Coastal to a new conference?

[dgreco]

could it be the CAA?

http://www2.scnow.com/news/grand-strand/2012/may/03/ccu-taking-measures-make-conference-move-ar-3725645/?referer=http://t.co/1ZqtT3nl&shorturl=http://bit.ly/JFMv0Z

[3rd Coast Tiger]

MEAC?

[asumike83]

My money is on CAA, it'd be a good get for them. Football is competitive, basketball is usually pretty decent and baseball is excellent.

[danefan]

Pure speculation, but I am starting to think CCU, Liberty, Albany and Stony Brook will all be phased into th CAA over the next 2-3 years as ODU, GaSt, GMU and VCU are phased out.

[TheBisonator]

Pure speculation, but I am starting to think CCU, Liberty, Albany and Stony Brook will all be phased into th CAA over the next 2-3 years as ODU, GaSt, GMU and VCU are phased out.

That actually seems likely, and logical.

[Seawolf97]

The Big South Football Conference is all but gone when CCU, StonyBrook and Liberty all leave . Wouldnt at all be surprised to see VMI work its way in the Patriot League at some point . They would be an excellent fit.

[kdinva]

Pure speculation, but I am starting to think CCU, Liberty, Albany and Stony Brook will all be phased into the CAA over the next 2-3 years as ODU, GaSt, GMU and VCU are phased out.

I think (just a gut feeling) Liberty will be in a 1-A football conference (MAC, maybe?) by the Summer of 2016 (unless the Sun Belt Conf. grows to 14 or thereabouts).

[kdinva]

.....Wouldnt at all be surprised to see VMI work its way in the Patriot League at some point . They would be an excellent fit.

I think the VMI admin. would seek to go back to the SoCon, first.......I'd be surprised if both Appy. and Ga. Southern aren't 1-A by the summer of 2016.

[danefan]

I think (just a gut feeling) Liberty will be in a 1-A football conference (MAC, maybe?) by the Summer of 2016 (unless the Sun Belt Conf. grows to 14 or thereabouts).

Probably true, but 2016 is light years away given how quick these reorgs are happening.

[whitey]

I don't think Liberty has a shot in hell at the CAA unless all four of VCU, GMU, ODU and JMU leave.

[youwouldno]

I don't think Liberty has a shot in hell at the CAA unless all four of VCU, GMU, ODU and JMU leave.

Well if Liberty was added it would be for football reasons, so I'm not sure that VCU and GMU are really relevant to that aspect.

[whitey]

Well if Liberty was added it would be for football reasons, so I'm not sure that VCU and GMU are really relevant to that aspect.

If ODU and JMU leave it's almost certain that VCU and GMU will have left or will leave too. That's the only chance of Liberty getting into the league, hence my all four comment.

[CoastalFan2005]

Coastal's Board of Trustees has approved President DeCenzo to take "any and all action necessary" to facilitate our departure from the Big South should an opportunity that benefits us arise. So, it's safe to say that if the CAA (or SoCon if the chips start to fall a different way) offers us an invitation - we're gone from the Big South.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://www.theforce.net/kids/coruscant/probe_droid/palpatine.jpg

"It is with great reluctance that I have agreed to this calling. I love democracy. I love the Republic. Once this crisis has abated, I will lay down the powers you have given me! "

[Seawolf97]

I posted earlier that I would not be surprised if VMI bolts for the PL . Coastal has foot out the door and StonyBrook and Liberty are openly shopping for a new league. VMI would be a good fit for the PL.

[Bogus Megapardus]

I posted earlier that I would not be surprised if VMI bolts for the PL . Coastal has foot out the door and StonyBrook and Liberty are openly shopping for a new league. VMI would be a good fit for the PL.

It seems that there's plenty of agreement among PL fans here that VMI would be a solid and welcome fit in the PL. It would have to be approved by Navy and Army, either of which probably would have effective veto power over the move. I couldn't even guess about how either might react. The academic index requirement would apply and would be non-negotiable.

I would have to be for all sports, I would think. The issue for several members really would come down to geographic distance, particularly for sports other than football and basketball. The fact that VMI has fewer women's sports might be balanced out by the fact that American U. (the forgotten PL member) has more than its share of women's sports.

There was a thread about this but it sort of got hijacked into other things, as tends to happen with PL threads.

[Go...gate]

It seems that there's plenty of agreement among PL fans here that VMI would be a solid and welcome fit in the PL. It would have to be approved by Navy and Army, either of which probably would have effective veto power over the move. I couldn't even guess about how either might react. The academic index requirement would apply and would be non-negotiable.

It would have to be for all sports, I would think. The issue for several members really would come down to geographic distance, particularly for sports other than football and basketball. The fact that VMI has fewer women's sports might be balanced out by the fact that American U. (the forgotten PL member) has more than its share of women's sports.

There was a thread about this but it sort of got hijacked into other things, as tends to happen with PL threads.

Agreed. xnodx

[blukeys]

I don't think Liberty has a shot in hell at the CAA unless all four of VCU, GMU, ODU and JMU leave.

I think Liberty would be good for the CAA. I watched a whole series of Big South games on the Liberty TV network over the last 2 years. It was helpful in assessing the strength of the Big South.

Their entry could actually help CAA exposure. Adding Liberty, Coastal, and Stony Brook would shift the CAA emphasis to football which is fine by me.

[Seawolf97]

If all this bears fruit say goodbye to Big South Football. Only GWU, Presby and CSU would be left in the league with no real replacements.

[Seawolf97]

I dont think VMI would have an issue with the AI. I read recently that their president wants to increase their academic and athletic profile among other things .

[Lehigh Football Nation]

If all this bears fruit say goodbye to Big South Football. Only GWU, Presby and CSU would be left in the league with no real replacements.

If that happens, all three of these guys had better hope the SoCon needs some more programs, because that's just about their only option, unless they want to try non-scholarship football in the PFL.

[kdinva]

I dont think VMI would have an issue with the AI. I read recently that their president wants to increase their academic and athletic profile among other things .

VMI's academic rep and standing is just fine, thanks (just check any US News & World Report, or Forbes magazine). The VMI Superintendent has made it known he wants more grads to go full time to the Military, and prominent alumni have told him not to "forget" athletics, either. ;)

[walliver]

Why would the SoCon want those three? It would save travel expenses with 6 football schools in South Carolina (7 total with CofC), but it makes the conference too compact. I suspect the SoCon in that situation would go after some of the eastern-most OVC members instead.

edit: Gardner-Webb is in spitting distance to SC but still in NC so it would be 5 football (6 total) in SC.

[BlueHenSinfonian]

If that happens, all three of these guys had better hope the SoCon needs some more programs, because that's just about their only option, unless they want to try non-scholarship football in the PFL.

It's a bit outside of the box but they could try for membership in the MEAC. They would be a good fit in terms of geography and institutional support.