Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

I think this is a logical move by the Summit and UNO. Omaha will put some pressure on Sioux Falls to upgrade the Arena or build a new Event Center. I think the position that UNO was in was a similiar debate Augustana had a few years back regarding dropping football and moving up to DI. I think Augie made the right decision for them, but also believe they could have made a case for the Summit only scenario. Welcome aboard UNO.

[mitchell]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

This seems like a great move for the Summit and SDSU IMO. I was worried about that added competition in football but I think this situation works out perfectly for us.

The Summit is a more attractive league with USD & UNO than with Centenary & Southern Utah and travel time & costs just got a whole lot better. This move matches what Douple's been saying all along, that this is a midwestern league with a midwest footprint. Gaining that identity can only help the league.

Hopefully Coach Liles will be able to pick up some UNO wrestlers looking for a new home.

Anybody think that St. Cloud St is looking at this and thinking that they might take this route in a couple years? I'd be less excited for that to happen because now the area would really start to get thin for DI athletes.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

From the UNO website: http://www.omavs.com/news/2011/3/13/GEN_0313112424.aspx

[Prairiehaas]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

I'll say it. I was against our move to D1. It has been a pretty good thing however.
I said it then, and it's not far from fruition, we will end up in a glorified NCC..., and the net result will be more costs. Essentially renaming DII to D1 AA thus only really changing the name and the expense. Now, I have learned over the past couple of years the level of competition has increased and the games are arguably more fun to watch.

There have been undertones of the "BCS conferences" breaking away... I wonder how long until that happens, and the D1AA and Mid-major sports will essentially be the new D11?

I know also that I'm over simplifying this in a lot of areas (we now offer more scholarships ect...)

Did anybody else ever share these thoughts?

Yes Slosho I too have some concerns that this move to DI may result in an expensive NCC reincarnation. On one hand it is good to see the Summit Conf stabilize and concentrate the geographic footprint. On the other hand I like seeing SDSU compete outside the immediate area. I think SDSU has set itself apart from other SD Univs by looking outside the area for opportunities. Hopefully our administration can keep a balance between stability and growth.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

What UNO is doing could be the right formula for Minnesota State and St Cloud St as well.

[Prairiehaas]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

What UNO is doing could be the right formula for Minnesota State and St Cloud St as well.

But those are traditional campuses, not metro campuses. The formula might be much tougher to sell at those two schools.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

But those are traditional campuses, not metro campuses. The formula might be much tougher to sell at those two schools.

The similiarities are both MN State and St Cloud put a lot of their resources into DI Hockey and operate at a significant loss with DII football. This could balance out their athletic financial budget.

[LakeJack]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling




New look Summit from the Oakland board

[filbert]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

Yes it does, but those people up north are so wise that it will take decades to figure that one out.

You have to wonder when, if ever, it will start to sink in up in Grand Forks that they've taken their (admittedly) difficult situation and handled it in just about the clumsiest possible way . . .

Back before the mass migration of NCC schools to D-I began, I and lots of other people noted that many of the North Central Conference schools sure looked a lot more like Division I schools than they did like Division II schools.

I think the events of the decade subsequent to Northern Colorado's decision to move up are basically validating that opinion.

You do have to wonder if certain people in Mankato and in St. Cloud may not be looking at what UNO is doing with **extreme** interest . . .

And on a more whimsical note . . . is there an NCAA rule that there must always be one institution with the initials UNO in Division I? Recall that the University of New Orleans Privateers are dropping down to Division III, a victim of Katrina.

[Coyote_Fan]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

I am really happy to see that most SDSU fans are open to the idea of adding UNO. In the long run I think it is a good move eventhough UNO has some growing up to do to make it in D1 but can't we all say that in a sense. They definately need to play in a different basketball facility. That should be goal #1. It's all about moving forward or being left in the dust. Alot of these NCC teams of the past have gone about moving up at their own pace and that is ok. I believe in time UNO may add football back again but it might be awhile.

Most of the NCC is fully capable of moving up. I know some hate the notion of thinking about a D1 NCC but lets face it the NCC was the premier D2 league when it comes to fan support, rivalries, togetherness etc. What UNO's announcement says is that the Summit wants to build around what is becoming the new core of the league which is the former NCC. I know the eastern schools may not like that notion but I see UND being back in the Summit/MVFC mix sometime, probably sooner rather than later.

I just sent a PM to an old friend and supporter of Minnesota State. IMO MSU should do the same thing that UNO just did. Both their mens and women's basketball programs are strong and they are in an area where they could become the definate #2 to the U of M in the state of Minnesota.

I have said this before but I would like to see a 12 team Summit League. It would still leave plenty of non conference games open and would definately make for a great league. Adding Arkansas-Little Rock and Minnesota State would put a nice little bow on an attractive Summit League package.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

In the article it said the Men's Basketball team would play at the Civic Auditorium until a new on-campus facility was built. I see UNO taking a bite out of Creighton support in Omaha. http://www.omahacivic.com/arena.htm

[MaddogJack]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

If (and I know that is a BIG word for the Sioux) UND ever pulls their head out, they are going to be so far out of it - they may have to ask Canada to annex Grand Forks.

The Big Sky isn't going to fool around with their nickname BS and the NCAA will hold their foot on UND's throat until they have taken their last breath.

UNO is showing a pair (figuratively speaking) and throwing 2 pretty good programs under the bus (FB & Wrestling) for a chance to jump on the Summit bus. UND is going to be stuck to themselves - WAY out there.

Omaha would be an easy road trip (or flight from Detroit) for the Summit League Tournament from most Summit schools. I welcome Trev and the Mavs (-minus any Mavbots) to the mix. Enjoy the Big Sky Siouxsies. (That's if you don't screw that one up, too!)

[JackJD]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

I first heard at the Summit League Tourney last weekend that an actual written offer had been or was going to be extended to UNO. There was some buzz about Alberts, UNO's AD, visiting the tourney and that seemed to make it clear UNO was going to announce. Such decisions are ultimately made by the Presidents of the conference schools so this had to have been in the works for some time. Hats off to everyone involved for keeping a lid on the news until all details were worked out (I have to laugh again about Big Sky's Fullerton's announcement that USD joining the Sky was all but inked).

My jaw dropped when I read UNO would drop football and wrestling. As others have noted, that's a real gutsy move and may be a real key to investing heavily in having a D-1 basketball program that soon challenges cross-town Creighton. Creighton will soon have to put up with people taking shots about its refusal to play UNO and, eventually, they'll cave and the game will be on.

I wonder how some UND fan message board stalwarts and fact-spinners (they're real good at it--perhaps the best in the country) are handling this news!

[jackrabit1]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

New look Summit from the Oakland board

The travel partners seem pretty reasonable...

NDSU-SDSU
USD-UNO
UMKC-ORU
**all pretty much a bus drive down I-29 (except for Tulsa)

WIU-IUPUI
Oakland-IPFW

If the Summit ever wanted to spread out to 12 teams (UALR? Chicago St?) we could have a natural geographic split between East and West in terms of divisions.

[FargoBison]

Re: Omaha Herald: UNO plans to move DI, will drop football and wrestling

I wonder how some UND fan message board stalwarts and fact-spinners (they're real good at it--perhaps the best in the country) are handling this news!

Basically they are saying they are glad they aren't joining the NCC 2.0, which is odd considering they bashed NDSU relentlessly for killing the old NCC but UND always forgets the past when it no longer fits their agenda.

Their student athletes will be traveling half-way across the country and their school will be stretching their travel budgets to play competition that is at best on the same level as the MVFC/Summit. If they think people would rather watch Sac State, NAU, Idaho State or Weber State than NDSU, SDSU, UNO or USD they are out of their mind.

But UND just operates in a different way than most schools, they have way too much pride to fall on their sword and admit they made a mistake.