UNO Plans Div I Study

[TexasTerror]

The dominoes continue to fall. NDSU. SDSU. NoCo. Now North Dakota. South Dakota shouldn't be too far behind and now the Univ of Nebraska - Omaha is going to take a look. They may as well just form a NCC at the Div I level sans Northern Colorado. GWFC fans are probably rejoicing over this news...
-----------
UNO plans to study possible move to Division I
Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. - Less than two weeks after eliminating the jobs of five athletic department staff members, the University of Nebraska at Omaha announced that it would study the possibility of moving from NCAA Division II to Division I.

"It's going to be a summer project," Chancellor Nancy Belck said. "We will be calling together all the coaches, administrative heads and staff, and there will be a series of questions for them to respond to, particularly considering the events of the last week regarding the (North Central Conference)."

North Dakota last week announced its intention to elevate its program to Division I. Shortly after that, South Dakota said it would look into a possible move to Division I.

"That changed the picture," Belck said. "A lot of things clicked in at that point."

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/news/state/14948297.htm

[swaghook]

NDSU wanted the NCC to move up as one. But UNC moved early and SDSU was the only other school to move when NDSU did. Now NDSU and SDSU are on the verge of being admitted into an established conference. I think the remaining NCC teams that are now scrambling to save their athletic programs from an uncertain future are on their own in this one. NDSU gave them all a chance now it's too late NDSU and SDSU can not afford to wait for them now. They will be welcome in the GWFC of course but that does not solve the conference problems for the rest of their sports.

[89rabbit]

I have to agree, that boat has sailed. They can form a D-I NCC but SDSU, NDSU and UNC won't be a part of it. Best of luck to our former conference mates.

[Ronbo]

I think the landscape in the Big Sky changes over the next few years. I can see Sac. State and possibly Portland State bailing out (Portland has said that they are joined at the hip with Sac.). That opens up two spots for UND and USD. These two schools are also the two that kept NDSU and SDSU out along with NAU.

[DaBears]

NDSU wanted the NCC to move up as one. But UNC moved early and SDSU was the only other school to move when NDSU did. Now NDSU and SDSU are on the verge of being admitted into an established conference. I think the remaining NCC teams that are now scrambling to save their athletic programs from an uncertain future are on their own in this one. NDSU gave them all a chance now it's too late NDSU and SDSU can not afford to wait for them now. They will be welcome in the GWFC of course but that does not solve the conference problems for the rest of their sports.


UNC also wanted the whole NCC to move to D-I but they got an unequivocal "NO" from UND, USD and UNO. It worked out well for UNC in the end but those schools have to be kicking themselves now for waiting so long. It will be kind of funny to watch them struggle as D-I independents for a while.

[swaghook]

The only thing they will have better is there will be more D-I schools in the region then when NDSU and SDSU made the jump. UNC had the benefit of somewhat better geography. But the huge downside will be where will they end up conference wise? I just don't see all of these schools(UND, USD, UN-O, Augustana, and any other NCC school) making the jump let alone surviving the transition without a conference for all sports in the foreseeable future. They will need to move up in mass and hope like hell there are some major conference shifts or that the NCAA makes it easier for a new conference to gain an auto-bid(not likely).

[Ronbo]

Pretty decent field.

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/north_america/united_states/nebraska/omaha_caniglia.jpg