St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

[Jacked_Up]

I'm climbing aboard the University of St. Thomas bandwagon. Let's bring them into the Summit and possibly the Missouri Valley. Augie is optional.
Judging from media rumblings in Minnesota, St. Thomas may not be particularly interested in going D-11 and joining the Northern Sun. If it's going to move up, it may choose to go all the way.
Adding St. Thomas would bring a solid Minnesota program into the competitive mix. It's much bigger than Augie in enrollment already and, with the Twin Cities as a base, has a lot of potential for growth.
I'm surprised this possibility hasn't caught on more with the South Dakota media.

[98Jackfarmer]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

I'm climbing aboard the University of St. Thomas bandwagon. Let's bring them into the Summit and possibly the Missouri Valley. Augie is optional.
Judging from media rumblings in Minnesota, St. Thomas may not be particularly interested in going D-11 and joining the Northern Sun. If it's going to move up, it may choose to go all the way.
Adding St. Thomas would bring a solid Minnesota program into the competitive mix. It's twice as big as Augie in enrollment already and, with the Twin Cities as a base, has a lot of potential for growth.
I'm surprised this possibility hasn't caught on more with the South Dakota media.

It sounds good, till I think about the idea of them landing a recruit or many out of what seems to be a “honey hole” of an area for us. JMO.
Edit, talking mostly WBB here

[Nidaros]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

I'm climbing aboard the University of St. Thomas bandwagon. Let's bring them into the Summit and possibly the Missouri Valley. Augie is optional.
Judging from media rumblings in Minnesota, St. Thomas may not be particularly interested in going D-11 and joining the Northern Sun. If it's going to move up, it may choose to go all the way.
Adding St. Thomas would bring a solid Minnesota program into the competitive mix. It's twice as big as Augie in enrollment already and, with the Twin Cities as a base, has a lot of potential for growth.
I'm surprised this possibility hasn't caught on more with the South Dakota media.

I don't think St Thomas can avoid the D2 process and Northern Sun seems like the likely route. I believe their enrollment topped 10,000 last year so they are 5 times the current Augie enrollment of 1800. No doubt will look good as a SL member but might be short-lived if they are thinking Big East long term. We will just to watch and see what unfolds.

[filbert]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

It sounds good, till I think about the idea of them landing a recruit or many out of what seems to be a “honey hole” of an area for us. JMO.
Edit, talking mostly WBB here

I'm already on the record here as being for it.

Even if they bolt for the Big East as soon as they're tournament-eligible, the positive PR that the Summit League would get from uplifiting them from the s*it sandwich that the MIAC tossed their way would be worth the effort.

I think there's plenty of D-I WBB talent in the Upper Midwest, and I think SDSU has raised the visibility in WBB to the point where national recruiting becomes much more of an option. Plus, it's no secret in D-I WBB that the Upper Midwest is rich in WBB talent. It's already being recruited nationally. One more snout in the trough won't make a bit difference.

[jackdaniel]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

I'm already on the record here as being for it.

Even if they bolt for the Big East as soon as they're tournament-eligible, the positive PR that the Summit League would get from uplifiting them from the s*it sandwich that the MIAC tossed their way would be worth the effort.

I think there's plenty of D-I WBB talent in the Upper Midwest, and I think SDSU has raised the visibility in WBB to the point where national recruiting becomes much more of an option. Plus, it's no secret in D-I WBB that the Upper Midwest is rich in WBB talent. It's already being recruited nationally. One more snout in the trough won't make a bit difference.

Very true, was looking at recruits in WBB to see how they did playing club basketball this summer, came across two teams who competed for a National Championship for their age group, one was from Iowa (All Iowa attack) and the other was from Minn (North Tartan). Add in players from SD,ND,NE, there are lots of talented players in this , our primary recruiting area. The main, right now, Colleges drawing out of the pool are p-5 Colleges, Creighton, UNI, SDSU Jacks ,USD, Drake, some of the other Summit Colleges UND, for example, just recruited Miss basketball for Minn, Kacie Borowicz out of Roseau, Minn.

[goon]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

Yet that same arguement is a big sticking point why people dont want auggie. To many schools not enough athletes that are D-1. I am fine with adding auggie. I think they would become a stable and good summit member but a team in the cities would be nice too. Until league members decide to move the tourney to the twin cities. Anyway if st Tomas doesn't affect our ability to recruit the region we shouldn't have to worry about auggie doing the same.

[jackdaniel]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

I'm already on the record here as being for it.

Even if they bolt for the Big East as soon as they're tournament-eligible, the positive PR that the Summit League would get from uplifiting them from the s*it sandwich that the MIAC tossed their way would be worth the effort.

I think there's plenty of D-I WBB talent in the Upper Midwest, and I think SDSU has raised the visibility in WBB to the point where national recruiting becomes much more of an option. Plus, it's no secret in D-I WBB that the Upper Midwest is rich in WBB talent. It's already being recruited nationally. One more snout in the trough won't make a bit difference.

It would be nice to get some more recruiting connections a little further out ,like Ks, Mo, maybe upper midwest area, Wisc a little more, Mich, Ill, Ind....that's a much bigger pool, but more drawing out of it though, still, might find a few there too.I think the big AAU, Nike, Addidas, UA National Tournaments cover a lot of Athletes from all accross the Nation, so sending people to them is very cost effective way to see, maybe get one or two utilizing that source,all that said,we seem to do OK in the recruiting wars , but constantly have to be vigilant and watching in the rear view mirror to keep our lead in the Summit as the best recruiting team in the Conference, in my opinion, and try and maintain staying one step ahead.

[da_coach]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

I'd rather have them, than Augie, TBH.

[goon]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

I'd rather have them, than Augie, TBH.

I would take auggie and stm if it means stability. I think both could be good additions. I would rather have those 2 then umkc and western ill right now. If western can figure out its money and enrollment issues and umkc needs some stability for sure.

[JackJD]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

Charlie Walters, a sports columnist for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, on 7/27/19 reported the following rumor he heard:

"A little birdie says St. Thomas, ousted by the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Association, could end up in the Division I Pioneer League for football and the Division I Summit League for its other sports. The university recently hired two assistant athletics directors."

That's the entire comment. Walters used the words "could end up" so there's nothing concrete. Personally, I'd like to see St. Thomas in the Summit before Augustana. I don't like the idea of Augie being in the Summit.

Here's the link...you have to scroll down to near the end of the column.

https://www.twincities.com/2019/07/2...-twins-pohlad/

Having a conference mate in the Twin Cities should be a goal and I don't know what other school could accomplish the D1 move other than St. Thomas.

[SDSUAlum08]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

Charlie Walters, a sports columnist for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, on 7/27/19 reported the following rumor he heard:

"A little birdie says St. Thomas, ousted by the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Association, could end up in the Division I Pioneer League for football and the Division I Summit League for its other sports. The university recently hired two assistant athletics directors."

That's the entire comment. Walters used the words "could end up" so there's nothing concrete. Personally, I'd like to see St. Thomas in the Summit before Augustana. I don't like the idea of Augie being in the Summit.

Here's the link...you have to scroll down to near the end of the column.

https://www.twincities.com/2019/07/2...-twins-pohlad/

Having a conference mate in the Twin Cities should be a goal and I don't know what other school could accomplish the D1 move other than St. Thomas.

Much better choice than Augie. I don’t hate Augie. I just don’t see how South Dakota can have three D1 schools and be successful. I believe the $$ will be spread too thin.

[jackdaniel]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

St Thomas in Minn would give Minn two Div 1 schools, plus ,if Augie goes Div 1, that's three Div 1 schools in SD, plus Div 1 in ND (2), NE (3), Ia (4)....that's 14 Div 1 institutions in our 5 state region...the P-5 Universities don't rely so heavily on local recruitment as the others. but still take out of the local pool of recruits (just generally go for the best ones). That would put a bigger strain on recruiting in my opinion, coaches would have to work much harder and cast a bigger net, much farther out to get really good players like we're used to getting. It might lead to watering down the quality of our programs in the region a little bit too if recruitment suffers.Positive might be long term stability for the Conference.Just a thought.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

Much better choice than Augie. I don’t hate Augie. I just don’t see how South Dakota can have three D1 schools and be successful. I believe the $$ will be spread too thin.

St. Thomas would be an amazing addition. Augie would be a better conference mate in all sports than Western Illinois or IPFW. Better following, facilities, coaches...

[Jacked_Up]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

Much better choice than Augie. I don’t hate Augie. I just don’t see how South Dakota can have three D1 schools and be successful. I believe the $$ will be spread too thin.

Agreed. Bring on St. Thomas. There's not enough corporate support in South Dakota to support three D-1 schools.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: Augie to the Summit?

Agreed. Bring on St. Thomas. There's not enough corporate support in South Dakota to support three D-1 schools.

USD will get hurt. SDSU not so much. Conference games against Augie in the Pentagon will be a blast.