MBB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[Drake Palmer]

...Good info, Moses. But how much longer will the bulk of these facts be viable?

Word on the street says UST has raised almost $58 million to make a big push toward joining the D1 ranks.

Sheesh, & this is an example of how rumors get started.  While rumors may abound –  here's the official word on that 58 large.

Here's an excerpt - "The University of St. Thomas announced Wednesday the largest fund drive in its 122-year history, with the acceptance of a $60 million gift that is the largest-known contribution ever made to a Minnesota college or university. The gift by Lee and Penny Anderson will be used for a new student center and improvements to athletic and recreational facilities."

It is kinda ridiculous how UST can get such large outright gifts as as this.   The Palmer house could use a major endowment.
************
Back to hoops, both opening round games could be nasty.  And I like how both Carleton & Concordia are playing right now.  Zorro is playing like he's got something to prove, and the Cobbs are turning their little barn into a little shop of horrors. "yeah I got something for ya pal– fear the ear."

I might have to turn the home office into command central on Tuesday night & try to watch/listen to both games.

[Willy Wonka]

Drake - While I'm sure what you posted is accurate (it was in the paper, it HAS to be true!), that wasn't what I was talking about.

My "word" happens to say that this particular drive is at 43 of the 58 million goal, of which I've got to believe almost all will go toward athletic funding and upgrades. When a prominent UST official was recently (ie. days ago, NOT four months ago) asked if the Tommies were considering moving divisions, the response he gave was, "Not to D2."

Have you heard any such rumblings, MM? As much as I dislike the Tommies, I'd hate to see them go.

As for basketball...

This is a great year for the 6-team playoff. Any of the teams could get hot and win 2/3 straight and make the tourney, likely leaving the other 5 at home.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

I've heard there is a fund-raising effort which will be used to upgrade physical facilities in the athletic dept. I have heard from several highly reliable and well-placed sources that UST has no intention or designs to "downgrade" to D-I.  it is just not in synch with UST's philosophy, is what I've heard over and over.  Also, it would be a death knell for too many sports, as they could no longer compete in D-III, yet there is no D-II (hockey for example) and the requirements for D-I include facilities that UST does not have the land to build (agian, using hockey as an example, an on-campus arena with a NCAA mandated minimum seating that makes the current arena shared with STA inadequate. Where on campus is there room to build?  and with the neighborhood opposing virtually every construction project the school has ever conceived, even if there was land to build, it would never get construction approval)

[columbianmaffia]

some recruiting news

it sounds like olaf if they havent already may land Jarin and Fong from bloomington kennedy along with Weiloch from rosemount

however the gusties are still in the running for weiloch

[bleednavyblue_GoBU]

http://athletics.bethel.edu/sports/mbball/2008/photos/AUG2/pages/IMG_4017_111_1_JPG.htm

It's Awesome Baby! 

It is great to be a Royal! 

p.s. Go Royals...Go Knight...I want to watch a game in the Shoe on Thursday! 

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

p.s. Go Royals...Go Knight...I want to watch a game in the Shoe on Thursday! 

when did you become a masochist? 

[concordia of the north]

bleednavy, i didn't know you were a Cobbs fan?  I'll see you over at UST to watch the tommies-cobbs round three, winner take all.

[sju4life]

Somewhat interesting this is being brought up.  I had actually heard maybe 2 or 3 years ago St. Thomas was looking into moving to DIV 1.  I do have to say that I feel like Minnesota needs another Div. 1 school.  If Iowa can have 4 and Wisconsin can have 5 we should probably have more then 1.  (not sure if my numbers are exact but they are close).  I do not know if St. Thomas is the best school, none the less it would be great for someone to make the jump.

Question..What are the rules on sports?  Can you have only Div. 1 basketball and the rest something else?  Can everything be Div. 1 except hockey?  What are the guidelines that would need to be followed?

[Mr. Ypsi]

Somewhat interesting this is being brought up.  I had actually heard maybe 2 or 3 years ago St. Thomas was looking into moving to DIV 1.  I do have to say that I feel like Minnesota needs another Div. 1 school.  If Iowa can have 4 and Wisconsin can have 5 we should probably have more then 1.  (not sure if my numbers are exact but they are close).  I do not know if St. Thomas is the best school, none the less it would be great for someone to make the jump.

Question..What are the rules on sports?  Can you have only Div. 1 basketball and the rest something else?  Can everything be Div. 1 except hockey?  What are the guidelines that would need to be followed?

Generally, ALL sports must be the same division.  A few schools were 'grandfathered' for specific sports (e.g., Johns Hopkins lacrosse, Colorado College hockey, etc.), but I don't think they will do that any longer.

[kel_varnsen]

I do have to say that I feel like Minnesota needs another Div. 1 school.  If Iowa can have 4 and Wisconsin can have 5 we should probably have more then 1.

There's a Division 1 college in Minnesota?

[sumander]

This is a great year for the 6-team playoff. Any of the teams could get hot and win 2/3 straight and make the tourney, likely leaving the other 5 at home.

Looks like the Tommies are in whether they win or lose! Check out the updated regional rankings from pabegg below.

WE  82   01   01   0.5960 0.4990 0.5222 St. Thomas                019   A w C       19-3 21-4
WE  84   02   03   0.6004 0.5309 0.5275 Occidental                023  A w C       13-3 20-4
WE  86   03   02   0.6143 0.5747 0.5251 UW-Stevens Point          026  A w C       18-5 20-5
WE  81   04   04   0.5903 0.4958 0.5276 Buena Vista               027  A w C       16-3 20-5
WE  86   05   07   0.5874 0.4923 0.5391 UW-Whitewater             029  C 10        19-4 21-4
WE  81   06   05   0.5929 0.5183 0.5350 Loras                     031  C 11        16-4 19-6
WE  84   07   06   0.5809 0.4975 0.5285 Cal Lutheran              033  C 12        16-4 20-4
WE  86   08   09   0.5898 0.5256 0.5351 UW-Platteville            038  C 14        17-5 19-6
WE  89   09   11   0.5398 0.3873 0.5274 Nebraska Wesleyan         060  B 3         6-1 13-12


I've trimmed the rankings down to the top 60 nationally, as no one below that has any shot at a Pool C bid.

The top 31, through Loras, have probably clinched a Pool C bid already if they need one.

[Drake Palmer]

Welcome back from Winter Wonderland Sum.  looks like the Johnnies could have used your support on Saturday night.

The regional rankings may very well be correct, but for the Tommies' sake, they'd better make sure they at least make it to the 'Ship.

Tommies look to be back in the saddle again after the loss against the Cobbs, but they need to make sure they keep their lucky rabbit's foot around & make sure their shooting stays on track.   One cool shooting night from their guards could spell trouble for a team that doesn't consistently look to go inside for points.

GAC boosters have been somewhat quiet, but privately, I would think they're more than a bit concerned with how their team has played over the past two weeks.  1-2 in their last 3 games with the only win coming against 2nd division Hamline. 

Carleton is starting to pick up steam, & with Jeremy Sutherland back in the lineup they're starting to look dangerous. If Tommy Drake picks it up on the offensive end they could be real scary.

SJU has to regroup real quick after the the decisive loss at home to the Tommies.  Bethel  needs to guard against a big emotional letdown after receiving the "Gift" and Madson taking advantage of the free gift.  

[AO]

Perhaps the high ranking official at Summit and Grand was speaking of an eventual move to D-4.  That doesn't exactly force you to upgrade the facilities, but it seems more likely than a jump to D-1.

On another note, I was reading the Bethel-Augie recap on the Bethel site where the SID used the first sentence to note the Robertson center was "packed".  I then looked at the game photos and saw the balcony sparsely inhabited and the opposite side bleachers not appearing overly full either.  If the MIAC can lead the nation in attendance in football, why not basketball?  an indoor sport in the winter in Minnesota..is Gustavus losing their basketball fans to the women's hockey team?   They haven't drawn over a 1000 this year.  -------

       Largest attendance at a D-3 basketball game in Minnesota this season-- Martin Luther at Northwestern last Saturday - 1676 saw a big comeback by the Knights before last second heroics by Anderstrom---the north Snelling ave. teams were clutch.

[piperinsider]

I do have to say that I feel like Minnesota needs another Div. 1 school.  If Iowa can have 4 and Wisconsin can have 5 we should probably have more then 1.  (not sure if my numbers are exact but they are close). 

Sconnie has four - Marquette, Madison, Milwaukee and everyone's favorite Horizon League bunch, Green Bay

Dynamite post. Only a few more to 1,000.

[SUMMIT!!!!!]

I do have to say that I feel like Minnesota needs another Div. 1 school.  If Iowa can have 4 and Wisconsin can have 5 we should probably have more then 1.  (not sure if my numbers are exact but they are close). 

Sconnie has four - Marquette, Madison, Milwaukee and everyone's favorite Horizon League bunch, Green Bay

Yeah, but N & S Dakota will soon have 2 each, so SCSU, UMD and Mankato need to do it or get off their pot. They are already semi-pro, they might as well go whole hog   
And if SUM cracked open his wallet, Moorhead St would make 5!