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From Bison_Kent at Bison Insider
Big Sky expansion catches NDSUs interest
By Jeff Kolpack
jkolpack@forumcomm.com
The Forum - 02/18/2004
The Big Sky Conference will again take up expansion in a conference call of league presidents today. But don't expect North Dakota State to play into in the discussion.
It appears the expansion talk will be on the number of league teams, which is currently eight. The conference reportedly is interested in going to 10 teams.
"Last year, they were so strong in saying they were fine with eight"; NDSU athletic director Gene Taylor said Tuesday. "Now in the last few months, we"re hearing they"re reconsidering their position. That gives us some enthusiasm.";
Jaynee Nadolski, the information director for the Big Sky, confirmed that expansion is on today's agenda, but nothing specific will be addressed.
"They're just talking about it" she said. "There"s nothing else to add until they talk about it."
NDSU and South Dakota State made a strong push to the Big Sky Council of Presidents last February. But the group said it wasn"t interested in moving its boundaries east.
The Big Sky consists of Montana State, Montana, Northern Arizona, Eastern Washington, Sacramento State (Calif.), Portland State (Ore.), Weber State (Utah) and Idaho State.
NDSU also is interested in the Mid-Continent Conference. Taylor said that league's annual meeting is held during the conference basketball tournament. He said his understanding is some Mid-Con schools want expansion on the agenda and some do not.
"We're hoping they'll have the same sort of discussions" as the Big Sky, Taylor said.
The fact the Big Sky presidents are meeting by teleconference call -- and not like last year in a meeting at the Salt Lake City airport -- is considered a sign that not much substance is expected from it.
If something promising in the lines of expansion does come from it, Taylor was asked if NDSU will approach the league differently than last year.
"If they say they want to expand, then we"ll probably take a different look in how we approach them" Taylor said. "I won"t say we'll do it differently -- President Chapman will still play a major role -- but we"ll have to evaluate how we present ourselves to them. Whether it will be to be more aggressive or more behind the scenes, I don't know."
NDSU is in its first year of a five-year transition to Division I, although this year is being spent in Division II as part of exploratory concept. The school will spend at least its first year in Division I as an independent.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546
Big Sky expansion catches NDSUs interest
By Jeff Kolpack
jkolpack@forumcomm.com
The Forum - 02/18/2004
The Big Sky Conference will again take up expansion in a conference call of league presidents today. But don't expect North Dakota State to play into in the discussion.
It appears the expansion talk will be on the number of league teams, which is currently eight. The conference reportedly is interested in going to 10 teams.
"Last year, they were so strong in saying they were fine with eight"; NDSU athletic director Gene Taylor said Tuesday. "Now in the last few months, we"re hearing they"re reconsidering their position. That gives us some enthusiasm.";
Jaynee Nadolski, the information director for the Big Sky, confirmed that expansion is on today's agenda, but nothing specific will be addressed.
"They're just talking about it" she said. "There"s nothing else to add until they talk about it."
NDSU and South Dakota State made a strong push to the Big Sky Council of Presidents last February. But the group said it wasn"t interested in moving its boundaries east.
The Big Sky consists of Montana State, Montana, Northern Arizona, Eastern Washington, Sacramento State (Calif.), Portland State (Ore.), Weber State (Utah) and Idaho State.
NDSU also is interested in the Mid-Continent Conference. Taylor said that league's annual meeting is held during the conference basketball tournament. He said his understanding is some Mid-Con schools want expansion on the agenda and some do not.
"We're hoping they'll have the same sort of discussions" as the Big Sky, Taylor said.
The fact the Big Sky presidents are meeting by teleconference call -- and not like last year in a meeting at the Salt Lake City airport -- is considered a sign that not much substance is expected from it.
If something promising in the lines of expansion does come from it, Taylor was asked if NDSU will approach the league differently than last year.
"If they say they want to expand, then we"ll probably take a different look in how we approach them" Taylor said. "I won"t say we'll do it differently -- President Chapman will still play a major role -- but we"ll have to evaluate how we present ourselves to them. Whether it will be to be more aggressive or more behind the scenes, I don't know."
NDSU is in its first year of a five-year transition to Division I, although this year is being spent in Division II as part of exploratory concept. The school will spend at least its first year in Division I as an independent.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546
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