Conference story coming out of Utah

[Dakota]

Re: Conference story coming out of Utah

I guess it is in how you look at it. If you prefer the current situation then you may be sour on this idea. But if it is a stepping stone and will encompass all sports (except football) then is could be very beneficial. The alternative is you sit around and wait for someone to invite you in to their conference.

Travel, well travel this year was not much more different then these teams are. Heck our BB and wrestling teams were on both coast. We still can put the big schools on our schedule.

As for strength of other teams, first off we need to be realistic about how good we are first. Second this could not only give us a home and the security to make our programs better. It can do the same for the other schools involved, thus making every team better. You don't know what could come out of this, it could be a very pleasant surprise. Look at the GWFC, no one gave it much credit going into last year, but when the season was all said and done, respect was earned.

As for the auto bid, hey if a team is good enough to be there, it will be seen. Hanging out as a independent you are less likely to get a look. As opposed to if you play in a structured conference. Plus you have a title to play for and that in it's self means a lot.

I can see (even though not the ideal situation) this as a positive step forward. We along with the other teams in the same boat are being proactive and "making things happen", instead of be reactive and waiting around till something happens.

Step forward the standing get run over

[Rodentia]

Re: Conference story coming out of Utah

The formation of a new conference provides positives without negatives when comared to the current situation.

This new conference would provide a home for nearly all of SDSU's sports. That's significant. A conference tournament and trophy is important as well. Guaranteed home games are a plus.

The names of these schools may not seem important now, but when they are your conference rivals, competing with you for a trophy, they will gain significance.

The negatives just aren't there. No autobid? No difference, you weren't getting one anyway as an independent. Not the conference you wanted? No problem you can move later.

[filbert]

Re: Conference story coming out of Utah

A couple more details on the Mar. 15 meeting.

http://www.themonitor.com/SiteProces...Section=Sports

You don't hold a 3-4 hour "positive" meeting just for giggles.

I wonder if we'll hear something new coming out of the upcoming Final Four weekend.

[89rabbit]

Re: Conference story coming out of Utah

One of the things I find interesting is that from story to story the number of schools involved and who they are changes slightly.  In this most recent example a new one popped up.  Here is who this paper had listed:

Texas-Pan American, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Utah Valley State, Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Longwood, New Jersey Institute of Technology and New York Institute of Technology.



Go State!  ;D

[joeybrownerHOF]

Re: Conference story coming out of Utah

I may be mistaken, but I think NYIT is a divsion 2 school. Maybe they are going DI next year, otherwise that may be a misprint.

[Rodentia]

Re: Conference story coming out of Utah

I think it is the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

[Rodentia]

Re: Conference story coming out of Utah

My mistake - both the New York Institute of Technology and the New Jersey Institute of Technology are involved.
When I heard mention of the NYIT, I though that the NJIT was meant.

[filbert]

Re: Conference story coming out of Utah

Something I posted over on the CollegeSportsInfo board:

http://ncaasports.proboards10.com/in...2&start=15

I can't see Conference 32 being any more than a scheduling convenience for the participant schools to fill the January-February basketball schedules until they get into a "real" conference. Savannah State is hopeless. Longwood is nearly as bad.

On the other hand, NDSU, SDSU have the potential to be decent mid-major type schools, similar to a Northern Iowa or (now) Missouri State. They sit as the only major colleges in TV markets of approximately the same size as Reno, and as state flagship universities have more resources to draw from than most other recent schools reclassifying to D-I.

I'm inclined to think that Utah Valley State will gravitate towards the bottom half of D-I, but I believe they're building a new arena and so far doing all the right things, and the Wasatch Range is rapidly growing, so they might be all right eventually, too.

TAMU-CC and TPAU really, really need to find a real conference to get anywhere. TAMU-CC especially is making pretty good progress in hoops. The main problem for both schools is probably that they don't have football, making the Southland less than interested in them.

Wither the NCC?
NDSU and especially SDSU lobbied the rest of the North Central Conference hard to move the entire conference to D-IAA. Both schools put off their reclassification for a year to work on the NCC members, and only left when it was obvious that the rest of the membership couldn't or wouldn't make the move.

I don't see any scenarios where any other current NCC school moves up to D-I in the next three years. UND is probably the school most likely to attempt the upgrade, and it's unclear whether or not the move would be made easier or harder by any success NDSU sees there.

As for what's left of the NCC: USD's athletic budget is in shambles with major Title IX problems; Minnesota State-Mankato might move if they can figure out how to finesse the Gopher alums and backers into thinking it's a good idea; St. Cloud and Minnesota-Duluth are, I think, happy with what they have right now, as is UNO. Augustana is much more likely to drop down to D-III or NAIA than it is to move to D-I.

There's no doubt that D-I life for NDSU and SDSU would be much easier if most of their old NCC rivals moved up. I don't think that will happen any time soon. Their best bet for a permanent home is another wave of conference realignments.

Unfortunately for SDSU and NDSU, the best D-I geographic fit is probably a combination of the Gateway and (don't laugh) the Missouri Valley. MVC membership ain't gonna be an option unless both of the SU's demonstrate some serious basketball chops. Winning a couple of NIT's might do it, or a couple of years consistently having an RPI in the lower 100's (and of course becoming NCAA tournament-eligible). That's a pretty tall order.

Until something else shakes loose however, it's Conference 32.

[89rabbit]

Re: Conference story coming out of Utah

Here is the latest (all though not much to report) from an Argus story:

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs...504300342/1002

SDSU conference talks ongoing

Nearly a season into D-I move, Jackrabbits stymied in pursuit of established league

Chris Solari
csolari@argusleader.com

Published: 04/30/05 2:04 am

With the end of its first season of Division I competition nearing, South Dakota State's search for conference affiliation remains at a standstill.

SDSU's Fred Oien said talks with established Division I leagues are ongoing. But discussions are also being held between Oien and fellow athletic directors of other independent schools about forming a new conference.

A new league is only one possibility that could come out of these talks, North Dakota State Athletic Director Gene Taylor said. He said part of the reason for a March meeting with nine schools in Indianapolis was because a proposed scheduling agreement fell apart and the schools' presidents had to get involved.Though no official meeting is planned for the future, Taylor said the schools are still exchanging information and holding conference calls. Some things that need to be worked out before a new conference could be chartered include travel issues, which sports to offer and other financial matters.

"We'd like to get a lot of things answered here in the next few months," he said, adding that "no one is ready to sign on the dotted line."Oien said eight other schools from across the country were present in Indianapolis, all of which play as independents. Those have been reported as NDSU, Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne (Ind.), Longwood (Va.), New Jersey Institute of Technology, New York Institute of Technology, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas-Pan American and Utah Valley State. Oien said Division I independent, Savannah State, of Georgia was not there. . . .

Oien added that informal discussions may continue at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, which will be held in mid-June in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.These discussions are not being viewed by any of the participants as a permanent solution, Taylor said. . . .

The Jackrabbits are wrapping up their second of a five-year transitional process. They are ineligible for NCAA postseason competition until 2008-09 in most sports. Volleyball and wrestling were granted waivers to earn at-large berths to their respective NCAA Tournaments starting in 2006-07.The Northern Colorado decision is the only expansion item on the Big Sky's agenda. Presidents from the Mid-Continent Conference and Horizon League, which both SDSU and NDSU have been linked to, are expected to meet separately in June. . . .

Go Jacks! ;D