Will South Dakota Be the Next I-AA Announcement?

[Gil Dobie]

UND's announcement has the other NCC schools reviewing their options. Here is the University of South Dakota press release.

UND’s Move to D-I Prompts USD President James W. Abbott to Appoint Committee to Consider Options (http://www.usdcoyotes.com/sports/news/release.asp?release_id=3223)

VERMILLION, S.D. – Following North Dakota’s decision today to reclassify its athletic programs from Division II to Division I, The University of South Dakota President James W. Abbott announced the formation of a committee to review division and conference options.

[slostang]

UND's announcement has the other NCC schools reviewing their options. Here is the University of South Dakota press release.

UND’s Move to D-I Prompts USD President James W. Abbott to Appoint Committee to Consider Options (http://www.usdcoyotes.com/sports/news/release.asp?release_id=3223)

VERMILLION, S.D. – Following North Dakota’s decision today to reclassify its athletic programs from Division II to Division I, The University of South Dakota President James W. Abbott announced the formation of a committee to review division and conference options.
Let's hope they do. They along with UND would make a great addition to I-AA and the GWFC.

[colgate13]

IMHO there's no way in hell they don't. They would now be the ugly D II stepchild to the 3 D-I programs in the Dakotas. I bet they announce by this winter.

[Gil Dobie]

Augustana and South Dakota affected.

Argus Leader Link (http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060622/SPORTS/606220348/1002)

With yet another of the league's big hitters departing, the NCC's two remaining Dakota schools must once again re-assess their athletic status.

Will the Coyotes and Vikings remain steadfast in support of the NCC and Division II, even as regional rivals continue to flee? Or do the schools follow those that have left, citing many of the same reasons that UND stated?

"We haven't been sitting on our hands here," USD athletic director Joel Nielsen said. "President Abbott has been engaged on this issue for a long time, and I'm confident in his ability to lead us through this ever-changing environment. He's been very involved on this issue since I got here."

Gross said Augustana hired a consulting firm from Kansas City to assess its division status, along with an in-house task force. Both recommended the school remain in Division II and the NCC.

"But they left it open-ended in case the landscape changed," Gross said. "We wanted to be in a stronger position to determine what we would do if the days of the NCC ended, or if Division I became something we didn't want to do anymore."

[colgate13]

Augu-who?

Just kidding. I think this is just a series of dominoes. The NCC might survive (in fact, they put out a press release (http://www.northcentralconference.org/more.php?id=1262) that says they will!) but as one more school goes, the remaining ones will most likely follow suit if they can. USD, the Minnesota schools, Nebraska-Omaha... who wants to bet that there are Division I 'committees' at 80% or more of these schools? Or there will be in the coming months I bet. :twocents:

[Gil Dobie]

Augu-who?

Just kidding. I think this is just a series of dominoes. The NCC might survive (in fact, they put out a press release (http://www.northcentralconference.org/more.php?id=1262) that says they will!) but as one more school goes, the remaining ones will most likely follow suit if they can. USD, the Minnesota schools, Nebraska-Omaha... who wants to bet that there are Division I 'committees' at 80% or more of these schools? Or there will be in the coming months I bet. :twocents:

My other Alma Mata, Nebraska Omaha has stated they will remain DII. They may be looking at the MIAA, a Missouri/Kansas conference.

[colgate13]

My other Alma Mata, Nebraska Omaha has stated they will remain DII. They may be looking at the MIAA, a Missouri/Kansas conference.

Didn't UND say the same thing? :p

I think the schools with D-I hockey might have a little bit of leverage to make that jump eventually. Who knows?!?!

[89rabbit]

Difference is that UNO cut almost a half million from their D-II budget this week including firing their assistant AD and 2 assistant basketball coaches.

[colgate13]

Difference is that UNO cut almost a half million from their D-II budget this week including firing their assistant AD and 2 assistant basketball coaches.

ooooooo

That hurts! Yea - they might have their sites on D II and a new conference!

[henfan]

Minnesota St. seems like another natural to consider D-I membership.

If Augie and MSU didn't move to D-I, would they consider membership in the Northern Sun?

[Gil Dobie]

Minnesota St. seems like another natural to consider D-I membership.

If Augie and MSU didn't move to D-I, would they consider membership in the Northern Sun?

Merger talks have been going on with the NSIC for some teams that won't be moving to DI and I-AA football.

St Cloud Times Link (http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060621/SPORTS/106210033/1002)

[RabidRabbit]

IMHO, one of two things will happen for the majority of the NCC members.

1) Move up, basically with UND, forming a D-I NCC. Lots of drawbacks to that, but gives them opportunities to survive together.

2) NCC/NSIC basically merge. Exception is that UNO will look to the MIAA instead. Likely decrease in # of football schollies if merge (it's the major difference in the two conferences athletically).

I believe that we'll know by May '07 what the remaining members choose.
Augie would likely choose D-I ONLY if go to the non-schollies route.

Again, IMHO, USD has no choice but to move up. Unfortunately, their finances, facilities, size and location are more D-2 than D-I. However, if Presbyterian and Centerary can be D-I......

[wsufan]

Minnesota St. seems like another natural to consider D-I membership.

If Augie and MSU didn't move to D-I, would they consider membership in the Northern Sun?

IMO, there's no way Augustana could jump to D-I, the only question is what conference will they end up in for D-II.

MSU-Mankato I would consider one of the last in line (after USD and St. Cloud St). I think they'll do what ever St. Cloud State does.

[GannonFan]

Minnesota St. seems like another natural to consider D-I membership.



Is Hayden Fry still the "Coach" over there? Love to have the Screaming Eagles in IAA. ;)

[RabidRabbit]

IMO, there's no way Augustana could jump to D-I, the only question is what conference will they end up in for D-II.

MSU-Mankato I would consider one of the last in line (after USD and St. Cloud St). I think they'll do what ever St. Cloud State does.

Hey WSUFan! Winona St? :hurray: If so, congrats on BB championship this year!:hurray:

I would pick the two MN's, then USD. The issue with the MN schools will be a two-fer, either to combined with NSIC or to D-1. USD has MAJOR issues, much more than UND to jump. Their only reason to jump is the other 3 Dakota schools are D-I, and (to them) unattractive choices for D-II. If Augie jumps to D-I look for them to drop schollie football. They'll never get to 63 schollies. If joined the GWFC, would always be at the cellar. Much better mesh into a combined NCC/NSIC. My :twocents:

NSIC is about to become the premier upper eastern great plains D-2 conference.

[chrisattsu]

Is Hayden Fry still the "Coach" over there? Love to have the Screaming Eagles in IAA. ;)

I think you mean Hayden Fox, but Craig T. Nelson's Fox was based on Fry.


:D :D

[WUTNDITWAA]

Okay, let me get this stright:

A couple of years ago, NDSU and SDSU announce and complete plans to move to Division I. Yesterday UND announces it will begin competition in 2007. And USD today announces it is just getting around to forming a committee??? Talk about sleeping though a storm. If I were a USD alum, I would be pissed that my school was the last in a logical group of four to react.

It sounds to me like tthe USD administration is being dragged kicking and screaming to Division I.

[Cap'n Cat]

Okay, let me get this stright:

A couple of years ago, NDSU and SDSU announce and complete plans to move to Division I. Yesterday UND announces it will begin competition in 2007. And USD today announces it is just getting around to forming a committee??? Talk about sleeping though a storm. If I were a USD alum, I would be pissed that my school was the last in a logical group of four to react.

It sounds to me like tthe USD administration is being dragged kicking and screaming to Division I.


That may be, man. Sounds more to me like they're cussing themsleves for not doing it earlier.

:confused:

[bison95]

That may be, man. Sounds more to me like they're cussing themsleves for not doing it earlier.

:confused:


You are a smart smart man. You see sue and the cyotes had no balls to make the move, now that the Bizun and bunnies have paved the way, now they eat their crow extra chrispy, and join us at the D-I table.

[GeauxColonels]

I think you mean Hayden Fox, but Craig T. Nelson's Fox was based on Fry.


:D :D
I think he retired any turned the reigns over the Dauber....I always liked him.

[roadwarrior]

When NDSU announced our move to D-I, we waited a year to start our exploratory year in an effort to maybe have more of our NCC partners move with us. Only SDSU joined in the move. UNC had decided not to wait for us and moved a year ahead. And all of this happened after we attempted to convince the entire NCC to move as a whole to D-I. That was of course defeated and NDSU, SDSU and UNC went along without the rest of them.

Now the remaining skeleton group left in the NCC must decide what to do. In my opinion, some of them do not have the resources to make it successfully. MSU-Mankato did not even fully fund the 36 scholarships in D-II, so its not like they are all going to follow now that UND finally made up its mind. I see a merger or complete shakeout of members of the NCC and the NSIC.

[ucdtim17]

UCD announced the move in Spring '03 - '02-03 was our exploratory year. These guys aren't going to have a D1 schedule til '09 or so and won't be playoff eligible until '12. The autobid rules require all 6 institutions to have been D1 for 8 years, so if we stay on track, the GWFC will be due for an autobid by 2020 or so? :rolleyes:

[RabidRabbit]

UCD announced the move in Spring '03 - '02-03 was our exploratory year. These guys aren't going to have a D1 schedule til '09 or so and won't be playoff eligible until '12. The autobid rules require all 6 institutions to have been D1 for 8 years, so if we stay on track, the GWFC will be due for an autobid by 2020 or so? :rolleyes:

Here's the NCAA guidelines.

"31.3.4.2 Additional Requirements, Sports Other Than Men's Basketball. To be considered eligible for automatic qualification in a particular sport, a member conference (including a single-sport conference) must include six core institutions that satisfy continuity of membership. For the purposes of this legislation, core refers to an institution that has been an active member of Division I the eight preceding years. Further, the continuity-of-membership requirement shall be met only if a minimum of six core institutions have conducted conference competition together in Division I the preceding two years in the applicable sport. There shall be no exceptions to the two-year waiting period. Further, when any new member added to a conference that is satisfying the continuity of membership requirements, that new member shall not represent the conference as the automatic qualifier until it has been a Division I member for at least two preceding academic years. Any new member added to a member conference that satisfies the continuity of membership requirements shall be immediately eligible to represent the conference as the automatic qualifier."

Are we since '05, considered an "active D-I member"? Or does "active" start on '08 for NDSU/SDSU? Because, if '05, and cooperation from W IL, this "mid-con" conference could be auto qualifying in '13. WIU doesn't even need to join until '11.

Corrections appreciated!!!:thumbsup:

[dbackjon]

Auto-bid or not, if the GWFC members play in the future every year like they currently are, at least one team will get an at-large bid.

[MplsBison]

This is how I see things shaking out in the NCC:

Augi, Mankato, Saint Cloud, Duluth -> NSIC
Omaha -> MIAA
USD -> Great West (DI-AA)

[*****]

Here's the NCAA guidelines.

"31.3.4.2 Additional Requirements, Sports Other Than Men's Basketball. To be considered eligible for automatic qualification in a particular sport, a member conference (including a single-sport conference) must include six core institutions that satisfy continuity of membership. For the purposes of this legislation, core refers to an institution that has been an active member of Division I the eight preceding years. Further, the continuity-of-membership requirement shall be met only if a minimum of six core institutions have conducted conference competition together in Division I the preceding two years in the applicable sport. There shall be no exceptions to the two-year waiting period. Further, when any new member added to a conference that is satisfying the continuity of membership requirements, that new member shall not represent the conference as the automatic qualifier until it has been a Division I member for at least two preceding academic years. Any new member added to a member conference that satisfies the continuity of membership requirements shall be immediately eligible to represent the conference as the automatic qualifier."

Are we since '05, considered an "active D-I member"? Or does "active" start on '08 for NDSU/SDSU? Because, if '05, and cooperation from W IL, this "mid-con" conference could be auto qualifying in '13. WIU doesn't even need to join until '11.

Corrections appreciated!!!:thumbsup:
31.3.4.2 Additional Requirements, Sports Other Than Men's Basketball.
To be considered eligible for automatic qualification in a particular sport, a multisport member conference must include six core institutions that satisfy continuity-of-membership. For the purposes of this legislation, core refers to an institution that has been an active member of Division I the eight preceding years. Further, the continuity-of-membership requirement shall be met only if a minimum of six core institutions have conducted conference competition together in Division I the preceding two years in the applicable sport. There shall be no exceptions to the two-year waiting period. Any new member added to a member conference that satisfies the continuity of membership requirements shall be immediately eligible to represent the conference as the automatic qualifier. (Revised: 4/27/00, 10/00, 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04, 8/5/04)
31.3.4.2.2 Exception -- Single Sport Conference Effective Date: Aug 01, 2006
To be considered for automatic qualification in a particular sport, a single sport member conference for a sport sponsored by less than 50 percent of the Division I membership must include six institutions that have conducted conference competition together the preceding two years in the sport in question at the Division I level. (Adopted: 4/27/06 effective 8/1/06)
Questions posed to the NCAA:
Would the Great West Football Conference (a single sport member conference) qualify for the 31.3.4.2.2 Exception for automatic qualifier consideration once all of it's members (if they have six) are D-I and play together for two years?

Or must the institutions have been an active member of Division I the eight preceding years (as in the "core institution" part of 31.3.4.2 Additional Requirements, Sports Other Than Men's Basketball)?

Answer from the NCAA:
They can take advantage of the single sport exception.

[EKU05]

If I'm not mistaken, I think there's still a rule that at least 50% of the total bids must be at large...at least I had heard that at one time. So until they expand the field no new conference could get an at large bid. Is this still true, Ralph?...I'm sure your knowledge of the bylaws far outreaches mine.

[wannabegaucho]

I've heard the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities does not want any Minnesota school to jump to Division I.

[*****]

If I'm not mistaken, I think there's still a rule that at least 50% of the total bids must be at large...at least I had heard that at one time. So until they expand the field no new conference could get an at large bid. Is this still true...Oh yeah, that's still the rule. But the autobids are considered every year and an AQ conference has to be given a one year prior notice. That's why I asked;
Would the Great West Football Conference (a single sport member conference) qualify for the 31.3.4.2.2 Exception for automatic qualifier consideration ...

[blukeys]

Is Hayden Fry still the "Coach" over there? Love to have the Screaming Eagles in IAA. ;)


Darn You GF you stole my post!!!!!!!!!:eek:

Of course I thought in the "Coach" days the Screaming Eagles were already I-A.:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

For the record, Just how long has Shelley Fabares' career been?:eyebrow: :eyebrow: :eyebrow:

[blukeys]

If I'm not mistaken, I think there's still a rule that at least 50% of the total bids must be at large...at least I had heard that at one time. So until they expand the field no new conference could get an at large bid. Is this still true, Ralph?...I'm sure your knowledge of the bylaws far outreaches mine.

No there is no automatic decision to have certain conferences awarded an autobid. Once the GWFC is eligible the NCAA committee could award them an autobid along with any other conference. They could actually give the GWFC an auto bid over conferences that have not won a playoff game in the 21st century such as the OVC and MEAC.

The decision regarding the autobid conferences are typically announced before the season starts.

[ucdtim17]

I doubt the GWFC lives long enough to see an auto bid

[Gil Dobie]

I doubt the GWFC lives long enough to see an auto bid

Say it ain't so!

Long live the GWFC:hurray:

[RabidRabbit]

Questions posed to the NCAA:
Would the Great West Football Conference (a single sport member conference) qualify for the 31.3.4.2.2 Exception for automatic qualifier consideration once all of it's members (if they have six) are D-I and play together for two years?

Or must the institutions have been an active member of Division I the eight preceding years (as in the "core institution" part of 31.3.4.2 Additional Requirements, Sports Other Than Men's Basketball)?

Answer from the NCAA:
They can take advantage of the single sport exception.

Ralph - thanks for the great info, inquiry. :bow: :bow:

If I'm interpreting this statement correctly, if GWFC picks up an establish I-AA program, say Western IL, starting in '08, we could be an auto-bid eligible conference in '10? :eek: :eek:

[*****]

Ralph - thanks for the great info, inquiry. :bow: :bow:

If I'm interpreting this statement correctly, if GWFC picks up an establish I-AA program, say Western IL, starting in '08, we could be an auto-bid eligible conference in '10? :eek: :eek::nod:

[RabidRabbit]

Fellow GWFC members!!!

This discussion about auto-bid eligibility is HUGE

We should get this moved to the GWFC section.

Now just need one team more which is already play-off eligible or will be prior to '09 to join us!!!!

[NorthDakotaBison]

Answer from the NCAA:
They can take advantage of the single sport exception.

Are you sure?

More than two-thirds of the DI institutions sponsor football, and there are more DIAA than DIAAA schools.

ie sponsored by less than 50% of members.


Thanks Ralph.

[bincitysioux]

Are you sure?

More than two-thirds of the DI institutions sponsor football, and there are more DIAA than DIAAA schools.

ie sponsored by less than 50% of members.


Thanks Ralph.

I wonder if it works this way: There are well over 300 DI institutions. Only 119 sponser I-AA football. Since there is no playoffs for I-A schools, hence no football autobids for I-A conferences, there is less than 50% of DI schools that sponsor NCAA football that apply to the autobid situation? I have no idea.

I wonder if U of San Diego has any interest in adding scholarships. They'd be a perfect fit for the GWFC.

[*****]

Are you sure?...I have the email communication to prove it.

[RabidRabbit]

Fellow GWFC members!!!

This discussion about auto-bid eligibility is HUGE

We should get this moved to the GWFC section.

Now just need one team more which is already play-off eligible or will be prior to '09 to join us!!!!

:hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray: :hurray:
Bunnies & Bison to Mid-Con to roam.
Look forward to our new HOME!!!

GWFC for which we do spout
needs one more existing I-AA team, so auto-bid can sprout! :thumbsup:

[BisonBacker]

I doubt the GWFC lives long enough to see an auto bid
I agree, I think the GWFC maybe an endangered species. I think if the Gateway has an opening I see NDSU making a move (I HOPE)

[BisonBacker]

This is how I see things shaking out in the NCC:

Augi, Mankato, Saint Cloud, Duluth -> NSIC
Omaha -> MIAA
USD -> Great West (DI-AA)
How do you think USD is going to make the move when they are already in financial trouble. I'm still questioning the susies move and that hasn't happened yet. Now with today's news about the Mid-Con for NDSU and SDSU I think its long from determined that und will complete the move. If they do I see the very good chance of them being in DI independant purgatory for quite a while.

[MplsBison]

It's pretty obvious that you have blind hate for them since you won't capitalize their initials.

Blind hate blinds logic.


The Mid Con only expanding to 10 means the door is left wide open. Not slammed shut.


UND is going to drag USD with them (kicking and screaming if need be). They're going to do the same thing that NDSU and SDSU did.

[bincitysioux]

I'm still questioning the susies move and that hasn't happened yet. Now with today's news about the Mid-Con for NDSU and SDSU I think its long from determined that und will complete the move. If they do I see the very good chance of them being in DI independant purgatory for quite a while.

UND is moving, whether you like it or not.


It's pretty obvious that you have blind hate for them since you won't capitalize their initials.

Blind hate blinds logic.

The Mid Con only expanding to 10 means the door is left wide open. Not slammed shut.


The news about NDSU & SDSU getting into the Mid-Con is nothing but great news for UND. It solidifies the GWFC. After this round of expansion, the Mid-Con will have had 25 different members come and go in its 25 years of existence. That tells me that the odds are pretty good, that in three to four years (when UND is a DI "counter") the Mid-Con will likely be looking again at adding/replacing members.

[JBB]

I see the GWFC surviving. With the Mid Cons support now in place we have Godfather representing our interests. An at large bid every year, as has been suggested, may be as good as an auto bid? An auto bid granted to the GWFC may come sooner than many of us think.

[bincitysioux]

South Dakota could make their decision as early as November.

Athletic Review Task Force Announced at The U (http://www.usd.edu/press/news/news.cfm?nid=874&uid=user)

[dbackjon]

South Dakota could make their decision as early as November.

Athletic Review Task Force Announced at The U (http://www.usd.edu/press/news/news.cfm?nid=874&uid=user)

So USD could decide to move up with the same transitional period as UND, since UND is really waiting a year to begin.

[Gil Dobie]

USD and UND for the Big Sky :hurray: :hurray: :hurray:

[bison95]

USD and UND for the Big Sky :hurray: :hurray: :hurray:
:confused: :confused: :confused: :nonono2: :nonono2: :nonono2:

[Gil Dobie]

:confused: :confused: :confused: :nonono2: :nonono2: :nonono2:

I don't mind one bit UND and USD being in a different conference.

[grizbeer]

It will be interesting to see what other dominos fall if USD moves to Division I. Western Washington and Central Washington both join the NCC this year certainly not a good fit for the geographically, but their old conference dropped football. Both schools have made rapid progress over the last 10 years from NAIA DII (non-scholarship) to NCAA DII, so it wouldn't surprise me to hear that they are both considering a move to I-AA as well.

Both schools are larger than Eastern Washington, but would need to expand their football stadiums (Central has a 4,000 seat stadium, Western a 5,000 seat). I'm sure both schools would be warmly welcomed to the Big Sky due to their close proximity. Of course that would make the Big Sky basically a DII conference, but they would have good close teams for rivalries built in with Eastern and Portland State as well as each other.

On the plus side maybe Montana could get their games against these 2 teams played at Qwest Field in Seattle:D (WWU and CWU play their rivalry game there).

[Go Bison]

USD and UND for the Big Sky :hurray: :hurray: :hurray:

I don't see how UND/USD could make it into the Big Sky, unless for some reason the Big Sky gets desperate for members. :twocents:

[dbackjon]

It will be interesting to see what other dominos fall if USD moves to Division I. Western Washington and Central Washington both join the NCC this year certainly not a good fit for the geographically, but their old conference dropped football. Both schools have made rapid progress over the last 10 years from NAIA DII (non-scholarship) to NCAA DII, so it wouldn't surprise me to hear that they are both considering a move to I-AA as well.

Both schools are larger than Eastern Washington, but would need to expand their football stadiums (Central has a 4,000 seat stadium, Western a 5,000 seat). I'm sure both schools would be warmly welcomed to the Big Sky due to their close proximity. Of course that would make the Big Sky basically a DII conference, but they would have good close teams for rivalries built in with Eastern and Portland State as well as each other.

On the plus side maybe Montana could get their games against these 2 teams played at Qwest Field in Seattle:D (WWU and CWU play their rivalry game there).

My niece goes to WWU - yes - they are fully capable of making the jump to Division I. They are affiliates of the NCC for Football only - all the other sports are in the GNAC.

How would taking them make the Big Sky basically a DII conference? Almost ALL Division I-AA teams were DII (or the equivalent) at some point.

[GeauxColonels]

It will be interesting to see what other dominos fall if USD moves to Division I. Western Washington and Central Washington both join the NCC this year certainly not a good fit for the geographically, but their old conference dropped football. Both schools have made rapid progress over the last 10 years from NAIA DII (non-scholarship) to NCAA DII, so it wouldn't surprise me to hear that they are both considering a move to I-AA as well.

Both schools are larger than Eastern Washington, but would need to expand their football stadiums (Central has a 4,000 seat stadium, Western a 5,000 seat). I'm sure both schools would be warmly welcomed to the Big Sky due to their close proximity. Of course that would make the Big Sky basically a DII conference, but they would have good close teams for rivalries built in with Eastern and Portland State as well as each other.

On the plus side maybe Montana could get their games against these 2 teams played at Qwest Field in Seattle:D (WWU and CWU play their rivalry game there).
Personally, I think that USD is going to go ahead and move to I-AA with its fellow Dakota schools. If this does happen, I think we'll see a realignment in the western/northern I-AA conferences similar to what we saw in I-A when Miami, VT and BC went from the Big East to the ACC.

No doubt that it will be interesting to see what comes of this.

[RabidRabbit]

My :twocents: is that all 3 conferences, Big Sky, Great West, and Southland are needed to address the football needs. The lone league that isn't at or near capacity for a round-robin play is the Great West. Further, the schools most likely to be moving up are the current NCC members, and possibly the stronger MIAA or RMAC conference members.

Only if things shift a fair amount do I see the Gateway playing into this.

That's for football, but there also needs to be a home, eventually, for the rest of the sports programs. We (S/NDSU) believe that we'll be in the Mid-con for our other sports, and if so we're thankful, and hopeful to bring a foundation to that league missing since 1994. :hurray: Other midwestern move-ups will have some tough independent years prior to getting into a conference.

[grizbeer]

My niece goes to WWU - yes - they are fully capable of making the jump to Division I. They are affiliates of the NCC for Football only - all the other sports are in the GNAC.

How would taking them make the Big Sky basically a DII conference? Almost ALL Division I-AA teams were DII (or the equivalent) at some point.
while most I-AA teams were former DII, few conferences (other than the Great West) would have as many recent DII teams as the Big Sky, or as high a percentage of total conference members made up of recent DII. That is what I meant by a DII conference.

[dbackjon]

while most I-AA teams were former DII, few conferences (other than the Great West) would have as many recent DII teams as the Big Sky, or as high a percentage of total conference members made up of recent DII. That is what I meant by a DII conference.

What would you consider recent DII? The only current Big Sky team (as of this fall) that hasn't been D-I for over 10 years is UNC.

[grizbeer]

What would you consider recent DII? The only current Big Sky team (as of this fall) that hasn't been D-I for over 10 years is UNC.Well of course for the NCAA the wait is 5 years to be fully D-I, but for me 10 years is probably closer, unless a team is able to be competitive immediately, has good D-I facilities (12,000 + seat football stadium, 6,000+ for basketball). So if WWU and CWU were to go D-I in say the next couple years, that would be 3 of 11 of the BSC teams I would consider to be transitional teams. For me it would be similar to when Nevada, Boise State, and Idaho left the conference with their 20+ playoff appearances, 3 NC appearances, and 1 title to be replaced by Portland State, Sacramento State, and Cal State Northridge, who have 1 playoff appearance between them.

Over time I think CWU and WWU would be good solid I-AA teams, but at the beginning I would expect to see the conference GPI and especially RPI drop.

[Go Bison]

Well of course for the NCAA the wait is 5 years to be fully D-I, but for me 10 years is probably closer, unless a team is able to be competitive immediately, has good D-I facilities (12,000 + seat football stadium, 6,000+ for basketball). So if WWU and CWU were to go D-I in say the next couple years, that would be 3 of 11 of the BSC teams I would consider to be transitional teams. For me it would be similar to when Nevada, Boise State, and Idaho left the conference with their 20+ playoff appearances, 3 NC appearances, and 1 title to be replaced by Portland State, Sacramento State, and Cal State Northridge, who have 1 playoff appearance between them.

Over time I think CWU and WWU would be good solid I-AA teams, but at the beginning I would expect to see the conference GPI and especially RPI drop.

So based on your criteria of 12,000 for football and 6,000 for basketball, and being able to be competitive immediately, where would that put NDSU at then? It is interesting that the Big Sky doesn't want them in the conference. I guess it must be location.

[grizbeer]

So based on your criteria of 12,000 for football and 6,000 for basketball, and being able to be competitive immediately, where would that put NDSU at then? It is interesting that the Big Sky doesn't want them in the conference. I guess it must be location.IMO there is a world of difference between where NDSU is and where CWU and WWU are - I (like most Montana and Montana State fans) would have welcomed NDSU and SDSU into the conference with open arms. I beleive NAU, Sac State and Portland State felt differently.

And just to be clear, I am not opposed to adding CWU and WWU if they move up and upgrade their facilities, I am just saying it will hurt the conference ranking and reputation for a while. I think it would be naive not to believe that.

[Go Bison]

IMO there is a world of difference between where NDSU is and where CWU and WWU are - I (like most Montana and Montana State fans) would have welcomed NDSU and SDSU into the conference with open arms. I beleive NAU, Sac State and Portland State felt differently.

And just to be clear, I am not opposed to adding CWU and WWU if they move up and upgrade their facilities, I am just saying it will hurt the conference ranking and reputation for a while. I think it would be naive not to believe that.

Thanks for the info and analysis. I would love to play the Griz again sometime. Maybe in 2008 when NDSU can make the playoffs.

[sdgriz24]

IMO there is a world of difference between where NDSU is and where CWU and WWU are - I (like most Montana and Montana State fans) would have welcomed NDSU and SDSU into the conference with open arms. I beleive NAU, Sac State and Portland State felt differently.

And just to be clear, I am not opposed to adding CWU and WWU if they move up and upgrade their facilities, I am just saying it will hurt the conference ranking and reputation for a while. I think it would be naive not to believe that.

Not like we'll be i-aa for more than 5 more years anyway.

[AmsterBison]

I kinda think the U of South Dakota will make a move up.

Along with North Dakota State, South Dakota State, and Northern Colorado, USD was in favor of moving the North Central Conference up as a group.

I have no idea what conference either USD or UND expect to get into though. Perhaps the remnants of the NCC will form a new DI conference? However, UND is apparently banking on an invitation to the Big Sky - and if NDSU and SDSU get into the Mid Con, that will take them out of the Big Sky picture - it's too good a fit for all the other sports). Maybe USD and UND would try to market themselves as a package or compete for the Big Sky spot?

[dbackjon]

Not like we'll be i-aa for more than 5 more years anyway.

You have some inside info on Montana going I-A that nobody else has?