How hard/how easy?

[Coyote_Jack]

In the transition to Divison I which of these "second teir" sports would have the less difficult time and which would have the most difficult. (no sport is minor, they all serve a useful function)

Softball
Volleyball
Baseball
Wrestling

[filbert]

Re: How hard/how easy?

Wrestling, I think. One sport where geography works in SDSU's favor...the upper midwest is a wrestling hotbed.

[jackmd]

Re: How hard/how easy?

Agreed, wrestling is well established at the DII level and there are plenty of DI quality wrestlers from the area who will be happy to attend SDSU and wrestle against the likes of NDSU, U of Minn, Iowa, Iowa St, Ok. St.. etc..

Next, I think volleyball will be relatively successful given there more recent DII accomplishments.

Softball and baseball will have a more difficult time, especially early on.  Despite a disappointing season ti was a nice showing by the baseball team against the Big 10 champion and #3 seed Golden Gophers earlier this year.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: How hard/how easy?

There is serious talk among the NCAA D1 members of starting the baseball season two weeks later. From what I have heard this would put the college world series in Omaha near the 4th of july. I would love to see the Jacks make it Omaha, but that is not likely sometime in the future. The bottom line is that the calendar change in seasons will make it work certainly for SDSU in baseball.

I dont see any sport at SDSU taking off real fast in the transitiion period. We will need the 5 years to build all sports. I think the football coaches would tell you that we are getting interested recruits just based on the move to D1. That is the recruits are people we not have had conversations with if we stated D2. I think the move itself will work in building all sports. Its going to take $$$$ to make $$$$. Time and patience are the two big keys.

I believe an all weather facility would be the ideal model for softball and baseball, based on the unpredicatable spring weather that we have. I think not having a good indoor track facility is also a problem. The Dakota Dome believe it or not does have some advantage in these sports. A new facility is merely pipe dream in my mind and I hope others will start to share that dream in the near future.

[NDSU_grad]

Re: How hard/how easy?

Here's a couple of articles from the Omaha World Herald talking about the issues SDSUFAN brought up.

Article 1

Article 2

We talked a little bit about this on Bisonville, and I agree that baseball/softball at both schools will have the most difficult time in the transition. In the case of volleyball and wrestling, I think NDSU plans on funding both those sports to the max right away, so that will obviously help those sports be more competitive as well.

[JackJD]

Re: How hard/how easy?

The SDSU Cross Country team, particularly the men's team, serves as an example of a team that right now can compete with D-1 schools...they won't challenge for a national title but in smaller meets, they keep up well with many old-line D-1 schools.

[Coyote_Jack]

Re: How hard/how easy?

It's my opinion all of the sports can do well at the D1 level. In football our facilities are arguably better than Cal-Poly, Davis, and Southern Utah.

Brookings and SDSU is a great place and recruits will be suprised/impressed by what we have to offer. The hardest aspect will be funding for recruiting because of a low population base and ticketing for the Sioux Falls airport is relatively expensive.

[89rabbit]

Re: How hard/how easy?

Sioux Falls is working hard at bringing in a "low fare" provider.   Rumor has it that America West is coming, that should help.

http://diaafootball.com/cgi-bin/yabb...num=1081951425