WBB: GSAC

[Pat Coleman]

The conference always has the opportunity for an at-large if one is good enough to qualify, but there is no second AQ for large conferences.

[egghead]

Being from North Carolina, I am really surprised to see Salem join this conference especially considering the economy and the amount of travel that will be involved. I had heard that they tried to get in the USA South Conference but were turned down because the conference did not want to add another "girls only" school. The last three additions have been Peace, Meredith, and Mary Baldwin which are all single sex schools. I saw where Salem is going to have to bring back softball as a condition of membership. After playing at the club level for several years, they made it a varsity sport for two years and then quit the second season right in the middle of the year. When they did play, they usually got run ruled after just 3 ininings. They will have a really tough time recruiting when they bring the sport back because I do not believe they ever won a game at the varsity level. Maybe they can find the right person this time that knows a little about softball. I guess only time will tell.   

[Ralph Turner]

I really see this as part of a bigger picture for D-III in the southeast.

Salem gets into a conference which helps with scheduling.  The non-conference games will be the same teams (USA South) as they have had.  The GSAC moves to an 8-team (women's) conference.  This solidifies the AQ's for the women...8 is better than 7.  The addition of softball just made sense.  Salem's Volleyball and Tennis give the GSAC an AQ bid in 2011-12.

This also strikes a balance for women's programs in the southeast, 4 all-women's schools in the GSAC and now 3 in the USAC.  (The conference alignment makes that 8 GSAC women's teams and 10 USAC of 9 if Shenandoah leaves.)

I still believe that Shenandoah is out of the USA South by fall 2012.  The USA South men need an affiliation with the GSAC men to maintain the AQ.

I also look for the GSAC to add Covenant if they decide to come D3 after their provisional exploratory year, 2008-09.  We should hear on Berry GA and Covenant in the next 6 weeks. (Berry probably goes to the SCAC after 1-2 years as an independent.)

EDIT:  exploratory

[egghead]

Ralph Turner-The way you explained it makes perfect sense for allowing Salem to join the GSAC. It is just going to take a complete turnaround for Salem to ever become competetive in softball. The way I understand it is that most of the girls never even played high school ball, much less travel ball. They were strictly out there for fun. Schools would try their best to hold the score down but would still run rule them in 3 innings in most cases. That does not do either team much good in that situation.   

[Ralph Turner]

Ralph Turner-The way you explained it makes perfect sense for allowing Salem to join the GSAC. It is just going to take a complete turnaround for Salem to ever become competetive in softball. The way I understand it is that most of the girls never even played high school ball, much less travel ball. They were strictly out there for fun. Schools would try their best to hold the score down but would still run rule them in 3 innings in most cases. That does not do either team much good in that situation.   

I think that the commitment by Salem to be competitive in the GSAC is what is being asked of the school  by the conference.  I don't have the best "feel" for the GSAC softball, but Wesleyan, Agnes Scott and Spelman appear to be their own strata.  If the addition of Salem changes the standings from


2008-09 GSAC Softball

School	GSAC	Overall
1.    Maryville	11-1	21-15
LaGrange	11-1	25-21
3.    Huntingdon	8-4	17-22-1
4.    Piedmont	6-6	15-17
5.    Wesleyan	4-8	5-26
6.    Agnes Scott	1-11	5-22
Spelman	1-11	2-26

to

2008-09 GSAC Softball

School	GSAC	Overall
1.    Maryville	13-1	21-15
LaGrange	13-1	25-21
3.    Huntingdon	10-4	17-22-1
4.    Piedmont	8-6	15-17
5.    Wesleyan	6-8	6-24
6.    Agnes Scott	2-12	6-21
Spelman	2-12	3-25
Salem	2-12	3-25

then the conference has figured that into the equation.

Thanks for the commentary.   

[egghead]

Ralph Turner-I am pretty sure that Salem played Spelman a couple of years ago in softball and got beat pretty badly. Unless things change drastically, you need to change your projected standings and add another conference victory for Spelman and Agnes Scott and take away the two you gave Salem. You need to understand that Salem never even came close to winning.

[scottiedoug]

I remember when Maryville's women's basketball team was horrible and then they hired Wes Moore (now at UT-Chattanooga) and things got better pretty quickly.  I hope the administrators understand that it takes coaching, players, and support to succeed.

So Ralph, any more rumors about SCAC realignments?  the GSAC schools would have pretty serious travel issues with the USASouth and less with some alignment of TN, GA, AL, KY, AK, MS schools (as I know you know).

[Ralph Turner]

Good morning, scottiedoug.

Nothing new, officially.

Centenary, in Shreveport, LA seems to be in a situation where they need to re-evaluate their commitment to D1.

The APR is causing them to lose access to the post-season in baseball and men's basketball.

I would like to have Centenary in the ASC, but they would probably use the ASC as their due diligence investigating  D-III.  The ASC is the conference that has less travel involved.  All members of the ASC-East are within a 210 mile raidus (except Ozarks 309 miles).  The SCAC would claim that they are "peer insitutions".

www.colleges.org

Let's see if Covenant and Berry GA commit to the provisional process this year.

[scottiedoug]

Ralph what does committing to provisional status require of Covenant and Berry?

[Ralph Turner]

Ralph what does committing to provisional status require of Covenant and Berry?

Good morning...

Berry and Covenant were in the Exploratory year in 2008-09.  As I understand it, a school can stay in the exploratory process more than one year.  During the Exploratory Year, they look at the administrative processes, the compliance issues, and the other "hassles" involved with being in the NCAA versus the "hassles" of the NAIA.  The school  looks at the benefits of NCAA membership, the "marketing panache", the financial impact,  the way the alumni reacts, etc.  After that, it is a four year process to become a full member of the NCAA.

We should hear in the next month whether they wish to pursue joining the NCAA.

I hope they join.

[scottiedoug]

What is the deal during the four year period?  Can they join a conference?  Do games played against them by D3 schools count as D3 games?

Is it a burden for you to know all this stuff in that the rest of us lean on you?  Or is it just what liberal arts grads are "supposed to" do?

[Ralph Turner]

What is the deal during the four year period?  Can they join a conference?  Do games played against them by D3 schools count as D3 games?

Is it a burden for you to know all this stuff in that the rest of us lean on you?  Or is it just what liberal arts grads are "supposed to" do?

Thanks for the question Doug.

They can join a conference.  BSC (SCAC) and UT-Tyler (ASC) did in the first year.  They can compete in conference games, and the conference can determine the nature of the participation.  Their games in year #3 and #4 of provisional status count towards in-region records, etc.

The 4-year period is to bring them into compliance with D-III and to get any students out fo the system that might be "scholarship".  They 4-year wiat slows down any jumping from division to division.

After 4 years, they will be eligible for the NCAA playoffs.

[scottiedoug]

Thank you!

[scottiedoug]

Coach Wright has recruited another guard, this one from Roane State, making a bunch of new talent for Maryville:

http://www.maryvillecollege.edu/athletics/news-detail.asp?sportNameID=10&id=3051

[GottaHaveHeart]

Coach Wright has recruited another guard, this one from Roane State, making a bunch of new talent for Maryville:

Brings the total to 9: 5 guards, 2 forwards, 2 posts