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Summit League gains new members and direction
6/30/2007, 10:03 a.m. EDT
By JEFF LATZKE
The Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Summit League — which includes Oakland (Mich.) — has three new members, a new name and a new logo. More importantly, commissioner Tom Douple believes the conference has a new direction.
North Dakota State, South Dakota State and Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne will officially join the conference on Sunday in the biggest addition to the membership since six teams joined in 1994. And while the league will say goodbye to Valparaiso, a charter member and one of its most recognizable faces, Douple sees a promising future for the former Mid-Continent Conference.
"We have a lot of schools that now want to join us to get in the league. We have a lot of people calling on us," said Douple, who took over as commissioner in 2005. "I think the future looks very, very bright for us."
Douple envisions the renamed conference becoming "one of the more competitive and premier mid-major conferences," a niche role that's been filled at the NCAA tournament the past few years by the Missouri Valley, Horizon and Colonial leagues and personified most famously by George Mason's Final Four run last year.
But Douple understands there's plenty of work to be done for his conference to emerge from near the bottom of the pack in RPI to earn more than its one automatic bid in postseason play each year.
That's why teams in the league have been asked to sign on to The Summit Plan, aimed at improving graduation rates and academic success, home attendance and RPI — which, in turn, means an increased commitment in athletic budgets for scholarships, recruiting and staff. . .
Douple said he wants to see the Elmhurst, Ill.-based league get into the top half of the NCAA's 31 conferences in home attendance and RPI in the next five years.
"What we've done is solidified our membership, we changed our name and our logo, and we've also changed the commitment level," Douple said. "That's part of The Summit Plan. It's given us a new image and perception, but also it's given us a plan of commitment from the presidents. It's very exciting." . . . (read more)
Go State!
Summit League gains new members and direction
6/30/2007, 10:03 a.m. EDT
By JEFF LATZKE
The Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Summit League — which includes Oakland (Mich.) — has three new members, a new name and a new logo. More importantly, commissioner Tom Douple believes the conference has a new direction.
North Dakota State, South Dakota State and Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne will officially join the conference on Sunday in the biggest addition to the membership since six teams joined in 1994. And while the league will say goodbye to Valparaiso, a charter member and one of its most recognizable faces, Douple sees a promising future for the former Mid-Continent Conference.
"We have a lot of schools that now want to join us to get in the league. We have a lot of people calling on us," said Douple, who took over as commissioner in 2005. "I think the future looks very, very bright for us."
Douple envisions the renamed conference becoming "one of the more competitive and premier mid-major conferences," a niche role that's been filled at the NCAA tournament the past few years by the Missouri Valley, Horizon and Colonial leagues and personified most famously by George Mason's Final Four run last year.
But Douple understands there's plenty of work to be done for his conference to emerge from near the bottom of the pack in RPI to earn more than its one automatic bid in postseason play each year.
That's why teams in the league have been asked to sign on to The Summit Plan, aimed at improving graduation rates and academic success, home attendance and RPI — which, in turn, means an increased commitment in athletic budgets for scholarships, recruiting and staff. . .
Douple said he wants to see the Elmhurst, Ill.-based league get into the top half of the NCAA's 31 conferences in home attendance and RPI in the next five years.
"What we've done is solidified our membership, we changed our name and our logo, and we've also changed the commitment level," Douple said. "That's part of The Summit Plan. It's given us a new image and perception, but also it's given us a plan of commitment from the presidents. It's very exciting." . . . (read more)
Go State!
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