Future of Division III

[Warren Thompson]

BSC into the SCAC already.  You have to imagine this was basically a done deal before BSC would venture into the unknown, so to speak.  They must have had extensive contact with the SCAC while considering the move, right?

From what I've heard, BSC had had talks with the SCAC people going back several months.

[Pat Coleman]

Yes, the Birmingham news coverage stated as much. And the Birmingham columnists complained about it.

[Hawks88]

With 9 football playing schools in the SCAC, I wonder how much more difficult it will make Huntingdon's scheduling. With only two open dates each, it seems like it would be alot harder for so many of them to fit us in. What's the chances of that GSAC-USA South merger happening soon to keep this from being a problem?

[Ralph Turner]

Hawks, the SCAC board is talking about the possibility of playing a 6-game conference schedule.  That leaves 4 non-conference games to fill from the likes of Huntingdon, LaGrange, Wash StL, Texas teams, etc.

I think that Huntingdon will have the chance to build a strong "Pool B" schedule.

[Hawks88]

That sounds better. So assuming we get BSC on our schedule, and we keep the five SCAC members we currently have on it, we could end up playing as many SCAC conference games as the actual conference members. Weird.
HC vs. BSC was a big baseball rivalry for us when we were in the same NAIA conference in the 80's. I am looking forward to getting this rivalry started again.  Plus, that's one less plane ride or long bus ride our guys will have to make.

[Ralph Turner]

That sounds better. So assuming we get BSC on our schedule, and we keep the five SCAC members we currently have on it, we could end up playing as many SCAC conference games as the actual conference members. Weird.
HC vs. BSC was a big baseball rivalry for us when we were in the same NAIA conference in the 80's. I am looking forward to getting this rivalry started again.  Plus, that's one less plane ride or long bus ride our guys will have to make.

Hawks, Huntingdon is trying to make the football playoffs thru Pool B.  I think that you can craft a good schedule to earn a Pool B bid.  BSC and Millsaps need games and you are relatively close to Sewanee and Rhodes.  Draw a circumference on the map of those SCAC schools and find 4 opponents.  HC and LaGrange are inside that circumference.  You are right about having 5-6 SCAC opponents opn your schedule.

By 2007 the Presidents AC is going to Pool A, (Wash & Jeff/Waynesburg).

In 2008 the Northwest Conference goes to Pool A (Linfield/Willamette/PLU).

I think that your main competition will be the ACFC schools, and they need games, too.

[johnnie_esq]

To keep discussion going about these reclassifications, it appears there is much occurring at the DII level.  Specifically, the University of North Dakota will announce by July 1 their intention (yes or no) to pursue D-1 membership.  UND, which already has a successful D-1 hockey program, would bring all its sports up to the D-1 level in the footsteps of its in-state rival North Dakota State University and its neighbor South Dakota State U.  The UND athletic director has publicly stated "not an if, but a when we go D-1", and told other conference schools to prepare for life without UND.

This has major implications for DII.  All of NDSU, SDSU, and UND were/are members of the NCC, which has been a powerhouse DII conference in all the revenue sports.  With the loss of these three members (and before them, U of Northern Colorado to D-1 and Morningside to NAIA), the NCC is down to 7 schools. 

However, the University of South Dakota is considering moving to D-1 if UND does, making the NCC down to five and leaving the remaining NCC in a problematic spot, below the minimum number of schools for a conference and allowing U Nebraska-Omaha to leave to a nearer geographical conference (the remaining schools are Minnesota-Duluth, St. Cloud State, Mankato State, and Augustana (Sioux Falls, SD)). 

Three of these four have D-1 hockey programs; but are probably not financially or alumni-relations prepared to make the move all-way to D-1.  They could join with another conference, but that won't work either, since they are either geographically distant or have more scholarships than the NSIC (which is traditionally much weaker and have far less interest in their programs, Winona State excepting).  My personal guess is that UMD, SCSU, and will try to go D-1, and Augustana may consider NAIA, the NSIC, or even D-3.

I have no idea whether any of these schools will make a move to D-3; however, I think it will alarm the DII contingent that an entire conference was torn apart by the economics that are DII athletics, which leads to further problems with the Division.  I don't want to be misunderstood and have someone call me on "UND leaving will lead to the demise of D-2", but I hope it will lead to a serious study of NCAA classification and resources between D-2 and D-3.

Here is the Grand Forks Herald Article;  Here is a SC Times Article about the situation.

[Ralph Turner]

Thanks for the update, Johnnie.

I have always thought that D2 was a sort of "no-man's land".

In Texas we have 2 state schools moving from NAIA to D2, Texas A&M International in Laredo, TX and UT-Permian Basin in Odessa.  These are non-football D-2's and will join the Heartland Conference,  Newman in Wichita Kansas is leaving the NAIA to join the Heartland as well.

Do you have any opinions on Montana State--Billings and a more northern option?

We in the ASC tried to add Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth in 2001-02 as they left the Heartland Conference, but they moved on to the NAIA Red River AC.

The "football-playing D2 conference" in this part of the country is the Lone Star Conference.

The middle is the area in intercollegiate athletics that does not have a clear vision, IMHO.  D-1 and D-3 do have a definite vision, and NAIA does, but they don't have March Madness to function as the big sugar daddy.

One option that I can see for D2 is to cut its provisional period.  The downside that might need to be addressed is that some NAIA schools might put their"nose under the tent" into D2 and then move from there.

However, a D2 moving from D3 to D2 could probably do it in 2 years.

The Red River AC is in a strange situation.  They have lost 2 state schools this year, UT-PB and TAMUI.  Their current composition includes 6 HBUC's (Huston-Tillotson, Texas College, Wiley College, Paul Quinn College, Jarvis Christian College and Langston OK, all of which are on or east of IH-35), Houston Baptist, Texas Wesleyan, Southwestern Assemblies of God in Waxahachie south of Dallas, two non-basketball playing schools, College of the Southwest (CSW.edu) in Hobbs NM and Northwood University in the Dallas suburb of Cedar Hill, and football-playing Bacone College in Muskogee OK.

[Ralph Turner]

And not all is harmonious in D2.

This report on the NCAA D2 regional reorganization and Bonitta Best's commentary from the Charlotte Post lead one to surmise that the brunt of the effort falls on the backs of the Central IAA and the Southern IAA, two conferences of HBUC members.

[Hawks88]

Looks like these guys didn't waste any time getting the heck out of dodge, huh?
   
BSC pulls plug on men's basketball, baseball
Birmingham-Southern College will announce later today it will not field a men's basketball or baseball team for next season

http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/breaking/index.ssf?/mtlogs/bama_bhamnews_break/archives/2006_06.html#151737

You will have to scroll down the page a bit to see the article.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Didn't BSC have a really good basketball team this year?  I can't blame the guys for bolting.

[Ralph Turner]

Hawks, I think that the more accurate interpretation is that their D1 athletes are finding homes at other D1 programs.

If those athletes are happy with their new homes, then that is good.

For the athletic program that was hemorrhaging $5M per year, this allows it to save some money.  It appears that the coaches have found new jobs.

I wish the best for BSC.

Thanks for the hyperlink, Hawks88!

[Mr. Ypsi]

A question that just occurred to me - when a scholarship school moves to d3, what happens to the players who DON'T transfer?  Seems unfair to strip them of their scholarships, yet unfair to the competition if they retain them.

Anyone know?

[Pat Coleman]

Their scholarships are phased out as part of the provisional period.

[Hawks88]

And looks like BSC has found their football coach. Former Alabama player Joey Jones, who has been head coach at Mountain Brook High School in Birmingham for the last 10 years.

http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/breaking/index.ssf?/mtlogs/bama_bhamnews_break/archives/2006_06.html#151803

And, again, you will have ot scroll down to see the article.