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Conference might consider expansion
Mid-Continent holding annual summer meeting
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
Published: 07/5/05
(insert)[glb]Finding a home: NDSU and SDSU, both searching for a D-I home, are eying the Mid-Continent Conference as a possible home. League officials meet Wednesday in an annual summer meeting. The two colleges may be on the list of talking points.[/glb]
The presidents of the nine Mid-Continent Conference universities will hold their annual summer meeting Wednesday in Chicago.
If South Dakota State is planned to be mentioned for possible membership, league officials won't say.
Ron Bertovich, the Mid-Continent's commissioner, reiterated last week that the conference policy is to not discuss membership issues.
However, it's no secret that SDSU and North Dakota State - both seeking conference membership since announcing their move to Division I in 2003 - have been interested in being on the list of potential targets should the league decide to expand.
"I think membership always is on the agenda," Bertovich said. "Whether or not that rolls into expansion is a whole different issue."
When asked whether the league had charted the Dakota schools' progress in their first year competing in Division I athletics, Bertovich refused to comment.
SDSU and NDSU were turned away from the Big Sky Conference for a second time in December 2004. Former North Central Conference compatriot Northern Colorado, also in the transition to Division I, was granted membership by the Big Sky in April.
The Big Sky has been the SDSU and NDSU's preferred choice of conference since announcing they would leave Division II. However, the league has turned them down twice, predominantly because of travel distance.
The Mid-Continent, a far-flung league which is home to schools from everywhere from Michigan to Utah, has long been talked about as a second choice for SDSU and NDSU.
One of the Mid-Continent's members, Centenary, had expressed interest in joining the Southland Conference in the last few months, which would have opened the door even wider for the two Dakota institutions. But the Southland said no to the Shreveport, La.-based school for the third time since 1998, leaving the Mid-Continent's membership intact for the time being.
Bertovich said Centenary was up front about wanting to explore its option with the Southland.
SDSU and NDSU won't be fully eligible for Division I postseason competition until the 2008-09 school year.
Reach Chris Solari at 977-3923.
Conference might consider expansion
Mid-Continent holding annual summer meeting
Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com
Published: 07/5/05
(insert)[glb]Finding a home: NDSU and SDSU, both searching for a D-I home, are eying the Mid-Continent Conference as a possible home. League officials meet Wednesday in an annual summer meeting. The two colleges may be on the list of talking points.[/glb]
The presidents of the nine Mid-Continent Conference universities will hold their annual summer meeting Wednesday in Chicago.
If South Dakota State is planned to be mentioned for possible membership, league officials won't say.
Ron Bertovich, the Mid-Continent's commissioner, reiterated last week that the conference policy is to not discuss membership issues.
However, it's no secret that SDSU and North Dakota State - both seeking conference membership since announcing their move to Division I in 2003 - have been interested in being on the list of potential targets should the league decide to expand.
"I think membership always is on the agenda," Bertovich said. "Whether or not that rolls into expansion is a whole different issue."
When asked whether the league had charted the Dakota schools' progress in their first year competing in Division I athletics, Bertovich refused to comment.
SDSU and NDSU were turned away from the Big Sky Conference for a second time in December 2004. Former North Central Conference compatriot Northern Colorado, also in the transition to Division I, was granted membership by the Big Sky in April.
The Big Sky has been the SDSU and NDSU's preferred choice of conference since announcing they would leave Division II. However, the league has turned them down twice, predominantly because of travel distance.
The Mid-Continent, a far-flung league which is home to schools from everywhere from Michigan to Utah, has long been talked about as a second choice for SDSU and NDSU.
One of the Mid-Continent's members, Centenary, had expressed interest in joining the Southland Conference in the last few months, which would have opened the door even wider for the two Dakota institutions. But the Southland said no to the Shreveport, La.-based school for the third time since 1998, leaving the Mid-Continent's membership intact for the time being.
Bertovich said Centenary was up front about wanting to explore its option with the Southland.
SDSU and NDSU won't be fully eligible for Division I postseason competition until the 2008-09 school year.
Reach Chris Solari at 977-3923.
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