Stonehill College to the Northeast Conference

[dgreco]

Announced this morning.

https://northeastconference.org/news/2022/4/4/GEN_Stonehill_Membership_Announcement_22.aspx

[ElCid]

Wow. Haven't heard of them. Smaller, private religious school. Here is their vital stats.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonehill_College

[JacksFan40]

Enrollment of 2500, has to be one of the smallest in D1 right?

This move kind of came out of nowhere, also intends to start playing D1 this season.

[mainejeff]

Enrollment of 2500, has to be one of the smallest in D1 right?

This move kind of came out of nowhere, also intends to start playing D1 this season.

It did not come out of nowhere. You are not tuned in to conference forums in the Northeast....it's been rumored for a couple of months.

[JacksFan40]

It did not come out of nowhere. You are not tuned in to conference forums in the Northeast....it's been rumored for a couple of months.
Yeah you’re probably right, I hadn’t seen them posted on here before like we did with Merrimack and others. Of course I haven’t been very active either so maybe I missed it.

[Laker]

It did not come out of nowhere. You are not tuned in to conference forums in the Northeast....it's been rumored for a couple of months.

Is New Haven next?

[NY Crusader 2010]

Is New Haven next?

NEC might as well invite the entire NE-10 at this point.

[downbythebeach]

Yeah we are turning into the NE10. Which isnt good.
LIU was good, this not so much.
I just wanted West Chester.....they should be D1

[ElCid]

Enrollment of 2500, has to be one of the smallest in D1 right?

This move kind of came out of nowhere, also intends to start playing D1 this season.

Maybe one of the smaller, but still many smaller. Wofford only has 1800. VMI 1700. Presbyterian less than 1200. Wagner has 2200.

Here is a list of those Div I schools under 5000.

https://www.reference.com/world-view/smallest-division-football-schools-79fb71ddac9c59ce

[aceinthehole]

Is New Haven next?

Interesting question ... but probably not for the 2022-23 season. If so, I would have thought the NEC would announce them together.

UNH is most likely the next replacement if the NEC loses another school.

[OhioHen]

Interesting question ... but probably not for the 2022-23 season. If so, I would have thought the NEC would announce them together.

UNH is most likely the next replacement if the NEC loses another school.
When I read this, I heard screams of despair from Durham and the rest of the state!

[Anthony215]

So if Stonehill is playing an NEC schedule this year I guess their opening game at Bloomsburg is done which sucks for Bloomsburg having such a short time to find a replacement game unless the game is swapped to Stonehill and they pay a nice guarantee.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Stonehill and Lafayette have approximately the same enrollment numbers.

[aceinthehole]

So if Stonehill is playing an NEC schedule this year I guess their opening game at Bloomsburg is done which sucks for Bloomsburg having such a short time to find a replacement game unless the game is swapped to Stonehill and they pay a nice guarantee.



I would think that Stonehill can keep that game, especially if they are simply taking over Bryant's NEC schedule:

Potential 2022 Stonehill Football Schedule

Sep. 3 - Stonehill at Bloomberg
Sep. 10 - (Open)
Sep. 17 - (Open)
Sep. 24 - Stonehill at LIU
Oct. 1 - Stonehill vs. Duquesne
Oct. 8 - (Open)
Oct. 15 - Stonehill at Sacred Heart
Oct. 22 - Stonehill at Saint Francis
Oct. 29 - Stonehill vs. Merrimack
Nov. 5 - Stonehill vs. Wagner
Nov. 12 - (Open)
Nov. 19 - Stonehill vs. CCSU

[KPSUL]

When I read this, I heard screams of despair from Durham and the rest of the state!

I believe he is referring to the University of New Haven. (Nope this is not slang for Yale)

[OhioHen]

I believe he is referring to the University of New Haven. (Nope this is not slang for Yale)
Oh, I knew he meant New Haven. But UNH has always been New Hampshire.

[bonarae]

I believe he is referring to the University of New Haven. (Nope this is not slang for Yale)

Why have some former NE-10 schools went ahead of New Haven in moving up? xchinscratchx

[clenz]

School
Type
Enrollment


Presbyterian College
Private/Presbyterian
1,172


Saint Francis University
Private/Catholic
1,658


Virginia Military Institute
State
1,685


Wofford College
Private/Methodist
1,720


Davidson College
Private/Presbyterian
1,843


St. Bonaventure University
Private/Catholic
1,850


Wagner College
Private/Lutheran
2,200


Mount St. Mary's University
Private/Catholic
2,240


University of Maryland Eastern Shore
State
2,333


Mississippi Valley State University
State
2,406


St. Francis College
Private/Catholic
2,413


University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
State
2,498


University of Evansville
Private/Methodist
2,526


Lafayette College
Private/Presbyterian
2,610


Furman University
Private/Non-sectarian
2,662


Coppin State University
State
2,724


South Carolina State University
State
2,905


Colgate University
Private/Non-sectarian
2,958


Chicago State University
State
2,964


College of the Holy Cross
Private/Catholic
3,142


Drake University
Private/Non-sectarian
3,164


Manhattan College
Private/Catholic
3,195


Siena College
Private/Catholic
3,214


Canisius College
Private/Catholic
3,464


Alcorn State University
State
3,523


Saint Peter's University
Private/Catholic
3,553


Bucknell University
Private/Non-sectarian
3,600


Gardner–Webb University
Private/Baptist
3,600


The Citadel
State
3,693


Charleston Southern University
Private/Baptist
3,724


Houston Baptist University
Private/Baptist
3,741


Bryant University
Private/Non-sectarian
3,751


Saint Mary's College of California
Private/Catholic
3,761


Niagara University
Private/Catholic
3,763


University of North Carolina at Asheville
State
3,765


Bethune–Cookman University
Private/Methodist
3,773


Iona College
Private/Catholic
3,926


Oral Roberts University
Private/Christian
4,000


University of Richmond
Private/Non-sectarian
4,002


Robert Morris University
Private/Non-sectarian
4,005

[NY Crusader 2010]

Great list clenz. I had no idea St. Bonaventure was that small. Not to mention many of the HBCUs, which are all public universities.

[aceinthehole]

Why have some former NE-10 schools went ahead of New Haven in moving up? xchinscratchx

I don't have any official confirmation yet, but I think both CCSU (New Britain) and Sacred Heart (Fairfield) do not want to add a Connecticut school in their backyard to the league.

If New Haven is added to the NEC it would have a negative impact on recruiting for both schools. The Blue Devils and Pioneers have had some recent success in FCS and New Haven historically and currently has had a very good D-II football program.

Basically, CT is a very small state with a shrinking high school population and all 3 schools very much overlap in their recruiting of students.

I just think CCSU and SHU would rather see NEC expansion outside of the State.

[ElCid]

School
Type
Enrollment


Presbyterian College
Private/Presbyterian
1,172


Saint Francis University
Private/Catholic
1,658


Virginia Military Institute
State
1,685


Wofford College
Private/Methodist
1,720


Davidson College
Private/Presbyterian
1,843


St. Bonaventure University
Private/Catholic
1,850


Wagner College
Private/Lutheran
2,200


Mount St. Mary's University
Private/Catholic
2,240


University of Maryland Eastern Shore
State
2,333


Mississippi Valley State University
State
2,406


St. Francis College
Private/Catholic
2,413


University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
State
2,498


University of Evansville
Private/Methodist
2,526


Lafayette College
Private/Presbyterian
2,610


Furman University
Private/Non-sectarian
2,662


Coppin State University
State
2,724


South Carolina State University
State
2,905


Colgate University
Private/Non-sectarian
2,958


Chicago State University
State
2,964


College of the Holy Cross
Private/Catholic
3,142


Drake University
Private/Non-sectarian
3,164


Manhattan College
Private/Catholic
3,195


Siena College
Private/Catholic
3,214


Canisius College
Private/Catholic
3,464


Alcorn State University
State
3,523


Saint Peter's University
Private/Catholic
3,553


Bucknell University
Private/Non-sectarian
3,600


Gardner–Webb University
Private/Baptist
3,600


The Citadel
State
3,693


Charleston Southern University
Private/Baptist
3,724


Houston Baptist University
Private/Baptist
3,741


Bryant University
Private/Non-sectarian
3,751


Saint Mary's College of California
Private/Catholic
3,761


Niagara University
Private/Catholic
3,763


University of North Carolina at Asheville
State
3,765


Bethune–Cookman University
Private/Methodist
3,773


Iona College
Private/Catholic
3,926


Oral Roberts University
Private/Christian
4,000


University of Richmond
Private/Non-sectarian
4,002


Robert Morris University
Private/Non-sectarian
4,005



And I'm fairly sure that this list includes grad students as well. At least it does in our case. We only have about 2300 in the Corps and a few hundred night student undergrads. Not sure of the others. In most cases, the campus life and football support is really driven by the resident undergrads. Maybe not in all cases, but mostly.

Also, I think this list is a little out of date as the numbers are currently even lower for a few. All depends on how accurate one thinks Wikipedia is. As one example, SC ST is under 2000 INCLUDING grad students. They are having lots of issues lately.

[Go Green]

I don't have any official confirmation yet, but I think both CCSU (New Britain) and Sacred Heart (Fairfield) do not want to add a Connecticut school in their backyard to the league.

If New Haven is added to the NEC it would have a negative impact on recruiting for both schools. The Blue Devils and Pioneers have had some recent success in FCS and New Haven historically and currently has had a very good D-II football program.

Basically, CT is a very small state with a shrinking high school population and all 3 schools very much overlap in their recruiting of students.

I just think CCSU and SHU would rather see NEC expansion outside of the State.

You're probably right about recruiting.

But I'd like to think that playing other Connecticut schools could increase attendance at games?

[aceinthehole]

You're probably right about recruiting.

But I'd like to think that playing other Connecticut schools could increase attendance at games?

Not enough to make it worth it. Adding a 3rd team to the recruiting pool would cause more harm to the existing programs than any other ancillary benefit.

[Go...gate]

School
Type
Enrollment


Presbyterian College
Private/Presbyterian
1,172


Saint Francis University
Private/Catholic
1,658


Virginia Military Institute
State
1,685


Wofford College
Private/Methodist
1,720


Davidson College
Private/Presbyterian
1,843


St. Bonaventure University
Private/Catholic
1,850


Wagner College
Private/Lutheran
2,200


Mount St. Mary's University
Private/Catholic
2,240


University of Maryland Eastern Shore
State
2,333


Mississippi Valley State University
State
2,406


St. Francis College
Private/Catholic
2,413


University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
State
2,498


University of Evansville
Private/Methodist
2,526


Lafayette College
Private/Presbyterian
2,610


Furman University
Private/Non-sectarian
2,662


Coppin State University
State
2,724


South Carolina State University
State
2,905


Colgate University
Private/Non-sectarian
2,958


Chicago State University
State
2,964


College of the Holy Cross
Private/Catholic
3,142


Drake University
Private/Non-sectarian
3,164


Manhattan College
Private/Catholic
3,195


Siena College
Private/Catholic
3,214


Canisius College
Private/Catholic
3,464


Alcorn State University
State
3,523


Saint Peter's University
Private/Catholic
3,553


Bucknell University
Private/Non-sectarian
3,600


Gardner–Webb University
Private/Baptist
3,600


The Citadel
State
3,693


Charleston Southern University
Private/Baptist
3,724


Houston Baptist University
Private/Baptist
3,741


Bryant University
Private/Non-sectarian
3,751


Saint Mary's College of California
Private/Catholic
3,761


Niagara University
Private/Catholic
3,763


University of North Carolina at Asheville
State
3,765


Bethune–Cookman University
Private/Methodist
3,773


Iona College
Private/Catholic
3,926


Oral Roberts University
Private/Christian
4,000


University of Richmond
Private/Non-sectarian
4,002


Robert Morris University
Private/Non-sectarian
4,005




Pretty fair group of institutions.

[WestCoastAggie]

https://twitter.com/low_madness/status/1521265643642929152