Butler to move to the A-10?

[StlVUFan]

Good catch, sounds like a tweeter with more brawn than brains to me.  July 1 was the cutoff when we jumped to the HL, it seems to me.  He may have meant, "accepted in A-10" rather than moving to A-10, since you have to give your current conference 1 year advance notice (right?), but May 1 sounds very bogus unless they've changed the rules.

[blackpantheruwm]

Butler currently has a club lacrosse team after their NCAA Div.1 program was ended in 2007.

Butler Men's Lacrosse is member of the CCLA (Central Colligate Lacrosse Association). The CCLA is division of the MCLA (Men's Colligate Lacrosse Association), one of the top Club Lacrosse programs in the nation. The team is now in their 2nd season in the CCLA, and their 5th season as a club team.

The team is compromised of players of many levels of experience, ranging from 15 years of experice to athletes just learning the game. The team practices 4-5 days and plays about 12 games during the season.

In their first year in the CCLA, they were 2nd in their division and were the 8th seed in the playoffs.


History

Butler Men's Lacrosse began in 1993 at the NCAA Division I level and continued until 2007 when the University suddenly decided to disband the program.

However, many men at Butler still wanted to play lacrosse and a group of players started the Club team in March of 2007. Orginally coached by players, the team now employs a coach to lead the team.


http://butlerlacrosse.com/index.html


I think Valpo would need to start at the club level before jumping into NCAA Div1 lacrosse.

If you're interested, Milwaukee plays in MCLA (which is where pretty much everyone who isn't NCAA plays club level)

[blackpantheruwm]

As for Butler, May 1st would be right after the checks from the NCAA come in for the tournaments. So, BU/GMU/VCU would be waiting to collect those Final Four paydays one more time.

And it would be for 2013-14 at the earliest.

[StlVUFan]

Yeah, announce on May 1 is not a problem.  I saw your retweet this morning, bracing for the official report.

[valpopal]

I am told Butler's Trustees meet May 9-11, and any official announcement from the university might come out of those meetings.

[covufan]

How can anybody leave on May 1?  There could be an announcement May 1, but I think you'd want to announce it with approximately a season's lead time.

not to mention that 1 may is still in the middle of the season for some spring sports, i believe. most places, the academic calendar (to include all things athletics) runs from 1 july to 30 june.

The academic calendar makes the most sense.  I would also question May 1.

[vuweathernerd]

I am told Butler's Trustees meet May 9-11, and any official announcement from the university might come out of those meetings.

that would make sense - announce in may 2012 and move to a-10 on 1 july 2013. gives them about a year to drum up support and all that jazz. i believe valpo's move to the horizon followed a similar timeframe.

[wh]

A very interesting radio interview with Old Dominion's A.D. re. the prospects of GMU and VCU leaving the CAA.  Even more interesting he is predicting major conf. reshuffling (musical chairs he calls it) within the next 2 weeks.  The interview lasts 30 min., but most of the conf reshuffling discussion is in the first 15in.

http://georgemasonbasketball.blogspot.com/2012/04/odus-ad-says-new-round-of-conference.html?m=1

Give the segment a minute or so to load...

[blackpantheruwm]

From my sources, I came out with the understanding that it was to be anytime after May 1st - like May 1st was this day when things get wrapped up and you can expect the time.

[valpopal]

"According to multiple sources, Butler's move from the Horizon League to the Atlantic 10 Conference is all but signed. After the Bulldogs clean up some in-house paperwork, an exit plan will be finalized and they will be off to join the likes of Xavier, Dayton, St. Joseph's and St. Louis, among others, in a league that regularly lands two teams in the NCAA Tournament - and in 2012 landed four...."http://www.cleveland.com/sports/csu/index.ssf/2012/04/on_the_furue_of_cleveland_stat.html

[bbtds]

I've been hearing the same thing from my sources close to Butler. I know a guy who teaches at Brownsburg HS and their new basketball coach, who happens to be close to the Butler situation, very close, has been saying all along it's a done deal and Butler has simply been trying to work out the minor details. Of course my friend at Brownsburg didn't mention Ron Nored specifically and the info might also be coming through the Hayward family. They are members of the same Lutheran church in Brownsburg that my friend attends.

[crusaderjoe]

IMO, there is far far too much smoke for this to not be a done deal regarding Butler. 

Looks like WAC football will officially die in 2013.  It will be interesting to see the fallout from the death of WAC football and whether that affects the HL somehow.  I'm wondering how far west the Sun Belt expands as a result.  Will it tap NMSU? Hell, is Idaho in play?  Doubtful but who knows anymore.  It will be interesting to see what happens.

Hey WKU, I'm still lookin' at 'cha.  Still want to travel that far west for all sports if a school like NMSU gets scooped up?  Keep your football in the Belt and come on over.

[VULB#62]

Horizon target Markets:  Indianapolis (Butler - leaving), Chicago (UIC, VU, Loyola) , Detroit UDM), Cleveland (CSU, YSU), Dayton (Wright State), WI (UWM and .......(100 mile stretch)......GB).

So...... We need to retain Indianapolis -- IUPUI? :-(    .... and add a market.  How about St. Louis? Can we steal one from there?  How about a second school in the Detroit area? And Joe, you've got a point -- would WKU bring in a market?

Wow. All of these are within bussing distance [Butler's A-10 flipping travel budget is going to be incredible].

Wait! How about recruiting this mid-sized (what, maybe only 6000 under grads) catholic school -- Notre Dame?  It's private, certainly lacks a national presence.  Their facilities are OK, but they'd have to commit to some improvements.  They are within bussing distance of most HL teams, and they desperately need to improve it's branding across the country.  Perfect!  We'll, maybe not -- South Bend, Indiana is not a very good market.

[valpotx]

I think that it is funny that the article coins CSU as the next kingpin of the HL without Butler.  Seems to me that we will have much to say about that..  He also thinks really big in suggesting the likes of IUPUI and Wayne State.  You have to be kidding me!  The only logical school would be Oakland.  IUPUI brings absolutely nothing, and we aren't the Summit where we should be taking a school wanting to make a transition to D-1 (Wayne St if they moved up). 

[wh]

Important new development in the ongoing "Butler to A-10" saga:

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/teel-blog/dp-teel-time-teague,0,462519.story?track=rss

[valpopal]

Important new development in the ongoing "Butler to A-10" saga:

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/teel-blog/dp-teel-time-teague,0,462519.story?track=rss

"The Colonial Athletic Association apparently will be spared, at least for a year, the splintering that many believed would occur this spring. Multiple sources directly involved with realignment discussions said Saturday afternoon that VCU athletic director Norwood Teague on Monday will recommend to university Michael Rao that the Rams remain in the CAA at least through the 2012-13 academic year. Teague has resigned to become Minnesota's athletic director, effective July 1."

I don't see much new or of significance in this, since most people believe the shift of teams to a new conference would not actually happen this season, but would take place in the 2013-2014 season. Announcements of intentions to migrate would occur this year, allowing a year of preparations and transition, just as Valpo did when leaving the Summit League. In addition, the quoted official is leaving the school, which minimizes his influence.

[zvillehaze]

Not much new information, but another article on the topic.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20120429/SPORTS0605/204290342/Do-dollars-make-sense-Butler-join-Atlantic-10-?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Sports

[wh]

IF VCU indeed pulls back as recommended by their departing A.D. and GMU follows their lead, it would not surprise me to see Butler pull back as well.  Note that there is now a scenario in play where Xavier and Dayton could be invited to join the Big East.  I don't know how realistic it is, but IF that were to occur, Butler could find itself in an eastern seaboard league with a greatly diminished reputation - not at all what they thought they were signing up for.  The last thing Butler would want to do is buy a pig in a poke. 

[valpopal]

It looks like some movement toward a decision has begun. From the Indy Star this morning:

"Butler athletic department employees have been called to a meeting this morning, and a potential move from the Atlantic 10 to the Horizon League is expected to be addressed. For weeks, there has been speculation that Butler would leave the Horizon and join the Atlantic 10 to enhance its men's basketball program.Butler, if moving to the Atlantic 10, would not play in the conference until the 2013-14 school year."

[valpo04]

It looks like some movement toward a decision has begun. From the Indy Star this morning:

"Butler athletic department employees have been called to a meeting this morning, and a potential move from the Atlantic 10 to the Horizon League is expected to be addressed. For weeks, there has been speculation that Butler would leave the Horizon and join the Atlantic 10 to enhance its men's basketball program.Butler, if moving to the Atlantic 10, would not play in the conference until the 2013-14 school year."

I hope they decide to move, what a get it would be for the HL!!

[valpopal]

It looks like some movement toward a decision has begun. From the Indy Star this morning:

"Butler athletic department employees have been called to a meeting this morning, and a potential move from the Atlantic 10 to the Horizon League is expected to be addressed. For weeks, there has been speculation that Butler would leave the Horizon and join the Atlantic 10 to enhance its men's basketball program.Butler, if moving to the Atlantic 10, would not play in the conference until the 2013-14 school year."

I hope they decide to move, what a get it would be for the HL!!

Nice catch!

[vuweathernerd]

It looks like some movement toward a decision has begun. From the Indy Star this morning:

"Butler athletic department employees have been called to a meeting this morning, and a potential move from the Atlantic 10 to the Horizon League is expected to be addressed. For weeks, there has been speculation that Butler would leave the Horizon and join the Atlantic 10 to enhance its men's basketball program.Butler, if moving to the Atlantic 10, would not play in the conference until the 2013-14 school year."

I hope they decide to move, what a get it would be for the HL!!

i lol'd

[vufan75]

An update from today's indystar.com regarding Butler's move to the Atlantic 10.

http://www.indystar.com/article/20120430/SPORTS0605/120430022/Butler-Bulldogs-Atlantic-10-relationship-hold

[valpopal]

This morning's note from ESPN matches information I have reported here in the past, that Butler will most likely make an official announcement after their trustees meet May 9-11:

"The Butler Bulldogs and the A-10 are expected to come a resolution within two weeks, according to at least one source close to the situation. The plan would be for Butler to join the A-10 for the 2013-14 season and replace the Temple Owls. Butler has always been the first choice for the A-10, once the Owls were on the move to the Big East. If A-10 commissioner Bernadette McGlade pulls this off it should go down as the second most significant basketball realignment coup behind the ACC getting the Syracuse Orange and the Pittsburgh Panthers from the Big East. The A-10 would be at 14 if it gets Butler. Expanding to 16, which isn't a necessity, is the only way the VCU Rams and George Mason Patriots come into the picture out of the CAA."

[IndyValpo]

This is getting interesting...rumors have Charlotte leaving the A10 and ODU leaving the CAA to join CUSA.