National Conference Realignments

[VUGrad1314]

Reaction from Fort Wayne administrators and some coaches. It's a shame they didn't get the Men's basketball coach's thoughts and baseball as well.

https://www.wane.com/college-sports/sources-mastodons-heading-to-horizon-league/

[VUGrad1314]

I wonder if this realignment scenario is feasible:

1. The AAC expands in football to include BYU and the remaining independent service academies (Army and Air Force)

2. Air Force places its olympic sports in the WCC

3. The WCC tabs Seattle as its 12th member to accommodate the acceptance of Air Force's Olympic Sports

4. The MWC tabs New Mexico State as the replacement for Air Force giving NMSU it's desired football home and boosting the profile of the olympic sports in the conference

5. Panic in the WAC ensues following the departure of Seattle and NMSU causing the remaining members to look for new homes
5.1 UTRGV Returns to the Southland

5.2  Chicago State drops down from D1

5.3 Cal Baptist is taken in by the Big West (with Sacramento State parking its Olympic sports in the conference for balance Football remains in the Big Sky)

5.4 In need of an Olympic sports member to make up for the loss of Sacramento State, the Big Sky takes Utah Valley which is a great fit for their footprint

5.5 Dixie State lobbies for Big Sky membership and is accepted

5.6 GCU begins talks with the Big Sky about starting football in exchange for membership

5.7 Sensing an opportunity to get the private school counterweight to Murray State, the MVC begins talks with GCU about membership without starting football

6. Murray State and GCU are admitted as members of the Missouri Valley Conference (this works because of GCU's location in an air hub)

7. To balance out its football additions, the AAC raids the Atlantic 10 taking VCU Dayton and Davidson

8. Unwilling to continue playing in a depleted A10, SLU contacts the Valley about membership The Valley accepts

9. Impressed by the MVC's power moves, Belmont starts dialogue with the MVC about membership The MVC accepts and Belmont is admitted

10. Concerned by the 8\6 split in favor of the private schools, the MVC publics ask for two public school additions Site visits are conducted at Wright State, Northern Kentucky, North Dakota State, and South Dakota State with two of those being chosen. (with WSU and NKU being heavily favored as choices due to their relative proximity to the MVC footprint in comparison to the Dakota schools, their presence in the Dayton\Cincinnati market, and Wright State's basketball budget which would be among the top of the current MVC at over $3million.

[bbtds]

I wonder if this realignment scenario is feasible:

1. The AAC expands in football to include BYU and the remaining independent service academies (Army and Air Force)

2. Air Force places its olympic sports in the WCC

3. The WCC tabs Seattle as its 12th member to accommodate the acceptance of Air Force's Olympic Sports

4. The MWC tabs New Mexico State as the replacement for Air Force giving NMSU it's desired football home and boosting the profile of the olympic sports in the conference

5. Panic in the WAC ensues following the departure of Seattle and NMSU causing the remaining members to look for new homes
5.1 UTRGV Returns to the Southland

5.2  Chicago State drops down from D1

5.3 Cal Baptist is taken in by the Big West (with Sacramento State parking its Olympic sports in the conference for balance Football remains in the Big Sky)

5.4 In need of an Olympic sports member to make up for the loss of Sacramento State, the Big Sky takes Utah Valley which is a great fit for their footprint

5.5 Dixie State lobbies for Big Sky membership and is accepted

5.6 GCU begins talks with the Big Sky about starting football in exchange for membership

5.7 Sensing an opportunity to get the private school counterweight to Murray State, the MVC begins talks with GCU about membership without starting football

6. Murray State and GCU are admitted as members of the Missouri Valley Conference (this works because of GCU's location in an air hub)

7. To balance out its football additions, the AAC raids the Atlantic 10 taking VCU Dayton and Davidson

8. Unwilling to continue playing in a depleted A10, SLU contacts the Valley about membership The Valley accepts

9. Impressed by the MVC's power moves, Belmont starts dialogue with the MVC about membership The MVC accepts and Belmont is admitted

10. Concerned by the 8\6 split in favor of the private schools, the MVC publics ask for two public school additions Site visits are conducted at Wright State, Northern Kentucky, North Dakota State, and South Dakota State with two of those being chosen. (with WSU and NKU being heavily favored as choices due to their relative proximity to the MVC footprint in comparison to the Dakota schools, their presence in the Dayton\Cincinnati market, and Wright State's basketball budget which would be among the top of the current MVC at over $3million.

Go to the SLU message board and propose #8 there one more time and see what the response is. Post and duck.

[VUGrad1314]

I know all about their conceited disdain for the MVC, but I think it would be foolish on their part not to have the calculus change even slightly in light of the potential loss of Dayton VCU and Davidson. Are the benefits of east coast recruiting really worth the extra costs when the A10 becomes a comparable (or worse) league than the MVC and the MVC could conceivably make moves to get better? Doesn't make sense to me. Also given the respective budgets, SLU could become a dominant program in the MVC in a way they haven't been able to in the A10 due in large part I believe to travel. In a universe where the AAC raids the A10 a move to the MVC makes all the sense in the world to SLU and I think the administration of that school would have to see that.

[valpo95]

FWIW, the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) has been officially invited to join the Summit League

https://news.stthomas.edu/athletics-conference-update/

[bbtds]

I know all about their conceited disdain for the MVC, but I think it would be foolish on their part not to have the calculus change even slightly in light of the potential loss of Dayton VCU and Davidson. Are the benefits of east coast recruiting really worth the extra costs when the A10 becomes a comparable (or worse) league than the MVC and the MVC could conceivably make moves to get better? Doesn't make sense to me. Also given the respective budgets, SLU could become a dominant program in the MVC in a way they haven't been able to in the A10 due in large part I believe to travel. In a universe where the AAC raids the A10 a move to the MVC makes all the sense in the world to SLU and I think the administration of that school would have to see that.

This was written in 2005 by the SLU administration:

"Saint Louis University, its alumni and fans are extremely enthusiastic regarding the Billikens' inaugural year in the Atlantic 10 Conference," said Cheryl L. Levick, director of athletics at Saint Louis. "The profile of the A-10 membership is the best fit that Saint Louis University has enjoyed in the history of Billiken athletics. Plus, the A-10 provides new major market media exposure for our program and also opens the East Coast for under graduate student recruitment for the institution. We look forward to a long, exciting and successful tenure in the A-10."

[VUGrad1314]

Pushback from Augustana alums on the potential D1 move? I wonder what this means for the Summit League if Augustana drops out. St Thomas might get a waiver to go directly from D3 to D1 (and into the Pioneer League where they will dominate) UMKC is coming back so they should be okay numbers wise but you have to think that schools like Denver and Oral Roberts will be exploring their options. WIU is a flight risk as well if there's any movement in the OVC. 

https://twitter.com/ChaseLancaster3/status/1189022864269291526/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fusdcoyotesports.proboards.com%2Fthread%2F2163%2Fsummit-league-expansion%3Fpage%3D39

[vu72]

A classic response from one of the posters.  Pretty much sums up the Horizon:

Next week, it finally makes sense as IUPUI is kicked out of the HL but we still have the contract to play Meth Cornfield Madness (or whatever it is now) at their gym. Then Butler rejoins along with Notre Dame who have decided their deal with the ACC is affecting their football program too much. Youngstown demands a yearly football game for ND to join and we use that as an excuse to drop the Penguins. LeCrone lights a cigar and we all stare in awe as he reveals the machinations of this master plan years in the making, one that required him to look like a fool for long stretches, but in the end, he persevered.

[VUGrad1314]

They should probably quit crapping on IUPUI as IUPUI just secured one of the best wins so far for that conference trouncing South Florida 70-53.

[VUGrad1314]

This is a great move by the HL. Robert Morris is an excellent get.

https://twitter.com/jonrothstein/status/1271129553893810176?s=21