Why is Charleston Southern Division I??

[TheBisonator]

This is an honest question here, no smack intended. I did some research on Chuck South, and I found that they used to be called Baptist College. They are located in the FAR northern fringes of the Charleston, SC metro area, and they play in 1) What, according to AGS consensus, is the worst FCS football stadium, and 2) the smallest basketball arena in Division I (881 seats).

I saw that their enrollment is about 3,300, which is not too bad for a private school, but keep in mind a VAST majority of private schools in the US with that kind of enrollment are D3. Athletic budget was 8.2 million dollars in 2010-11, which was kind of surprising. But I heard from a couple articles that absolutely NO ONE in the Charleston area cares about CSU athletics, or even knows they exist. But this is just what I've read. Average attendances last calendar year (2011) of 2,969 for football and 821 for mens basketball.

Wouldn't Chuck South be better suited in something like the Gulf South Conference of Division 2?? Again, I'm just asking an open question.

[Bill]

Bisonator

You bring up some interesting points, but look at the bright side: The football stands must look packed, and they practically average a sell-out for every basketball game:D

[socon11]

This is an honest question here, no smack intended. I did some research on Chuck South, and I found that they used to be called Baptist College. They are located in the FAR northern fringes of the Charleston, SC metro area, and they play in 1) What, according to AGS consensus, is the worst FCS football stadium, and 2) the smallest basketball arena in Division I (881 seats).

I saw that their enrollment is about 3,300, which is not too bad for a private school, but keep in mind a VAST majority of private schools in the US with that kind of enrollment are D3. Athletic budget was 8.2 million dollars in 2010-11, which was kind of surprising. But I heard from a couple articles that absolutely NO ONE in the Charleston area cares about CSU athletics, or even knows they exist. But this is just what I've read. Average attendances last calendar year (2011) of 2,969 for football and 821 for mens basketball.

Wouldn't Chuck South be better suited in something like the Gulf South Conference of Division 2?? Again, I'm just asking an open question.

Bison
1.an incorrect blanket statement on your part to say NO ONE cares or knows they are there (I know you just read it). Maybe not enough do but obviously the school has it's fans and supporters. They compete in Charleston for college sports fans with the College of Charleston and The Citadel...plus USC & Clemson.
2. CSU competes fairly well in the Big South in a variety of sports. They have good seasons and bad like the rest of us. Their men's basketball team is pretty solid this year.
3. How and why is CSU different from many other lower level D1 schools and what put them on your radar?
4. Why would someone at NDSU care?

[OL FU]

This is an honest question here, no smack intended. I did some research on Chuck South, and I found that they used to be called Baptist College. They are located in the FAR northern fringes of the Charleston, SC metro area, and they play in 1) What, according to AGS consensus, is the worst FCS football stadium, and 2) the smallest basketball arena in Division I (881 seats).

I saw that their enrollment is about 3,300, which is not too bad for a private school, but keep in mind a VAST majority of private schools in the US with that kind of enrollment are D3. Athletic budget was 8.2 million dollars in 2010-11, which was kind of surprising. But I heard from a couple articles that absolutely NO ONE in the Charleston area cares about CSU athletics, or even knows they exist. But this is just what I've read. Average attendances last calendar year (2011) of 2,969 for football and 821 for mens basketball.

Wouldn't Chuck South be better suited in something like the Gulf South Conference of Division 2?? Again, I'm just asking an open question.

No comment on where they belong but the SoCon has five football playing schools with smaller or similar enrollments and one of those schools is public. Now the facilities for those schools are better and attendance is better than CSU, but I hesitate to consider using blankent statements with respect to school size.

Part of the problem in my humble opinion is the NCAAs requirement to compete in Division I sports you have to compete in Division I football (if you participate in Football) . I understand why they did it but I still think that concept needs some re-thinking.

Question, does CSU have plans to upgrade their facilities?

[kdinva]

......Question, does CSU have plans to upgrade their facilities?

Yes, that's why they've been playing two 1-A money games the past 5 seasons (only one in 2012).......they broke ground on a FB Field house last fall (and I hope that building included a visiting team locker room.. The one story/text I read about that building did not come out and say "visitor's locker room" in the blueprints).

Somewhere, on another, older thread, was an explanation how they had $5 mil raised about 8 years ago, but the guy they entrusted the money to, pulled a "Madoff", and split with the cash.

[doolittledog]

It's a choice that Charleston Southern has chosen. Just like Wisconsin-Whitewater has chosen to be a D3 school with an enrollment of 11,000...a football stadium with an 11,000 capacity, and average football attendence of 5,200.

It's up to each school to choose which direction they go athletically. It might not look to make much sense to an outsider like us...but it's the schools choice.

[darell1976]

It's a choice that Charleston Southern has chosen. Just like Wisconsin-Whitewater has chosen to be a D3 school with an enrollment of 11,000...a football stadium with an 11,000 capacity, and average football attendence of 5,200.

It's up to each school to choose which direction they go athletically. It might not look to make much sense to an outsider like us...but it's the schools choice.

I think its odd that Wisconsin has one DI football team (Badgers) and the rest is DIII...no DII teams at all.

[Accelerati Incredibilus]

This is an honest question here, no smack intended. I did some research on Chuck South, and I found that they used to be called Baptist College. They are located in the FAR northern fringes of the Charleston, SC metro area, and they play in 1) What, according to AGS consensus, is the worst FCS football stadium, and 2) the smallest basketball arena in Division I (881 seats).

I saw that their enrollment is about 3,300, which is not too bad for a private school, but keep in mind a VAST majority of private schools in the US with that kind of enrollment are D3. Athletic budget was 8.2 million dollars in 2010-11, which was kind of surprising. But I heard from a couple articles that absolutely NO ONE in the Charleston area cares about CSU athletics, or even knows they exist. But this is just what I've read. Average attendances last calendar year (2011) of 2,969 for football and 821 for mens basketball.

Wouldn't Chuck South be better suited in something like the Gulf South Conference of Division 2?? Again, I'm just asking an open question.

The same can be asked of most FCS schools. Only 32% of FCS programs average 10,000 per game. Almost a third draw less than 5,000. Should a program really be in D-I if it can't get 10,000 people to show up? Nothing personal aimed at any particular school, but when you are talking about the highest classification in college athletics shouldn't there be some sort of minimu requirement?

[I-16Bandit]

NM

[Bill]

Darell
"I think its odd that Wisconsin has one DI football team (Badgers) and the rest is DIII...no DII teams at all. "

It's actually not that unusual...there are several states that have that type of set up, including NY, NJ...here in the northeast, there are only something like 9 D2 football teams outside of PA!

[DFW HOYA]

Division I membership is based on the number of sports sponsored and the scheduling commitments therein, which is why (until last year) Centenary chose to compete in Div. I with 880 students and NYU plays Div. III with over 50,000 students. It has never been about minimum attendance, even if some schools in this subdivision are lacking for various and distinct reasons.

[danefan]

Darell
"I think its odd that Wisconsin has one DI football team (Badgers) and the rest is DIII...no DII teams at all. "

It's actually not that unusual...there are several states that have that type of set up, including NY, NJ...here in the northeast, there are only something like 9 D2 football teams outside of PA!

NY does have a few DII schools, just only one that plays DII football in Pace.

[aceinthehole]

NY does have a few DII schools, just only one that plays DII football in Pace.

NY has 2 D-II football teams - Pace and C.W. Post

Connecticut also has just 2 D-II football programs (Southern Conn. St. and Univ. of New Haven)

[danefan]

NY has 2 D-II football teams - Pace and C.W. Post

Connecticut also has just 2 D-II football programs (Southern Conn. St. and Univ. of New Haven)

Right - I always forget about CW Post.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Right - I always forget about CW Post.

Forgettable because it isn't even a separate college any longer - it's the Post campus of Long Island University. Post has top shelf DII lacrosse, though.

[TheRevSFA]

Right - I always forget about CW Post.

C.W. Post sounds like a crappy country music singer.

[OL FU]

Division I membership is based on the number of sports sponsored and the scheduling commitments therein, which is why (until last year) Centenary chose to compete in Div. I with 880 students and NYU plays Div. III with over 50,000 students. It has never been about minimum attendance, even if some schools in this subdivision are lacking for various and distinct reasons.

Yes, I think we tend to forget that DI is not football only

[Uncle Rico's Clan]

It's a choice that Charleston Southern has chosen. Just like Wisconsin-Whitewater has chosen to be a D3 school with an enrollment of 11,000...a football stadium with an 11,000 capacity, and average football attendence of 5,200.

It's up to each school to choose which direction they go athletically. It might not look to make much sense to an outsider like us...but it's the schools choice.

I had heard before that the state of Wisconsin had intentionally set up athletics for its universities this way. The only school they want involved in DI athletics is UW-Madison.

[DFW HOYA]

I had heard before that the state of Wisconsin had intentionally set up athletics for its universities this way. The only school they want involved in DI athletics is UW-Madison.

Probably not intentional. The WSUS was founded to serve rural populations and Division I membership probably didn'rt enter into it. Remember, Wisconsin is, by population, only 5.5 million people, or about the population of the Dallas-Ft. Worth metro area, and it's not a magnet for students nationally like Florida or even Virginia would be. Still, UW has three state D-I schools (UW-Madison, UW-Green Bay, and UW-Milwaukee), which is two more state schools in D-I than Minnesota has.

[Bogus Megapardus]

C.W. Post sounds like a crappy country music singer.


Don't know if he could sing, but he sure made a bundle in his day.


http://www.postfoods.com/img/post_logo.png

[HensRock]

...there are several states that have that type of set up, including NY, NJ...

But NJ has FCS schools Princeton and Monmouth and formerly St. Peter's. I guess St. Peters is still Div I-AAA.
So there are multiple Div I schools in NJ.

Is there a new name for Div I-AAA now too?

[Bogus Megapardus]

But NJ has FCS schools Princeton and Monmouth and formerly St. Peter's. I guess St. Peters is still Div I-AAA.
So there are multiple Div I schools in NJ.

Is there a new name for Div I-AAA now too?

NJ is a free-for-all. In addition to FCS Princeton and Monmouth (both private), DI basketball includes Seton Hall, St. Peters and Farleigh Dickinson (all private) plus Rutgers and NJIT (public).

[Bill]

Gee - as far as I knew, 1-aaa never really existed in practice, according to our AD!

[Sycamore51]

The great state of Indiana only has 2 D-II football schools (UIndy and St. Joe's), 3 FCS schools (ISU, Butler, and Valpo) but a whopping 4 FBS schools (ND, IU, PU, and Testicle Tech) 8 D1 football programs is a lot for a basketball state.

[fc97]

The same can be asked of most FCS schools. Only 32% of FCS programs average 10,000 per game. Almost a third draw less than 5,000. Should a program really be in D-I if it can't get 10,000 people to show up? Nothing personal aimed at any particular school, but when you are talking about the highest classification in college athletics shouldn't there be some sort of minimu requirement?

why not make the bottom be 20,000 or 30,000 or even 50,000. why have attendance be the requirement at all. and it isnt about football being in d-i. its about a total sports package.

the bcs schools say that number should be xxx, the non-bcs schools say it should be yyy, the top fcs schools say it should be zzz. everyone has their floor that includes just enough to keep them.

[DFW HOYA]

The great state of Indiana only has 2 D-II football schools (UIndy and St. Joe's), 3 FCS schools (ISU, Butler, and Valpo) but a whopping 4 FBS schools (ND, IU, PU, and Testicle Tech) 8 D1 football programs is a lot for a basketball state.

Ask North Carolina: UNC, Duke, State, Wake, ECU, App, Western, NC-Central, NC A&T, Elon, Gardner-Webb, Davidson, Campbell, with Charlotte and (maybe) High Point on the way...