BB: SCAC: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

[CrashDavisD3]

Trinity playing in a 5 team conference with only 4 teams eligible for a POOL A SCAC bid. With Southwestern in the conference and Centenary not eligible in 2013. Trinity is competing with 3 teams for AQ Pool A bid..

While ASC is in 14 team conference and gets a single Pool A bid.

I just love the NCAA's logic !! 

[Ralph Turner]

Trinity playing in a 5 team conference with only 4 teams eligible for a POOL A SCAC bid. With Southwestern in the conference and Centenary not eligible in 2013. Trinity is competing with 3 teams for AQ Pool A bid..

While ASC is in 14 team conference and gets a single Pool A bid.

I just love the NCAA's logic !!

You have to have 7 full members to have a Pool A bid (in every sport that offers a team championship).

The SCAC was a 12 team conference until 7 teams pulled out and are adding an 8th.  (SAA)

In the late 1990's, then ASC Commissioner, the late Fred Jacoby, told the ASC Presidents that you always want to have at least 10 teams in the conference to handle changes in the "Mission/Vision" of a member-institution like University of Dallas, Austin College, Centenary, McMurry, Mississippi College, Texas Lutheran and Schreiner.  Through all of those changes the ASC has maintained its Pool A bid, and never was quite large enough to split into 2 conferences to get a second Pool A bid, (kinda like the MAC Commonwealth and Freedom.)

In the meanwhile, the SCAC has lost its Pool A in football, and I cannot anticipate when it will have a Pool A in football again.  I congratulate the SCAC presidents and Commissioner, Dwayne Hanberry, and their managing the challenges that they faced and "stealing" TLU and Schreiner from the ASC.  (I don't consider stealing Centenary a challenge, because the long term plan of Centenary's move to D-III was to join the SCAC.)

The SCAC will be an 7-team baseball conference, and hold its Pool A bid by fall 2014.

The ASC will be an 11-team conference by 2014.  I do not see any other migration in or out of the ASC.

[108 Stitches]

Ralph, are there any other programs in the area that have a similar academic/athletic profile that the SCAC might pick up? How about picking up Lousiana College to give that area another anchor program?

Seems to me the SCAC would help itself by picking up one more program just for insurance. The ASC is not going to get to 14 so maybe one more program might balance the two in terms of number of schools.

Curious what the thinking is.

[Ron Boerger]

Hardin-Simmons would IMO be the best fit for the SCAC (academically and athletically), but they don't seem to be interested in moving.   Concordia might be another option but again they seem happy where they are.

Don't see LC as an option, to be honest.

[Ralph Turner]

Ron is right.

I also thought that LeTU would be a good addition and would be more competitive against most of the SCAC than most of the ASC.

They would make a good travel partner for Centenary,

Centenary/ LeTU
Austin / UDallas
Southwestern/ Schreiner/ Trinity / TLU  -- any combination to make two pairs.

Colorado College is just out on an island of its own.

[CrashDavisD3]

Who is better?

Cententary(13-4)
Trinity-Texas(16-4)

[108 Stitches]

Likely decided in the SCAC conf tourney. Centenary will be very tough in that tourney as this will be as far as they can go so they will fight to the death...

[infielddad]

Since Centenary swept the 2 game series at Trinity, they have gone 3-5, including being swept by U of Dallas most recently.
Trinity has gone 9-0, including tough midweek wins, with well pitched games, against TLU, Concordia and a 3-1, 4 hitter, today,  against HSU. Lucero followed by Alig, and Speer seem very capable, based on recent starts.  As I posted several weeks back, the season is all about getting better because this is the time when the quality of play and pitching is the most important.  Beginning Thursday, with everyone  0-0, those last 8-9 games might not be all that crucial, but experience usually shows it is tougher to turn things a different direction than it is to maintain good momentum.

[ThunderShoots]

Just watched Speer overmatch Howard-Simmons tonight.  The big soph is really coming into his own.

Speer  7-0 1.52
Lucero 8-1 2.37 (27-3 career)
Alig     4-1 3.00

That starting trio, 5-6 solid arms in the pen, a healthy Jon Hall to anchor the line-up, and a defense that has played much better, is encouraging for Trinity fans as they head into the SCAC tourney.

That first game against Dallas and Bossert should be dynamite.

Can Tigers (33-7) absorb a hiccup and still get a Pool C?

[108 Stitches]

Can Tigers (33-7) absorb a hiccup and still get a Pool C?

I don't think so as the SCIAC and NWC will likely have stronger teams. Frankly if they can't at least get 2nd place in the SCAC tournament do they deserve it?

[CrashDavisD3]

Can Tigers (33-7) absorb a hiccup and still get a Pool C?

I don't think so as the SCIAC and NWC will likely have stronger teams. Frankly if they can't at least get 2nd place in the SCAC tournament do they deserve it?

They have to finish 1/2 in the SCAC Tourney...If not look at their SOS if they dont get a Pool C bid. 30+ wins does not mean you will get a Pool C bid as teams have found out in recent years. Win Pool A bid and you have nothing to whine about. Pool C bids can disappear quickly.

[jekelish]

Who is better?

Cententary(13-4)
Trinity-Texas(16-4)

Having watched both teams this year (and I realize I am way late to answer this question, being more than a month after it was posted), I'd put Centenary ahead of Trinity. Jamari James and Tyler Clakley are just physical specimens. They should be playing linebacker somewhere. They don't look like your typical D3 athletes, they seriously look like they should be playing in the NFL. Add in the talent around those guys, and yes, Centenary is just a really, really good team.

Trinity is obviously also very good, and has top line pitching, but if I were a betting man I'd put my money on Centenary to win the SCAC title this year.

[Ron Boerger]

Man, poor Southwestern.  They were put out of their misery on their home field tonight in the first game of the SCAC championships, 4-3.  Fittingly enough for the way the season has gone, they lost after loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth (walk, walk, hit batsman) and the winning run scored on an error in the infield. 

Surely RJ Thomas didn't expect to have a 30-game winner his first year after coming from Hendrix, but 3-37, 0-19 SCAC?    Yowza.   Austin goes up against Centenary tomorrow.

[108 Stitches]

Thomas will get that program going in the right direction, it takes a couple of years. Recruiting is everything.

[Ron Boerger]

Turns out they're not done, it's a double elimination tourney.  SW gets the Trinity-UD loser tomorrow.

Hear what you're saying, 108; it's just hard to believe anyone could go 0-fer in the SCAC.