Why USD CAN go DI.

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

There are few interested fans in the Coyotes.  After being on the Coyote's board, less than 10 Coyote fans have posted about their choices for affiliation.  The "outsiders (SDSU, UND, NDSU, Drake, UMKC)" posters have more than 1/2 the posts about their "landmark" decision.

http://coyotesports.proboards100.com...ead=1144552782

If they aren't talking this up, and discussing on their own fan board, how do they expect to finance and drum support for D-1 out of the admin, alumni?

[SUPERBUNNY]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

Here is the article from today's Argus Leader.  Nothing earth shattering.  November 6 deadline to be done!

SUPERBUNNY


USD announces committee
Group to study possible switch to Division I
From staff reports
July 19, 2006


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VERMILLION - The University of South Dakota on Tuesday announced the composition of a committee that will assess its athletic classification and conference affiliation.

Announced by President Jim Abbott, the task force will be co-chaired by Tina Keller, physics professor and associate dean for administration in the College of Arts and Sciences at USD, and John Lillibridge of Burke, an alumnus and the chairman of the board of First Fidelity Bank in South Dakota.

"I am confident that Tina and John will do a tremendous job in leading the task force through this important and critical review," Abbott said. "The broad-based committee will evaluate our short and long term future."
 
USD announced it would put together a committee on June 21, just hours after the University of North Dakota announced it was leaving the North Central Conference and NCAA Division II.

The 26-person committee includes eight faculty members, five students (including two student-athletes), four administrators, three alumni representatives, two head coaches, and others.

The task force has a target date of Monday, Nov. 6 to complete its review.

Complete list of USD, Augustana classification committees in scoreboard.

[CatchEmAll]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

[quote author=1stRowFANatic link=1150320172/30#43 date=1153319253]My guess is they rubber stamp the admin's previous position of staying D-2.

Exactly what I think will happen.[/quote]

I'm going to enter my guess at rubber stamping a move to D-I. Can't let the mothership leave them too far in the dust. Call me crazy, but that's my guess :-/

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

[quote author=MilwaukeeJacksAlum link=1150320172/30#44 date=1153320700][quote author=1stRowFANatic link=1150320172/30#43 date=1153319253]My guess is they rubber stamp the admin's previous position of staying D-2.

Exactly what I think will happen.[/quote]

I'm going to enter my guess at rubber stamping a move to D-I.  Can't let the mothership leave them too far in the dust.  Call me crazy, but that's my guess  :-/[/quote]

I'm with you.

[thebluehatman]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

outta curiousity because i looked at the usd committee list did we have any students have input when we moved up?

[Haldersham]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

Over on the Coyote board they seem to be kind of cautious about D1 being a slam dunk. Our friend Coyote fan thought there were too many students appointed to the committee who Coyote Fan feared would be opposed raises in student fees. The truth of the matter is that the BOR has alreay put a policy in place that bars raising student fees for reclassification to D1.  As a real test of their policy, I wonder if the BOR will stick to their olicy when Abbott comes with hat in hand asking for authorization to raise student fees.

I can remember when Lillibridge the co-chairman was one of the top Class B high school players which dates me. He played in the mid 1950's and maybe played for USD too. Its been awhile. Some one took a shot at Lillibridge over on the Coyote board and said he had spent his entire life in downtown Burke SD. Apparently Mr. Lillibridge is a very good rural banker and is probably no stranger to turning down unfeaible projects which I assume would be mostly farm and ranch loans. The point is we have a very thorough South Dakota minded banker in charge of the committee. Selling him the risk in making the move might be a problem in its self. Unless they can get Tom Brokaw and Al Neuharth to come forward with major gifts, I see them staying D2. Thats my take.

They will need to get good leadership from the AD too moving up to D1, and I really wonder if Neilsen is equal in talent to Fred Oien. The thing I like about Fred is that he knows his alums and knows who he can count on. It has taken Fred two to three decades to build these relationships. Nielsen has been at USD only three years maybe and I dont think he has made a real big splash with the alums but I am sure he is viewed as an improvement over his precessor.

[Haldersham]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

outta curiousity because i looked at the usd committee list did we have any students have input when we moved up?

Yes I believe SA officers were included. I recall reading in the Collegian that Fred met with the SA Senate several times and they voted to approve or disapprove the move. Also they were briefed on the findings of both the marketing and the strategy plans prepared by Carr and the other outfit whose name escapes me.

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

Over on the Coyote board they seem to be kind of cautious about D1 being a slam dunk. Our friend Coyote fan thought there were too many students appointed to the committee who Coyote Fan feared would be opposed raises in student fees. The truth of the matter is that the BOR has alreay put a policy in place that bars raising student fees for reclassification to D1.  As a real test of their policy, I wonder if the BOR will stick to their olicy when Abbott comes with hat in hand asking for authorization to raise student fees.

I can remember when Lillibridge the co-chairman was one of the top Class B high school players which dates me. He played in the mid 1950's and maybe played for USD too. Its been awhile. Some one took a shot at Lillibridge over on the Coyote board and said he had spent his entire life in downtown Burke SD. Apparently Mr. Lillibridge is a very good rural banker and is probably no stranger to turning down unfeaible projects which I assume would be mostly farm and ranch loans. The point is we have a very thorough South Dakota minded banker in charge of the committee. Selling him the risk in making the move might be a problem in its self. Unless they can get Tom Brokaw and Al Neuharth to come forward with major gifts, I see them staying D2. Thats my take.

They will need to get good leadership from the AD too moving up to D1, and I really wonder if Neilsen is equal in talent to Fred Oien. The thing I like about Fred is that he knows his alums and knows who he can count on.  It has taken Fred two to three decades to build these relationships. Nielsen has been at USD only three years maybe and I dont think he has made a real big splash with the alums but I am sure he is viewed as an improvement over his precessor.

From the improvements in their AD in the last few years, I think Joel Nielsen is really an asset to USD and their pending Division 1 move. I have been impressed with what he has done with an AD that was literally in shambles when he arrived.

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

[quote author=jackrabbit1979 link=1150320172/45#52 date=1153334449
From the improvements in their AD in the last few years, I think Joel Nielsen is really an asset to USD and their pending Division 1 move.  I have been impressed with what he has done with an AD that was literally in shambles when he arrived.[/quote]

I think I would lean more to 79's position. USD's athletic dept was a disaster when Nielsen arrived, and he may think that is a charitable opinion. Is he the right person to make the move to D-1? I'm not sure, he may be. He may also say if you make the move, start looking for someone new. All I know, is I would much rather have him than the crew down in Omaha.

[jackmd]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

[quote author=1stRowFANatic link=1150320172/30#43 date=1153319253]My guess is they rubber stamp the admin's previous position of staying D-2.

Exactly what I think will happen.[/quote]\

USD is NOT A DI UNIVERSITY!!! Facts are facts and this is one of them. USD does a great job educating a certain portion of SD high school grads. They are not and should not be asked to change what they are. Athletics at USD has always been DII minded an should remain that way. SDSU is the DI university in the state, plain and simple. That doesn't make SDSU more important to the citizens of SD it just makes us different than USD, which we obviously always have been.

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

I tend to think the decision has already been made, one way or the other, and the committee is just assembled to "rubber stamp" that decision. The reason I say this is because of the relatively short time frame and lack of spending money on a consultant.

[SD4Life]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

What makes me think that USD already may have decided to go DI is the deadline for the committee's report -- early November. That would give USD's president time (for public relations purposes) to give the report "careful consideration" and still make a decision by the end of the year. That, in turn, would allow USD both to give the NCC its required 18-month notice without incurring a financial penalty and to begin its exploratory year in 2007-08 along with UND.

[jackrabit1]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

The million-dollar question, "Will they or won't they?"

Gotta love the conspiracy theories!!!

[Haldersham]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

What happens at USD is very much an unknown, but I feel we need to worry about SDSU. What happens down in Vermillion is something no Jack fan can dream of controlling, but what happens at SDSU should be our main focus. I must admit that some of the deadline dates seem to suggest that both UND and USD are going to take their time in commitment to NCAA and the NCC. To me that indicates lack of plans or finances or a combination of both in which time is needed to get the ducks in a row. Meanwhile SDSU moves forward and that is what really counts.

[NightHawk78]

Re: Why USD CAN go DI.

Well, I have let this announcement stew for a few days before I decided to post. My thoughts and observations:

1) Lampe is on this committee to relay what Krabbenhoft and the Augie committee are going to do (probably D-1).
2) All of the alumni members are members of the USD Foundation; money and foundation support are very important for a D-1 moveup.
3) Despite the Regents' decision to not allow increased student fee dollars to fund D-1, I would not be surprised to see an attempt to mimic the SDSU SA push for the wellness center as USD's student gov't may decide to launch a push for D-1 (and/or a new basketball arena) and state that they are willing to increase their student fees to see USD move into D-1.
3a) IMHO, I do NOT expect the Regents to be as hard on USD as they were on SDSU when we went D-1.
4) Where are the Vermillion (or even Yankton) community members on this task force?

I am convinced, barring any unforseeable developments, that Abbott has already decided to make the move to D-1 and that this committee will be more important in charting the D-1 course that the Coyotes will have.