IUP considering going D-I

[Pen Guin]

IUP considering going D-I (http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/sports/college/s_331136.html)

Nice article in the Pittsburgh Tribune. IUP is a sensational sports program & could spearhead a crop of great PSAC teams to move up to I-AA. It looks like the president has some big plans. According to other sources (the Post), they have already spoken with no less than 2 I-AA conferences. I am going to assume they meant one of them to be the CAA, as they mentioned the words "new conference". The other is either the A-10, Gateway ... or if they are staying smaller ... MAAC, Northeast, or Pioneer ... all of which have schools in close proximity to IUP. This is a team to keep an eye on.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

I seriously doubt that one of the conferences is the CAA. I'd think they'd add Georgia St., ODU, Geroge Mason, etc. before they take on the only school that could semi-realistically make the jump there, which is West Chester.

I'm no expert, but West Chester and IUP (Indiana, PA) seem to be the only ones that could jump up in football, and even then probably to the NEC or MAAC. Edinboro, Shippensboro, and E. Stroudsburg just seem too small to consider jumping up at all, and the rest of the PSAC forget it.

I don't see any of these schools going to the Patriot at all - they don't seem like good fits as associate members. So what other conferences could they be talking to? Has to be a conference desperate for survival (the MAAC) or one who might lose members soon (the NEC may lose Albany or Stony Brook).

[89Hen]

Absolutely ZERO chance of anyone being admitted to the CAA unless somebody else leaves.

[GannonFan]

This would actually be shocking if IUP was able to, on their own, move up. There are tons of state schools in PA and with the trouble they have funding schools as it is I wouldn't expect a lot of state money to help in this, meaning the school would need to find it on its own. The rest of the PSAC, almost to a school, would not move up, unless it was with no change in scholarships. West Chester made a decision in the late 80's to de-emphasize it's football program, causing their good coach to go to Bloomsburg and lead that school to the DII title game. They've only in the past couple of years have begun to revive the successfull program they had before that decision 15 some years ago (DII Final four and respectable showing against Valdosta last year). These schools are not in any position to increase athletic funding for their football programs to move up to IAA and increased scholarships. Like I said, they could move up in name and keep their schollies where they are.

On the bright side, if West Chester did this, UD could now get credit for playing a IAA team, although we've known for some time that they're better than some of the bottom IAA dwellers anyway.

[Marcus Garvey]

I think part of the issue comes from the disparity among the 14 PSAC schools, not just in terms of athletic programs, but among the schools themselves.

Cheyney only has about 1,300 undergrads.
Mansfield has about 3,200 undergrads. When I was in high school, Mansfield's on-campus housing was well below capacity, while other state schools like E. Stroudsburg and Kutztown couldn't guarentee housing to students.

IUP is by far the largest at over 12,000 undergrads. WCU is around 10,500. The remaining schools are all around 4,000 to 8,000. IUP and WCU clearly have enrollments typical of I-AA public schools. That's why they'd be the only ones capable of upgrading. However, I doubt the Commonwealth will pony up the money for it, so it's bloody unlikely that either will move up.

Now, if Slippery Rock were to upgrade, they could pay for it. All those I-A schools around the country who announce their score would probably play them in "guarentee games." That Texas payout would be huge! ;)

[henfan]

Actually, the PSAC was one of the conferences behind the failed NCAA proposal to reduce FB scholarships in D-II. WCUPA and its sister PA schools in the PSAC East supported proposed reductions. I believe WCUPA now funds only 24/25 equivalancies and is struggling to do that. (D-II max is 36.)

IUP and a couple other PSAC West schools have talked vaguely in the press about the possibility of D-I athletics. In any case, it's highly unlikely they would land in the CAA unless the makeup of that conference changed dramatically.

[Marcus Garvey]

IUP and a couple other PSAC West schools have talked vaguely in the press about the possibility of D-I athletics. In any case, it's highly unlikely they would land in the CAA unless the makeup of that conference changed dramatically.

IUP is blowing smoke, no doubt about it. If the president seriously tries to move up to D-I, he ought to be fired by the state.
But, hypothetically speaking, were IUP or another far western team to move up (i.e., California, Edinboro, Slippery Rock, etc...), the Ohio Valley would be a better fit for them geographically than the CAA. Of the western teams, only Ship would fall within "CAA territory."

[colgate13]

Absolutely ZERO chance of anyone being admitted to the CAA unless somebody else leaves.
Tell that to some Fordham fans (OK - just one) that thinks Fordham will be invited into the CAA in 2 years. "Bank on it" was his quote. :p

[henfan]

Tell that to some Fordham fans (OK - just one) that thinks Fordham will be invited into the CAA in 2 years.

FU has a real shot once the CAA expands to 32 teams.

[bisonguy]

Actually, the PSAC was one of the conferences behind the failed NCAA proposal to reduce FB scholarships in D-II. WCUPA and its sister PA schools in the PSAC East supported proposed reductions. I believe WCUPA now funds only 24/25 equivalancies and is struggling to do that. (D-II max is 36.)

IUP and a couple other PSAC West schools have talked vaguely in the press about the possibility of D-I athletics. In any case, it's highly unlikely they would land in the CAA unless the makeup of that conference changed dramatically.

True, and the PSAC was behind the previous attempt to reduce grants in DII, somewhere around 2000, to a max of 30. That vote only failed by six votes.

[ngineer]

There is no way any of the PSAC teams could go Patriot. The academic demographics just aren't there, let alone the financial issues. However, I could see them attempting to go I-AA if they upgraded their financial commitments and, in some cases, facilities. Cheyney is the one school that would be out like a duck out of water--heck, they're out of water in their own class (any I-AA team that schedules them should be arrested for . The rest of the league is competitive internally, and some are akin to the top schools in the NEC. West Chester, Bloomsburg, Slippery Rock, IUP, Edinboro, Millersville, East Stroudsburg, have had decent teams over the years (Mansfield, California, Cheyney have been consistently weak and also have small student bodies). I don't think they could make the move as they are, and I have doubts as to whether the State would allow the expenditures necessary to make the grade.