Huge Mid-Con news

[JackTwice]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

I know if I spent a few minutes of research I could find the answer to my question but I am feeling lazy today so I will post it to the masses?

How many teams in the Mid-Con play football? I know there is rumblings of some type of alignment with the GWFC and the Mid-Con beyond the current situation. What could that be? I am sure that if the current schools are concerned about Travel they are not going to want to be traveling to Cali once a year to play football. (I have heard our trip to Poly this year is going to run near 6 figures).

Would the current Gateway swallow the GWFC and split to east and west?

Discuss...

[filbert]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

I know if I spent a few minutes of research I could find the answer to my question but I am feeling lazy today so I will post it to the masses?

How many teams in the Mid-Con play football? I know there is rumblings of some type of alignment with the GWFC and the Mid-Con beyond the current situation. What could that be? I am sure that if the current schools are concerned about Travel they are not going to want to be traveling to Cali once a year to play football. (I have heard our trip to Poly this year is going to run near 6 figures).

Would the current Gateway swallow the GWFC and split to east and west?

Discuss...

Two: Southern Utah (GWFC) and Western Illinois (Gateway)
UMKC, Oral Roberts, Centenary, IUPUI, and Oakland do not play football.

Can't comment on a Gateway-GWFC merger except an inclination to say it's not likely--I can't see Youngstown State (for instance) willingly signing up for a west coast trip every year.

Of course, football is one sport that you can make big $$ by scheduling a couple of thumpings at I-A schools--enough to afford west coast trips.

The real solution is three or four more I-AA teams west of the Mississippi and north of the Mason-Dixon line, giving enough western teams to really support two I-AA conferences.

[jackmd]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

From an internet site called The Hawk Eye.  I wasn't aware of the Chicago Tribune article, may have missed it.

http://www.thehawkeye.com/daily/stories/sp4_0526.html

Valpo's departure leaves the Mid–Con with seven schools, which would cause the league to lose its automatic bid into the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments. The Crusaders will play in the conference this season.

The Mid–Con lost Chicago State earlier this spring. That university is planning on playing as an independent until a new conference can be found.

"Membership has always been a front–running issue," Van Alstine said. "We've always looked at schools, not only to maintain our membership level, but also as expansion possibilities as well."

Ten schools played Division I basketball last season as independents, including three in the Midwest — North Dakota State, South Dakota State and Indiana–Purdue–Fort Wayne.

Other universities within reasonable travel distance of at least one Mid–Con school are Utah Valley State and Northern Colorado. Those schools, though, are longshots because they are so far away from the majority of schools within the league.

The Chicago Tribune reported last week IPFW was a likely choice to replace Valpo.

[filbert]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

From an internet site called The Hawk Eye. I wasn't aware of the Chicago Tribune article, may have missed it.

http://www.thehawkeye.com/daily/stories/sp4_0526.html

Valpo's departure leaves the Mid–Con with seven schools, which would cause the league to lose its automatic bid into the NCAA men's and women's basketball tournaments. The Crusaders will play in the conference this season.

The Mid–Con lost Chicago State earlier this spring. That university is planning on playing as an independent until a new conference can be found.

"Membership has always been a front–running issue," Van Alstine said. "We've always looked at schools, not only to maintain our membership level, but also as expansion possibilities as well."

Ten schools played Division I basketball last season as independents, including three in the Midwest — North Dakota State, South Dakota State and Indiana–Purdue–Fort Wayne.

Other universities within reasonable travel distance of at least one Mid–Con school are Utah Valley State and Northern Colorado. Those schools, though, are longshots because they are so far away from the majority of schools within the league.

The Chicago Tribune reported last week IPFW was a likely choice to replace Valpo.

I think one of the Chicago papers first mis-reported that seven members puts the Mid-Con below the minimum member number for an autobid.

Also the writer of this article doesn't appear to know that Northern Colorado is heading to the Big Sky.

Oh, well . . .

[jackmd]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

[quote author=jackmd link=1145505930/105#107 date=1148737913]

I think one of the Chicago papers first mis-reported that seven members puts the Mid-Con below the minimum member number for an autobid.

Also the writer of this article doesn't appear to know that Northern Colorado is heading to the Big Sky.

Oh, well . . .

Its just another example of all the info, right or wrong, that is now out there. Speculation isn't worth the investment. I'll take the remain active in pursuit of a conference and wait and see what the result is approach over he said, she said anyday.

[89rabbit]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

From the Fort Wayne paper:

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journal...s/14897256.htm

Schools battle for Mid-Con acceptance
IPFW, S.D. State, N.D. State vying for conference spot

By LaMond Pope
The Journal Gazette

One headline screams, “We’re where the action is!”

Another proclaims, “We’re the center of attention!”

IPFW hopes that when it comes to expansion in the Mid-Continent Conference, both phrases ring true.

With the impending departures of Chicago State and Valparaiso, the Mid-Con is on the lookout for new members. And IPFW, North Dakota State and South Dakota State are among the schools on the short list.

The topic of expansion will be discussed Tuesday when the Mid-Continent Council of Presidents meets in Chicago.

The conference has kept the expansion process quiet. According to Kristina Petersen, the Mid-Con’s director of media relations, no timetable has been set to add teams. But the thought is the conference would like new members by the start of the 2007-08 season.

It’s also uncertain how many teams the conference looks to add. IPFW athletic director Mark Pope said he’s not even sure what will be announced after the meeting, although indications are site visits would soon follow. Mid-Con commissioner Tom Douple was in New Orleans this week attending the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics convention and could not be reached for comment. . . . (read more)


Go State!

[89rabbit]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

From the Fargo Forum (sub site, but it is free):

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/ind...section=Sports

Mid-Con match?

By Kevin Schnepf, The Forum
Published Sunday, June 25, 2006

It was a shot heard around the world.

When Bryce Drew hit a game-winning 3-point shot at the buzzer to beat Mississippi in the first round of the 1998 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, it sparked Valparaiso to a shocking run to the Sweet 16.

It gave the Mid-Continent Conference, in existence since 1982, instant notoriety and credibility as a Division I league.  .  .  .

Tuesday in Chicago, presidents of the Mid-Con schools will focus their annual meeting on possible expansion. Even though a vote is not expected, it’s promising news for North Dakota State.

Ever since announcing its move from Division II to Division I in 2002, NDSU has struggled to find a conference. The Bison were shot down last year by the Big Sky Conference.

This week’s meeting – where Mid-Con presidents will evaluate NDSU, South Dakota State and as many as three other schools for possible membership – provides another ray of hope for the Bison athletic program.

“Our hopes are high, but you have to be cautious,” said NDSU athletic director Gene Taylor. “We’ve been down this road before.”  .  .  .

Douple confirmed that Division I independents NDSU, SDSU, Indiana University Purdue-Fort Wayne, Texas-Pan American and Utah Valley State have submitted institutional profiles for Mid-Con officials to evaluate. . . .

Even though the five schools that hope to get into the Mid-Con are spread across the country, conference officials find them somewhat attractive because of the traveling partners that could be created.

Adding five schools would give the Mid-Con 12 members and the following traveling partners: Oakland with Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne; Indiana Purdue-Indianapolis with Western Illinois; Missouri-Kansas City with Oral Roberts; Centenary with Texas-Pan American; NDSU with SDSU; and Southern Utah with Utah Valley State.

The difference in cost between the flight for a single game at Southern Utah and two games at Southern Utah and Utah Valley State might make such an expansion appealing to Mid-Con officials. . . .   (read more)


Go State!  

[filbert]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

You know, I think Kevin Schnepf has been doing his research . . . portions of his article read very much like:

http://www.medary.com/article.php/20060601122340393

His article:

Now, with seven members stretching from Detroit almost to Las Vegas, the Mid-Con has lost the geographic coherence it once had.

My article:

Now with seven members stretching from Detroit almost to Las Vegas, the Mid-Continent had lost the slim wisp of geographic coherence it once had.

His article:

Adding five schools would give the Mid-Con 12 members and the following traveling partners: Oakland with Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne; Indiana Purdue-Indianapolis with Western Illinois; Missouri-Kansas City with Oral Roberts; Centenary with Texas-Pan American; NDSU with SDSU; and Southern Utah with Utah Valley State.

My article:

Adding UTPA and the other four schools mentioned above gives the Mid-Continent twelve members, with travel partners which are if not advantageous, at least reasonable:
Oakland and IPFW
IUPUI and Western Illinois
UMKC and Oral Roberts
Centenary and Texas-Pan American
North Dakota State and South Dakota State
Southern Utah and Utah Valley State

Heh. I'll just say that great minds think alike . . .

Kevin, if you did "use" my article . . . you're welcome.

[jackrabit1]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

Filbert, if that's the case, I'd ask him for a "Stringer" fee, especially if he's not going to cite you!

[89rabbit]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

From the Tulsa World:

http://www.tulsaworld.com/SportsStor...B1_Addin3380_0

Conference questions

By MIKE BROWN World Sports Writer
6/27/2006

Two schools are leaving the Mid-Continent,which leaves ORU and the rest of the league pondering the future. NCAA Tournament berths are at stake as conference leaders look for replacements.
Adding members would strengthen position
Losing two schools in a 28-day span raised questions about the future of the Mid-Continent Conference.

Scattered over three time zones, is it coming apart at the seams? Is it time for Oral Roberts University to look for another conference?

"I don't see any reason for alarm," said ORU athletic director Mike Carter. "There are other schools that can be added. I think the Mid-Con is going to be stable." . . .

Without replacements, league membership would drop to seven by 2007, with only six core members -- the bare minimum to retain a conference's automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Centenary, the league's seventh member, won't be considered for core purposes until completing its fifth year of Mid-Con participation in 2008.

Also at stake are the Mid-Con's automatic berths in baseball, men's tennis and men's and women's track and field. The league could have only five participating members in each sport by 2007 -- one less than required to retain an automatic bid in those sports.

NCAA access is the primary reason the Mid-Con and most other mid-major conferences were formed in the first place.

The baseball issue is of utmost importance to ORU, which has made nine straight NCAA appearances by winning the Mid-Con's postseason tournament.

League presidents are expected to start the process of expansion when they convene Tuesday in Chicago, chaired by ORU president Richard Roberts.

The presidents will examine information submitted by six schools seeking full membership -- Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Utah Valley State, Longwood (Va.) University and Texas-Pan American.

Dallas Baptist is a potential associate member in baseball -- the school's only Division I sport -- but will field a men's basketball team for the upcoming season. Central Arkansas, recently admitted to the Southland Conference, also seeks associate membership in some sports.

There is strong support within the league to add Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne, North Dakota State and South Dakota State, although the latter two are provisional Division I members, not eligible for the Mid-Con postseason tournament until 2009.

There seems to be little enthusiasm for Texas-Pan American, situated so far south (Edinburg, Texas) that it is nearer to Mexico City than Tulsa.

No up and down votes are likely Tuesday, but site teams could be formed to evaluate the candidates. The presidents are expected to consider every possibility -- up to growing into two six-team divisions.

"Every option is on the table," said Mid-Con commissioner Tom Douple. . . . (read more)


Go State!

[89rabbit]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

Just so everyone knows, WDAY reported last night that no offical announcement from the meetings would be made until Wed.


Go State!

[jackrabit1]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

D'Oh!!!!! >

[NightHawk78]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

Maybe the Mid-Con group will have a "Deep Throat" sometime this afternoon. :

[jackrabit1]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

Maybe the Mid-Con group will have a "Deep Throat" sometiome this afternoon. :

Hope they don't "Blow" it! ;D

[filbert]

Re: Huge Mid-Con news

Waiting-for-announcement-of-a-site-visit bump . . .