St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

[JimmieTuba]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

Also, with the addition of St. Thomas we will have league schools in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Omaha, Kansas City and Denver. This is pretty remarkable for us! From a recruiting standpoint for both student athletes as well as general students, this is important. There are a lot of high schools in these metro areas and they are already primary target areas for our university. This also has to be where the majority of our alums live out-of-state. Great opportunities to connect with perspective students as well as Alumni!

The addition of MSP to the Summit is a prime reason why St. Thomas was a better invite than Auggie. I think Auggie eventually comes to the Summit. WIU has to leave first, or they find a partner school to join (for 12 schools total).

[BrerRabbit]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

I don't see why Augustana would be considered a good fit for the Summit League. It's nothing like the present members really at all. Tiny enrollment, no graduate programs to speak of. I presume the biggest reason yes is geographic. Is there any other reason? I'm interested to learn why people think this is good for the rest of the Summit League.

[Nidaros]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

I don't see why Augustana would be considered a good fit for the Summit League. It's nothing like the present members really at all. Tiny enrollment, no graduate programs to speak of. I presume the biggest reason yes is geographic. Is there any other reason? I'm interested to learn why people think this is good for the rest of the Summit League.

Augustana has a long range plan to increase enrollment and programs. Don’t call them Oleana just yet.(Failure)

[Nidaros]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

Summit only has 9 now - UMKC is joining while (I)PFW is leaving - keeping it at 9. The addition of St. Thomas makes 10.

Unless I am going on bad information.

No you have it right.

[Jacked_Up]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

Augustana has a long range plan to increase enrollment and programs. Don’t call them Oleana just yet.(Failure)

Is there any school in the Summit without plans to increase enrollment and programs? Is there any university in the multi-state region that does not want more students and programs? Goals like that don't make Augie unique or special.

[Nidaros]

Re: St. Thomas to Summit / Missouri Valley?

Is there any school in the Summit without plans to increase enrollment and programs? Is there any university in the multi-state region that does not want more students and programs? Goals like that don't make Augie unique or special.

No I suppose not. I am not dialing up the Kingston Trio version of Oleana just yet. I do like the Augustana President and her
Plans for the future.

[LakeJack]

https://www.inforum.com/bison-media-...nBKE7k.twitter

[BTownJack]

https://www.inforum.com/bison-media-...nBKE7k.twitter

Thanks for the article. I would like to know how much any conference, especially the SL in this instance, really cares how many teams are in their league. They aren't going to keep Augie out just because it makes for an odd # of 11. Yes, I understand travel partners and an even number of teams is ideal but I'm guessing it is a minor factor considering how much movement in the college landscape there is right now.

[LakeJack]

Lots of reasons to care. Start with the Benjamins. More teams more mouths to feed. Corp. Sponsorship dollars, other schools worried about another trip to SD, the list goes on and on.

However this thread is about St. Thomas, and I'm glad the news for them sounds positive. Getting the Summit League in the Twin Cities market is a good thing

[MontanaRabbit]

Thanks for the article. I would like to know how much any conference, especially the SL in this instance, really cares how many teams are in their league. They aren't going to keep Augie out just because it makes for an odd # of 11. Yes, I understand travel partners and an even number of teams is ideal but I'm guessing it is a minor factor considering how much movement in the college landscape there is right now.

I'll say this about Augie to the Summit. I spoke with a very high ranking SDSU official and unless this person was lying, SDSU will not support Augie to the Summit League.

[BTownJack]

I'll say this about Augie to the Summit. I spoke with a very high ranking SDSU official and unless this person was lying, SDSU will not support Augie to the Summit League.

It will be interesting to see where this goes. Douple has been very non-committal about it all when in front of a crowd. The SF media and most others think it is a "done deal" but then it's been very quiet on the D-I front from Augie itself. Hopefully Douple will talk in front of the SF staters crowd again leading into the SL BB Tourney and addresses where they stand on it. Last year at that event he said something of the like "I've heard all this noise about Augie and we have yet to have a single conversation with them."

I do know this - IMHO our coaches would rather have Augie vs. St. Thomas. All of our sports hammer the Minneapolis metro area for recruits. You elevate St. Thomas to D-I status and put them in our conference. Suddenly there is legit competition up there for recruits. It could have a fairly big impact for our sports who pull kids up there on a regular basis.

[MontanaRabbit]

It will be interesting to see where this goes. Douple has been very non-committal about it all when in front of a crowd. The SF media and most others think it is a "done deal" but then it's been very quiet on the D-I front from Augie itself. Hopefully Douple will talk in front of the SF staters crowd again leading into the SL BB Tourney and addresses where they stand on it. Last year at that event he said something of the like "I've heard all this noise about Augie and we have yet to have a single conversation with them."

If SDSU doesn't support them, USD likely won't either because it clogs the market. I can't see ORU or WIU supporting the move because they don't want another trip to the Dakotas. It takes a simple majority and that's 4 right off the bat that I don't think will won't vote for them.

[CappinHard]

It will be interesting to see where this goes. Douple has been very non-committal about it all when in front of a crowd. The SF media and most others think it is a "done deal" but then it's been very quiet on the D-I front from Augie itself. Hopefully Douple will talk in front of the SF staters crowd again leading into the SL BB Tourney and addresses where they stand on it. Last year at that event he said something of the like "I've heard all this noise about Augie and we have yet to have a single conversation with them."

I do know this - IMHO our coaches would rather have Augie vs. St. Thomas. All of our sports hammer the Minneapolis metro area for recruits. You elevate St. Thomas to D-I status and put them in our conference. Suddenly there is legit competition up there for recruits. It could have a fairly big impact for our sports who pull kids up there on a regular basis.

St. Thomas will end up going D1 regardless, they'll find a home somewhere.

[MontanaRabbit]

St. Thomas will end up going D1 regardless, they'll find a home somewhere.

Isn't St. Thomas to the Summit a done deal?

[BTownJack]

Isn't St. Thomas to the Summit a done deal?

Yes, pending the approval of them being able to jump directly from D-III to D-I. Which is uncharted territory for the NCAA as it's never been done. Currently as the rules read they would have to go through a 12-year transition process. They are trying to get that reduced to 4 years:

http://www.startribune.com/st-thomas...n-i/564636222/