Which Schools should the HL invite....pick 3

[IndyValpo]

Lots of opinions....lets record them.

[VULB#62]

Indy, Had the same thought but with a different approach -- responders should probably use the matrix first otherwise it becomes a blue sky exercise that produces a wish list rather than viable targets.

[wh]

Good poll, Indy.  This should be interesting.  Hopefully, our friends from other HL schools will jump in on this, as well. 

[valpotx]

Oh come on, who voted for IUPUI and IPFW?  I know this is anonymous, but....COME ONNNNN lol

[IndyValpo]

Oh come on, who voted for IUPUI and IPFW?  I know this is anonymous, but....COME ONNNNN lol

I will confess to an IUPUI vote.  Living in Indy it is purely selfish move but I like the idea of having all VU teams come this way...RPI be damned.  Of course I would require conference basketball home games at Bankers Life or the Pepsi Coliseum. I would also make them bring back baseball.

[covufan]

My Denver vote was also purely selfish, and I had not considered Denver until this poll. 

[vuweathernerd]

i couldn't even justify a third pick after oakland and murray state. i'd have thrown some consideration towards peoria, but bradley wasn't even on the list.

[crusaderjoe]

Too bad their wasn't a button for "Invite UDM to start a baseball program and stay at 9 until the expansion dust settles". 

[valpospartan]

Murray State may be a good fit, sportswise, but it's location is a negative.  The easy travel for the HL teams is unique and I don't think it should be compromised.  It will also put an added burden on the athletes.

[bbtds]

It's comical that posters will vote for Murray State due to their performances in basketball. But if you look at where Murray, KY truly is the town that you would most likely to fly into to get to Murray, KY is either Paducah, KY(42 miles), Evansville, IN(130 miles) or Nashville, TN(115 miles). If you are already flying into Nashville to get to Murray, KY why not add Belmont in Nashville. Of course there are some of the posters who have already stated that Murray, KY does not fit the footprint of the HL but if you truly look at a map it is more off the beaten path than Belmont in Nashville.

[vuweathernerd]

It's comical that posters will vote for Murray State due to their performances in basketball. But if you look at where Murray, KY truly is the town that you would most likely to fly into to get to Murray, KY is either Paducah, KY(42 miles), Evansville, IN(130 miles) or Nashville, TN(115 miles). If you are already flying into Nashville to get to Murray, KY why not add Belmont in Nashville. Of course there are some of the posters who have already stated that Murray, KY does not fit the footprint of the HL but if you truly look at a map it is more off the beaten path than Belmont in Nashville.

well, considering our teams rarely fly anywhere, that's not the issue. and getting there by bus is relatively easy. take 80 to 57 south all the way into kentucky.

[covufan]

Too bad their wasn't a button for "Invite UDM to start a baseball program and stay at 9 until the expansion dust settles". 

I agree.  The HL should be trying to get all schools to participate in as many sports as possible.  Only five of nine have baseball?  Somewhat sad.

[valpotx]

Detroit, Cleveland State, and Loyola should have baseball.  Green Bay may be difficult with the weather, but if NDSU/SDSU can have baseball, they could too...

[covufan]

Detroit, Cleveland State, and Loyola should have baseball.  Green Bay may be difficult with the weather, but if NDSU/SDSU can have baseball, they could too...

And with Stony Brook and Kent (State) going to the CWS, maybe it now makes sense to have baseball in the northern states!

[milanmiracle]

Oh come on, who voted for IUPUI and IPFW?  I know this is anonymous, but....COME ONNNNN lol

I will confess to an IUPUI vote.  Living in Indy it is purely selfish move but I like the idea of having all VU teams come this way...RPI be damned.  Of course I would require conference basketball home games at Bankers Life or the Pepsi Coliseum. I would also make them bring back baseball.

Since none of the teams on the list are likely to make the HL a multi bid league, I'd go with IUPUI for travel reasons, though that's not who I voted for. If the only NCAA bid is going to be the auto bid, might as well make travel easier.

*Pepsi gave up the naming rights to the Coliseum, so I don't know what it will be called in the future (my guess is the Coke Coliseum in all seriousness). That being said, playing in IUPUI's high school gym is a hinderance to their program.

[milanmiracle]

Oh come on, who voted for IUPUI and IPFW?  I know this is anonymous, but....COME ONNNNN lol

I will confess to an IUPUI vote.  Living in Indy it is purely selfish move but I like the idea of having all VU teams come this way...RPI be damned.  Of course I would require conference basketball home games at Bankers Life or the Pepsi Coliseum. I would also make them bring back baseball.

The only sport that should have any influence on who's invited is basketball. That's the only thing the league is known for and what they hang their hat on so I hope that's all that is taken into consideration when deciding to invite another team(s).

Baseball, no baseball, bowling, no bowling...it shouldn't factor in the decision on who to invite. Now, if its a complete toss up between two teams and all the other factors are equal, then it might matter.

[HorizonLeagueFan]

The only sport that should have any influence on who's invited is basketball. That's the only thing the league is known for and what they hang their hat on so I hope that's all that is taken into consideration when deciding to invite another team(s).

Baseball, no baseball, bowling, no bowling...it shouldn't factor in the decision on who to invite. Now, if its a complete toss up between two teams and all the other factors are equal, then it might matter.

The HL is going to add 3 teams and they want at least 2 of the 3 to have baseball.

[dylanrocks]

Oh come on, who voted for IUPUI and IPFW?  I know this is anonymous, but....COME ONNNNN lol

I will confess to an IUPUI vote.  Living in Indy it is purely selfish move but I like the idea of having all VU teams come this way...RPI be damned.  Of course I would require conference basketball home games at Bankers Life or the Pepsi Coliseum. I would also make them bring back baseball.

None of the teams on the list are likely to make the HL a multi bid league.

Huh? Murray State, George Mason and Belmont -- combined with Valpo, Detroit and Cleveland State -- wouldn't make the Horizon League a multi-bid league?

Fellas, they're adding more than one team. In fact, they're almost certainly adding three teams. That, and the hangups of Detroit and Loyola with adding Oakland is why expansion is taking so long.

[bbtds]

well, considering our teams rarely fly anywhere, that's not the issue. and getting there by bus is relatively easy. take 80 to 57 south all the way into kentucky.

I dare you to keep going south on I-57 and see what happens. After you cross into Missouri and not into Kentucky you might be surprised that you end up in the cotton fields of the boot heel of Missouri. But it wouldn't be your fault. It would be the New Madrid Fault. It cracks me up.   

[vuweathernerd]

well, considering our teams rarely fly anywhere, that's not the issue. and getting there by bus is relatively easy. take 80 to 57 south all the way into kentucky.

I dare you to keep going south on I-57 and see what happens. After you cross into Missouri and not into Kentucky you might be surprised that you end up in the cotton fields of the boot heel of Missouri. But it wouldn't be your fault. It would be the New Madrid Fault. It cracks me up.   

apparently i was thinking of i-24. my memory failed me. but my point still stands. bus transportation would still be easy.

[milanmiracle]

Oh come on, who voted for IUPUI and IPFW?  I know this is anonymous, but....COME ONNNNN lol

I will confess to an IUPUI vote.  Living in Indy it is purely selfish move but I like the idea of having all VU teams come this way...RPI be damned.  Of course I would require conference basketball home games at Bankers Life or the Pepsi Coliseum. I would also make them bring back baseball.

None of the teams on the list are likely to make the HL a multi bid league.

Huh? Murray State, George Mason and Belmont -- combined with Valpo, Detroit and Cleveland State -- wouldn't make the Horizon League a multi-bid league?

Fellas, they're adding more than one team. In fact, they're almost certainly adding three teams. That, and the hangups of Detroit and Loyola with adding Oakland is why expansion is taking so long.

If they're adding three teams, maybe it becomes a multi bid league, but it's certainly no lock. If Valpo wins the regular season as expected, but not the HL tournament they're likely out (at least from the schedule I've seen). You're really hoping that the scheduling out of conference is good enough to warrant an invitation from the NCAA from some of these other schools. I hope we can find out.

[HorizonLeagueFan]

If they're adding three teams, maybe it becomes a multi bid league, but it's certainly no lock. If Valpo wins the regular season as expected, but not the HL tournament they're likely out (at least from the schedule I've seen). You're really hoping that the scheduling out of conference is good enough to warrant an invitation from the NCAA from some of these other schools. I hope we can find out. 

Scheduling will become easier for everyone in the HL if we go to 12 teams.  At 10 teams, we have played a 18 game conference schedule.  At 12 teams, we will have a 22 game conference schedule.  With 4 less OOC games to schedule, each HL team should be able to be more selective in their scheduling.

[wh]

Oh come on, who voted for IUPUI and IPFW?  I know this is anonymous, but....COME ONNNNN lol

I will confess to an IUPUI vote.  Living in Indy it is purely selfish move but I like the idea of having all VU teams come this way...RPI be damned.  Of course I would require conference basketball home games at Bankers Life or the Pepsi Coliseum. I would also make them bring back baseball.

None of the teams on the list are likely to make the HL a multi bid league.

Huh? Murray State, George Mason and Belmont -- combined with Valpo, Detroit and Cleveland State -- wouldn't make the Horizon League a multi-bid league?

Fellas, they're adding more than one team. In fact, they're almost certainly adding three teams. That, and the hangups of Detroit and Loyola with adding Oakland is why expansion is taking so long.

Dylan - Other than your comment, I haven't read so much as a peep anywhere about Detroit causing trouble for Oakland (this time around).  This is pretty troublesome, if true.  To think that Loyola might also be involved is downright nauseating.  How reliable is your source for this and what more do you know?

[cmack]

Scheduling will become easier for everyone in the HL if we go to 12 teams.  At 10 teams, we have played a 18 game conference schedule.  At 12 teams, we will have a 22 game conference schedule.  With 4 less OOC games to schedule, each HL team should be able to be more selective in their scheduling.

No conference in their right minds would have a 22 game conference schedule.

[valpo95]

It is complete speculation on my part, but geographically, what about Saint Louis University joining the HL?  They were in the league for 10 years or so in the 80s, and have only been in the A10 since 2005.  Do they really like traveling to the eastern time zone for every single away game?   Obviously, they would be a great addition to the HL, have some natural rivalries with Loyola and Detroit and wouldn't have to deal with the eastward expansion of the A-10.