ANDY COMER: UTPA must join March Madness (and Add Football)

[CSN Log]

03-26-2009 06:54 PM

ANDY COMER: UTPA must join March Madness (and Add Football)

As a student at the University of Dayton, I went to exactly zero games in my four years there.

College basketball has never interested me much, and still doesn’t — unless my alma mater happens to be a part of March Madness.

Read more ... (http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/index.php/2009/03/26/andy-comer-utpa-must-join-march-madness?blog=2#more4534)

[TexasTerror]

I am not sure, even if they added football, that the Southland Conference would be interested in granting full membership to UT-Pan American. It seems the program has had their fair share of problems over the years.

UTPA seems to be in a class with Centenary. The SLC will always be willing to listen, but there's always going to be better options. For what it's worth, UTPA is an affiliate member for men's tennis.

[GeauxLions94]

When they move a little closer to the rest of the Southland (:p), then maybe. Otherwise, they'd be best fit for the Great West, where they are now in all sports but football, or the Summit League.

They have had their share of issues in the past (see below)


On a broader scale, UTPA has languished in the Independent Division I ranks for one decade - thanks to a resumé marred with NCAA infractions and its geographic location - has little support from fans and alumni and can’t find the money to print media guides, much less to chase the holy grail of football.

UTPA Lacks True Athletic Leader (http://www.championshipsubdivisionnews.com/index.php/2008/06/16/utpa-athletics-lacks-true-leader?blog=2)

[TexasTerror]

A little closer to the Southland is right...

Of course, their flagship program has always been baseball and well - look where their baseball team currently stacks up. They are 5-19 and despite winning 3 of 4 over a bad Southland team (A&M-CC), they really have some embarrassing losses there.

And they got rid of their MBB coach. At least he made the program somewhat respectable...not like anyone else is going to win there.