NDSU looks East as Chicago State Leaves MidCon.

[WYOBISONMAN]

The biggest news regarding the ultimate survival and growth of the Great West Football Conference may be coming from the MidCon conference. If NDSU and SDSU were to join the MidCon (which does not offer football) both schools would have a much deeper and longer term committment to the GWFC. Here is the latest from the Fargo Forum........


Chicago State departure piques NDSU’s interest
By Jeff Kolpack
The Forum - 04/21/2006

The conference-seeking radar at North Dakota State is blipping again.

This time, it’s facing east. Sixteen months after being rejected by the Big Sky Conference, NDSU is looking to the Mid-Continent Conference for affiliation.

The Mid-Con may be thinking expansion after Chicago State announced Wednesday it is leaving the league after this school year. It will leave the conference with just eight members.

“I would think there will be discussions about the makeup of the conference over the next couple of months, certainly,” said Valparaiso University (Ind.) athletic director Mark LaBarbera.

Mid-Con commissioner Thomas Douple could not be reached for comment.

But NDSU athletic directorGene Taylor said the departure of Chicago State “certainly piques our interest.”

“I’m sure my calls to Tom Douple will increase over the next few weeks,” he said.

For the entire article here is the link.............

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=124308&section=Sports

[greenG]

The biggest news regarding the ultimate survival and growth of the Great West Football Conference may be coming from the MidCon conference. If NDSU and SDSU were to join the MidCon (which does not offer football) both schools would have a much deeper and longer term committment to the GWFC. Here is the latest from the Fargo Forum........


Chicago State departure piques NDSU’s interest
By Jeff Kolpack
The Forum - 04/21/2006

The conference-seeking radar at North Dakota State is blipping again.

This time, it’s facing east. Sixteen months after being rejected by the Big Sky Conference, NDSU is looking to the Mid-Continent Conference for affiliation.

The Mid-Con may be thinking expansion after Chicago State announced Wednesday it is leaving the league after this school year. It will leave the conference with just eight members.

“I would think there will be discussions about the makeup of the conference over the next couple of months, certainly,” said Valparaiso University (Ind.) athletic director Mark LaBarbera.

Mid-Con commissioner Thomas Douple could not be reached for comment.

But NDSU athletic directorGene Taylor said the departure of Chicago State “certainly piques our interest.”

“I’m sure my calls to Tom Douple will increase over the next few weeks,” he said.

For the entire article here is the link.............

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=124308&section=Sports

Landing NDSU, and probably SDSU, would be a genuine coup for the Mid-Con. It certainly would ease the travel for the western teams like SUU (who already plays the Dakotas in the GWFC), UMKC, and ORU. It may also entice Denver, who states it is interested in the Big West, to rethink and look to the Mid-Con.

Up to now, the Mid-Con has been a borderline league with schools scattered across the entire continent (Central CT State was once a member!). Having a coherent western division would greatly increase the credibility of the conference. With recent rumblings about the Big Sky looking at NDSU, SDSU, and a newly minted D-I UND program, the Mid-Con should move quickly to bring in the Dakotas.

[TexasTerror]

I talked to someone with MidCon ties and they said the conference was not too thrilled with Southern Utah in the conference and that they could eventually be pushed out.

However, I can see the direction of this. Adding more western teams (like a NDSU, SDSU and Denver) could help the situation (especially if they would change travel issues for the more 'eastern' teams through a divisional format so travel 'west' would be limited). Perhaps this will keep the Mid-Con schools happy and help out everyone involved...

You'd probably need one more squad and that could come from Colorado College (who'd need to make a commitment of their own) or North Dakota...

[WYOBISONMAN]

My preference would be that NDSU goes to the Big Sky, but I see that hope almost gone now. Clearly the smart money says NDSU will be in the MidCon. I don't think those Big Sky Presidents that want NDSU in the Sky can get agreement fast enough to head off a MidCon bid. Although, the Big Sky Presidents meet first (May) they have been reluctant to admit to the conference with a less than unanimous vote..........and it seems Sac and PSU have been opposed to the Dakotas.....

[RabidRabbit]

I talked to someone with MidCon ties and they said the conference was not too thrilled with Southern Utah in the conference and that they could eventually be pushed out.

However, I can see the direction of this. Adding more western teams (like a NDSU, SDSU and Denver) could help the situation (especially if they would change travel issues for the more 'eastern' teams through a divisional format so travel 'west' would be limited). Perhaps this will keep the Mid-Con schools happy and help out everyone involved...

You'd probably need one more squad and that could come from Colorado College (who'd need to make a commitment of their own) or North Dakota...

The Mid-Con for the Dakotas would likely preserve the Great West Conference. This would be especially true if UND gets their notice in to move up to D-I prior to Mid-Con meeting, and then Mid-Con adds them also. Having UND move up is the reasonable add for the GWFC. I don't see any other western football playing schools that are as poised and ready to leap forward as the Sioux. And this addresses conference concerns that the Sioux have.

Joining the Big Sky would be nice alternative, but realistically, I can't say that it's a better alternative than Mid-Con & GWFC. And it would put SUU, Cal-Poly, UC-Davis into indy status

[wannabegaucho]

If NDSU and SDSU were to join the Big Sky, I'd consider "disowning" all involved. This road is not pretty, it's a road leading Cal Poly and UC Davis to Independents.

[ccd494]

The Mid-Con for the Dakotas would likely preserve the Great West Conference. This would be especially true if UND gets their notice in to move up to D-I prior to Mid-Con meeting, and then Mid-Con adds them also. Having UND move up is the reasonable add for the GWFC. I don't see any other western football playing schools that are as poised and ready to leap forward as the Sioux. And this addresses conference concerns that the Sioux have.

Joining the Big Sky would be nice alternative, but realistically, I can't say that it's a better alternative than Mid-Con & GWFC. And it would put SUU, Cal-Poly, UC-Davis into indy status


I don't see the Sioux moving up. They've won more division one national titles than NDSU and SDSU ever will in every sport combined. They would lose money that would be better off spent on the hockey program.

[Stang Fever]

I don't see the Sioux moving up. They've won more division one national titles than NDSU and SDSU ever will in every sport combined. They would lose money that would be better off spent on the hockey program.


Take out hockey and what do they have....

[slostang]

Take out hockey and what do they have....
UND is one of the better DII football programs. They are a regular in the playoffs and they have a nice dome stadium. I would like to see the Dakotas, including UND, move into to the Mid-Con. This would add stability to the GWFC and also add a sixth team, both of which are very good things for UC Davis, SUU and Cal Poly. I also think if the GWFC continues it will become a dominate conference in I-AA.

[RabidRabbit]

I don't see the Sioux moving up. They've won more division one national titles than NDSU and SDSU ever will in every sport combined. They would lose money that would be better off spent on the hockey program.

:nono: Maine - Please discuss what the Sioux left on the table NOT being D-1, because the Sioux have it figured out! :nono:
http://siouxsports.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6216

There is strong recognition by the Sioux donors that their EQUALS, their RIVALRIES are D-1, and D1AA football teams. They've been getting 10K + to NCC games in DII. Consistently this will have them in the top 50 of D-1AA. And who's ahead of them? The teams in the neighborhood that they would be joining, Montana, NDSU, SDSU, UNI, UNC, Cal Poly, UC Davis.

And copied from SLOSTANG :bow: :bow:
UND is one of the better DII football programs. They are a regular in the playoffs and they have a nice dome stadium. I would like to see the Dakotas, including UND, move into to the Mid-Con. This would add stability to the GWFC and also add a sixth team, both of which are very good things for UC Davis, SUU and Cal Poly. I also think if the GWFC continues it will become a dominate conference in I-AA.

I agree this is a winner. Now just need the Mid-CON to agree.

[slostang]

Why move this thread? I know the Mid-Con is not a I-AA football conference, but the Dakotas possibily moving to there would have serious implications for the Great West Football Conference which is a I-AA football conference.

[Hansel]

http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=124477&section=Sports

[WYOBISONMAN]

Why move this thread? I know the Mid-Con is not a I-AA football conference, but the Dakotas possibily moving to there would have serious implications for the Great West Football Conference which is a I-AA football conference.

Too bad this thread got moved....it killed it and it was football related....: smh :

[slostang]

Too bad this thread got moved....it killed it and it was football related....: smh :
I agree. Keeping my fingers crossed that both NDSU and SDSU join the Mid-Con. If it happens, the sky is the limit for the GWFC, and I am not talking about the Big Sky. :)

[slostang]

Too bad this thread got moved....it killed it and it was football related....: smh :
There is more than one way to skin a cat. I posted a new thread about the future of the GWFC on the I-AA board and talk about how the MidCon might play into the future of the GWFC.