly-San Louis Obispo; and St. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UND92,96 Posted April 4, 2003 Share Posted April 4, 2003 That could be a pretty decent football conference, if it happens. But as for the other sports, I think the Mid-Continent is little more than a lateral move from the NCC. And it has to be one of the most geographically screwed-up conferences ever conceived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BisonMav Posted April 4, 2003 Author Share Posted April 4, 2003 This would be only seven teams. With other additions to I-AA, more could be added. The Mid-Con is all over the place, but probably not any more than the new football conference would be, at least if you look at distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted April 4, 2003 Share Posted April 4, 2003 Based on the above .... For football: NDSU, Fargo, ND UNC, Greeley, CO South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD Southern Utah State College, Cedar City, UT University of California-Davis, CA Cal Poly-San Louis Obispo, CA St. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star2city Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 Seems to me this football conference with the schools exactly identifed was mentioned earlier. Sure enough, it was: The following I-AA football conference is just begging to happen: NDSU SDSU UNColorado SouthernUtah Cal Poly-SLO St. Mary's (Calif) Cal-Davis The likelihood of this football-only conference forming, in my opinion, is > 75%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisonguy Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 Fox News showed a map of this proposed conference, as opposed to the Big Sky. Although the farthest travel distance was about the same (ND to CA), the schools were not as spread out as they would be in the Big Sky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star2city Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisonguy Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 The synopsis I have received on the Mid-Con is that if your BB team sucks, you're in. Valpo essentially runs the conference, and doesn't want anybody to take their autobid. The voting members are Valpo, Valpo, Valpo, Oral Roberts, and lastly, Valpo. I would rather see NDSU be an indy than end up in the Mid-Con. The Gateway Conference is football only-btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxrock Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 i bet if this new conference is made i bet UNDw ill move up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisonguy Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 i bet if this new conference is made i bet UNDw ill move up If UND wants to move up, it certainly would make it easier. I think the reference to the Mid-Cont. is more of a conference affiliation, than a conference membership. The schools not in the Mid-Cont. would be able to schedule a lot of games with the Mid-Cont. teams. Sort of a non-conf. priority scheduling system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxrock Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 i think that UND will move up only if they get some donations unlike the bison Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elmduf Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 I saw the same blurb in the Rocky Mountain News. It looks interesting. A new conference would probably be the best hope for a quick and easy transition to D-IAA. I'm not against UND making the move, I just think they should wait and see what comes out of the NC$$ in a year or two as far as division classification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxrock Posted April 5, 2003 Share Posted April 5, 2003 i think they sould seee if NDSU will go bankrupt with no state support Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisonguy Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 It is rather revealing, wasn't it, that there was no talk of the Horizon League, Missouri Valley, or Gateway Conference? From today's The Forum-NDSU Lobbies NCAA NDSU had set its sights on the Big Sky Conference, but league officials have said they are not inclined to expand. The Bison also are looking at getting into the Mid-Continent or Horizon conferences, Taylor said. Since those leagues do not have football, NDSU and several other schools could form their own conference for that sport, Taylor said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
star2city Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 It is quite possible that the Horizon is considering NDSU and SDSU for affiliation in a sport or two, such as women's golf or women's soccer where the Horizon has low numbers. Full membership would be a near miracle. The Mid-Con may also be open for affiliate membership in baseball, softball, women's soccer, and maybe even volleyball, as they also have low numbers of participating schools. When all the affiliate memberships are made, an average fan would need a scorecard to know what conference each individual sport is affiliated with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bison_Kent Posted April 13, 2003 Share Posted April 13, 2003 This is just the start. There are going to be stumbling blocks along the way to getting into Division I. The first five-ten years might mean affliations and independent sports but after the waiting period time there, I am sure a more stable conference will be found. Most teams that have moved up played independent or affliated schedules in their probationary periods. A lot of conference will shy away from bringing in a DII team since it will cost the other teams RPI (especially basketball) in their conference standings and that may mean one less at-large team getting into the tournament. When UND moves up, they are going to face the same issues. Most likely they will not be a full member of any conference until the probationary period is gone. I ask you to wait 5 years and see where NDSU and UND are. Probably by the time UND does move up the probationary periods will only be longer and UND will be wishing they went up at the same time NDSU did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BisonMav Posted June 5, 2003 Author Share Posted June 5, 2003 Update on the new western I-AA conference from the Fargo Forum: NDSU to explore football league By Jeff Kolpack jkolpack@forumcomm.com The Forum - 06/05/2003 A fledgling Division I-AA football-only conference that would include North Dakota State could take its first step next week. NDSU Athletic Director Gene Taylor said administrators from NDSU, Northern Colorado, South Dakota State, California Davis, Southern Utah and St. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdahl Posted June 5, 2003 Share Posted June 5, 2003 Thanks for the update. While I wish enough NCC schools (including UND) had moved up to form a new all-sports conference, the transition will be a lot easier for NDSU without having to be a football independent. Reading between the lines, this seems to be a public admission that NDSU expects to be an independent or join a conference that doesn't sponsor football (my MidCo prediction keeps coming back to life). One interesting observation on the timetable-- to begin league play in 2004-05, SDSU would have to resign from the NCC before September, which means they have to secure a conference affiliation in the next few months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BisonMav Posted June 5, 2003 Author Share Posted June 5, 2003 If the conference begins with 6 or 7 teams, that leaves room for 3 or 4 more, if more NCC teams move up. The Mid-Con looks more and more likely. Once the Mid-Con gets a new commissioner, more talk will happen. What is the possibility of the new western conference becoming an multi-sports conference, with UC-Davis being a football only member? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BisonMav Posted June 16, 2003 Author Share Posted June 16, 2003 From the Forum today. Looks positive so far. NDSU: ADs favor new football conference By Jeff Kolpack jkolpack@forumcomm.com The Forum - 06/16/2003 A potential football conference for North Dakota State got votes of confidence from six athletic directors on Sunday. Officials from NDSU, South Dakota State, Southern Utah, Northern Colorado, St. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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